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To meet global restoration targets, action is needed at a large scale, and at a high level of ambition. Coastal and marine restoration may be hindered by an array of factors, including governance: in particular, the cost and time associated with obtaining permits. We interviewed a small group of restoration practitioners in Australia to further explore this permitting issue. Our study revealed a deeper problem, with the legal permitting process driving outcomes. Some proponents are turning away from the sites with the highest restoration potential, and instead choosing sites based on the ease of obtaining permits. We also found that the permitting process is only one part of the problem, and progress is also being hampered by onerous post‐approval conditions, including ongoing liability for restorative interventions. Finally, the permitting process stifles innovation and creativity as outcomes are locked‐in at the permit stage. We conclude by highlighting the urgent need to reform legal permitting processes for restoration, as current practice may put the achievement of global restoration targets at risk. It is anticipated that these findings will be of interest to restoration practitioners navigating this space, as well as policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Falls in hospitalised patients remain an ongoing challenge for healthcare systems internationally. Limited research exists on the perspectives of older people on falls risk, cause and care. Objectives: This study explored the experiences of patients and their families after a fall in a healthcare facility. Methods: Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with patients and families to explore the experience of having a fall. Data were analysed thematically. Results: The themes that emerged from the 14 interviews included the following: explanations; physical environment; communication; experiences of care; perceptions of risk; ageism; feelings towards the fall; and independence and dignity. Conclusions: This research emphasises the diversity in older people's experiences after experiencing a fall. Falls prevention should be incorporated as one part of healthy, dignified ageing. Implications for practice: Falls prevention and management strategies should be multifactorial, including enhanced communication with the patient and their families. When engaging in education and awareness, falls prevention should be positioned as one component of independent and dignified healthy ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how women think about men's bodies as objects of desire. It reports on one part of a larger qualitative study on men's bodywork practices in contemporary Australia. Drawing on material from three focus groups with 24 Australian women of varying ages, sexual orientations and backgrounds, the paper considers how women experience, understand and reflect on their desire for men and men's bodies. It also explores themes such as the connection women draw between what a man's body looks like and what it can do, how attraction is experienced, the meaning making women engage in as they think about men and men's bodies, and the broader politics of sexuality and objectification that inform their perceptions and ideas. These experiences are set against ideas in post-feminist thinking on women's sexual desire and debates on their sexual empowerment. The paper argues that these women are grappling with tensions between their personal experiences of sexual objectification and a feminist ethics relating to their active and reflexive projects of sexuality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It seems to be a truth universally acknowledged that pathways to care for people with eating disorders are inconsistent and difficult to navigate. This may, in part, be a result of the complex nature of the illness comprising both mental and medical ill-health across a broad range of severity. Care therefore is distributed across all parts of the health system resulting in many doors into the system, distributed care responsibility, without well developed or integrated pathways from one part of the system to another. Efforts in many parts of the world to redesign health service delivery for this illness group are underway, each dependent upon the local system structures, geographies served, funding sources and workforce availability. Methods: In NSW—the largest populational jurisdiction in Australia, and over three times the size of the UK—the government embarked six years ago on a program of whole-of-health system reform to embed identification and treatment of people with eating disorders across the lifespan and across the health system, which is largely publicly funded. Prior to this, eating disorders had not been considered a 'core' part of service delivery within the health system, meaning many patients received no treatment or bounced in and out of 'doorways'. The program received initial funding of $17.6 million ($12.5 million USD) increasing to $29.5 million in phase 2 and the large-scale service and workforce development program has been implemented across 15 geographical districts spanning almost one million square kilometres servicing 7.75 million people. Conclusions: In the first five years of implementation there has been positive effects of the policy change and reform on all three service targets—emergency departments presentations, hospital admissions and community occasions of service as well as client hours. This paper describes the strategic process of policy and practice change, utilising well documented service design and change strategies and principles with relevance for strategic change within health systems in general. Plain English summary: This review outlines a $30 million health system reform to eating disorder treatment implemented by the NSW State Government six years ago which has seen large-scale service and workforce development across 15 geographical districts. This spans almost one million square kilometres and services 7.75 million people in Australia. The reform is very large in scale and is now in its second phase of implementation. Here outlined is the strategic process of policy and practice change of the entire reform and initial findings from an external review of phase one, which demonstrates positive effects on all three service targets—emergency departments presentations, hospital admissions and community occasions of service—including increased rates of treatment provision, improved perception of eating disorders amongst health professionals, improved pathway options and better