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Abstract: This paper describes the experiences of Australia’s National E-Health Transition Authority in using the RM-ODP to address a number of interoperability challenges in Australian eHealth. The RM-ODP viewpoints provide the separation of concerns across a specification, allowing direct support of independent capability levels within an eHealth community. The RM-ODP provides precise architectural expression, including that of business and policy contexts critical for eHealth. This precision is important for a tools-based architectural approach that supports traceability between requirements, design and implementation. The paper identifies some issues encountered while using the RM-ODP, which provide input into further standardisation efforts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Economic analysis of climate scenarios and alternative water policies is critical for development and implementation of appropriate water policies and programs. Mathematical models have been developed to assess water resources policies due to their ability to explicitly represent the biophysical dynamics of natural systems while integrating these within social and economic constraints. These models have been criticised, however, due to the problems of simplification, overspecialisation, plausibility and lack of empirical validation. This paper introduces a mathematical programming model which uses positive mathematical programming method to calibrate and model agriculture and water use in the Murray-Darling Basin of Australia. This paper reviews the theoretical and technical details of the model development including the key steps taken in collating and scaling the biophysical and economic data, and to address model parameterisation issues. The paper summarises results of an application of the model for assessing climate change impacts in the form of reduced rainfall and water allocations and increased crop water use for agricultural production. The results show the degree of variability in gross values under different climate scenarios compared to the base case scenario, especially in very dry years. The results also show how on-farm adaptation options and water markets can mitigate these losses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper explores how disclosure is used by key bodies in the Australian mining industry as a means to respond to climate change and ensure their social licence to operate. The study utilises a legitimacy theory framework and a multi-case analysis to examine the environmental disclosure practices via a variety of media of two companies and two industry bodies within Australia''s mining industry. It is revealed that a combination of legitimising strategies is undertaken by key bodies in the Australian mining industry, however to differing degrees depending on the organisation. There is also support for the notion that different media plays a critical role in facilitating the legitimacy seeking behaviours of the companies and industry bodies. This study extends existing literature on legitimacy theory by highlighting the value of utilising this perspective to explore contemporary phenomena such as corporate responses to climate change. The findings of this study have practical significance as they are expected to have important policy ramifications. One of the differentiating features of this paper, compared to prior studies utilising a legitimacy theory framework, is the examination of legitimising disclosure strategies at an industry level, which complements a company level analysis. Moreover, variations in legitimising disclosure strategies and communication media employed may be due to their focus on differing conferring publics and stakeholder groups. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Almost all general practitioners in Australia now use a computer for some part of the consultation, and mostly use one of eight clinical software applications. There has been little research into the impact of clinical software on the clinical consultation. Clinical software broadly functions in two ways: it replaces the paper record of the patient''s history of health and clinical contacts within the general practice, and it communicates directly to the doctor in various ways about outstanding clinical actions. Aim: This paper draws on Goffman''s notion of “face” to explore the way in which the actions, visual presentation, and interactions between general practitioners, patients and the computer can imbue the software with its own “face” in the consultation. Methods: Analysis of 141 consultations by 20 doctors (13 men, 7 women), who used one of four medical software applications commonly used in Australian general practice. Consultations were videotaped, tagged, analysed using a hermeneutic framework. Results: All four software packages replicated constitutive elements of the paper health record, such as medical history, current medications, and the patient''s social history, but also introduced other content not present in a paper system. They differed in their use of communicative strategies. This necessitated differing interactions between the software and the doctor. The differences in communicative work of each software package led to their different “faces”, along a gradient from a relatively passive mode that provided context dependent information in an unobtrusive way, to a relatively active mode that interrupted to provide information and to demand responses. We conclude that the more active the mode of presence of the computer in the consultation, the more patients and doctors may have to adapt their communicative styles in response. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Task analysis is an important tool that enables designers to consider the human factors implications of a new technology. This paper details a task analysis for the task of driving long-haul freight trains in Australia and describes how this task analysis was used to evaluate a new in-cab information support technology. This paper then explores similarities and differences between this task analysis and one proposed by . It is argued that these two task analyses can form the basis for many future task analyses so that we can avoid ‘reinventing the wheel,’ allowing us to focus more on potential interesting differences between operations and geographical locations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The United States and Australia confront the challenge of meeting multi-faceted Indigenous water requirements within the wider context of intensified competition for freshwater supplies and expiation of historic inequality of access. Fulfilment of Indigenous water claims requires acceptance of currently unrecognised uses that may be in conflict with water planning in irrigation-dominated basins. Adaptive governance regimes have been applied to deal with uncertainly and change in water planning and allocation decisions, including changes related to the recognition of Indigenous water claims, values, and knowledge. This paper examines the prospects of adaptive governance regimes to combine: (a) insights into decision-making and policy learning in contexts of high levels of uncertainty over the information base and legal and policy arrangements; with (b) institutional arrangements to coordinate decision-making and accountability across multiple decision-making units, values and jurisdictions, to accommodate Indigenous water claims. In both countries, efforts have involved (re)allocation of water entitlements and greater participation in multi-stakeholder basin planning. In this paper we find that a mix of these adaptive governance mechanisms shows greatest promise for overcoming resistance to the recognition of Indigenous water claims. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A key environmental concern is pollution loads released from human activity, since excessive pollutant loads can cause significant public health and/or environmental impacts. A principal objective of environmental regulation is therefore to minimise pollutant releases. The most common approach to assessing and monitoring pollutant loads is through pollutant release databases, with such systems now operating throughout Europe, North America and Australia. This paper has compiled and analysed an extensive data set on Australian coal mining and associated pollutant emissions reported through the National Pollutant Inventory (NPI). In Australia, the coal industry has been growing rapidly over recent decades, and this is causing significant community concerns over cumulative environmental impacts. The pollutant loads and intensities from coal mining are analysed in conjunction with production data. The trends identified in this paper provide an important basis to understand the value of pollutant release and transfer registers, such as the NPI, and demonstrate the critical need to integrate such data with ongoing trends in industry and environmental management initiatives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Narratives and discourses are central to how we interpret and understand the world. The capacity to construct and disseminate compelling stories about particular issues is hence critical to an agent''s capacity to advance their interests. This paper examines some of the main narratives through which the conversation about renewable energy in Australia takes place. We label these narratives feasibility (‘Pie in the Sky’); security (‘Keeping the Lights on’); cost (‘Costing the Earth’); and employment (‘Jobs Carnage’). Some of the most effective narratives are those that are constructed around some of the ‘legitimate’ concerns that pertain to an issue. The renewable energy narratives identified in this paper build on ‘reasonableness’ and ‘common sense’ concerns, and their effectiveness is determined as much by contextualising information absent from the energy conversation as present. While our focus is Australia, some of the narrative dynamics revealed have application to energy politics more broadly. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper provides an evidence-based contribution to understanding processes of climate change adaptation in water governance systems in the Netherlands, Australia and South Africa. It builds upon the work of Ostrom on institutional design principles for local common pool resources systems. We argue that for dealing with complexities and uncertainties related to climate change impacts (e.g. increased frequency and intensity of floods or droughts) additional or adjusted institutional design propositions are necessary that facilitate learning processes. This is especially the case for dealing with complex, cross-boundary and large-scale resource systems, such as river basins and delta areas in the Netherlands and South Africa or groundwater systems in Western Australia. In this paper we provide empirical support for a set of eight refined and extended institutional design propositions for the governance of adaptation to climate change in the water sector. Together they capture structural, agency and learning dimensions of the adaptation challenge and they provide a strong initial framework to explore key institutional issues in the governance of adaptation to climate change. These institutional design propositions support a “management as learning” approach to dealing with complexity and uncertainty. They do not specify blueprints, but encourage adaptation tuned to the specific features of local geography, ecology, economies and cultures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

There is wide agreement that the US student loan system faces significant problems. Seven million borrowers are in default and many more are not repaying for reasons such as returning to school, or economic hardship. The stress of repayments faced by many students results at least in part from the design of US student loans. Specifically, loans are organised like a mortgage, with fixed monthly repayments over a fixed period of time, creating a high repayment burden on borrowers with low income. This paper draws on the experience of the income-contingent loan (ICL) systems operating in England and Australia, in which monthly or two-weekly repayments are related to the borrower's income in that period, thus building in automatic insurance against inability to repay during periods of low income. We discuss the design of this type of loan in detail since such an exercise seems to be largely absent in the US literature. Drawing on data from the US Current Population Survey (CPS) we provide two main empirical contributions: a stylised illustration of the revenue and distributional implications of different hypothetical ICL arrangements for the USA; and an illustration of repayment problems faced by low-earning borrowers in the US loan system, including a plausible example of adverse outcomes with respect to Stafford loans. Importantly, we compare repayment burdens under the existing and alternative systems. Our illustrations show how US mortgage-type loans can create financial difficulties for a significant minority of US borrowers, difficulties which an ICL is designed to address. We note also that the current small and ineffective income-based repayment system in the US has few of the characteristics of an ideal ICL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is critical for landfilling facilities to follow proper waste handling and management practices. These include the use of suitable lining systems for waste containment, and the implementation of efficient leakage monitoring and detection systems. In this paper, an attempt has been made to present the current state of landfilling in Australia with a focus on the lining practices and leak detection methods. An extensive study was conducted involving different private and public waste handling and management facilities in all the states and territories of Australia. Based on the survey and the information available in the public domain, it was observed that different landfill sites practiced non-uniform set of directives for waste classification, siting, design, operation and rehabilitation. Majority of the facilities were found to be publicly owned. The use of groundwater monitoring wells for leakage detection was more prevalent than other leak detection methods. Further, a new method of leak detection by the simulation of landfill lining system, which is being developed and investigated in our research, is also presented. This study is particularly useful in generating awareness about the state of landfilling and will help various environmental protection agencies in making informed decisions for the development of rules and regulations to govern landfills. The new leak detection method as developed in our research can find applications in the development of monitoring systems for landfill liners, subbase contamination detection, and development of sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction : In mid-2007 the State of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia introduced modifications to the existing graduated driver licensing system, lengthening the mandatory number of supervised hours for learner drivers aged under 25 years from 50 to 120 and extending the minimum learner period from 6 to 12 months. Additional driving restrictions were also introduced for young drivers in the two provisional licensed periods, P1, P2. This paper aims to evaluate this change by comparing the crash and offense experiences of young learner drivers before and after it occurred. Method : From driver licensing files supplied by the NSW transport authority two cohorts of persons obtaining their initial learner's permits in the year prior to the changes and in the subsequent year were constructed with demographic data, dates of transition to the driving phases, dates of crashes, and dates and types of traffic offenses. Both cohorts comprised around 100,000 individuals. Crash rates per 100 years of person-time under observation post P1 with their standard errors were calculated. Using a survival-analytic approach the proportion of crashes of all types were graphed in three month periods post P1. Sexes were treated separately as were initial learner ages of 16, 17, 18–21, and 22–24 years. The distribution of traffic offense types during P1 and P2 phases were also compared. With such large numbers formal statistical testing was avoided. Results : No meaningful differences in the crash or offense experiences of the two cohorts in either sex or at any age were observed. Delaying progress to unsupervised driving has road safety benefits. Conclusions : At least in conditions similar to those in NSW, requiring more than 50 h of supervised driving seems to have few road safety benefits. Practical applications : Licensing authorities should be cautious in extending the mandated number of supervised driving hours beyond 50. • We evaluated changes in 2007 to the graduated driver licensing system in an Australian state from its licensing database. • Crash and offence profiles of affected learners licensed in the years prior to and after the changes were compared. • No substantial year to year changes were observed in the crash rates, probabilities of crashing or offense distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Presents a typology of emergent risk that highlights the iterative and inter-related nature of climate change risk, and propensity for impacts, such as legal action and reduced debt access, to emerge subsequent to, yet far removed from, initial physical impacts. • Highlights current practice and gaps in local government risk management concerning emergent risk. • Highlights the potential and need for local government to consider, the application of risk transfer mechanisms such as catastrophe bonds in the face of historical and conceivable climate change-perpetuated reduced access to, and increased cost of, traditional mechanisms such as insurance. • Provides insight into barriers and enablers to local government agencies gaining an appreciation of the potential application of alternative risk transfer mechanisms. Insurance represents an integral part of local government risk management strategy. As climate change progresses, increased loss and risk related to extreme weather events such as tropical cyclones, could motivate insurers to withdraw from certain markets. In some regions, such a withdrawal represents an emergent risk that, when coupled with increasing populations and other climate change impacts, could leave local governments and ratepayers particularly vulnerable. This paper investigates such a scenario and its ramifications in the context of a region particularly vulnerable to climate change, through an exploration of the degree that consideration of emergent risks, such as loss of insurance, and the potential application of insurance alternatives influence Queensland local government risk management. The study finds little appreciation amongst government officials of emergent risk implicit in extreme weather events such as cyclones, little understanding of the nuances of risk transfer mechanisms beyond familiar traditional insurance and disaster funding mechanisms, and by default, a lack of appreciation of the relationship between the two. A lack of resource and leadership with respect to emergent risk, and an absence of dialogue between insurance brokers and local government concerning climate change risk arise as the main reasons for this result. This research is significant because it challenges current local government