Search

The aim is to present outcome and engagement data from the initial years of the implementation of a new teaching approach in entry to practice nursing and midwifery education. The Block Model (TBM) is a teaching approach that involves studying one unit of study at a time over a four-week period, as opposed to the traditional semester model. This paper presents data revealing the impact of TBM on student engagement and overall experience in entry to practice Bachelor of Nursing and Midwifery programs. The evaluation retrospectively compared key indicators pre- Block Model implementation with outcomes for nursing and midwifery students using TBM approach using standard data sets and external comparators such as the Student Experience Survey and National Employability Survey. The study presents a comparative analysis of key indicators and graduate outcomes for students. We use reportable data and two external comparators, the Student Experience Survey and the National Employability Survey, to gauge student learning and graduate employability. The evaluation was conducted in a tertiary institution in Australia with for nursing and midwifery students who completed their studies using TBM approach at the university. The implementation of TBM in nursing and midwifery programs resulted in improvements in learner engagement, retention rates and pass rates. Improvements were also noted graduate outcomes, with an increase in full-time graduate employment. The results suggest the Block Model is a promising new teaching approach in nursing and midwifery education, with potential benefits for learner engagement, retention and pass rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Bifacial solar modules on rooftops offer up to 22.6% energy yield gains. • Rooftop reflectivity plays a crucial role in maximizing the bifacial potential. • Higher optimal tilt angles for bifacial modules, influenced by rooftop reflectivity. • Parallel intra-module interconnection supports achieving high bifacial yield gains. • Module-level optimizers enhance bifacial energy generation potential by up to 1.4% Bifacial solar modules have emerged as a promising technology in utility-scale photovoltaic systems, experiencing significant growth and capturing a substantial market share worldwide, as reported by the International Technology Roadmap for Photovoltaic (ITRPV) 2023. Despite this progress, the potential of bifacial modules in rooftop applications remains largely unexplored. This paper aims to address this knowledge gap by conducting a comprehensive study utilizing Monte Carlo Ray Tracing techniques coupled with detailed electrical modelling. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the viability of implementing bifacial solar modules on rooftops by examining the potential energy yield gains. By conducting a detailed analysis on a representative rooftop in Canberra, Australia, real-world conditions, and variations are incorporated, providing a more accurate assessment of the energy yield gains achievable in such settings. The simulation results reveal that the implementation of bifacial solar modules on rooftops within Australia can result in energy yield gains of up to 22.6%. These findings demonstrate the considerable potential of bifacial technology in maximizing solar energy production in rooftop applications. The analysis shows significant implications of module and system design on the potential gain. For example, electrical optimisation of individual modules in a system accounted for 1.4% of the bifacial gain. The analysis considers full annual time-step simulation, typical mechanical mounting components, installation orientations and module characteristics, ensuring practical relevance and reliability of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mentoring literature contains diverse, but as yet unclassified, mentoring relationship types. • Mentoring for young people young people transitioning out of care must address specific contextual needs and barriers. • More attention is needed in mentoring literature on the policy context and the nature of the gender and power in mentoring relationships. In Australia, out-of-home care (OoHC) is provided to safeguard children and young people unable to live with their families. Typically, this care stops at 18 years of age, leaving many young people without the relational support to find employment and stable accommodation. Mentoring is increasingly proposed as a way to support young people exiting care, though the types of mentoring and contextual factors vary considerably. This rapid review aims to identify key features of mentoring programs that support young people in OoHC. This paper utilised a rapid review methodology to survey the academic literature on mentoring programs with young people in OoHC. The authors conducted literature searches in October 2022 using a search string designed to provide targeted exposure to the literature. Articles were limited by year and location, with the specific search string and limitations applied to the Scopus database, and Proquest and Informit platforms. Utilising literature, we identified five overlapping models for mentor–mentee relationships into a provisional typology of five categories based on varying levels of formality and familiarity in the relationships: 'formal', 'natural', 'near-age', 'peer', and 'therapeutic'. In doing so, we identified seven important features of mentor–mentee relationships: shared experiences, relationship duration, boundaries and other relationships, identity and self-worth, educational contexts, power and participation, and role modelling. We identified four issues relating to mentoring in OoHC that are informed by the needs and barriers experienced by young people: training and support for mentors, unique challenges faced by young people in OoHC, transition out of care, and the matching process. Lastly, we established what might impact mentoring programs buy critically reflecting on the policy context and notions of empowerment. This rapid review of mentoring programs for care-experienced young people seeking employment offers valuable insights to inform future programs. The findings highlight diverse and unclassified mentoring relationship types, the absence of anticipated gender-specific findings, a lack of examination of the policy context, and a need for more robust conceptualisations of empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fifth-generation district heating and cooling (5GDHC) systems have the potential to provide simultaneous heating and cooling, allowing for energy exchange between users with different needs. However, their viability in mild climates with a higher share of cooling demand remains unclear. In this paper, we propose a framework for assessing the engineering, economic and environmental performance of a 5GDHC system compared to a state-of-the-art business-as-usual solution and demonstrate it through a practical case study for a university campus in Melbourne, Australia. When accessible heat sources and sinks are available, the 5GDHC system provides a cost-effective solution, with annual cost savings between 9 and 29 % and GHG emissions reduction between 25 and 58 % compared to an already advanced business-as-usual system. Additionally, by using peak off-peak tariffs and an hourly emission factor for the electricity consumed, we demonstrate the 5GDHC operational flexibility in pursuing different objectives, such as minimising cost or emissions, respectively. The results suggest that 5GDHC systems are an economically and environmentally viable solution in milder climates, and a successful implementation of 5GDHC in Australia can create new market opportunities and pave the way for its adoption in other countries with similar climatic conditions and no established history of district heating systems. • 5GDHC systems are analysed in a new context with a milder climate. • A multi-dimensional assessment framework is proposed. • The framework is demonstrated through a practical case study in Melbourne, Australia. • Flexibility is assessed through varying electricity tariffs and emission factors. • The strong performance of the 5GDHC system offers insights into similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately predicting estuaries water quality is essential to support immediate intervention to water quality problem management. Deep learning is used to improve forecasting of water quality parameters in many aquatic systems. However, it is frequently constrained by low data frequency and quality. High-frequency, continuous monitoring using integrated in-situ water quality and environmental sensors can be an input to deep learning models resulting in highly accurate water quality and environmental predictions. This paper proposes a novel approach to improve forecasting of water quality and environmental variables. The results of the real-world data from the Swan Canning Estuary sites show how well the suggested model works. With different sizes of training and testing sets, the model can still predict the increased number of hours in high scores. Eliminating highly correlated variables impact the model's performance, emphasising the usefulness of strongly correlated variables in scarce data scenarios. • This article proposes a framework to enhance water quality variable forecasting. • The framework reframes the time series problem as a supervised learning problem. • The results on the set of data from the estuary show how well the framework works. • The approach is envisaged to support management in detecting water quality issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The construction industry is resource intensive, dominated by brick and concrete, and generates substantial waste. • A bottom-up approach to material flow analysis was used to estimate stocks and flows. • Existing datasets are not able to adequately quantify the material flow for construction in Australia. • Variations in material use and waste intensity between states were identified. • Addressing CDW data gaps at a regional level is critical to closing the loop in material flow analysis. Material use within construction dominates resource consumption worldwide. Correspondingly, construction is associated with high rates of waste. Transitioning to a circular economy relies heavily on domestic markets, efficient supply chains, and a clear understanding of current and predicted material flows. Material flow analyses have been used extensively globally to generate insights into materials in use, changes over time and future waste generation. However, existing databases do not hold the necessary information to conduct such an analysis for the Australian residential construction industry. This paper uses a novel qualitative bottom-up approach to complement data gaps in existing databases to establish a material stock and flow analysis of the Australian residential construction industry. This approach has highlighted the dominance and continued growth of concrete by the sector, and has shown the importance of addressing data gaps in the industry as well as employing a location-based approach to move towards the circular economy. