Digital Commons Network^™

Characteristics Of Power Quality Disturbance Levels In Australia, Sean Elphick, Vic Smith, Vic Gosbell, Robert Barr

Robert Barr

The Australian Long Term Power Quality Survey (LTNPQS) now covers 2,000 sites with a range of different characteristics including strength (related to fault level), line construction and dominant load type. This paper details the latest outcomes of the LTNPQS project in terms of both disturbance levels and reporting methods. A comparison of the differences between voltage, unbalance and harmonic THD levels at strong (close to transformer) and weak (towards the end of LV feeders) sites has been performed and significant differences have been found. A multivariable linear regression study has been undertaken in order to investigate the correlation between site …

Can The Financialised Atmosphere Be Effectively Regulated And Accounted For?, Patty Mcnicholas, Carolyn Windsor

Carolyn Windsor

Purpose – This paper aims to carry out a critical analysis of the proposed Australian emissions trading scheme (ETS) as a complex market solution to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs). Specifically it seeks to examine the financial regulatory infrastructure that will more than likely oversee the Australian ETS, the same regulatory infrastructure which failed to prevent the global financial crisis.Design/methodology/approach – A critical examination of the financialisation of the atmosphere that follows the growth of the financialisation of capitalism when economic activity shifted from production and service sectors to finance. Financialisation of capitalism is supported by capitalist regulation influenced by neo-liberal …

Climate Change In The Dead Heart Of Australia, Joshua Larsen, Gerald C. Nanson, Timothy J. Cohen, Brian G. Jones, John D. Jansen, Jan-Hendrik May

Timothy Cohen

Despite the absence of large-scale glaciation, the Australian continent has experienced substantial environmental change throughout the Quaternary period. This is especially pronounced in central Australia, where one seventh of the continent is drained internally to the depocentre, and lowest point in Australia, Lake Eyre (Figure 1). Research has shown that at one time, large sandy braided and meandering rivers carried water through dunefields to a large freshwater lake system. Today, the rivers are hostage to the dunefield, and floodwaters might only reach Lake Eyre once every ten years or so. In order to understand the development of this arid desert …

Priority Setting In Indigenous Health: Why We Need An Explicit Decision Making Approach, Michael E. Otim, Ranmalie Jayasinha, Margaret Kelaher, Edward Shane Houston, Ian P. Anderson, Stephen Jan

Michael E Otim

Indigenous Australians have significantly poorer health outcomes than the non-Indigenous population worldwide. The Australian government has increased its investment in Indigenous health through the "Closing the Health Gap" initiative. Deciding where to invest scarce resources so as to maximize health outcomes for Indigenous peoples may require improved priority setting processes. Current government practice involves a mix of implicit and explicit processes to varying degrees at the macro and meso decision making levels. In this article, we argue that explicit priority setting should be emphasized in Indigenous health, as it can ensure that the decision making process is accountable, systematic, and …

An Approach To Plan And Evaluate The Location Of Radiotherapy Services And Its Application In The New South Wales, Australia, Nagesh Shukla, Rohan Wickramasuriya, Andrew Alexis Miller, Pascal Perez

Nagesh Shukla

No abstract provided.

Addressing The Deficiencies In The Evidence-Base For Primary Practice In Regional Australia - Sentinel Practices Data Sourcing (Spds) Project: A Pilot Study, Abhijeet Ghosh, Karen E. Charlton, Lisa Girdo, Marijka J. Batterham, Keith Mcdonald

Dr Marijka Batterham

Background Chronic disease risk on a population level can be quantified through health surveys, either continuous or periodic. To date, information gathered from primary care interactions, using sentinel sites, has not been investigated as a potentially valuable surveillance system in Australia. Methods A pilot study was conducted in a single General Practice in a regional area of New South Wales, Australia to assess the feasibility of accessing data obtained through a computerised chronic disease management program that has been designed for desktop application (Pen Computer Systems (PCS) Clinical Audit Tool: ™ PCS CAT). Collated patient data included information on chronic …

2014-15 Central West State Of The Environment Report, Neil Dufty

Neil Dufty

Population Accessibility To Radiotherapy Services In New South Wales Region Of Australia: A Methodological Contribution, Nagesh Shukla, Rohan Wickramasuriya, Andrew Miller, Pascal Perez

Nagesh Shukla

No abstract provided.