communication within multidisciplinary teams. This type of whole-of-health system government led reform has relevance and learnings for health systems internationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting changes in the abundance of species over time is a central goal of conservation ecology. Typically, demographic data are used to parameterise models which describe population dynamics. Vital rates of plants vary across a species' distribution, yet most demographic estimates are spatially constrained. Banksia ornata (Proteaceae), a widespread serotinous obligate‐seeding shrub in southern Australia, has previously had a fire management model developed based on demographic data derived from a chronosequence in one part of the species' range. We asked: are demographic data collected from a limited geographic range robust for developing population dynamic models that are applied across the broader species' range? How much variation exists in the demography of species across their range and does this matter for estimating fire return intervals necessary for species persistence? We examine site‐to‐site variation in the pyrodemography of six populations of B. ornata encompassing its geographic range. We documented changes in population density, time to first reproduction and canopy seed bank accumulation in stands varying in age from 0.5 to 55 years. We model year of maximum seed production on demographic parameters such as population starting density and survival rate. Density, primary juvenile period, rates of mortality and seed bank accumulation varied across populations. Primary juvenile period varied across populations (from 6 to <20 years), while time to maximum seed production was estimated to take 34–39 years after fire. Hence, the fire intervals that correspond to minimising extinction risk (due to variation in primary juvenile periods) diverge moreso among populations than the fire intervals that produce (on average) the highest maximum seed production with respect to time since fire. Demographic data collected at different locations in a species' range are likely valuable for building realistic species response models to disturbance, providing underlying assumptions about key transitions, such as mortality rate, are made explicit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rates of self-harm and suicide are rising for young people globally and many implicate social media in this problem. To address this concern and to increase the confidence of adults to communicate safely about suicide and social media with young people, the #chatsafe Guide for Parents and Carers was developed in Australia. With significant uptake of the resource among Australian adults, the aim of the current study was to update and contextualise the #chatsafe Guide for Parents and Carers for audiences in 15 countries globally. To improve the relevance of this resource for parents and carers in these countries, the present study sought to understand the concerns held by parents, carers and suicide prevention professionals around the world about these topics and to explore the extent to which a resource such as #chatsafe would be helpful within their communities. Methods: Seven focus groups were conducted via Zoom with parents, carers and suicide prevention professionals (n = 40) from 15 countries. Transcribed data were coded and thematically analysed using both inductive and deductive processes. Results: Six themes are reported: (1) Two scary 'S' words; (2) Country and culture impact who talks (or is silent) about self-harm and suicide; (3) The need for a protective social ecosystem; (4) #chatsafe is a tool that can help parents, carers and young people worldwide; (5) #chatsafe should consider local context and end users to improve its relevance for parents and carers worldwide; and (6) A range of marketing and dissemination strategies are needed to reach adults with #chatsafe information. Findings of this study informed the update and contextualisation of the #chatsafe Guide for Parents and Carers for adult audiences in 15 countries. Conclusions: The findings from this study underscore a universal need for psychoeducation initiatives that provide adults with the skills and knowledge to support the mental health of young people, both online and offline, and that resources like #chastafe can play an important role in providing reliable information about these topics to adults across a range of cultures and contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely accepted that professional learning is a crucial aspect of the ongoing professional practice of educators. But how should this professional learning take place, and what arrangements enable and constrain practices associated with educator learning? In this article, we explore two case studies of action research projects: one undertaken with Australian Vocational Education and Training (VET) teachers, and the other undertaken with Swedish principals. Using the theory of practice architectures and the Professional Learning Framework (see text), we consider what action research team members identified that they learnt through the action research projects, and what enabled and constrained that learning. The findings highlight five key themes that enabled and constrained educator professional learning and supported educators in making positive changes in their professional practice: power and solidarity, trust, recognition, agency and time. Further, reflection and collaboration were also highlighted as important factors in supporting educator professional learning. We conclude that action research can enable educator professional learning, can support the contextualised understanding of what works, how it works and for whom it works, and can enable educators to make positive changes in their professional practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis C (HCV) reinfection studies have not focused on primary healthcare services in Australia, where priority populations including people who inject drugs (PWID) typically engage in healthcare. We aimed to describe the incidence of HCV reinfection and associated risk factors in a cohort of people most at risk of reinfection in a real-world community setting. We conducted a secondary analysis of routinely collected HCV testing and treatment data from treatment episodes initiated with direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy between October 2015 and June 2021. The overall proportion of clients (N = 413) reinfected was 9% (N = 37), and the overall incidence rate of HCV reinfection was 9.5/100PY (95% CI: 6.3–14.3). Reinfection incidence rates varied