Digital Commons Network^™

The State Of The Australian Middle Class, Clive Hamilton, Christian Downie, Yi H. Lu

Australasian Accounting, Business and Finance Journal

There is a widespread view that the middle class in Australia is doing it tough, that they are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain a decent standard of living and are suffering from mortgage stress. Indeed, some media reports have announced the end of the middle class dream. This paper tests a number of these popular views against the statistical data. It asks whether the typical Australian family can be said to be struggling? Are mortgages creating severe problems for middle-class families? Is the middle class shrinking? Are families coping financially only because wives are going out to work?

The Recipient Value And Distributional Impact Of The Commonwealth Seniors Health Card In 2007, Peter Siminski

Faculty of Business - Economics Working Papers

This paper considers the recipient value and distributional impact of the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) by analysing a range of possible behavioural responses to economic incentives. First, I estimate the recipient value by considering the trade‐off between moral hazard and risk pooling. The utility gain through risk‐pooling is found to be negligible. The deadweight loss through moral hazard may be considerable. I also use illustrative models to demonstrate the possible effects of the CSHC on savings and labour supply. Whilst the CSHC may induce some people to save and work more, it may have the opposite effect on others.

What Would The Average Public Sector Employee Be Paid In The Private Sector?, Peter M. Siminski

Faculty of Business - Economics Working Papers

This paper estimates the average Australian public sector wage premium. It includes a detailed critical review of the methods available to address this issue. The chosen approach is a quasi‐differenced panel data model, estimated by the Generalised Method of Moments, which has many advantages over other methods and has not been used before for this topic. I find a positive average public sector wage premium for both sexes. The best estimates are 6.7% for men and 10.5% for women. The estimate is statistically significant for men (p = 0.024) and for women (p < 0.001). No evidence is found to suggest that the public sector has an equalising effect on the wages of its workers.

The Price Elasticity Of Demand For Pharmaceuticals Amongst High Income Older People In Australia: A Natural Experiment, Peter M. Siminski

Faculty of Business - Economics Working Papers

This paper estimates the price elasticity of demand for pharmaceuticals amongst high-income older people in Australia. It exploits a natural experiment by which some people gained entitlement to a price reduction through the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC). To the author’s knowledge, this is the first study of the price elasticity of demand for pharmaceuticals amongst older people that draws on a natural experiment with a control group. The preferred model is a nonlinear Instrumental Variable (IV) difference-in-difference regression, estimated on nationally representative repeated cross sectional survey data using the Generalised Method of Moments. No significant evidence is found for …

The Struggle To Develop Accounting Practices In The Australian Girl Guides, 1945-9: A Microhistorical Approach, A. Abraham

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

There has been limited accounting history research in the areas of nonprofit organisations and women in a non-business environment. This paper addresses these two gaps by considering accounting history in a large female-managed nonprofit organisation, the Australian Girl Guides Association (GGA). To do this the paper uses a microhistorical reconstruction of an individual to penetrate underlying motivations (Parker, 1999, p. 31) and to allow the reader “to draw conclusions from a story that illustrates a fragment of peoples’ lives and activities” (Williams, 1999, p. 75) by revealing what would otherwise be unknown about the struggle to develop appropriate accounting practices …

A Comparison Of Two Nutrition Signposting Systems For Use In Australia, Jimmy Chun Yu Louie, Victoria M. Flood, Anna Rangan, Debra J. Hector, Tim Gill

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Consumers are interested in making healthier food choices but the mandatory nutrition information panel currently in use in Australia is not easily understood or interpreted by most consumers. A simple nutrition signpost would be valuable. This paper reviews two nutrition signposting systems currently being considered for adoption in Australia. The authors conclude that a system similar to the colour-coded Traffic Light System is likely to be most useful.

The Commercial Food Landscape: Outdoor Food Advertising Around Primary Schools In Australia, Bridget P. Kelly, Michelle Cretikos, Kris Rogers, Lesley King

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective: Food marketing is linked to childhood obesity through its influence on children’s food preferences, purchase requests and food consumption. We aimed to describe the volume and nature of outdoor food advertisements and factors associated with outdoor food advertising in the area surrounding Australian primary schools. Methods: Forty primary schools in Sydney and Wollongong were selected using random sampling within population density and socio-economic strata. The area within a 500m radius of each school was scanned and advertisements coded according to pre-defined criteria, including: food or non-food product advertisement, distance from the school, size and location. Food advertisements were further …

University Psychology Clinics In Australia: Their Place In Professional Training, Craig J. Gonsalvez, Judy Hyde, Julie Barrington, Sandra Lancaster

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

There is universal recognition of the need for developmentally appropriate supervised clinical experience in professional psychology training. University clinics were established to provide a bridging function for postgraduate clinical psychology students, assisting the integration of psychological theory and research into real-world clinical applications and professional identity development.