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a robust cooperative distributed task allocation and mission planning system that enables a fleet of a certain class of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) for persistent underwater ecological monitoring and preservation. The proposed system is developed based on a distributed algorithm that optimizes task allocation and mission planning in real-time while considering environmental constraints, sensor capabilities, communication limitations, as well as system failures. A realistic case study of monitoring and control of Crown-Of-Thorns Starfish (COTS) in Australia's Great Barrier is utilized to investigate how the proposed system can contribute to the inspection and eradication of the maximum possible COTS in a limited mission time in the exposure of uncertainty of mission failure caused by internal/external faults. The effectiveness and robustness of our approach are validated through extensive qualitative and quantitative simulations. • The Deliberative and Reactive Planning oversees mission formation, competency-aware task collocation, scanning and omission, cooperation, and failure accommodation and recovery of COTSbot AUVs during the operation. • The proposed distributed cooperative system enhances fault tolerance compared to centralized systems. • The architecture offers a truly scalable system that can incrementally adapt to the number of AUVs without requiring redesign or adjustment of system parameters while ensuring no overlap in AUV operations. • The system contributes to enhancing situational awareness by allowing robots to share data and information, providing a more comprehensive picture of the mission environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although noteworthy efforts towards energy storage participation in electricity markets have been witnessed worldwide during the last decades, market mechanisms for optimal storage integration are yet to be comprehensively studied. This paper presents a novel approach wherein a multi-period look-ahead market is proposed to progressively solve the optimisation problem over a receding horizon, incorporating intertemporal constraints to enable forward planning. The focus is specifically on modelling the bidding behaviour of energy storage, and to address this, we develop two distinct models for the participation of energy storage in the market. The integrated model aims to schedule the future dispatch of the storage to minimise total operational cost, taking into account the fixed costs of the storage, while the strategic model pursues the dual ambition to maximise storage profit by formulating a bilevel optimisation problem. We validate the viability of our proposed market mechanisms through case studies on the Australian National Electricity Market. We conduct case studies which provide evidence that both the strategic and integrated bidding models effectively address the requirement for forward planning, resulting in reduced market costs and volatility. Notably, the strategic model outperforms in terms of generating higher storage revenue, while the integrated model exhibits a slight advantage in terms of lower market costs compared to the strategic model. • Development of a multi-period look-ahead market for storage integration in electricity markets. • Model of strategic bidding using a bilevel optimisation model, vs an integrated bidding model. • Both bidding models can fulfil need for forward planning, reducing market costs and volatility. • The strategic model increases storage revenue, while the integrated model reduces market costs. • Testing is carried out using a high-fidelity model of Australia's NEM and historical data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Racism contributes to health inequities faced by people of colour and marginalised groups. Despite widespread recognition of the impacts of racism, mitigating strategies and legislation have been largely unsuccessful. Research into racism in healthcare has mostly examined personal experiences of healthcare workers and patients, assuming that the definitions of racism and race are similarly understood by all. However, ethnicity and race are often conflated, and racism seen as primarily interpersonal and ahistorical. This paper explores hospital employee understandings of racism, its impacts and how to reduce it. Forty-nine staff within one Australian hospital participated in individual qualitative interviews regarding the definition, impact, and ways of reducing racism. Interviews were analysed with a reflexive thematic analytic approach using a Postcolonial framework. Participants described racism as being experienced by marginalised groups of people in Australia. They identified that racism has detrimental effects on health and wellbeing. Not all were clear regarding what constituted racism: it was not described as an ideology created to justify colonial distribution of power and resources. Some thought that racism was individual prejudice while others noted it was also structural in nature. Participants commonly defined race as involving physical or cultural differences, suggesting that discredited historical and colonial concepts of race continue in Australian society. While many felt that education was the best way to reduce racism and its impacts, some participants noted that being educated did not necessarily change racist behaviour. The lack of accurate understanding of the concept of race and racism likely contributes to the relatively poor effect of current strategies to combat racism. As an initial part of deeper systemic anti-racist reform, this research supports calls for anti-racist education to clarify the definition of racism as an ideology. • Participants understood the detrimental impacts of racism in healthcare. • Participants showed unclear understandings of racism and its causes. • Anti-racist strategies must define race and racism, and acknowledge their history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional glass bottles are the wine industry's major source of carbon emissions. Those wishing to reduce the carbon footprint embedded in wine have been looking to alternative packaging, such as PET, aluminium cans, and bag-in-box (BIB) to mitigate the impact. However, these alternative formats pose challenges with consumer acceptance and knowledge of the eco-benefits of each format. This paper uses a discrete choice experiment and latent class analysis to investigate the possible effects of message content and style (abstract vs concrete) on wine purchase in the context of brand size, brand prestige, and pricing. The analysis reveals the presence of two customer segments, which highly emphasise the pack format. Of the four non-glass packs tested, BIB and flat glass lookalike PET bottles score the highest preference after glass bottles. Message content and appeal type score low in their ability to alter preferences, whilst mid-to-low prices increase the chances of alternative packaging to be chosen. • Packaging format is a key choice driver for wine. • Glass is still the most preferred packaging format. • Bag in Box and low-carbon alternatives that look most like glass have the most potential for uptake. • Message content and appeal have little impact on choice. • Alternative packaging is more likely to be chosen for mid-to-low-priced wines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decreasing cost of solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind power technologies makes 100% renewable energy systems economically viable. Building more capacity to mitigate periods of low solar and wind supply results in systems that produce surplus energy at other times. As these surpluses vary across time and space, it becomes crucial to map their geographic distribution and quantify their magnitude. This paper presents the largest geographic and longest time series analysis of oversizing solar PV and wind in the context of the Australian National Electricity Market. We examine the additional solar, wind and battery capacity required to meet 100% of demand between 2010 and 2020. Without battery storage, this is achieved by generating approximately four times demand at an average production cost 28% lower than recent wholesale electricity prices. The addition of 1–8 h of storage reduces the average production cost by 55% compared to recent prices. Our analysis also investigates the spatiotemporal characteristics of surplus energy generation under different scenarios. We identify which