A Lifetime Individual Sampling Model (Ism) For Heroin Use And Treatment Evaluation In Australia, Nagesh Shukla, Van Hoang, Marian Shahanan, Alison Ritter, Vu Lam Cao, Pascal Perez

Nagesh Shukla

Illicit drug use has created an enormous burden at societal, family and personal levels. Every year a significant amount of resources is allocated for treatment and the consequences of illicit drug use in Australia and around the world. Heroin is one of the major forms of illicit drugs that are used illegally. Several independent heroin treatment strategies or interventions exist and state-of-the-art research demonstrates their efficacy and relative cost-effectiveness. However, assessing total potential gains and burden from providing all treatment interventions or varying the mix of heroin treatments has never been attempted. Furthermore, the need to include multiple treatments, multiple …

Investing In Workforce Literacy Pays: Building Employer Commitment To Workplace Language, Literacy And Numeracy Programs, Justin Brown, Michael Taylor, Phillip Mckenzie, Kate Perkins

Dr Justin Brown

In September 2012 the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) contracted the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to conduct this study into the financial return to employers from investing in workplace literacy training programs. The Australian Government, through its Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIISRTE), contracted the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) to manage the project. Over 2013-14, this study developed and trialled a set of data collection instruments in pilot mode with seven training programs funded under the Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) program. This report presents the results from the study in the …

A Review Of Mine Closure Planning And Practice In Canada And Australia, Sm Zobaidul Kabir, Fazle Rabbi, Mamta B. Chowdhury, Delwar Akbar

Fazle Rabbi

This paper reviews mine closure practice in Australia and Canada and provides similarities, dissimilarities and common shortcomings of mine closure practice. Closure of mine with appropriate planning is a recent move as a part of sustainable mining practice and both Canada and Australia have developed requirements for mine closure process. By reviewing ten site-specific closure plans against international good practice criteria, this study finds that in general, both the countries share key requirements of mine closure; hence comply with good practice of mine closure planning. However, there are some common shortcomings of existing mining closure planning practice in Canada and …

Student Skills And The Bradley Agenda In Australia, Jennifer Carpenter, Joanne Dearlove, James Gt Marland

James Grice Thomas Marland

This paper investigates the study strategies that first-year Australian university students bring with them to university. The research has currency due to the implementation of the Review of Australian higher education [Bradley, D., Noonan, P., Nugent, H., & Scales, B. (2008). Review of Australian higher education: Final report. Canberra: Australian Government.], which recommended that universities increase the number of students in undergraduate courses. In response to government incentives to increase enrolments, many universities have lowered their entrance scores and, as a result, have attracted students who would not traditionally have been eligible for university entrance. The study employed the Learning …

Using Cultural Immersion As The Platform For Teaching Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Health In An Undergraduate Medical Curriculum, Janie Smith, Christina L. Wolfe, Shannon Springer, Mary Martin, John Togno, Katrina A. Bramstedt, Sally Sargeant, Brad Murphy

Janie Smith

In 2011 Bond University was looking for innovative ways to meet the professional standards and guidelines in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health into its Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) curriculum. In 2012 Bond piloted a compulsory cultural immersion program for all first year students, which is now a usual part of the MBBS program. Methodology The methodology included three phases: establishing an Indigenous health group; determining the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educational content based on the professional standards; and developing nine educational sessions and resources; as well as significant administrative processes. The cultural immersion was piloted …

Enhancing Sustainability Through Designing For Adaptive Reuse From The Outset: A Comparison Of Adaptstar And Adaptive Reuse Potential (Arp) Models, Sheila Conejos, Craig Langston, Jim Smith

Craig Langston

Purpose – This paper aims to make the case for the development of an adaptive reuse rating tool targeted to new building design that maximises the embedded adaptive reuse potential of these buildings later in their life, thereby adding to built environment sustainability. Design/methodology/approach – This exploratory study retrospectively analyses successful adaptive reuse projects to establish and test a multi-criteria decision-making model for new design projects. This paper contains a report on the final stages of the research methodology (quantitative approach) used in the development of the adaptSTAR model that critically assesses the list of design criteria identified in the …

Detection Of Mycobacterium Ulcerans In The Environment Predicts Prevalence Of Buruli Ulcer In Benin, Heather R. Williamson, Mark Eric Benbow, Lindsay P. Cambell, Christian R. Johnson, Ghislain Sopoh, Yves Barogui, Richard W. Merritt, Pamela L. C. Small

Christian A. Johnson

Background: Mycobacterium ulcerans is the causative agent of Buruli ulcer (BU), a destructive skin disease found predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa and south-eastern Australia. The precise mode(s) of transmission and environmental reservoir(s) remain unknown, but several studies have explored the role of aquatic invertebrate species. The purpose of this study was to investigate the environmental distribution of M. ulcerans in south-eastern Australia.