Newspaper Coverage Of Drug Policy: An Analysis Of Pre-Election Reporting Of The Greens' Drug Policy In Australia, Danika Hall, Sandra C. Jones, Fiona Cowlin

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Introduction and Aims. With the headline 'Ecstasy Over The Counter' in a popular daily newspaper, the debate on drug policy officially entered the arena of the 2003 New South Wales (Australia) State Election. The debate resurfaced in the lead-up to the 2004 Australian Federal Election. This paper analyses the pre-election coverage of drug policy issues in four Australian newspapers. Design and Methods. Four high-circulation daily newspapers were monitored for a one-month period prior to both elections and analysed for their coverage of drug policy, particularly with respect to the policy of the Greens. Results. The newspapers took different perspectives on …

The Relevance Of The Heart Foundation Of Australia's Dietary Recommendations For Adult Australians: A Comparison Of Views Of General Practitioners, Cardiologists And Dietitians, Francis A. Worsley, Sylvia Pomeroy

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Purpose: To compare the views of general practitioners, cardiologists and dietitians about the relevance of the Heart Foundation of Australias dietary recommendations for adult cardiac patients. Basic procedures: Quantitative-cross sectional study. Postal questionnaires were self-completed by 248 Victorian general practitioners (30% response), 189 Australia-wide cardiologists (47% response) and 180 Victorian dietitians (45% response). Responses were represented as percentages and analyses of variance were conducted to explore the impact of the independent variables: age, work status and gender on the dependent variable: dietary recommendation. Main findings: Approximately half of the recommendations were viewed as strongly important to implement; these related to …

In Pursuit Of A Sustainable Supply Chain: Insights From Westpac Banking Corporation, Byron W. Keating, A. Quazi, A. Kriz, T. Coltman

Faculty of Informatics - Papers (Archive)

The aim of this paper is to provide clues to industry and academia on how best to approach the challenge of developing a sustainable supply chain. A case study was undertaken of the Westpac Banking Corporation – one of the world's most socially responsible banks – to examine how they approached the challenge of managing corporate social responsibility (CSR) in their supply chain. This paper highlights some of the challenges and opportunities associated with extending corporate governance beyond the firm boundary. Specific attention is given to a discussion of assessment and governance tools. The use of a single case study …

Measuring Faecal Incontinence In Australia, Janet Sansoni, Nick Marosszeky, Graeme Hawthorne, Emily Sansoni

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Background: The Wexner Faecal Continence Grading Scale and some faecal incontinence items were included in a population-based survey (N=3015) to obtain current prevalence estimates for Australia and to examine the psychometric properties of these items.

Methods: The additional faecal incontinence items covered urgency, frequency, soiling and bowel patterns.

Examination of the psychometric properties of these items included: item endorsement and discrimination, item-total correlations, internal consistency reliability and exploratory factor analysis.

Results: The Cronbach's alpha for the standard Wexner was α = 0.57 which is considered unacceptable. The item concerning flatus had a low corrected item-total correlation (0.20). …

The Aroc Annual Report: The State Of Rehabilitation In Australia In 2007, Frances Simmonds, J E Marosszeky, Tara Stevermuer

Australian Health Services Research Institute

This is the third comprehensive annual report describing discharge episodes from subacute inpatient rehabilitation programs provided by facilities that are members of the Australasian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre (AROC)1. The inaugural report was published in April 2007 and described the 2005 data; this third instalment describes the 2007 data.

A Snapshot Of Palliative Care In Australia: January To June 2008, - Pcoc

Australian Health Services Research Institute

In July 2007, Version 2 of the PCOC dataset was released. Report Issue Number 5 is the second to report against the Version 2 dataset. Fifty-four palliative care services submitted data for this report. The reporting period is January 2008 to June 2008

Australia And The 'War Against Terrorism': Terrorism, National Security And Human Rights, Mark D. Rix

Sydney Business School - Papers

This article considers whether in the „war against terrorism‟ national security is eroded or strengthened by weakening or removing the human rights of the individuals who constitute the polity. It starts with the view that national security is, at its most fundamental, founded upon the security and liberty of the person from criminal and violent acts, including terrorist attacks. Such attacks, and the individuals and groups who perpetrate them, constitute a grave threat to the peace and security of nations the world over and thus endanger the security and liberty of the individuals who make up their populations. Governments are …

Review Caring Cultures: Sharing Imaginations: Australia And India, Michael Jacklin