by sub-group and were highest for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people (20.4/100PY; 95% CI: 12.1–34.4). Among PWID (N= 321), only Aboriginality was significantly associated with reinfection (AOR: 2.73, 95% CI: 1.33–5.60, p = 0.006). High rates of HCV reinfection in populations with multiple vulnerabilities and continued drug use, especially among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, highlight the need for ongoing regular HCV testing and retreatment in order to achieve HCV elimination. A priority is resourcing testing and treatment for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. Our findings support the need for novel and holistic healthcare strategies for PWID and the upscaling of Indigenous cultural approaches and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasingly large numbers of people are using digital weight loss services (DWLSs) to treat being overweight and obesity. Although it is widely agreed that digital modalities improve access to care in general, obesity stakeholders remain concerned that many DWLSs are not comprehensive or sustainable enough to deliver meaningful health outcomes. This study adopted a mixed methods approach to assess why and after how long patients tend to discontinue Australia's largest DWLS, a program that combines behavioural and pharmacological therapy under the guidance of a multidisciplinary care team. We found that in a cohort of patients who commenced the Eucalyptus DWLS between January and June 2022 (n = 5604), the mean program adherence was 171.2 (±158.2) days. Inadequate supplying of a patient's desired glucose-like peptide-1 receptor agonist medication was the most common reason for discontinuation (43.7%), followed by program cost (26.2%), result dissatisfaction (9.9%), and service dissatisfaction (7.2%). Statistical tests revealed that ethnicity and age both had a significant effect on patient adherence. These findings suggest that DWLSs have the potential to improve access to comprehensive, continuous obesity care, but care models need to improve upon the one observed in the Eucalyptus Australia DWLS to mitigate common real-world program attrition factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Australia has been widely condemned for its harsh and comprehensive external border controls that seek to control the inward mobility of would-be asylum seekers through visa denial, interdiction and offshore detention. Less widely discussed is the fact that internal controls have been repeatedly ramped up over the past two decades. This includes the administrative removal of lawfully-present non-citizens following visa cancellation on character grounds under s501 of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth). Automatic visa cancellation was introduced in 2014 for non-citizens sentenced to a prison term of 12  months or more, or for certain offences, bypassing individualised decision-making and raising the spectre of a visa cancellation pipeline feeding a highly automated deportation machinery. In an age of increasingly automated forms of governance, a key question that arises is the role that has been played by automated systems in achieving what has been a seismic shift in practice, and the normative implications of any developments towards automation within the visa cancellation and removal systems. This paper outlines the shift towards automation in other systems of governance in Australia—most notably the notorious Robodebt scheme—before examining automation in Australia’s visa cancellation system. Documentary analysis of recent parliamentary inquiries, independent reports and government policy is used to piece together the development of inter-agency data exchange practices and automation over three specific periods—historical practice pre-2014, post-2014 to the present, and proposed future developments. We conclude that Australia’s s501 visa cancellation system is neither automated nor automatic. Rather, the 2014 law reform gave rise to a ‘surveillance fantasy’ with immense consequences for non-citizens, particularly those who face long days in immigration detention at the conclusion of their prison sentence. We show that while concerns about increasing automation are well-founded, systems based on less sophisticated forms of information handling and reliant on human decision-making nevertheless continue to raise age-old questions concerning efficiency, accuracy and fairness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describing and classifying a landscape for environmental impact and risk assessment purposes is a non-trivial challenge because this requires region-specific landscape classifications that cater for region-specific impacts. Assessing impacts on ecosystems from the extraction of water resources across large regions requires a causal link between landscape features and their water requirements. We present the rationale and implementation of an ecohydrological classification for regions where coal mine and coal seam gas developments may impact on water. Our classification provides the essential framework for modelling the potential impact of hydrological changes from future coal resource developments at the landscape level. We develop an attribute-based system that provides representations of the ecohydrological entities and their connection to landscape features and make use of existing broad-level classification schemes into an attribute-based system. We incorporate a rule set with prioritisation, which underpins risk modelling and makes the scheme resource efficient, where spatial landscape or ecosystem classification schemes, developed for other purposes, already exist. A consistent rule set and conceptualised landscape processes and functions allow for the combination of diverse data with existing classification schemes. This makes the classification transparent, repeatable and adjustable, should new data become available. We apply the approach in three geographically different regions, with widely disparate information sources, for the classification, and provide a detailed example of its application. We propose that it is widely applicable around the world for linking ecohydrology to environmental impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing the numbers of Indigenous people enrolled in research higher degrees in Australia is important for building the Indigenous academic workforce, broadening the scope of knowledge production in academic institutions and ensuring effective research outcomes for Indigenous Australians. While the numbers of Indigenous research higher degree students are increasing, universities