regions are most suitable for the expansion of industrial, commercial, and business operations using surplus renewable generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To effectively control and utilise large amounts of gas emissions from underground coal mining, Australia and many other countries rely heavily on a series of vertical boreholes to capture the gas during mining. This gas capture not only reduces the greenhouse gas impact but also recovers a significant amount of energy. Vacuum pumps are connected to surface boreholes to drive gas flow from the goaf and overlying fractured strata. However, applying high suction pressure to the boreholes may cause more oxygen to enter the goaf from the longwall working face. This influx of oxygen can potentially react with residual coal in the goaf, accelerating coal self-heating and possibly resulting in endogenous fires. By analysing extensive goaf gas drainage data collected from Australian longwalls, researchers have established the normal trend of goaf gas concentration and flow rate as a result of intensive goaf gas drainage. This paper further developed goaf gas flow CFD models with the operating vertical boreholes, which were then calibrated using field borehole production data under certain operating conditions. The CFD model simulated the distribution of O 2 and CH 4 as well as the gas flow pathways in the goaf, considering the complication of goaf gas drainage. This study found that the O 2 concentration is higher on the goaf tailgate side under the influence of tailgate side boreholes compared to the maingate side. Furthermore, for the well-compacted goaf, a significant proportion of the ventilation air travels through 'high permeability flow channels' provided by the goaf edge on tailgate side, and then circulates back into the goaf boreholes. These CFD modelling results not only enable ventilation engineers to visualize the goaf gas flow patterns under the impact of multiple operating boreholes, but also to understand the impact on goaf atmosphere through sensitivity analysis of natural goaf characteristics, such as goaf permeability distributions and gas emission rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Protocol for a study of quality improvement in Australian ECEC services. • A sequential three-phase mixed-methods design informed by ecological systems theory. • Research-industry partnerships with government authorities and early childhood researchers. • Scale and depth in sample identification, data selection and analytical techniques. International recognition of the early years as a crucial foundational period has led to the design and implementation of quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS) that define, communicate, and monitor the components of quality in early childhood education and care (ECEC). The aim of these policies is to achieve effective quality assurance and improvement through a system-oriented approach to assessment and evaluation. Informed by ecological systems theory, this paper outlines a three-phase, mixed-methods design for researching a national sample of child care centres that showed overall improvement on the Australian National Quality Standard (NQS) assessment and rating (A&R) criteria. The study samples are drawn from a national dataset of centre-based child care services with two or more A&R rounds and an initial rating of Working Towards NQS (N = 1,935). The results of this study will provide insights into the macro-, exo-, meso- and micro-systems level factors and strategies that support quality in ECEC services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Practice directions should recognise multiple models of CSE and a wider context of vulnerability and unmet needs. • Anxieties about young people's sexual behaviours can detract from CSE making it challenging to identify and respond. • Outreach and support that addresses young people's emotional, social and practical needs are valuable directions. • Suitable placements and ensuring young people have a safe and stable home environment is vital to any response to CSE. • CSE responses should be guided by child-centred practice and informed by young people's perspectives. There is a growing interest in understanding and responding to child sexual exploitation (CSE) in Australia, but limited empirical research from Australian contexts. The research reported here contributes to the evidence base by considering challenges and best practices for responding to CSE from the perspectives of 15 caseworkers in a statutory child protection and out of home care environment in one Australian region. In so doing, the paper also offers insight into CSE along with consideration of the emerging practice directions and systems surrounding these in the Australian context. Findings point to potential problems arising from existing frameworks for understanding and responding to CSE. Participants held concerns about a narrow focus on young people's sexualised behaviours in the wider multi-agency care context. This was understood to obscure a more complex understanding of CSE and its broader context of vulnerability and connection to unmet needs – some of which can arise from the care context itself – making identification and intervention difficult. Findings align with research that emphasises outreach and intensive support for young people centring on strengthening connections, identifying and addressing unmet needs and sustaining safety through consideration of placements and living circumstances. Consideration of practice challenges and opportunities signals the importance of child-centred, wellbeing-oriented directions allowing for multiple models of CSE victimisation, underpinned by a shared language in the multi-agency context and enhanced provision in existing systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2016, the Australian Government legislated to allow cannabis to be prescribed to patients as an unapproved medicine under the special access provisions of the Therapeutic Goods Act. This paper compares the Australian regulatory approach with other national approaches, outlines the main provisions of the Special Access Scheme for medical cannabis, describes how the program has evolved since 2017, includes an analysis of adverse events reported to the Therapeutic Goods Administration, and discusses the barriers that remain for patients who wish to access medical cannabis. It assesses how well the Australian program has addressed the challenges of providing patients with easier access to medical cannabis while ensuring that high-quality products are used safely and effectively under medical guidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stormwater has been acknowledged as a major concern in cities because of mismanagement of this resource. It has also been underestimated as a resource in climate change actions and policies. Water sensitive urban design (WSUD) is considered as an effective adaptation measure to address these issues while providing many co-benefits. This paper reports the challenges of implementing WSUD in the Australian context. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 57 experts in Australia. The experts are involved in design, research, engineering, and planning policy in both public and private sectors. The qualitative analysis of the interviews involved thematic and content analysis through NVivo12. Analysis of the responses indicated six main challenges including financial, innovation and evaluation tools, capacity, institutional arrangements, and policy. The experts believe that a lack of standardized design and implementation can be addressed through collaborative design processes. They suggest a robust structure of approval process and establishing clarity of roles and responsibilities in all sectors. All respondents confirm the critical role of monitoring and maintenance in these projects. It is suggested that allocating recurrent funding for these ongoing activities from the beginning and setting incentives to engage communities and local councils in maintaining the projects can be helpful. • Provides insights in investigating the impact of social and organisational structure towards achieving WSCs. • Conducted qualitative analysis of interviews and survey questions. • Recommendations to advance stormwater management planning and design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A framework to evaluate stochastic rainfall models with a quantitative scale. • 'Good' modelled rainfall does not guarantee 'good' modelled streamflow. • Streamflow-based evaluation is more holistic than rainfall-based evaluation. • Component-wise evaluation can misrepresent ultimate model performance. Stochastic rainfall models are important tools for evaluating hydrological risks such as flooding and drought because of their ability to randomly generate alternative plausible climatic timeseries. The stochastic generation of climatic timeseries is not an end in itself, since they are typically applied to a catchment to determine the performance of water-related infrastructure systems, such as reservoirs or flood-control measures. This methodology typically involves a train of models to determine the end-of-system impact, yet the evaluation of stochastically generated rainfall timeseries is usually a stand-alone procedure focused on metrics directly related to the stochastic generator. This paper demonstrates discrepancies in this approach by evaluating two, daily-timestep, stochastic rainfall models in terms of rainfall metrics and their subsequently generated flow metrics after rainfall-runoff transformation. The two models are a Markov-based model and a latent-variable model, where each model is calibrated and evaluated showing 'overall good' performance. Stochastically generated timeseries, alongside observed rainfall timeseries are