media reports

The voices behind the microphone at Melbourne's newest radio show will never be short of conversation.

The six dwarfs hosting Small Talk say there is much to discuss.
Everything is on the table - from dwarf tossing to what is the most appropriate word to describe them.
The hated "midget" is not an option.
"We here in Australia say 'short statured'," said Samuel Millard, the co-presenter and driving force behind the new program.
"America has 'little people' and the UK uses 'restricted growth'."
He said a single term across the globe would be a step in the right direction.
"Some people don't like the term dwarf, but most people like midget even less because it's offensive."
Mr Millard, who is also Victorian chairman of Short Statured People of Australia, said the experiment on community radio station 3CR was an attempt to better educate the public about dwarfism.

He said the issues were complicated.
"Anything that demeans someone and turns them into a gimmick, like dwarf throwing, is definitely a no-go. But Snow White, where the character is a dwarf, is fine."
Only one episode of the 30-minute monthly show has gone to air so far, but Mr Millard said it has already attracted a huge response.
"We've had emails from people overseas wanting to know how they can listen to us."

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Metro under attack from Melbourne's short-statured population
Melbourne Herald-Sun (Victoria, Australia), 26 July 2011, p.
Author: Nick Leys

Train operator Metro has come under attack from Melbourne's short-statured population, who claim they are being left with nowhere to sit and nothing to hang on to.

Metro this week rolled out modified carriages with some seats removed to create more standing room.
But for anyone who can't reach an overhead handle, or push through a crowded carriage to grab a handrail, life has become just a little bit harder.
Local members of the Short Statured People of Australia have condemned the change, saying it is just one more reason not to use public transport.
Samantha Lilly, 22, said the thought of entering a crowded carriage with little hope of a seat was "just horrible".
"My face is at bottom height, so a crowded train is horrendous," the 112cm university student said.
"It's quite scary. People don't know you are there and if they step back you can get trampled.

"If people can see you and know your intentions they let you through, but if they can't move they can't let you through anyway."
Trams are just as frustrating. Several years ago Ms Lilly was fined for not having a ticket, but she could not reach the vending machine.
"A lot of us have that problem," she said.
"When I argued with them they told me to ask a stranger to buy a ticket for me. Eventually they dropped the fine, but I thought things would change. They haven't."
Sam Millard, 23, is 120cm and also a university student. He stopped using public transport because he decided it was unsafe.
"The hardest thing is getting on and off," Mr Millard said. "When things are really crowded it can be dangerous and you get bumped around."

Metro spokeswoman Geraldine Mitchell said the removal of seats would improve access to handrails.
"Our assessment of the congestion near the door areas has proven there is limited access to handrails for all heights," she said.
"This change will ease congestion and improve customer flow, providing better access to handrails."
Metro is removing the third aisle seat in 48 trains in the X'Trapolis fleet, meaning every six-car X'Trapolis train will have 72 fewer seats - down from 528 to 456.

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