Faculty of Arts - Papers (Archive)

The reading of Australian literature from international perspectives is vital, not only for the publication and promotion of Australian literature overseas, but also for the maintenance of a robust and energetic discipline that is both national and global in its reach. India, increasingly, is a contributor to this international network of scholarly engagement, with at least four anthologies of critical essays on Australian literature published in New Delhi in as many years. The present collection of papers, Caring Cultures: Sharing Imaginations: Australia and India, adds to this growing body of work. Several of its essays offer fascinating views on Australian …

The Politics Of Rising Expectations: Middle Class Experiences Of Economic Restructuring In India And Australia, Timothy J. Scrase, John Robinson

Faculty of Arts - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Amplified Voices, But They Are Speaking To The Wrong People. Why The Complaint System For Unacceptable Advertising In Australia Is Not Working, Katherine Eagleton, Sandra C. Jones

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This exploratory study highlights the lack of public awareness of the role of the Advertising Standards Board (ASB) in the process of handling complaints about unacceptable advertising in Australia. Results show that only a small proportion of Australian adults know that the ASB are the appropriate complaints handling body. This lack of awareness is evident even among those who have made a complaint about advertising (generally to a less appropriate body). This highlights the need for an education campaign to inform the general public how to make a complaint about inappropriate advertising, and who to make a complaint to. Empowering …

So, Where Is Queer? A Critical Geography Of Queer Exhibitions In Australia, Andrew W. Gorman-Murray

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

This paper interrogates the geography of queer exhibitions in museums and galleries in Australia. The analysis draws on data from Museums Australia's database of queer exhibitions (1982-2005), which are cross-tabulated with geographical variables such as location, scale and state/territory population. The findings show an uneven geographical distribution of exhibitions, how geography also frames the themes of queer exhibitions, and an imbalanced geography, in which regional histories are few, national and state scale histories are prevalent, and minimal exhibitions occur outside metropolitan areas. This is problematic because queer identities, communities and histories vary across scales and between places. Appreciation of geography …

Internet Food Marketing On Popular Children's Websites And Food Product Websites In Australia, Bridget P. Kelly, Katarzyna Bochynska, Kelly Kornman, Kathy Chapman

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective: The aim of the present study was to describe the nature and extent of food marketing on popular children’s websites and food product websites in Australia. Methods: Food product websites (n 119) and popular children’s websites (n 196) were selected based on website traffic data and previous research on frequently marketed food brands. Coding instruments were developed to capture food marketing techniques. All references to food on popular children’s websites were also classified as either branded or non-branded and according to food categories. Results: Websites contained a range of marketing features. On food product websites these marketing features included …

Postdramatic Theatre & Australia: A 'New' Theatre Discourse, Margaret M. Hamilton

Faculty of Creative Arts - Papers (Archive)

The penultimate year of the twentieth century marked the publication of two highly significant books contributing to the development of local and international theatre history and theory. In 1999 Currency Press, in association with RealTime, published Performing the unNameable, the first anthology of Australian performance texts to appear in Australia, and Verlag der Autoren published Hans-Thies Lehmann's landmark contribution to the understanding of 'new' forms of theatre, Postdramatisches Theater. The long-awaited English translation of Lehmann's book by Karen Jiirs-Munby, Post dramatic Theatre, appeared in early 2006. Prior to its availability to an Anglophone readership, Lehmann's monograph had emerged as a …

Alluvial Evidence For Major Climate And Flow Regime Changes During The Middle And Late Quaternary For Eastern Central Australia, Gerald C. Nanson, David M. Price, B. G. Jones, Jerry C. Maroulis, Maria Coleman, Hugo Bowman, Timothy J. Cohen, Tim Pietsch, Joshua R. Larsen

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

As a low-gradient arid region spanning the tropics to the temperate zone, the Lake Eyre basin has undergone gentle late Cenozoic crustal warping leading to substantial alluvial deposition, thereby forming repositories of evidence for palaeoclimatic and palaeohydrological changes from the Late Tertiary to the Holocene. Auger holes and bank exposures at five locations along the lower 500 km of Cooper Creek, a major contributor to Lake Eyre in the eastern part of the basin, yielded 85 luminescence dates (TL and OSL) that, combined wit a further 142 luminescence dates from northeastern Australia, have established a chronology of multiple episodes of …

Nearshore Wave Environments Around A Sandy Cay On A Platform Reef, Torres Strait, Australia, Colin D. Woodroffe, Bongkoch Samosorn