still have a lot to do to bring that number up to parity. In this paper, we explore the value of a pre-doctoral program developed for Indigenous people interested in doing a PhD that provides them the information they need to inform their choices about undertaking a doctoral project. As the only program of this kind in Australia, this research contributes to the emerging literature on the factors that have an influence on why Indigenous people choose to undertake PhD programs and the effectiveness of initiatives to support their pathway to higher degree research. The research outcomes build on the evidence base for improving initiatives across the university sector, highlighting the need for tailored, Indigenous-led pre-doctoral support programs for Indigenous students, the value of cohort experiences and the importance of universities that value Indigenous people and their knowledge systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the perception of widespread support for Australia's commitment to World War I and Prime Minister Hughes's decision to hold a conscription referendum in 1916. It examines the reasons behind the decline in voluntary enlistment and discusses government measures to entice more men to enlist during a period of increasing tension within the Australian community.

Housing and future planning have been key areas of interest in intellectual and development disabilities research for a number of decades. However, the voices of adults with intellectual disabilities are underrepresented in this area of research. Furthermore, the use of inclusive research methods remains limited in the literature. This study sought to pilot the use of inclusive research approaches to investigate the viability of these methods and to begin to build an evidence base of inclusive research in this area of work. Inclusive data analysis and co-authorship approaches were used on a small qualitative dataset from a larger study investigating future planning and transitions out of the family home by adults with intellectual disabilities and their families in Australia. Three semi-structured interviews with adults with intellectual disabilities and family members regarding their housing preferences and planning were analysed using an inclusive data analysis approach following the principles of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. These were then further analysed using a plain language version of the housing pathways framework. The results of the pilot study will be used to inform the inclusive research methods used for the remainder of the project dataset. Overall, the use of inclusive methods to pilot a conceptual model to better understand qualitative data was found to be feasible. Small adjustments to the process and accessibility to better support engagement with the research process are recommended. Lastly, greater investigation into co-authorship approaches and options is suggested as a fruitful avenue of inquiry for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allied health services in rural and remote hospitals often work in siloed and solo discipline-specific positions. They are often part of general multi-disciplinary teams without a clearly articulated service model that integrates care for individuals and addresses broader community health needs. Integrated care service models for clients with complex disabilities or chronic health needs have demonstrated improved outcomes, but feasible service models are rarely described in the context of rural, remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Integration can support primary health care in remote communities where resources are thin, and the breadth of multidisciplinary service providers is not available. A remote health service, in collaboration with a University Department of Rural Health and community partners, developed a community rehabilitation and lifestyle service for adults who experience chronic disease, disability or were at risk of functional decline due to frailty. Using an integrated approach, this model of care improves access to specialist and primary healthcare services, delivers targeted group-based rehabilitation and preventative activities, and addresses community and workforce capacity to meet the needs of the remote community. This paper describes a remote primary health care, Integrated Allied Health Service Model, developed with a focus on the co-ordination and integration of care and resources between the health service, education and community. Remote communities require primary care services that are inclusive of allied health and can be responsive to individual and community needs. Services require a workforce and a service model that can be creative and flexible. The Service described, delivered both a novel service model that complemented the primary care services already being delivered, and focused on workforce and community capacity building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study developed a proposed set of person‐centred quality indicators (PC‐QIs) for services that assess older adults' care and support needs to determine their eligibility to receive government‐funded aged care services in Australia. Individual proposed PC‐QIs amenability for change within current organizational structures were explored. Barriers and opportunities to adapt service elements of the aged care assessment service to better align with the intent of the proposed PC‐QIs were identified. Methods: A mixed methods study was conducted over five phases. A scoping review identified domains of quality for aged care services as perceived by older adults. Service elements of an aged care assessment service were mapped alongside quality domains informing key attributes of each quality domain. Self‐determination theory was used to formulate each proposed PC‐QI to align with key attributes and quality domains. Consultation with a consumer group enabled revision of the proposed PC‐QIs. A focus group with clinicians evaluated the amenability of each proposed PC‐QI for change and identified barriers and opportunities to better align service elements with older adults' perceptions of quality. Results were informed by qualitative and quantitative data from a structured focus group. Focus group discussions were audio recorded and subsequently transcribed verbatim. Qualitative data were analyzed using a deductive thematic approach by two independent researchers. Results: Twenty‐four proposed PC‐QIs were developed. Refinement to descriptors of the proposed PC‐QIs were made by the consumer group (n = 18) and all were affirmed as being amenable to change by aged care