inputted to a calibrated catchment model (GR4J) to derive daily flow timeseries. Whereas the rainfall metrics typically showed 'good' performance, streamflow-based metrics are not necessarily 'good'. The procedure is repeated for 277 stations from Australia and 106 stations from the United States of America. Depending on the strictness of the flow-based comparison and region analysed, using the Markov-based model 12–26% of sites were classified as 'poor' performing, and 1%-9% of sites were classified as 'poor' using the latent-variable model. The results demonstrate that catchment-based performance of flow metrics is more holistic since it magnifies features of the rainfall not otherwise visible to rainfall-based evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accelerated impacts of climate change pose significant challenges for natural resource management (NRM), challenging traditional decision-making approaches. Foresight provides a range of suitable methods for informing NRM due to high uncertainty and complexity. Foresight processes are inherently political endeavours because they are used to allocate resources and engage in normative questions of what constitutes a desirable future. Existing empirical examples suggest that broader political and institutional settings may constrain foresight in NRM. However, to date, research has not explored the broader contexts that shape foresight processes. The paper draws on qualitative and quantitative data from an exploratory survey with 32 regional NRM organisations (NRMOs) across Australia. It develops an exploratory framework that situates foresight interventions within nested scales, to consider how broader socio-cultural, political and institutional contexts shape and constrain how NRMOs apply foresight and how its outcomes are taken up in decision-making. We have found that NRMOs are using a broad range of foresight methods with five categories of outcomes, including relationship building, knowledge generation and integration; capacity building; strategy development; and normative outcomes. We argue that increased attention to normative outcomes may support NRM to explicitly engage with the political dimensions of long-term planning. Despite this, the broader socio-cultural and environmental contexts create a challenging disjunct wherein foresight interventions face multiple constraints and tensions. • A wide range of foresight methods are being used in natural resource management. • Foresight supports engagement with normative dimensions of environmental planning. • A nested framework supports analysis of contexts in which foresight is used. • Socio-cultural, political and environmental contexts can limit impact of foresight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychiatric Advance Directives (PADs) have been adopted in many jurisdictions around the world and in most Australian states and territories. They are seen as a less restrictive and patient-centered approach to the provision of mental health care. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a restricted treatment in most jurisdictions in Australia and across the world. This paper explores the history, regulation and use of ECT and PADs and the intersections between them. It provides an overview of the legislative framework in each Australian state and territory and explores some of the issues which have arisen such as complexity of the regulatory framework, making PADs binding for refusing and consenting to ECT, involving treating teams in how PADs are made, using restrictive interventions to implement PADs, and the role of the Tribunal. While PADs are often framed as an important legal tool for allowing patients to refuse psychiatric treatment (especially ECT), the paper emphasizes that they can also be an innovative way for people to consent to psychiatric treatment in advance and an empowering option to access mental health care. It then makes some suggestions for future reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper provides a global review of literature relating to the evaluation of national policy addressing work-related psychosocial issues and psychological health. • Results show the literature is scarce in countries outside of Europe. • Methodological approaches and reviewed and future recommendations are provided. • The findings and implications from the existing policy evaluation literature are summarised and areas for future research presented. This paper presents a critical appraisal of the international literature in relation to national work health and safety (WHS) policy evaluation for the management of psychosocial hazards and risks and the protection of work-related psychological health. We reviewed policy evaluation publications from the last 20 years (i.e. between 2001 and 2021). In total, 26 publications were identified and analysed based on: the origin of the research, participants involved, data collection strategies and the data analysis techniques. As an additional component of this review we also synthesised the key findings and implications derived from current policy evaluation efforts. Results support the need for more international research beyond Europe and Australia, and data collection from a more diverse pool of participants (e.g. workers, inspectors, regulators). Understanding the current body of knowledge provides a valuable resource for guiding the future development of informed and high-quality evaluation research and practice, as well as sharing knowledge across countries with the goal to improve psychosocial work conditions globally. The value of this paper is that it provides a clear overview of the current research status, in addition to suggestions for progressing future policy evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are few archaeological sites that contain records for Pleistocene coastal occupation in Australia, as is the case globally. Two major viewpoints seek to explain why so few sites exist. The first is that the Pleistocene coast was a relatively marginal environment where fluctuating sea levels actively inhibited coastal resource productivity until the mid-to-late Holocene. The second position suggests that the Pleistocene coast (and its resources) was variably productive, potentially hosting extensive populations, but that the archaeological evidence for this occupation has been submerged by sea level rise. To help reconcile these perspectives in Australia, this paper provides a review, discussion, and assessment of the evidence for Australian Pleistocene coastal productivity and occupation. In doing so, we find no reason to categorically assume that coastal landscapes were ever unproductive or unoccupied. We demonstrate that the majority of Pleistocene coastal archaeology will be drowned where dense marine faunal assemblages should only be expected close to palaeo-shorelines. Mixed terrestrial and marine assemblages are likely to occur at sites located >2 km from Pleistocene shorelines. Ultimately, the discussions and arguments put forward in this paper provide a basic framework, and a different set of environmental expectations, within which to assess the results of independent coastal research. • Addresses Pleistocene coastal occupation and productivity in Australia. • Australian Pleistocene coasts were likely widely occupied and variably productive. • A basic framework within which to assess coastal occupation patterns is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Demonstrated capability of three-phase foam flow in dewatering unconventional wells. • Examined flow regimes of foam flows in vertical tubing and annulus. • Examined the effect of pressure on dynamic and static foam flow characteristics. • Tested the effect of salt and particles on foam stability. This paper aims to investigate and demonstrate, for the first time, the feasibility of using an artificial lift system, referred to as foam assisted gas lift (FAGL) for dewatering unconventional gas wells to depressurise coal and allow gas to be produced. More specifically, this paper investigates the capability of a three-phase foam flow to lift gas, liquid and solid particulates to the surface to optimise gas production by minimising the flowing bottom-hole pressure (FBHP) and minimising downtime, operational costs and production losses caused by downhole pump failures. A laboratory set-up of a 9 m vertical tubing with 80 mm (3.1 in) ID and a 7 m annulus with a casing inner diameter of 170 mm (6.69 in) and tubing outer diameter of 70 mm (2.76 in) are used to investigate the foam flow behaviour in both geometries for a wide range of gas and water flowrates, 40–6500 L/min and 10–80 L/min, respectively. The 80 mm tubing is pressurised up to 6 bar, allowing examining the foam flow characteristics and foam stability at different depths of a gas well, by changing the operating pressure. Foam flow regimes in the tubing and the annulus, which are key in determining the FBHP are characterised by analysing differential pressure signals, collected at 100 Hz frequency. The addition of foamer (sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate) significantly advanced the transition from churn to the annular flow regime, resulting in a lower required gas flow rate to obtain the least attainable FBHP. A model is developed to evaluate the FBHP of the FAGL, compared against the measured FBHP in 36 gas wells in Australia, equipped with down-hole pumps for dewatering. Our results indicate that FAGL is capable of maintaining a low FBHP for a wide range of gas and water flow rates. The effective particle lifting capacity of foam flow is also demonstrated. Further, the positive impact of water salinity (0.1 M NaCl) in the presence of particles (15–25 g/l) on foam integrity is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel CElif system is proposed in this paper. • Decomposition