risk management practice through an exploration of the risks inherent in the process itself. This has potential social, economic and ecological ramifications in drawing attention to aspects of possible "uninsurability" and prospects of alleviation thereto. Further research is recommended to consider the insurance industry's part in this study's findings in order to inform current industry practice and thinking and further enlighten the causes of local government disengagement in this critical area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most prediction methods used to calculate mining-induced subsidence are empirical, which cannot explain the mechanism of fundamental rock strata movement. In this paper, based on key stratum theory and the mechanical analysis of overburden, a new analytical solution, the Analogous Hyperbola Subsidence Model (AHSM), was proposed to describe the movement and damage of inner burden. Mining-induced rock strata movement was verified using the Distinct Element Method (UDEC), to assess the performance of the theoretical model. Three subsidence parameters (S max /T, S goaf /S max , D/H), generally used to describe surface subsidence trough, agree with statistical field measurements of the South Coalfield in Australia. The surface subsidence and the movement boundary in the overburden are very close to the theoretical predictions. Additionally, the primary key stratum damages the least in the overlying strata: its broken length is the smallest. The width of subsidence trough and maximum surface subsidence increase as the primary key stratum drops. • A new model of AHSM was proposed to describe the movement and damage of inner burden. • The damage of the primary key stratum is the minimal in all the overlying strata. • The simulation results obtained from UDEC are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions of AHSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Direct and indirect effects of sectors on net energy consumption are analysed. • Level effect is identified as the major driver for increasing energy consumption. • Manufacturing has the largest energy consumption reduction potential. • How to decrease net energy consumption has been offered to policy-makers. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of Australian net energy consumption between 2004–05 and 2014–15. Results from environmentally-extended input-output (EEIO) analysis show that the Transport sector has the largest direct effect on net energy consumption in industrial sectors, which decreased by about 35% for net energy consumption per million $AUD in the period. The Export sector has the largest direct net energy consumption while Households consumption results in the largest net energy consumption embodied in different categories of Final demand. The structural decomposition analysis (SDA) decomposes the change of net energy consumption into five drivers, in which net energy intensity mainly reduces Australian net energy consumption by about 8000 Petajoules, while the level effect of Final demand increases it by about 10,000 Petajoules. Analysis of forward and backward linkages highlights the Manufacturing sector as the key industrial sector with the largest energy consumption reduction potential via minor changes in its input and Final demand. This indicates that more attention should be given to the reduction of energy demand from the consumption patterns of Households consumption, the improvement of energy intensity, and the application of cleaner technologies in the Transport and Manufacturing sectors. The Australian Environmental-Economic Accounts is combined with Australian input-output tables to construct the EEIO tables for net energy consumption. The combination of economic and environmental data sets provides a depth of understanding their potential to inform environmental policy decisions. The novelty of the research is the combination of economic and energy data sets, the application of EEIO model, the implementation of the additive SDA method, and the use of forward and backward linkages for the Australian energy system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract To support alternative forms of energy resources, the prediction of global incident solar radiation (I rad) is critical to establish the efficacy of solar energy resources as a free and clean energy, and to identify and screen solar powered sites. Solar radiation data for construction of energy feasibility studies are not available in many locations due to the absence of meteorological stations, especially in remote or regional sites. To surmount the challenge in solar energy site identification, the universally gridded data integrated into predictive models used to generate reliable I rad forecasts can be considered as a viable medium for future energy utilization. The objective of this paper is to review, develop and evaluate a suite of machine learning (ML) models based on the artificial neural network (ANN) versus several other kinds of data-driven models such as support vector regression (SVR), Gaussian process machine learning (GPML) and genetic programming (GP) models for the prediction of daily I rad generated through the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) Reanalysis fields. The performance of the ML models are benchmarked against several statistical tools: auto regressive moving integrated average (ARIMA), Temperature Model (TM), Time series and Fourier Series (TSFS) models. To train these models, 87 different predictor variables from the ERA-Interim reanalysis dataset (01-January-1979 to 31-December-2015) were extracted for 5 solar-rich metropolitan sites (i.e., Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich and Toowoomba, Australia) targeted against surface level I rad available from the measured Scientific Information for Land Owners dataset. For daily forecast models, a total of the 20 most important predictors related to the I rad dataset were screened with nearest component analysis: " fsrnca " feature selection, and partitioned into training (70%), validation (15%) and testing (15%) sets for model design. To benchmark the ANN, TSFS and TM models were developed with Fourier series and regression analysis, respectively and the statistical performance was benchmarked with root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (E NS), Willmott's Index (WI), Mean Bias error (MBE), Legates and McCabe Index (E 1), and relative MAE , RMSE and diagnostic plots. The performance of ANN was significantly better than the other models (SVR, GPML, GP, TM), resulting in lower RMSE (1.715–2.27 MJm−2/day relative to 2.14–5.90 MJm−2/day), relative RMSE (9.07–12.47 vs 10.98–29.15), relative RMAE (7.97–11.74 vs 9.27–33.96) and larger WI, E NS and E 1 (0.938–0.967 vs. 0.462–0.955, 0.935–0.872 vs. 0.355–0.915, 0.672–0.783 vs. 0.252–0.740). Additionally, models assessed with predictors grouped into El Niño, La Niña and the positive, negative and neutral periods of Indian Ocean Dipole, affirmed the merits of ANN model (RRMSE ≤ 11%). Seasonal analysis showed that ANN was an elite tool over SVR, GPML and GP for I rad prediction. The study concludes that an ANN approach integrated with ECMWF fields, incorporating physical interactions of I rad with atmospheric data, is an efficacious alternative to forecast solar energy and assist with energy modelling for solar-rich sites that have diverse climatic conditions to further support clean energy utilization. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • ANN, SVR, GPML and GP models were designed for prediction of daily solar radiation with reanalysis data. • Determinstic model ARIMA, temperature model and time series with Fourier transform model was used for benchmarking. • Nearest component analysis (fsrnca) was used for feature selection to get optimum inputs. • ANN outperform all ML model and deterministic models. • Solar energy potential is assessed for 5 cities of Queensland, Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Computer modelling and design tools can assist in environmental management. In particular, post-mining landscapes with large volumes of materials require shaping for optimal erosional stability and ecological and visual integration into the surrounding undisturbed landscape. This paper evaluates the complementary capabilities of landscape evolution modelling (SIBERIA) and geomorphic design software (Natural Regrade with GeoFluv). An existing 11.5-ha waste rock dump (Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia) served as the study site. The SIBERIA modelling demonstrated that geomorphic design reduced erosion by half that of conventional designs while being able to store an extra 7% of mine waste volume. Additionally, the spatial pattern of gullying was able to be predicted by modelling, which allowed management in subsequent geomorphic design, and successively more stable patterns. In conclusion, the joint use of the Natural Regrade with GeoFluv geomorphic design software with the SIBERIA landscape evolution model showed complementary capabilities for enhancing mine rehabilitation. Highlights • Computer models and modelling design greatly improve mine site rehabilitation. • We demonstrate the SIBERIA and Natural Regrade with GeoFluv software. • The complementary tools reduce erosion yet can increase landscape volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Reviewed recent progress and directed future research for modular buildings. • Commonly used in UK, Sweden, Japan and USA with growing interest in Australia and China. • Prefabricated components have demonstrated satisfactory structural performance. • Uptake barriers are mainly related to the lack of logistical support. • Prefabricated modular buildings is the next generation of housing. Abstract Modular construction offers