assessors. Barriers in meeting the intent of the proposed PC‐QIs were identified across five domains including: health care staff knowledge (18.7%; n = 3); clear communication (31%; n = 5); person‐centred approach (18.7%; n = 3); respect for client (18.7%; n = 3); and collaborative partnership with client (12%; n = 2). Participants made 21 recommendations. Of the five service elements in delivering an aged care assessment service, barriers in meeting the intent of the proposed PC‐QIs were identified at the intake and booking of an assessment and during the assessment. Conclusions: Recommendations identified provide assessment services guidance on ways to adapt service elements to better align with older adults' perceptions of quality. Patient and Public Contribution: Patients and carers were involved as collaborators in this project at the protocol stage which included participating in discussions regarding the refining and modification of the protocol, refinement of the proposed PC‐QIs, data collection forms and supplementary information for participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper explores the context within which experimental, pedagogically progressive schools were established in Australia during the first decades of the 20th century. Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents a case study of the establishment of Rosbercon Girls' Grammar School. It draws on educator accounts, archival documents and contemporary literature to provide a brief narrative of the events leading to the opening of the school; to sketch the family of educators who were pivotal in making it a reality; and to identify key aspects of the social and legislative context that made such an initiative possible. Findings: Rosbercon was established at a time when a modest school could be established relatively easily by a small group of educators with a shared vision. The early 20th century was a moment of national optimism in Australia, where an appetite for new educational ideas created a climate in which innovative educators found fertile soil for their pedagogical experiments and adaptation of emerging ideas from around the world. Their efforts were facilitated by an emerging global network of personal interactions, professional learning, professional associations and educational literature. Originality/value: This paper addresses the relative lack of scholarly examination of the origins of Rosbercon Girls' Grammar School, an institution that previous authors have identified as Australia's oldest experimental school. The case study also contributes to a broader appreciation of the trajectory of progressive education during the early 20th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Can Indigenous truth commissions overcome the legacies and contemporary effects of colonialism? A study on the Australian-Canadian experience to explore possible paths in Argentina: While restorative justice has been extensively growing in democratic settings, less explored is its connection with transitional justice or, in other words, there have been insufficient attempts to explore the possibility of applying restorative justice mechanisms in countries dealing with the aftermath of mass violence. Seeking to fill this gap, this article addresses the connections between transitional justice and Indigenous demands. Particularly, the study focuses on the role of truth commissions as a restorative justice mechanism with the potential of creating a new narrative on human rights violations (or a 'narrative turn'). The article then analyses the experience of Indigenous truth commissions in Australia and Canada, considering them within their political contexts and providing a critical analysis of the results. Finally, the study analyses the Argentinean case and the possibility for a truth commission to uncover the legacy of human rights violations against Indigenous communities. It also considers how the comparative experience assists in assessing the pertinence of having a truth commission in Argentina. Altogether, the article aims to explore the role of truth commissions, applied through a decolonial, transformative and actor-centred perspective, and their potential to challenge the narratives that have largely legitimised or denied harms against Indigenous peoples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The games industry has seen a burst of new interest in the prospect of unionization. The efforts of organizations like Game Workers Unite have attracted much favorable coverage in the enthusiast and trade industry press, increasing awareness amongst videogame audiences of the difficult working conditions facing professional game developers. However, often missing from these discussions is an articulation of what unionization would look like for the significant number of game developers working in precarious conditions in small, often informal teams. The fragmented nature of contemporary gamework presents challenges in aggregating worker power similar to those found in other fields of creative or precarious work and entrepreneurial careers, where contingent work is typically organized around piecemeal, project–based funding arrangements. In this paper we draw from empirical research with Australian game developers to identify a number of barriers to unionization posed by small-scale game production. We also identify how within these same circumstances, novel and alternative forms of solidarity and collective action are beginning to emerge. The article ultimately argues that any successful attempt to unionize videogame workers will need to both account for, and take advantage of, the complex situation of small-scale videogame production in local contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On Thursday, 21 September 2023, TelSoc hosted an online event to discuss a number of important developments involving the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO). The first development was the continuing reduction in the number of complaints by consumers about the services provided by telecommunications operators. The second development is that the TIO has called for a different model -- direct regulation -- to be adopted for regulation in the sector where it impacts consumers. This call has occurred at a time when the Telecommunications Consumer Protection Code is progressing through the approval stages. Over the past twenty-five years in Australia, the preferred approach to the development of industry codes of practice has been largely by the industry, with subsequent regulatory adoption by the ACMA. Is this model serving Australia well in the current environment? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This editorial reviews two landmark contributions to disability reform in Australia, both published in 2023 - the 12 volume report of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability and the important Commonwealth Government of Australia report on the operation of the 10-year-old National Disability Insurance Scheme. It contends that each leaves Australia with major steps that need to be taken to enable persons with disability to live in a fairer, safer and more inclusive environment in which their human rights are genuinely respected. The reports contain many challenges where a balance needs to be orchestrated between implementation of principled reform and what is financially feasible. If Australia's governments are to adopt the recommendations in the reports, politics will need to be set aside and collaboration between Federal and State governments will be essential. Attitudes and practices will have to change in government and the general community, laws, protocols and even institutions will need to be reformed, accountability mechanisms will need to be tightened, and considerable sums of money will have to be spent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Before COVID-19, language learning was undergoing technology-driven change, including classroom delivery through blended learning and opportunities for autonomous learning through online affordances. The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated these trends, forcing educators and students to diversify into new forms of online teaching and learning. In this article we reflect on our experiences teaching Japanese language during the first year of the pandemic at an internationalised metropolitan university and, subsequently, in regional universities in Australia. Importantly, our observations highlight the difficulty of replicating face-to-face classroom encounters and the differing experiences of our students during this crisis. We reflect on the importance of building learning communities online, the possibilities presented by the digital wilds and the value of self-access learning materials as the roles of students and teachers evolve. Our experiences contribute to a dialogue on the future for Japanese language teaching as challenges and opportunities uncovered by the COVID-19 crisis continue to play out in the higher education sector. We identify possibilities for better integration between Japanese language learning, technology and students' interests and needs through strategic teaching of Japanese digital discourse. By engaging with online language use we observe new opportunities to reimagine the Japanese tertiary language class for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is underpinned by the hypothesis that if Australia is to reassess and improve its relationship to and use of rivers and river systems, then more holistic ways of understanding rivers, and strategies for representing and communicating this understanding, must be developed and brought together. Held over two days in August 2019 at the Lismore campus of Southern Cross University, 'Speaking With the River' was an interdisciplinary symposium exploring the capacities of creative research practice to develop new understandings of rivers and river systems as simultaneously environmental, cultural, historical and economic phenomena. In this article, we bring together the voices and disciplinary insights from the symposium and the rivers of Northern New South Wales, and we reflect on the way that riverine language ran throughout our discussions and ideas, providing a connective model of confluences and conjunctions for the interdisciplinary enterprise we were engaged in. This article presents perspectives on rivers and river systems from law, history, art and science, exploring common ground and common purposes. Developing a legal framework for recognising the rights and 'voices' of rivers, that is informed by Indigenous knowledges, historical contexts, and scientific understanding, and that employs artistic innovation in representation and translation, is to us the ultimate goal of such an enquiry. While this paper does not undertake the formal steps of developing this framework, it provides the necessary background and instantiates its elements and working methods within the context of the Richmond River in Northern New South Wales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A leaf spot disease was observed on red veined sorrel (Rumex sanguineus) growing in a commercial greenhouse in northern NSW, Australia, in July 2021. Cercospora rumicis was found in association with the leaf spot and was identified morphologically and by sequencing two gene regions, histone-3 (HIS) and calmodulin (CAL). Koch's postulates were fulfilled through pathogenicity tests, including the inoculation of potted plants and a detached leaf assay. This is the first report of Cercospora rumicis in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the "infodemic" of misinformation, meant First Nations peoples in Australia's Northern Territory were hearing "the wrong story" about COVID-19 vaccines. In March 2021, when the Australian government offered COVID-19 vaccines to First Nations adults there was no vaccine information designed with, or for, the priority group. To address this gap, we conducted a Participatory Action Research project in which First Nations leaders collaborated with White clinicians, communication researchers and practitioners to co-design 16 COVID-19 vaccine videos presented by First Nations leaders who spoke 9 languages. Our approach was guided by Critical Race Theory and decolonising processes including Freirean pedagogy. Data included interviews and social media analytics. Videos, mainly distributed by Facebook, were valued by the target audience because trusted leaders delivered information in a culturally safe manner and the message did not attempt to enforce vaccination but instead provided information to sovereign individuals to make an informed choice. The co-design production process was found to be as important as the video outputs. The co-design allowed for knowledge exchange which led to video presenters becoming vaccine champions and clinicians developing a deeper understanding of vaccine hesitancy. Social media data revealed that: sponsored Facebook posts have the largest reach; videos shared on a government branded YouTube page had very low impact; the popularity of videos was not in proportion to the number of language speakers and there is value in reposting content on Facebook. Effective communication during a health crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic requires more than a direct translation of a script written by health professionals; it involves relationships of reciprocity and a decolonised approach to resource production which centres First Nations priorities and values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the value of using ethnographic methodology in research with women involved in street sex work in an inner-city suburb of Melbourne, Australia. The aim is to draw attention to the importance of three fundamental elements of this type of research with marginalised populations: 1) researchers' immersion into the field over a sustained period of time, 2) ethical considerations about informed consent for people with cognitive impairment as a result of chronic drug use, and 3) reflexivity and positionality in qualitative research. Data collected from two and a half years of ethnographic fieldwork, including participant observation and semi-structured interviews with women involved in street sex work, emphasises the importance of adopting these participatory methods to ensure authenticity, rigour and credibility of research findings with marginalised populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with one part - the first segment - in a period of Australian post-war history. The entire period concerns the reaction to Communism in Australia following World War II. The period itself began with the introduction of the Communist Party Dissolution Bill by the Menzies Government in April 1950. It concluded with the formation of the Democratic Labour Party in 1955. The first segment relates to the prevention of McCarthyism in Australia and concludes with the commencement of the Petrov Affair in May 1954. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Delphi method has been previously used to define and reach consensus on core workforce attributes. However, limitations of the traditional Delphi method have been identified. A modified online Delphi method, which aims to address these limitations, was used as one part of the intellectual disability mental health core competencies project. The authors assess the utility of a modified online Delphi method to define and reach consensus on the core intellectual disability mental health workforce attributes and the lessons learned from using this approach. Thirty-six intellectual disability mental health experts from across Australia participated in a modified online Delphi. At the end of each Delphi round the research team completed descriptive analyses for the quantitative data, and content and thematic analyses for the qualitative data. The research team subsequently critiqued the method in terms of its utility in defining workforce attributes. Authors identified several lessons from using this method to define core workforce attributes. In particular, it has highlighted the potential benefit of initiating the Delphi process with a developed framework that is familiar to the workforce; the benefit of using quantitative and qualitative methods; and the need to reconsider how to define participant consensus. This study confirmed the utility of a modified online Delphi method to identify and describe core workforce attributes, provided insights into the benefits and challenges of this method, and identified strategies for overcoming some of the commonly documented limitations of the Delphi method. However, it has also highlighted some additional challenges of the Delphi method that researchers have not commonly described within the published literature. The lessons provide useful insights for others planning to use the Delphi method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The slow uptake of Education for Sustainability (EfS) curricula in universities has, partly, been attributed to academics’ perceptions that EfS has little relevance within some disciplines. Understanding teaching academics’ attitudes, values and experiences of EfS across disciplines can inform future EfS efforts in higher education. This paper presents one part of a larger study that sought the views of ≈6% of the entire university teaching workforce of Australia. One quarter of the teaching academics in every discipline of every Australian university (except one) (n = 38) was sent an online questionnaire asking for their opinions of EfS. Precisely, 1819 academics participated (26% response rate) and data was analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings suggest that academics are supportive of EfS for all university students. Support, perceived relevance and reported difficulties with EfS are discipline specific; academics would respond positively to EfS framed within their disciplinary worldviews. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Formed in 1965, and now including around 150 players and seven ensembles, the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra (TYO) is the oldest state-based youth orchestra in Australia. This paper presents the findings from a 2018 survey of TYO participants, as one part of a broader qualitative pilot project into the perceived benefits of participation in TYO. Using inductive thematic analysis techniques researchers identified the following four themes from these data, which, in order of significance, are that participation in their TYO group: 1) was strongly identified as an embodied and emotional experience; 2) enables the development of specific, identified musical skills; 3) contributes to the making of, and maintenance of, important friendships; and 4) results in the development of non-musical skills such as personal organisation and learned social skills. The research team also found that many respondents demonstrated "growth mindset" thinking (Dweck, 2006) and resilient behaviours, perhaps indicating that there may be something in their experience that enables them to employ these characteristics in their learning in TYO groups. Funding has been provided to extend this research beyond the pilot stage to develop research informed resources to support learning and teaching for resilience in youth Arts organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the contribution of variation in sex hormone excretion to mood and behavioral changes in adolescent females and males. Design: Prospective, longitudinal observational cohort study. Methods: Participants were 342 volunteers aged 10–12 years living in rural Australia. Urinary estradiol and testosterone levels measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry were obtained at three-month intervals for three years. Integrated measures (area-under-curve) of urinary steroid excretion summarised