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Waves are the primary factor affecting reef-island morphology. This study examines spatial and temporal variations of wave characteristics in the nearshore around Warraber Island, a sandy cay on a platform reef in Torres Strait Australia, based on field measurements during the predominant southeasterly wind season. Water pressure was recorded simultaneously, and transformed to water surface wave spectra, at a location close to the reef edge and across the nearshore at different locations around the island. Wave environments off the reef were estimated based on wave characteristics measured at the reef-edge location and found to be primarily dominated by sea. Low …

Applying Seed Germination Studies In Fire Management For Biodiversity Conservation In South-Eastern Australia., Tony D. Auld, Mark K.J Ooi

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

We examine the patterns of germination response to fire in the fire-prone flora of the Sydney basin, south-eastern Australia, using examples from several decades of research. The flora shows a strong response to fire-related germination cues. Most species show an interaction between heat and smoke, a number respond only to heat, whilst a few are likely to respond only to smoke. Many recruit in the first 12 months after fire and show no obvious seasonal patterns of recruitment, whilst several species have a strong seasonal germination requirement, even in this essentially aseasonal rainfall region. Key challenges remaining include designing future …

On Becoming A Practitioner-Researcher In Remote Northern Australia: Personal Commitment And Resources Compensate For Structural Deterrents To Research, Anne Cusick, Natasha Lannin

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Aim. This study critically explores the experience of one clinician who developed the practitioner-researcher role in a remote hospital. Participant. One occupational therapist working in rehabilitation who had never previously done or been trained for research but who completed and published a randomized controlled trial. Setting. Government hospital rehabilitation ward in remote northern Australia. Method. Data from a reflective journal and project records were content analysed using a conceptual framework of the metropolitan practitioner-researcher experience. Results. The participant’s experience was similar to that of metropolitan practitioner-researchers as it was not just a matter of doing research, but rather one of …

Arctic And Outback--Indigenous Literature At The 'Ends Of The Earth.', K. L. Mcmahon-Coleman

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) - Papers

Canada and Australia share a colonial history which featured an attempt to eradicate Indigenous spirituality and language and which involved governmental intervention in areas such as health and education. The movement across traditional borders in order to access health and education created a kind of intra-national diasporic condition, which Indigenous peoples in these countries continue to negotiate on a daily basis.

The Inuit writer Alootook Ipellie and Murri writer Sam Watson seek to resist cultural constraints through creating works which are multiply transgressive. Their works cross genre boundaries and use the interstices between Indigenous diaspora, queer theory and maban reality …

Developing Targets For Outcomes Of Treatment Of Fractured Neck Of Femur In Australia, Frances Simmonds, Janet Law, Tara Stevermuer

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Targets for outcomes of rehabilitation do not currently exist in Australia. The Australasian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre (AROC,) whose members comprise the majority of private and public hospitals across Australia, have started hosting benchmarking workshops aiming to develop such targets.

Social Capital Renewal And The Academic Performance Of International Students In Australia, Frank V. Neri, Simon Ville

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Many believe that social capital fosters the accumulation of human capital. Yet international university students arrive in their host country generally denuded of social capital and confronted by unfamiliar cultural and educational institutions. This study investigates how, and to what extent, international students renew their social networks, and whether such investments are positively associated with academic performance. We adopt a social capital framework and conduct a survey of international students at a typical Australian university in order to categorise and measure investments in social capital renewal, and test a multivariate model of academic performance that includes social capital variables, amongst …

Becoming Postcolonial: Getting Lost With Stephen Muecke's No Road And Retelling Australia, Lisa Slater

Faculty of Arts - Papers (Archive)

Stephen Muecke's No Road (1997) is a travel book that generates profoundly new ways of fuinking about Australia. Muecke proposes that if Australia is to become postcolonial d1an we must change the stories we tell and the way d1at we tell them. To take up the challenge he transforms the archetypal journey into a road that leads nowhere and explores instead an Australia overflowing with stories and potentiality. No Road is a hybrid text that weaves together Muecke's real and imagined travels throughout Australia, travels in which he pursues a dialogue between Indigenous and non-Indigenous histories. It is an experimental …

The Distinction Between Tax Avoidance And Tax Evasion Has Become Blurred In Australia: Why Has It Happened?, John Mclaren

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

The distinction between tax avoidance and tax evasion has been well established in the Australian taxation system. However, for some time the Australian Government has ignored the difference between the two concepts when it comes to Australians using tax havens and being investigated as part of 'Project Wickenby'.1The Australian Government is deliberately labelling all attempts to minimise income tax through the use of tax havens and offshore financial centres (OFCs) as tax evasion and therefore a criminal act. There have been examples quoted in the press where the Australian Crime Commission, conducting investigations as part of 'Project Wickenby', have gained …