and denoising strategy is designed in the CElif system. • The MSsa mechanism is superior both in search ability and operation efficiency. • The construction of the five ANNs covers the inherent modes of sequence. • Differences in people's behavior on weekdays and weekends are considered. Under the trend of the global green and low-carbon transformation, accurate prediction of electric load is an urgent problem for all countries to maintain the normal operation of production and living activities. Currently, a large number of models based on single-point forecasting of electric load have emerged. However, these models are limited by the high randomness of electric load data, which restricts the further improvement of prediction accuracy. To fill this gap, a CElif (Combined Electric Load Interval Forecasting) system is proposed in this paper, which contains decomposition and denoising module, individual forecasting module, optimization module and evaluation module, aiming to tolerate uncertainty to provide policymakers with more information. Decomposition and denoising strategy is adopted to extract and reconstruct the inherent modes of the original sequence. In order to verify the superiority of the CElif system, the electric load data of 30-minute interval in Australia are used to test. The numerical results conclude the CElif system not only has excellent coverage performance in electric load interval prediction, controls the uncertainty to a great extent, but also provides a basis for power system dispatching management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a viable technique to address food waste (FW) problems by converting FW into sustainable energy. Despite the advantages of the AD process, large-scale AD plants like in Germany and the USA have not been developed in Australia. Therefore, this paper aims to study the technological, economic, and environmental feasibility of sustainable energy production from household FW in Australia. In addition, this paper discusses the different waste to energy (WtE) technologies along with the operational parameters as well as the challenges in developing a biogas plant. The energy and economic potential analysis of the AD process indicates that the processing of 10% FW from Australian states and territories can generate 1.22 GWh to 35.4 GWh electricity which can subsequently earn AUD 0.54 million to AUD 15.7 million revenue per year. The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions analysis indicates that conversion of the 10% of Australian FW has the potential to lower GHG emissions by 639,852 tonnes per annum. Hence, it can be said that FW plays a vital role as a promising source of sustainable energy and is capable of benefiting the country's economy significantly and reducing GHG emissions. • FW is a potential source of sustainable energy. • AD is a useful waste to energy process for producing clean energy. • Conversion of FW into energy can significantly lower GHG emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite awareness of the need to support autistic students in transitions, great variability is found in transition supports provided across different school environments and staff within schools. Moreover, strategies implemented may not provide autistic students with the supports they need to reduce their anxiety and build their sense of self-determination during transitions.Aim: The current paper aimed to determine what types of transition supports are employed in Australian schools to support autistic students and to consider these supports through the lens of self-determination theory.Methods: Surveys were conducted with 422 parents, educators and education specialists who provided information on transition supports employed in schools in open-ended questions. Transition supports were explored in more depth through interviews with a subset of 30 participants.Results: Findings indicate that schools provided a range of strategies, programmes and planning processes to support students in transitions. However, students were often passive recipients of supports who were rarely involved in the planning and implementation of strategies.Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that current transition supports implemented in schools may support autistic students in some transitions, but are not likely to develop their self-determination to successfully navigate transitions over the long-term. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS?: Drawing on self-determination theory, this study provides a unique and much needed examination of the types of strategies employed in schools and offers a critical reflection as to whether these strategies are likely to support autistic students to develop a sense of autonomy, competence and relatedness to successfully manage future transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design practices often involve grassroots communities and institutional actors with designers working as or with intermediaries. This paper defines intermediation as a significant design practice, especially when designers engage in commoning and institutioning—concepts that have gained traction in recent discourses in design scholarship. To discuss intermediation, the paper introduces two case studies: a community radio project in Europe and a food supply chain project between Australia and China. The two cases show implicit and explicit ways that intermediation can form an integral part of the practices and competences of designers. The paper discusses the merits of intermediation skills and techniques as well as how intermediation can be better embedded and integrated in design practices. • Expands discourse on institutioning and commoning in participatory design research. • Makes explicit the so far largely implicit design skillset of intermediation practice. • Illustrates the argument with two design cases from Europe and Australia/China. • Argues for the merit of adding intermediaries to interdisciplinary design teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alkali-activated concretes have been shown to be an environmentally advantageous construction material as they utilize waste or by-products as precursors, such as fly ash and ground blast furnace slag. These concretes also have the ability to achieve strengths suitable for structural applications. However, each mix design of an alkali-activated concretes is unique and requires a detailed life cycle analysis to determine the environmental impact and cost viability. This study evaluates the feasibility of alkali-activated fly ash or fly ash geopolymer and alkali-activated slag concrete developed for application in Australia currently subject to long term site performance studies. This paper reports a detailed life cycle assessment analysis of these concretes to assess their environmental footprint. The paper considers three distinct allocation methods: baseline, mass, and economic allocation, with two system boundaries: manufacture and construction. The study shows AAS concrete has a lower environmental impact than an equivalent strength PC concrete in two impact categories, global warming potential and eutrophication, while acidification and human toxicity depend on the allocation method applied in the manufacturing stage. The global warming potential (100-years) of AAS is 5.25–35% less than PC concrete. The FAGP concrete has more negative impacts on the environment than PC-based concrete, regardless of which allocation method is applied. The report highlights alkaline activators and transportation of raw materials as the main environmental impact contributors to concrete manufacture. The global warming potential of FAGP is 22–34% higher than the equivalent PC concrete in the baseline method. For the construction stage boundary, machinery appliances for handling concrete and transportation only contributes a small environmental impact (<4%) compared with concrete manufacturing. Cost estimation for concrete production suggests that the cost of the alkali-activated concrete is competitive with the conventional concrete market, dependant on the proximity of the feedstocks and the cost of sodium silicate. Neglecting the transportation cost of feedstocks, the cost of AAS concrete can be 4.8% cheaper, whereas the cost of FAGP concrete is 2.7% more expensive than PC concrete. • AAS concrete has a lower environmental impact than PC concrete. • FAGP concrete production has a greater environmental impact compared to PC concrete. • The most significant contributors to the environmental impact are transportation and the alkaline activators. • The cost of FAGP and AAS concrete are comparable with the conventional concrete. • The primary cost factors are transportation and price of Na 2 SiO 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper applies established methods from population geography to assess the impact of Australia’s emerging housing affordability crisis in shaping the distribution of Australia’s population into more or less advantaged places. Using a whole of population measure of locational advantage/disadvantage, we analyse the characteristics of movers, their reasons for moving, and their pre and post move residential outcomes. We find evidence at the population level of a ‘two-speed’ process, where - on average - Australians are moving to slightly more advantageous locations, but more vulnerable groups undertake more frequent, multi-step moves to disadvantaged areas. Housing affordability is found to be the key driver of the selective migration of some Australians into less advantaged places. The paper highlights the dynamic character of places, the increasing importance of housing affordability as a determinant of population distribution, and signals a need to look beyond simple place-based interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia has formally recognized the importance of digital identity and has raised the issue of reciprocal rights and duties between the government and its citizens. Australia is the first country to articulate digital citizenship in these terms. This paper considers the respective rights and duties of government and citizens that could be included in a digital citizenship charter, and the likely legal implications. The paper explores these aspects in relation to digital identity because of its increasing commercial and legal importance. The author argues that considering the consequences for individuals, the right to identity, as an international fundamental human right, should now be recognized and protected in relation to digital identity. The argument is presented that recognition and protection of this right is an essential component of a model of accountable and responsible digital citizenship. While the paper uses the Australian concept of digital citizenship as the basis for the discussion, the issues are relevant to all jurisdictions implementing e-government initiatives that require an individual to use digital identity for transactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proponents of low-carbon transformation face an uphill battle to reconfigure incumbent energy systems against powerful interests protecting the status quo. Australia's electricity sector is an example of such a system, wedded to fossil fuels and backed by much of the country's political establishment. This paper addresses the potential for low-carbon transformation in Australia's electricity sector. It explores the complex and uncertain dynamics shaping the sector and outlines how these can be understood through the lens of strategic agency – with an eye for opportunities to drive a shift to renewables. It reviews the dynamics of change and re-stability shaping Australia's electricity sector between 2006 and 2015 and applies a resource-based view of transformative agency to analyse these dynamics. Results show the sector suffers multiple stressors and emphasise disruptive changes ‘in the pipeline’. Critically, many of these transformative dynamics stem from factors outside the influence of the electricity sector and its supporters. While results do not point to a clear trajectory or outcome of transformation, they indicate the uptake of small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems by households and small business will play a defining role in the sector's future configuration. Furthermore, the exploration of transformative dynamics affecting the electricity sector through a resource-based lens shows that many opportunities exist for strategic agents to intervene in support of a disruptive shift to renewables. The paper suggests a range of mechanisms that agents could use to undermine the strength of fossil energy in the electricity sector and encourage a shift to renewables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of rural health in Australia, and elsewhere, is known for its problems - the difficulties of providing accessible health services, recruiting staff and providing quality healthcare. This paper challenges dominant knowledge surrounding rural health as the product of power relations that work through discourse to construct rural as problematic, inferior and undesirable compared to its urban counterpart. In particular, the deficit discourses surrounding rural health are contested by considering the systematic comparison to urban health through workforce ratios, research and the challenges of rural clinical training. The commonly held perception that ‘working rural will be disadvantageous to a practitioner's career’ is also unpacked by examining the place of General Practice and rural practice in the medical hierarchy. Constructions of rural people as stoic and rural communities as inferior and homogenous are challenged, along with the notions that rural life is boring and rural practice monotonous. The paper calls for a re-framing of the field of rural health by promoting knowledge of its distinctiveness, the attractions of rural practice and the diversity of rural people. Such re-framing can challenge the dominantly produced discourses about rural health and shift the relations of power embedded in rural health's challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides insight into how aviation and non-aviation factors affect the decision to suspend air routes. Using examples from Australian domestic routes, the paper analyses the business relationships and negotiation processes followed by airports, airlines, and destination management organizations (DMOs) to avoid air route suspensions. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with key aviation and tourism stakeholders directly impacted by suspended routes. The outcomes of this paper demonstrate that while most of the major reasons for air route suspension in Australia are mentioned in existing literature and are linked to demand, other factors have not previously been deeply investigated, including how stakeholders can be involved to avoid air route suspension. The paper also explores and identifies strengths and weaknesses in the relationship among airlines, DMOs and airports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the increasing number of students from “Asian” backgrounds in Australian schools, little consideration has been given to the experiences of Health and Physical Education (HPE) teachers in teaching these students. This paper centres on the experiences of eight Anglo-Celtic Australian HPE teachers teaching mainly Chinese students in two schools in Queensland. In order to understand the nuanced diversity of their teaching experiences, three key theories were drawn on. They include: Bourdieu's concepts of capital and (mis)recognition, Chinese “complementary difference” and postcolonialism. Underpinned by critical and interpretive ethnographic methods, this paper also discussed key implications for promoting diversity in HPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Austrian eID system constitutes a main pillar within the Austrian e-Government strategy. The eID system ensures unique identification and secure authentication for citizens protecting access to applications where sensitive and personal data are involved. In particular, the Austrian eID system supports three main use cases: identification and authentication of Austrian citizens, electronic representation, and foreign citizen authentication at Austrian public sector applications. For supporting all these use cases, several components — either locally deployed in the applications' domain or centrally deployed — need to communicate with each other. While local deployments have some advantages in terms of scalability, still a central deployment of all involved components would be advantageous, e.g., due to less maintenance efforts. However, a central deployment can easily lead to load bottlenecks because theoretically the whole Austrian population as well as — for foreign citizens — the whole EU population could use the provided services. To mitigate the issue on scalability, in this paper we propose the migration of the main components of the ecosystem into a public cloud. However, a move of trusted services into a public cloud brings up new obstacles, particularly with respect to privacy. To bypass the issue on privacy, in this paper we propose an approach on how the complete Austrian eID ecosystem can be moved into a public cloud in a privacy-preserving manner by applying selected cryptographic technologies (in particular using proxy re-encryption and redactable signatures). Applying this approach, no sensitive data will be disclosed to a public cloud provider by still supporting all three main eID system use cases. We finally discuss our approach based on selected criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the role of the teacher in relation to moral education in Catholic schools in Australia and Ireland. Literature pertaining to faith-based schooling, the moral role of the teacher and moral education across the curriculum in both countries is outlined. The paper draws on a small-scale study involving a survey with 154 respondents and individual interviews with nine teachers. Some interesting country differences emerged that are indicative of cultural settings. These include pedagogical practices, the nature of teacher–student relationships and levels of awareness of schools' founding charisms. Some implications for moral education in faith-based schools are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of how alternative food networks do (or do not) reconfigure consumer–producer relations and encourage revaluation of food and agriculture continue to offer important insights into future agrifood possibilities. Recent agrifood studies have shifted focus from a question of how ‘alternative’ such initiatives are, to consider how they are constituted and what they, as particular efforts, work to achieve. However, what has received less attention in these studies is the sociotechnical devices that perform as part of these markets' dynamics. Building upon agrifood studies and science and technology studies, this paper connects economies, ethics, and experimentation through detailing how alternative food economies interact with plastics. What work do plastics do? How are plastics valued, and how does this play out? What experiments, if any, are in train to engage with plastics differently? How do alternative food economies negotiate plastics as beneficial but also troubling materials? To address these questions, the paper draws on fieldwork undertaken in Brisbane, Australia with two initiatives – a weekly organic market and a box scheme/wholesaler. It is argued that plastics are fundamental to the constant work of maintaining alternative food distribution, performing