faster and safer manufacturing, better predictability to completion time, superior quality, less workers on site, less resource wastage, and a more environmentally friendly solution than the conventional construction process. Despite having several advantages of modular construction, the private sector still relies heavily on the traditional on-site construction method. To understand the scientific reason behind this situation, this paper critically reviews the recent developments, performances, challenges and future opportunities of modular buildings. Modular constructions are extensively used for low-rise buildings and further attracts strong interest for multi-storey building structures. Prefabricated modules demonstrated satisfactory performance under static, dynamic impact, cyclic, seismic, blast, fire and long-term sustained loading, and offer environmental, economic and social benefits. The acceptance and application of modular construction will further spread with the development of design guidelines, more skilled workers, addressing handing and transportation difficulties, and the development of novel interlocking connections between modules. Recently, composite materials demonstrated high potential to manufacture prefabricated building modules. In Australia, it is expected that modular construction will increase from the current stage of 3% to 5–10% by year 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The life satisfaction approach has recently emerged as a new technique in the suite of options available to non-market valuation practitioners. Employing data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), this paper examines the influence of scenic amenity on the life satisfaction of residents of South East Queensland (SEQ), Australia. Measuring scenic amenity on a 10-point scale, it is found that, on average, a respondent is willing-to-pay approximately AUD$14,000 in household income per annum to obtain a one-unit improvement in scenic amenity. However, on closer inspection, we find that the relationship between willingness-to-pay and the level of scenic amenity is not linear. To our knowledge, this is the first paper to value scenic amenity using the life satisfaction approach and is the first paper to use this approach to value any type of environmental good or service in SEQ. As such, this paper represents a genuine contribution to a small, yet growing, body of literature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents a summary of the main international and national regulations for geologic storage of carbon dioxide. The international group includes the EU Directives, London Convention, and OSPAR. For the national regulations, three countries were covered in this study: United States, Canada, and Australia. In addition to these regulations, a group of guidelines and best practice manuals were also included in this study. As discussion, although this paper recognizes that current legislations have contributed for the regulation of this technology, it is still necessary the development of new rules in other regions. Industry will not invest in large CCS plants without such regulations because of high CCS costs and large financial risks related to CCS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A significant proportion of the research into CCS in the literature assumes ‘complete capture’ of the CO2, that is at least 85 to 90 percent of the CO2 from the flue gas is captured for the entire operating year (7,000 to 8,000 hours). Only a few papers have examined a model involving ‘flexible’ operation of the capture facility in which the CO2 is captured at variable or reduced rates for all or part of a day, week, season or year. This paper presents an assessment of the operational opportunities for deploying flexible CO2 capture at black coal fired power plants located in the state of New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Different models of flexible capture including part-time operation, partial CO2 capture rates and a combination of both operating modes are examined. The results show that it may be possible to reduce the current CO2 emissions from NSW coal-fired power plants by up to 50% during summer while still meeting the state electricity demand. The estimated cost of CO2 avoided ranges from A$120 to A$190 per tonne avoided for flexible capture. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper briefly describes Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) and reviews the history of the use of forensic anthropology in the identification process. The potential contributions made by forensic anthropology are illustrated through the presentation of a case study. In February 2009 the state of Victoria in south-eastern Australia experienced the most devastating bushfires in its history, resulting in catastrophic loss of life and public and private property. Within 48h of the disaster, forensic teams including pathologists, odontologists and anthropologists assembled at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine in Melbourne to begin the task of identifying the deceased. This paper reviews the part played by forensic anthropologists in the identification process and outlines the important contribution anthropologists can make to DVI, especially at the scene, in the mortuary and in the reconciliation process. The anthropologist''s experience with differentially preserved human remains meant they played an important role identifying and recovering heavily fragmentary human skeletal remains, differentiating human from non-human remains, establishing basic biological information such as the sex and age of the individuals and confirming or denying the possibility of re-associating body parts for release to families. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Numerous reports of “flash floods”, “mud torrents” and “landslides” in burnt landscapes of south-east Australia were only recently linked to debris flows and recognised as a significant process that warrant more detailed investigation. This paper provides a systematic documentation of high-magnitude erosion events after wildfire in south-east Australia, focusing on small (<5km2), upland catchments in eastern Victoria that were burnt by wildfire between 2003 and 2009. The aims of the study were to i) collect and show evidence of debris flow occurrence after wildfire; ii) quantify erosion rates from debris flows and; iii) identify rainfall thresholds and key hydrological properties. The result showed that 13 out of the 16 recorded high-magnitude erosion events were runoff generated debris flows. These occurred in dry eucalypt forests burnt at high or very high severity in steep headwater catchments throughout the eastern uplands of Victoria. The debris flows were triggered by intense, short duration rainfall events (I 30 35–59mmh−1) with annual exceedance probability in the order of 20%. This is the first paper to document the occurrence of post-fire runoff generated debris flows in Australia, so the discussion draws on literature from the western USA, where a large body of research has been dedicated to evaluating the risk posed by post-fire debris flows and their role in landscape processes. Typical features common to both systems include low infiltration capacity of burnt catchments; widespread sheet erosion and levee lined rills on steep upper hillslopes; and severe channel erosion initiated in response to convergent flow in previously un-scoured drainage lines. The depth of sheet erosion on surveyed slopes in the upper catchments (4.6±0.96 mm to 18.4±2.7mm) indicates that hillslope material provides an important source of sediment. The average channel entrainment rate of three debris flows ranged from 0.6 to 1.4m3 m−1. Runoff generated debris flows were not recorded in wet or damp forest types suggesting that this process is unlikely to operate in these forest environments. One isolated case of mass failure generated debris flow was recorded in wet forest. The outcome of the study indicates that runoff generated debris flows in dry eucalypt forest are an important process to be considered during post-fire risk assessment of hydrological hazards. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Regional-scale ecological restoration priorities such as increasing the extent and quality of native vegetation are generally planned at catchment scales, while on-ground restoration actions are generally implemented at paddock or farm scales. This paper describes the use of spatial multi-criteria assessment methodologies to construct maps of regional conservation priorities and assesses how these maps map influence farm-scale actions in Western Victoria, Australia (e.g. farm-scale revegetation for salinity, wind erosion, stock shelter, etc). The study also incorporates agricultural production in the decision analysis through the use of historical yield mapping data obtained from harvest logs from precision agriculture equipment. Via a stakeholder workshop, farmer land use priorities were elicited with and without access to maps of regional conservation priorities. Results highlight that production imperatives drive farmer-led conservation actions and that regional conservation priorities have only limited impact on actions. The paper also identifies limitations of applying MCA methods across multiple decision-making scales such as the need to generalise priorities where domain knowledge is relatively high, and the challenges associated with MCA criteria definition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper evaluates Australia''s proposed emissions reduction policies in terms of the implied rates of decarbonization of the Australian economy for a range of proposed emissions reduction targets. The paper uses the Kaya Identity to structure the evaluation, employing both a bottom-up approach (based on projections of future Australian population, economic growth, and technology) as well as a top-down approach (deriving implied rates of decarbonization consistent with the targets and various rates of economic growth). Both approaches indicate that the Australian economy would have to achieve annual rates of decarbonization of 3.8–5.9% to meet a 2020 target of reducing emissions by 5%, 15% or 25% below 2000 levels, and about 5% to meet a 2050 target of a 60% reduction below 2000 levels. The paper argues that proposed Australian carbon policy proposals present emissions reduction targets that will be all but impossible to meet without creative approaches to accounting as they would require a level of effort equivalent to the deployment of dozens of new nuclear power plants or thousands of new solar thermal plants within the next decade. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract Background Aquatic activities provide physical and social benefits, while the risk of drowning generates countervailing social costs. Drawing on estimates of fatal drowning gathered by Royal Life Saving Society – Australia, this paper outlines a method for estimating the economic burden attributable to fatal drowning. Methods This study estimated the burden of fatal drowning by combining Value of a Statistical Life Year (VSLY), hospitalization, productivity and emergency services costs. All unintentional fatal drowning cases in Australia between 1-July-2002 and 30-June-2017 were included. Foregone life years from each drowning were estimated based on Australian life expectancies for the year of death. The societal value of these Years of Life Lost was calculated using the VSLY for Australia, adjusted to reflect income elasticity. Corrections to discounting of VSLY were applied. Estimates of productivity losses not captured in VSLY were produced using net national capital growth. Time spent in hospital was found using coronial data and existing estimates of search, ambulance and coronial costs were adapted and incorporated. Results The study covers 4285 cases of unintentional fatal drowning over 15 years. Based on this sample and estimates for the VSLY ($203,000), the economic burden of fatal drowning for Australia over this 14 year period was $18.63 billion in 2017 Australian dollars, averaging $1.24 billion annually. Conclusions Fatal drowning represents a significant source of health burden in Australia, underlining the need for further preventative measures. Practical applications We provide an easily-understood estimate of the scale of Australia's fatal drowning problem, permitting comparison with other social problems. They can also be used in determining net benefits of proposed drowning prevention policies and to identify situations where burden of fatal drowning is disproportionate. Suggestions for improving the calculation of societal burden of illness can be incorporated in cost-benefit analyses in related fields of study. Highlights • We provide a scale estimate of Australia's fatal drowning problem, allowing comparison with other social problems. • Burden estimates can be used in determining net benefits of proposed drowning prevention policies. • Estimates of burden by demographic group and location enable identification of disproportionate burdens of fatal drowning. • Improvements to the calculation of burden of illness can be incorporated in cost-benefit analyses in related fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes a risk analysis of the economic impact of damage to metal roofing of a typical contemporary (new) Australian house subject to extreme wind loading. The failure modes considered are roof cladding and batten-to-truss connection failures, with the effect of defective construction also considered. Monte-Carlo simulation and structural reliability methods are used to stochastically model spatially varying pressure coefficients, roof component failure, and load re-distribution across the roof. This spatial reliability analysis enables fragility curves to be developed that relate likelihood and extent of roof cover loss to gust wind speed. The annual economic risk is up to 0.3% of house replacement value. A typical house with construction defects increases economic risk more than sixfold when compared to the defect-free house. There is a 10% chance that a changing climate will increase expected losses for houses in Brisbane and Melbourne by 6–18% over the next 50 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to explore the flight choice behaviour of business passengers; in particular, we explored the potential differences between those who work in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and those in non-SMEs. Discrete choice models with attribute non-attendance data were used to model flight choice behaviour. Results showed that fewer flight service attributes were significant on flights between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane due to shorter flight duration but ticket flexibility features were considered significant by business passengers. Self-funded business passengers were more price-sensitive and flight service attributes were considered differently from ticket flexibility attributes by business passengers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper examines extensions in present perfect (PP) usage in a corpus of police media reports published on the web in Australia, following previous work on extensions in the uses of the PP in oral narratives (). The following were examined: proportion of tenses in the corpus, lexical aspect of VPs, co-occurrences of the PP with temporal adverbials, and discourse characteristics. The latter were the main focus of the paper, and patterns in PP usage in relation to rhetorical and information structures were examined in detail. The results show that PP clauses are almost as frequent as simple past clauses; that the PP appears frequently in sequences expressing temporal progression, and that it is often combined with a range of adverbials, including past dates and times. It is also argued that police usage of the PP can be seen to give rise to mirative effects, with consequences at the level of discourse usage. In particular, the PP is favoured for introduction of new/unexpected discourse information, while the SP is used in-between clauses in the PP to continue a sub-segment. I use and extend viewpoint analysis of perfects that have acquired perfective past meanings as well as three two-place relations system for the representation of tenses, and propose that the non-standard PP in Australian English can be represented as having a result stage filling a temporal interval between a past reference time and a present one, the extended-now. I suggest that such an interval is exploited to give rise to various meanings and discourse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper reveals how intercultural communication can be examined from the perspective of cultural conceptualisations using the analytical tools of ‘cultural schemas’ and ‘cultural categories’. It focuses on an analysis of miscommunication between speakers of Aboriginal English and Australian English, miscommunication which has often disadvantaged Aboriginal speakers in educational, legal and other settings. This miscommunication largely occurs due to a discrepancy in the ways in which speakers of the two dialects conceptualise experience. Many Aboriginal people operate on the basis of conceptualisations that embody their spiritual worldview. It is observed that even everyday English words such as ‘sing’, ‘smoke’, and ‘medicine’ may be used by Aboriginal people to instantiate their spiritual schemas and categories. This paper provides examples of such usage through the analysis of excerpts from oral narratives produced by several Aboriginal speakers. The analyses presented in this paper clearly show the strength of the approach of cultural conceptualisations in studies of intercultural communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Building Information Modelling (BIM) is one of the important areas in current Virtual Reality (VR) research. VR research considers not only the technological development, a very important part of the research also concerns the application of the technologies and their adoption by the practices. This paper firstly presents an analysis of the current state of BIM in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry and a re-assessment of its role and potential contribution in the near future. The paper analyses the readiness of the industry with respect to the (1) product, (2) processes and (3) people, to position BIM adoption in terms of current status and expectations across disciplines. The findings indicate that there were both technical and non-technical issues that need consideration. The evidence also suggests that there are varying levels of adoption and therefore the need for a specific tool to facilitate BIM adoption. The study revealed that even the market leaders who are early technology adopters in the Australian industry in many cases have varying degrees of practical experiential knowledge of BIM and hence at times different understandings and different levels of confidence regarding the future diffusion of BIM technology throughout the industry. There have been numerous factors affecting BIM adoption, which can be grouped into two main areas: technical tool functional requirements and needs, and non-technical strategic issues. There are varying levels of adoption and understanding within countries — from discipline to discipline and client to client. There are also varying levels of adoption from country to country and although many researchers and practitioners espouse collaborative working environments there are still challenges to be met in many parts of the world, particularly, in relation to a fully integrated collaborative multidisciplinary mode of operation. The challenges for the research community lie not only in addressing the technical solutions or addressing human centred issues but it is also in creating the enabling environment of a decision framework, which integrates both the technical and non-technical challenges. The need for guidance on where to start, what tools are available and how to work through the legal, procurement and cultural challenges was evidenced in the exploratory study. Therefore the Collaborative BIM Decision Framework has been initiated to facilitate the BIM adoption in the AEC industry, based upon these industry concerns, which consists of four interrelated key elements. The findings are drawn from a major research project funded by the Australian Cooperative Research Centre for Construction Innovation (CRC-CI), with a focus on the Australian context. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents the results of an experimental program investigating blind bolted T-stub connections to unfilled hollow section columns in the tension and compression regions under static loading. The T-stub connection is proposed as an alternative connection to the welded connection currently used as a moment connection for unfilled hollow section columns in the Australian construction industry. The flexural performance of the T-stub connection, in terms of stiffness, has been evaluated in accordance with EC3 classifications and was found to behave as a semi rigid connection under serviceability loading. Results from the experiments have been compared with existing theoretical models that predict the maximum load the flexible column face can carry in the tension region before yielding occurs, and good agreement has been achieved. Furthermore, the experimental results have been used to validate a detailed three dimensional finite element (FE) model which simulates the proposed connection. The developed FE model in turn has been used to perform a sensitivity analysis which is presented in this paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The combined impacts of the financial crisis and climate change are driving the evolution of sustainable business and changing the way that governments plan for development. Markets are emerging for a range of environmentally orientated products and services as societies move (or lurch) towards reducing impacts and adapt to changing conditions. National governments are actively formulating policy and providing investment to develop green economies as one of the responses to the global financial crisis. Many of the political and economic drivers have been focused at the international and national scale, and while critical for setting the national framework for development, it often neglects the key role that regions and localities can play in ecological modernization. This paper explores two regional case studies in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, that are initiating shifts towards networks of sustainable businesses and communities and offers recommendations for further policy development. The focus of this paper is on the evolving regional sustainability market and its relationship to other social institutions including governments, communities and the individual. The unifying concept is the idea of the ‘natural advantage’, a model that integrates innovation and sustainability as a part of the regional development policy agenda. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper focuses on the sequential environment of the address term ‘mate’, contrasting the post-positioned ‘mate’ (e.g. ‘hello mate’) with the pre-positioned ‘mate’ (e.g. ‘mate how are ya’). Because ‘mate’ occurs in a wide variety of situations and carries with it a range of interpretations, it is an extremely popular term that can be used not only when talking to friends, but also between casual acquaintances who may never talk to each other again. However, it can also be negatively interpreted, especially in ironic and antagonistic contexts. This paper will argue that the interpretation of ‘mate’ is closely tied to its sequential placement. When post-positioned, ‘mate’ overwhelmingly occurs in openings and closings of conversations or following assessments, agreements, acknowledgements and appreciations, presenting an attitude of open friendliness towards the other person. This is no more evident than when ‘mate’ plays a mitigating role following requests, advice giving or even disagreements. However when pre-positioned, it changes the sequential organization of the talk (as do pre-positioned address terms in general), giving the turn first status. It will be argued that it is only through understanding its sequential position that we can begin to understand why ‘mate’ is sometimes interpreted as antagonistic or hostile. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents the method and results of a survey of 27 of the 33 Australian universities teaching engineering education in late 2007, undertaken by The Natural Edge Project (hosted by Griffith University and the Australian National University) and supported by the National Framework for Energy Efficiency. This survey aimed to ascertain the extent of energy efficiency (EE) education, and to identify preferred methods to assist in increasing the extent to which EE education is embedded in engineering curriculum. In this paper the context for the survey is supported by a summary of the key results from a variety of surveys undertaken over the last decade internationally. The paper concludes that EE education across universities and engineering disciplines in Australia is currently highly variable and ad hoc. Based on the results of the survey; this paper highlights a number of preferred options to support educators to embed sustainability within engineering programs, and future opportunities for monitoring EE, within the context of engineering education for sustainable development (EESD). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper is the third in a series which describes and discusses the scientific and technical analysis used to assist the investigation of a major accident involving a Royal Australian Navy helicopter. This particular investigation was a particularly complex one that required transportation of the wreckage from the crash site in Indonesia, at the end of the on-site investigation, to laboratories in Australia for detailed assessment. This paper describes the simulations used to assist the investigation, and the technical conclusions reached about the loss of control of the aircraft. Finally the paper outlines the sequence of events which occurred during the accident, and discusses some key issues involved in the formal investigative processes associated with the Board of Inquiry, and the lessons learned in the process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the first paper in this series [Nelson, R., Kokic, P., Crimp, S., Martin, P., Meinke, H., Howden, S.M. (2010, this issue)], we concluded that hazard/impact modelling needs to be integrated with holistic measures of adaptive capacity in order to provide policy-relevant insights into the multiple and emergent dimensions of vulnerability. In this paper, we combine hazard/impact modelling with an holistic measure of adaptive capacity to analyse the vulnerability of Australian rural communities to climate variability and change. Bioeconomic modelling was used to model the exposure and sensitivity of Australian rural communities to climate variability and change. Rural livelihoods analysis was used as a conceptual framework to construct a composite index of adaptive capacity using farm survey data. We then show how this integrated measure of vulnerability provides policy-relevant insights into the constraints and options for building adaptive capacity in rural communities. In the process, we show that relying on hazard/impact modelling alone can lead to entirely erroneous conclusions about the vulnerability of rural communities, with potential to significantly misdirect policy intervention. We provide a preliminary assessment of which Australian rural communities are vulnerable to climate variability and change, and reveal a complex set of interacting environmental, economic and social factors contributing to vulnerability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Vulnerability is a term frequently used to describe the potential threat to rural communities posed by climate variability and change. Despite growing use of the term, analytical measures of vulnerability that are useful for prioritising and evaluating policy responses are yet to evolve. Demand for research capable of prioritising adaptation responses has evolved rapidly with an increasing awareness of climate change and its potential impacts on rural communities. Research into the climate-related vulnerability of Australian rural communities is only just beginning to emerge. Current research is dominated by hazard/impact modelling, drawing on a heritage of managing the risks posed by seasonal climate variability. There is a natural tendency to use the same risk management approach to understand the emergent nature of vulnerability. In this paper, we explore the consequences for policy advice of imperfectly examining vulnerability through the lens of an impact/hazard modelling approach to risk management. In a second paper in this series, we show how hazard/impact modelling can be complemented with more holistic measures of adaptive capacity to provide quantitative insights into the vulnerability of Australian rural communities to climate variability and change. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper describes and discusses the scientific and technical approaches used to assist the investigation of a major accident involving a Royal Australian Navy helicopter. This investigation was a particularly complex one which required transportation of the wreckage from a site in Indonesia, at the end of the on-site investigation, to laboratories in Australia for detailed assessment. The paper will describe the key activities and conclusions from the laboratory investigation, and will highlight a number of unusual features of this investigation process to ensure a thorough search for small but potentially significant parts, including measures taken to comply with quarantine requirements without losing valuable items, the remelting of wreckage, and an exhaustive program of sifting. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Increasing global temperatures as a result of climate change are widely considered inevitable for Australia. Despite this, the specific effects of climate change on Australian agriculture are little studied and the effects on agricultural pests and diseases are virtually unknown. In this paper we consider the impact of climate change on the Asiatic citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama [Hemiptera: Psyllidae]); one of two known vectors of huanglongbing (citrus greening); a debilitating disease which is caused in Asia by a phloem-limited bacterium ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (α-Proteobacteria). D. citri does not occur in Australia, but if introduced would pose a major threat to the viability of the Australian citrus industry and to native Citrus species. This paper presents an approach developed to understand how climate change may influence the behaviour, distribution and breeding potential of D. citri. Here we developed and describe an initial dynamic point model of D. citri biology in relation to its citrus host and applied it to a scenario of increasing temperatures, as indicators of climate change, on a continental scale. A comparison between model outputs for the three time frames considered (1990, 2030 and 2070) confirms that increasing temperatures projected under climate change will affect the timing and duration of new citrus growth (flush) necessary for psyllid development throughout Australia. Flushing will start progressively earlier as the temperature increases and be of shorter duration. There will also be a gradual southward expansion of shorter durations of the occurrence of flush. Increasing temperatures will impact on D. citri both directly through alteration of its temperature dependant development cycle and indirectly through the impact on the host flushing cycle. For the whole of Australia, a comparison between model outputs for the three scenarios considered indicates the seasonality of D. citri development will change to match changes in citrus flush initiation. Results indicate that the risk of establishment by D. citri is projected to decrease under increasing temperatures, mainly due to shortened intervals when it can feed on new leaf flushes of the host. However, the spatially heterogeneous results also suggest that regions located on the southern coastline of Australia could become more suitable for D. citri than projected under current temperatures. These results confirm the value of a linked host-pest approach as based on D. citri climatic requirements alone the model would have accounted only for shorter development periods and predicted an increased risk of potential distribution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper describes the background to a major accident involving a Royal Australian Navy helicopter, and discusses the scientific and technical aspects involved in the on-site accident investigation. This particular investigation was a particularly complex one which highlights a number of difficulties involved in conducting technical investigations in a remote location, and the paper will focus on describing the broad progress of the on-site investigation while highlighting the key issues and those where it was possible to overcome major hurdles and reach sound conclusions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Young children engage in a constant process of negotiating and constructing rules, utilizing these rules as cultural resources to manage their social interactions. This paper examines how young children make sense of, and also construct, rules within one early childhood classroom. This paper draws on a recent study conducted in Australia, in which video-recorded episodes of young children''s talk-in-interaction were examined. Analysis revealed four interactional practices that the children used, including manipulating materials and places to claim ownership of resources within the play space; developing or using pre-existing rules and social orders to control the interactions of their peers; strategically using language to regulate the actions of those around them; and creating and using membership categories such as ‘car owner’ or ‘team member’ to include or exclude others and also to control and participate in the unfolding interaction. While the classroom setting was framed within adult conceptions and regulations, analysis of the children''s interaction demonstrated their co-constructions of social order and imposition of their own forms of rules. Young children negotiated both adult constructed social order and also their own peer constructed social order, drawing upon various rules within both social orders as cultural resources by which they managed their interaction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Greenhouse gas emissions from industrial processes, such as cement manufacturing or steel production, in Australia accounts for more than 40 Mt CO2-e per annum, representing close to 20% of Australia’s potentially sequesterable emissions. Further, the emissions from these processes are highly concentrated in CO2 compared to the emissions from power generation. It is not clear if these higher concentrated gases may provide low cost options for demonstrating CO2 capture or if this benefit will be lost due to the smaller total volume of CO2 emissions of most industrial processes. Nevertheless, this sector of the economy requires further analysis. This paper will provide an overview of the emissions from Australian cement sector including both the emissions from the chemical process itself, as well as the associated emissions from energy use within those processes. Specific attention will be focused on the Australian cement industry. While CCS involves the integrated part of capture, transport and storage, the focus of this paper is on the capture side and will illustrate CCS options for the cement industry. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Expert systems (ES) development technology has been used to build rural business applications in the past but these have usually been developed using traditional expert systems shells. This paper introduces a new architecture for the development of a design environment where the domain experts can build a knowledge base for target-specific ES for rural business operators. The system allows rural business operators to use their own knowledge in building their own, target-specific ES for tailored development to their own specific requirements. At this stage, this reusable design environment caters for the Australian dairy industry but in the long run we claim it will be useful for the other livestock based rural industries such as beef cattle and sheep. This approach of developing target-specific ES contributes new knowledge in that it provides a new way of developing decision support by allowing human domain experts to develop relevant ES for different livestock farming business. An evolutionary prototyping approach was employed for initial development of a proof of concept example and as a method of outlining the solution environment. Multiple qualitative data collection methods were engaged to facilitate knowledge acquisition in the domain of milk protein enhancement for dairy operations. This paper also describes the generic development procedure used in this project. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper examines the perspectives of major interest groups on capacity development within the context of the significant contemporary global phenomenon of community-based decentralised governance at catchment scale. It focuses on providing empirical evidence to guide the development and implementation of policies and programs, especially those of governments. The research draws especially from regional governance experiences in Australia, as a country with advanced arrangements, and capacity building experiences in the sectors of health and risk and emergency management as informative arenas of learning. Twenty-two specific capacity building measures were presented in a discussion paper across human, social, institutional and economic dimensions. Perspectives were sought from regional, policy/research and Indigenous interest groups about applying these measures to enhance the effectiveness of the community-based Boards governing Australia''s nation-wide network of 56 natural resource management (NRM) organisations. The research identifies a suite of specific measures and, in doing so, demonstrates the benefits of examining other sectors to inform capacity building in the NRM domain. The work highlights the need to better understand and account for differing interest group perspectives about capacity building issues, the application of specific measures, and the outcomes anticipated before developing and implementing policies and programs. While explored in the Australian context, these findings have application to decentralised governance arrangements in other countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The rapid