Using Cultural Immersion As The Platform For Teaching Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Health In An Undergraduate Medical Curriculum, Janie Smith, Christina L. Wolfe, Shannon Springer, Mary Martin, John Togno, Katrina A. Bramstedt, Sally Sargeant, Brad Murphy

Katrina A. Bramstedt

In 2011 Bond University was looking for innovative ways to meet the professional standards and guidelines in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health into its Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) curriculum. In 2012 Bond piloted a compulsory cultural immersion program for all first year students, which is now a usual part of the MBBS program. Methodology The methodology included three phases: establishing an Indigenous health group; determining the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educational content based on the professional standards; and developing nine educational sessions and resources; as well as significant administrative processes. The cultural immersion was piloted …

Using Cultural Immersion As The Platform For Teaching Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Health In An Undergraduate Medical Curriculum, Janie Smith, Christina L. Wolfe, Shannon Springer, Mary Martin, John Togno, Katrina A. Bramstedt, Sally Sargeant, Brad Murphy

Sally Sargeant

In 2011 Bond University was looking for innovative ways to meet the professional standards and guidelines in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health into its Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) curriculum. In 2012 Bond piloted a compulsory cultural immersion program for all first year students, which is now a usual part of the MBBS program. Methodology The methodology included three phases: establishing an Indigenous health group; determining the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educational content based on the professional standards; and developing nine educational sessions and resources; as well as significant administrative processes. The cultural immersion was piloted …

Reconceputualising Security Strategies For Courts: Developing A Typology For Safer Court Environments, Anne Wallace, Deborah Blackman, Emma Rowden

Anne Wallace Professor

There have been heightened concerns about security in courts in recent years, prompting a strong response that has largely been focused on perimeter security. This paper draws on recent research conducted in Australian on court user’s safety needs, to propose a typology for designing safer courtroom environments that moves beyond the entry point to the court, and incorporates consideration of process and design elements.

Determining The Quality Of Assessment Items In Collaborations: Aspects To Discuss To Reach Agreement Developed By The Australian Medical Assessment Collaboration, Lambert Schuwirth, Jacob Pearce

Dr Jacob Pearce

The Australian Medical Assessment Collaboration (AMAC) project, funded by the Office of Learning and Teaching, seeks to provide an infrastructure and a road map to support collaboration between Australian medical schools in matters of assessment. This may not seem very new perhaps, because there are already several collaborations taking place in Australia, and, typically, they relate to joint item banks, (such as the IDEAL consortium), or joint test administration, (such as the International Foundation of Medicine tests). The AMAC project seeks to build on these existing collaborations in two ways: first, by tying these initiatives together and thus bundling the …

Designing For Better Building Adaptability: A Comparison Of Adaptstar And Arp Models, Sheila Conejos, Craig Langston, Jim Smith

Craig Langston

Can sustainability and adaptability be integrated in a single decision tool for designing future buildings? Indeed, it is not possible to know what lies ahead for future buildings but, using current research on sustainability and the impact on natural resources and climate, it is possible to forecast the connection between built environment activity and sustainability. This paper demonstrates that the assessment of future adaptation in newly designed building is achievable by using the adaptSTAR model. This new design-rating tool, based on detailed analysis of 12 award-winning adaptive reuse projects in Australia, will assist designers in making decisions to achieve optimum …

Australia And Maritime Security In The Northeast Indian Ocean, Chris Rahman

Chris Rahman

Maritime security is vital to Australia and its neighbours in the ASEANAustralia- India "triangle" - or the area of the northeast Indian Ocean. It has become a leading sphere for the construction of deeper forms of security cooperation. Nonetheless, both the "region" in question and the topic of maritime security itself are underdeveloped ideas in the context of rapidly developing relationships. Therefore, the approach pursued in this chapter focuses on four themes. First, the maritime nature of the area's geography is established. Second, different perspectives on maritime security are introduced, with an emphasis on non-traditional factors, including responses to the …

Protecting Australia's Maritime Borders: The Mv Tampa And Beyond, Ben M. Tsamenyi, Christopher Rahman

Chris Rahman

The protection of Australia's maritime borders and sovereign interests at sea has, in recent times, increasingly become a leading national security issue. The arrangements for surveillance and enforcement in Australia's maritime zones have seemingly been in almost constant review in what has become a highly politicised issue. Furthermore, the increased incidence of seaborne illegal migration attempts in late 2001, together with the events of 11 September of that year has focused public, as well as official, attention upon all aspects of what has come to be known as "homeland security." Homeland security is a complex issue, and the problems associated …

The U.S. Strategic Relationship With Australia, Jack Mccaffrie, Christopher Rahman

Chris Rahman

Australia has hosted U.S. bases or troops for most of rhe last seventy years, beginning in the early part of the Second World War in the Pacific. Ironically, the arrival of American troops in Australia was at least partly the result of the failure of the "Singapore strategy," whereby the Royal Navy's Singapore naval base was to support any British fleet sent to the Far East in the event of a war with Japan. Seventy years on, Australia still hosts U.S. defense facilities and U.S. forces continue to visit-primarily now for exercises. Map 4 depicts major facilities utilized at present.