as ethical materials and market devices. Further, experimentations prompted by the ambiguous valuations of plastics offer insight not only into how new practices might emerge and other materials enrolled, but also how plastics may trouble such efforts at their exclusion. Taking a device-oriented approach focused on plastics serves to highlight the mundane performances of things in making particular marketplaces, and offers a novel means of analysis that multiplies our understandings of alternative food economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on research conducted in Australia and the United Kingdom, this paper addresses two questions: first, how is parenting and childcare provision performed within restaurants, cafes and pubs; and second, how are different aspects of hospitality provision entangled with parent, carer and children's experiences? The findings show how gestures of hospitality, particularly service interactions that are tailored to meet the specialist needs of these consumers, can create positive emotions and encourage customer loyalty. Furthermore, the data show the importance of recognising children as sovereign consumers. We conclude that responding directly to children's needs can augment their experiences and hence, those of their carers and other patrons. The paper identifies a number of implications for management practice and several avenues for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shrinking cities can be considered as one of the most critical challenges of contemporary urban societies. Recently, this phenomenon has been the subject of growing interest both in terms of research and from an urban policy point of view. In this paper we argue that urban shrinkage and policy responses depend on the combination of global processes and local configurations. Based on a study of shrinking cities in Australia, Japan, Germany, the UK, France and the USA, this paper first aims to explore the global process of urban shrinkage in different contexts. While the phenomenon is global it is anchored at the local level and subject to particular manifestations. After analyzing the general trends of urban shrinkage in the six countries considered, the second aim of this paper is to study the way in which policies implemented in shrinking cities differ in the various national contexts. This symposium argues that policy responses need to consider both the global forces behind shrinkage and the local context where particular characteristics are found. There are however three common areas where local actors in shrinking cities tend to focus their strategies and programs: community resilience; urban regeneration strategies; and tackling the social effects of urban shrinkage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper estimates the impact of economic insecurity on the mental health of Australian adults. Taking microdata from the 2001–2011 HILDA panel survey, we develop a conceptually diverse set of insecurity measures and explore their relationships with the SF-36 mental health index. By using fixed effects models that control for unobservable heterogeneity we produce estimates that correct for endogeneity more thoroughly than previous works. Our results show that exposure to economic risks has small but consistently detrimental mental health effects. The main contribution of the paper however comes from the breadth of risks that are found to be harmful. Job insecurity, financial dissatisfaction, reductions and volatility in income, an inability to meet standard expenditures and a lack of access to emergency funds all adversely affect health. This suggests that the common element of economic insecurity (rather than idiosyncratic phenomena associated with any specific risk) is likely to be hazardous. Our preferred estimates indicate that a standard deviation shock to economic insecurity lowers an individual's mental health score by about 1.4 percentage points. If applied uniformly across the Australian population such a shock would increase the morbidity rate of mental disorders by about 1.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This discussion paper focuses on English proficiency standards for nursing registration in Australia, how Australia has dealt with the issue of language proficiency, and the factors which have led to the establishment of the current language standards. Also, this paper will provide a comparison of the two language tests that are currently accepted in Australia (OET and IELTS), including the appropriateness of these tests and the minimum standards used. The paper will also examine the use of educational background as an indicator of language proficiency. Finally, communication-based complaints in the post-registration environment will be explored, and some discussion will be provided about why pre-registration measures might have failed to prevent such problematic situations from occurring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hello Sunday Morning (HSM) is an online program that encourages people to commit to a period of non-drinking and blog about their experiences. The purpose of this paper is to explore how HSM members negotiated their periods of abstention, with a focus on how not drinking influenced their narratives of selfhood.Methods: Thematic analysis was undertaken of 2844 blog posts from 154 Victorians who signed up to HSM in 2013 or 2014.Results: Analysis revealed three key narratives of selfhood offered by participants: (1) abstinence resulting in a disrupted sense of self, (2) non-consumption facilitating the development of a new healthy self, and (3) anti-consumption facilitating the development of a resistant self.Conclusion: Individuals construct and maintain their sense of self through consumption (or non-consumption) activities, and this occurs within the broader context of the relationship between selfhood, consumption and culture. HSM members developed narratives of self by drawing on a range of wider discursive structures concerning pleasure, healthism and resistance. The typologies of non-drinking selves identified in this paper could be disseminated through platforms such as HSM to support people who are new to non-drinking in choosing how they might construct and enact alternative selfhoods in contexts where alcohol consumption is deeply embedded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite increasing recognition that the world's social and environmental problems cannot be addressed solely by business, government or society in isolation, the role of partnerships in rural development has only recently started to attract the interest of rural studies scholars. The study adds to the growing stream of research by investigating how the information age's emerging social challenge – the digital divide – influences rural partnerships and development. Burgeoning literature evidences that the digital divide encompasses not one but many discontinuities. This paper reconceptualises the digital divide concept and explores exactly how its shocks and tensions impact rural partnerships and development. Results of this research indicate that the digital divide is a threat to the performance of rural partnerships, which consequently renders rural development outcomes unsustainable, lopsided and non-participatory. This paper recommends the need for a more responsive and localised approach to rural development partnerships that can enable disadvantaged groups to participate in today's digitally connected economy and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both developed and developing countries have committed to reduce their emissions through the increased use of renewable energy. This paper aims to compare renewable energy deployment in developed and developing countries represented by Australia and China. The paper firstly argues the validity of comparison of renewable energy deployment in Australia and China. Then, the governance structures in both countries are compared; the paper also compares management mechanisms in terms of funding and incentive support, renewable energy grid-connection and coordination between different levels of governments in both countries. Moreover, the current status of renewable energy development in two countries is summarized. From the study, it can be concluded both countries have set a Renewable Energy Target and promulgated legislation and regulations to enlarge the scale of renewable energy; China shows a stronger commitment to renewable energy than Australia. However, Renewable Energy Certificate mechanism is implemented more effectively in Australia than in China. The paper suggests: augmenting and rebuilding the electricity network and strengthening coordination between different levels of governments for both countries; enhancing manufacturing facilities and incentives for the solar and wind industry for Australia, while developing more-detailed implementation legislation and renewable power quota system for China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper documents the utility of the online tool “rainwater harvesting and demand simulation” forwarded by URL http://gettanked.org/ , and categorizes performance variability with respect to Köppen–Geiger climatic classifications of the Australian continent. This is a novel tool because it dynamically calculates the irrigation and evaporative cooling demands in addition to any particular per diem allocation of potable water. The analysis may be either from a finite storage tank of specified capacity, or drawn from water mains, but the present paper is focused on the design of secure off-grid rainwater harvesting systems (RWHS). The nominal consumption target of 155 L per diem per capita must be reduced by varying degrees depending on the locality. Higher demand can be met if sufficient catchment and capacity are provided, or