urbanisation and infrastructure development projects have increased infinite property regeneration and construction projects in the developed countries. This study aims to examine the current construction waste management literature, including key authors, university networks, and relevant information systems, considering four selected countries, including Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This paper uses a set of novel metrics, query-based search, and social network analysis techniques for evaluating a dataset of 2337 papers published in a decade by authors from different countries investigating the topic of recycling and reuse of construction and demolition waste in order to identify prominent researchers, influential universities, collaboration practices, and research trends. The dataset of publications is collected from Scopus and analysed using a set of network analysis techniques and statistical analysis. An additional dataset of keywords was collected from the Twitter pages of engineering firms and other relevant industry organisations to assess any possible connection between industry interests and research trends. In order to present a solid analysis of the current investigations in the field, a scientometric analysis along with a rigor statistical method was adopted to carefully identify trends, detailed sub-topics, and the materials investigated in the literature. A probit regression model for testing differences between countries in recycling practices was utilised in the STATA environment. The findings show a set of network analysis and clusters that can help scholars to set their future studies based on the current advances and limitations identified in the literature. Within the dataset, 42% of publications referred to concrete waste, whilst only 2.2% included glass, 2.5% included brick, 4.3% included steel and none included wood, which shows the most common building materials have not been fully covered in the literature. Only 48 publications, or 7.4% of the dataset, originated from the three selected concrete-focused journals. It was also found that information systems appeared in the database lately; however, there is less discussion in the literature on how the integration of Geographic Information System (GIS), Buidling Information Model (BIM), 3D Printing and geo-spatial data analysis can help waste management in the field of construction. The bibliographic analysis of the selected cases shows that universities in Canada and the US exhibit more evidence of domestic collaboration and industry partnerships than universities in Australia and the UK. Additionally, there is evidence to suggest that publications with at least one industry co-author are more likely to address the issue of regulation. The outcome of this paper enables academics, engineers, and regulators to predict research trends, improve industry collaborations and utilise information systems and assign more research resources to address the identified gaps in the literature. • Developed a network of 1408 authors within the dataset and apply Total Publications metrics. • Examined the collaboration of 529 institutions within Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US. • Utilised a probit regression model for testing differences between countries in recycling practices. • Visualised an online GIS-based dashboard of landfills and recycling facilities using geo-spatial data. • Identified gaps in two different directions of material technology and management systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper asks to what extent host language proficiency can insure immigrants against the risk of ending up in mismatched jobs. Using the 2003-2016 waves of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA), the paper discriminates between three forms of mismatch, overqualification, underqualification and overskilling. Host language proficiency is instrumented using Bleakley and Chin (Rev Econ Stat 86:481–496, 2004) strategy, which exploits the fact that younger children learn languages more easily than older ones. To differentiate between local average treatment effects (LATE) and average treatment effects (ATE), the paper considers two alternative models, 2SLS instrumental variables and biprobit. We find that treatment effects are heterogeneous. English language proficiency among immigrants in Australia reduces the probability of ending up in overqualified jobs, by between 17.2 (LATE) and 36.7 (ATE) percentage points. The ATE of overskilling is also significant and about -8.9 percentage points. In contrast, language skills tend to raise the probability of being underqualified at the job, by approximately 8.6 percentage points according to the ATE. Local effects of overskilling and underqualification fail to be statistically significant, suggesting that host language proficiency may be innocuous for some workers. Overall, the results indicate that host language proficiency is a country-specific, valuable form of human capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Agriculture is the highest consumer of water resources in Australia. Soil water models play a vital role in agriculture in terms of estimating water use, water allocation and current water status at a given scale. This paper reviews widely-used soil water models developed in Australia over the last three to four decades that have been used to simulate soil water status at various temporal and spatial scales. These models are categorised in terms of their complexity. This paper provides an overview of soil water models and the basic modelling techniques employed by each model. Considerable emphasis is given to matching existing data availability with input data requirements for each model to identify the limitations of model application in terms of data availability. A comprehensive review of the application of soil water models is also given, supported by assessments of individual model performance. The limitations and assumptions made under various approaches to soil water modelling are subsequently examined. Research and policy agencies are focusing more and more on incorporating temporal models into spatial modelling frameworks for natural resources and water management purposes. These are consequently being used much more in the process of policy development. Complex models, whose wide-range application is often hampered by a lack of specific data, should have their processes simplified in order to be accommodated into spatial frameworks where appropriate. Biophysical processes within simple models should consider new data sources and understanding so as to gain more accurate predictions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Roof stability in gateroads is a long-standing issue in many of the underground mines in Australia that use longwall extraction methods, due primarily to a significant increase of vertical stresses ahead of the longwall face. Although numerous studies have been done in the past, the process of roof rock deformation and breakage prior to and during a roof failure in an actual mining environment is still being debated. This paper describes a new integrated roof monitoring system and the results from applying this system in an Australian underground coal mine. The system integrates displacement, stress and seismic monitoring. It has been applied to two roadways in an Australian underground coal mine during two field experiments. The key roof behaviour identified by the integrated monitoring package during the two field monitoring experiments is reported and discussed in this paper. The experiments were conducted in the “tailgate” roadways that are adjacent to the caved zone, or “goaf”, of the previously mined panels. It was found in the experiments that, prior to roof falls, roof displacement accelerates whereas the horizontal stresses reduce. Seismic activity intensifies before major roof displacement or stress changes are evident, and subsides in the later stage of roof failure when large roof displacement is visible. The seismic resonance frequencies decrease during roof failure development. The field monitoring studies have also identified a number of quantitative and site-specific roof fall precursors potentially useful for roof fall prediction and prevention. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The mining of gold has been and continues to be an important aspect of Australian industry. Gold mining moved quickly from fossicking and alluvial sources in the 1850''s to hard rock mining. This paper presents, arguably for the first time, a detailed historical compilation of Australian gold mining production data. This data is then analysed in the context of sustainability, focussing particularly on mineral resource sustainability and the broader aspects of environmental impacts now commonly reported by some mining companies in annual sustainability performance reports. The key trends which are demonstrated by the data include a long-term decline in ore grade, increased open cut mining, substantive increases in tailings and waste rock production, as well as showing the impact of new technologies and economics on available gold resources. The available environmental data on material and energy inputs to and pollutant emissions from gold production is also presented, showing a clear sensitivity to ore grade. In terms of sustainability, these relationships raise significant issues such as increasing greenhouse footprint per unit gold produced, potential impacts on energy and water consumption, as well as overall gold resource sustainability. The paper presents a unique case study of the resource and environmental sustainability of the Australian gold mining sector with major implications for sustainability policy and reporting. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]