if regular tanker deliveries are readily available. Alternatively, demand restrictions are tabulated as guidance to avoid running dry within the constraints of a nominal 10,000 L capacity storage with 100 m 2 catchment – defining the sustainable load per diem (SLPD) during a “worst case” epoch – this is the break-point for off-grid security. SLPD varies from 86 to 124 L/d among most temperate maritime climate stations, and between 35 and 42 L/d at most desert climate stations. The supporting on-line operating manual includes tabulations of demand for evaporative cooling and irrigation together with the sustainable yield of a rainwater harvest system at 128 locations throughout Australia. Dynamics of non-potable demands should be resolved before using the GetTanked design tool for any particular dwelling or workplace. Indoor and potable water demand must be disaggregated from irrigation, pool evaporation, and evaporative cooling in order to fully exploit the GetTanked tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aged care staff are often seen as holding power in care relationships, particularly in client engagement. Such a perception, however, may limit our understanding and analysis of the dynamics and politics within care spaces. This paper uses interview and focus group data from both staff and clients of an Australian aged care provider to identify the positions given to, and taken up by, staff in client engagement. Focusing on one of these positions, in which staff are seen as managing and negotiating constraints, the paper uses an ethic of care lens to examine the context in which engagement – and this position taking – occurs. Findings reflect the importance of the organisational and systemic context to the practice of care ethics and the potential vulnerability and disempowerment of care giving staff. Implications for the support of staff in client engagement and the role of care organisations beyond structures and processes to an active participant in an ethic of care are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we propose a market mechanism for regulated exit of highly emissions intensive power stations from the electricity grid. The starting point is that there is surplus capacity in coal fired power generation in Australia. In the absence of a carbon price signal, black coal generation capacity may leave the market instead of high emitting brown coal power stations. We lay out options for a mechanism of regulated power station closure using a market mechanism. Plants bid competitively over the payment they require for closure, the regulator chooses the most cost effective bid, and payment for closure is made by the remaining power stations in proportion to their carbon dioxide emissions. This could overcome adverse incentive effects for plants to stay in operation in anticipation of payment for closure and solve the political difficulties and problems of information asymmetry that plague government payments for closure and direct regulation for exit. We explore the issues theoretically and provide empirical illustrations. These suggest that closure of a brown coal fired power station in Australia could yield emissions savings at costs that are lower than the social benefits. The analysis in this paper is applicable to other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Smart Grid (SG) is an emerging concept, which is in a testing phase in many countries. It is a relatively new perception that integrates electricity and communication on power system networks, which enable SG applications, mainly for the use of Renewable Energy Sources (RES). This paper presents a review of the existing studies on SG systems, the use of SG technologies and the modeling techniques for SG available in the literature. Furthermore, the paper focuses on SG features when connected at a distribution grid and its active distribution management capability. It also identifies the current practice as provided in technical standards and potential industry investments that can facilitate a pathway towards SG development in Australia. The paper also has highlighted the possible areas of research that would be required to implement practical SG facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purposes: This study aimed to compare between electronic medication administration records and paper-based records in the nursing time spent on various activities in a medication round and the medication administration processes followed by nurses in an Australian residential aged care home. It also aimed to identify the benefits and unintended adverse consequences of using the electronic medication administration records.Methods: Time-motion observation, taking of field notes, informal conversation and document review were used to collect data in two units of a residential aged care home. Each unit had one nurse administer medication. Seven nurses were observed over 12 morning shifts. Unit 1 used electronic medication administration records and Unit 2 used paper-based records.Results: No significant difference between the two units was found in the nursing time spent on various activities in a medication round, including documentation, verbal communication, medication administration, infection control and transit. Comparison of the medication administration processes between the electronic and paper-based medication administration records identified a procedural problem which violated the organization's documentation requirement. This problem was documenting before providing medication to a resident when using the paper-based records. It was not observed with the electronic medication administration records. Benefits of introducing the electronic medication administration records included improving nurses' compliance with documentation requirements, freedom from the error of signing twice, reducing the possibility of forgetting to medicate a resident, facilitating nurses to record the time of medication administration to a resident and increasing documentation space. Unintended adverse consequences of introducing the electronic medication administration records included inadequate information about residents, late addition of a new resident's medication profile in the records and nurses' forgetting to medicate a resident due to power outage of the portable device.Conclusions: The electronic medication administration records may not change nursing time spent on various activities in a medication round or substantially alter the medication administration processes, but can generate both benefits and unintended adverse consequences. Future research may investigate whether and how the adverse consequences can be prevented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background Presentations to emergency departments (EDs) and patient acuity continue to increase. Whilst strategies to deliver safe patient care in the ED are evolving, emergency nurses need to be well educated through specialist qualifications to enable delivery of advanced patient care. This paper presents a comparative analysis of available international practice and competency standards for nurses graduating from emergency nursing courses in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Methods CINAHL, Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, and Embase were searched for papers, published in English, using the terms: ‘emergency’, ‘accident and emergency’, ‘nursing’, ‘competency’, ‘practice standards’, ‘scope of practice’, ‘regulation’, and ‘specialist standards’. Secondary sources from relevant reference lists and professional websites were also searched. Results The standards from the five countries were common across five domains: clinical expertise, communication, teamwork, resources and environment, and legal. None of the standards were specific to the emergency nursing graduate, and there was variability in the level of expertise required for which the standards apply. Conclusions The available practice standards demonstrated some commonality. Consideration of the utility of a universal framework for informing the development of emergency nursing practice standards and emergency nursing curriculum for nurses wishing to specialise is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Census-based deprivation indices have been widely used in Aotearoa/New Zealand, Canada and UK to measure area-based socio-economic inequalities. This paper examines the indicators used in census-based area deprivation indices using a political ecology approach. We question whether the current indicators of deprivation derived from census data are meaningful for the all age groups and minority groups in the population, with a particular focus on deprivation indicators used in New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom. We comparatively reviewed methodological papers and reports that describe the indicators of deprivation in Aotearoa/New Zealand, Canada and the UK from 1975 to 2014. We consider the relationship between the notion of standards of living and measurements of deprivation and explore how hegemonic cultural constructs are implicit in measures of deprivation that privilege a Eurocentric, ageist and gender normative construction of statistics. We argue for more political ecological analyses to studying the relationship between social inequalities, geographies, health inequities and political economy to transform structures of oppression and inequality. This requires turning the analytical gaze on the wealthy and privileged instead of defaulting into deficit models to account for inequality. Studies of deprivation and inequality would benefit from understanding the processes and operations of power in the (re)production of socio-economic and health inequities to inform holistic strategies for social justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]