as absolute and variability during each 12-month period of the study. Psychosocial data were gathered annually with the primary outcome of depressive symptomatology. Secondary outcomes were the other subscales of the Youth Self-Report, impulsive-aggression, sleep habits, and self-harm. Results: 277 (158 male) participants contributed data over the full duration of the study and could be included in the analyses. In females, analyses of absolute urine hormone levels found no relationship between estradiol and any outcome, but higher testosterone was significantly associated with depression and poorer sleep. Greater variability of both urine estradiol and testosterone was associated with lower total psychopathology, anxious/depressed and social problems scores. Greater variability in urine estradiol was associated with lower attention problems and impulsive aggression in females. In males, higher testosterone and estradiol levels were associated with rule-breaking, and poorer sleep, and no associations were found for gonadal hormone variability for males. Conclusions: Longitudinal measurement of both iso-sexual and contra-sexual gonadal hormones contributes to a more nuanced view of the impact of sex steroids on mood and behavior in adolescents. These findings may enlighten the understanding of the impact of sex steroids during normal male and female puberty with implications for hormone replacement therapies as well as management of common mood and behavioral problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Screening for domestic violence in healthcare settings increases detection. The emergency department (ED) is one setting where victims frequently attend with injuries and illnesses sustained from violence. However, screening rates remain suboptimal. There is little research about how formal screening occurs, or how less structured interactions are negotiated within the ED context. This article explores this important, but non-mandatory procedure within the context of clinician–patient interactions in Australia. A descriptive qualitative study was undertaken with 21 clinicians across seven EDs in Australia. Thematic analysis was undertaken by two researchers. Results indicate a lack of confidence around DV screening, and tensions in clinicians initiating conversation while managing their own emotional stressors. No participants expressed knowledge of formal screening processes in their workplaces. Successful DV screening programs must provide clinicians with the tools to minimize perceived discomfort in initiating and sustaining conversations while accepting patient preferences regarding disclosure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates intersecting rights and ways of thinking in faith-based schools. It outlines current legislative attempts to manage anti-discrimination in Australian schools and proposes a dialogic model of reciprocal anti-discrimination for educational leaders and administrators. This paper proposes that reciprocal anti-discrimination will require rigorous clarity in organisational beliefs, values and philosophies of education. Differences of power, prejudice and assumptions are also addressed. The goal of the proposed model is to find a way forward where rights and values intersect while supporting student and staff wellbeing and preserving religious and moral conscience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has consistently established the positive impact of sharing books with young children. Evidence suggests several important factors when evaluating book sharing with young children, including the quality of educator practice = and the nature of groupings, as well as the frequency and duration of book sharing sessions and access to books. Other evidence suggests book sharing may be particularly important for children from low ses backgrounds attending early learning settings. This paper reports on a larger study which investigated the factors and relationships influencing the use of children's literature to support principles of diversity in kindergarten rooms of long day care centres. A mixed methods approach was adopted and a convergent design was employed to synthesise the qualitative and quantitative data and interpret significant relationships and their meanings. The quality of educator practice was measured through the Systematic Assessment of Book Reading (SABR) and Children's engagement in book sharing was assessed using the Children's Orientation to Book Reading Rating Scale. Detailed analysis of 148 video recorded book sharing sessions produced statistical representations of the frequency and duration of book sharing across the contexts and the nature of involvement of the children in the study. Twenty four educators and 110 children from four long day care centres in Western Australia participated. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, video-based observations, field notes, document analysis and a book audit. The results showed that while the children in this study had a range of book sharing experiences, few of these were frequent or of high quality. Of great concern is the finding that the children in this study most likely to be considered at risk of educational disadvantage were those with the least exposure to book sharing in general, and, even less so, to high quality book sharing, raising concerns about equitable outcomes for them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To describe a small multidisciplinary team's experience of the process of embedding nurse‐led supportive care into an existing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease outpatient service. Design: Case study methodology Methods: Data were collected from multiple sources including key documents and semi‐structured interviews with healthcare professionals (n = 6) conducted between June and July 2021. A purposive sampling strategy was used. Content analysis was applied to key documents. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using an inductive approach. Results: Subcategories under the four‐stage process were identified from the data. Assessment: evidence of needs of patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; gaps in care and evidence of other models of supportive care. Planning: setting the supportive care service structure and intention; resources and funding; leadership, specialization and respiratory/palliative care roles. Implementation: relationships and trust; embedding supportive care and communication. Evaluation: benefits and positive outcomes for staff and patients, and, improvements and future considerations for supportive care in the COPD service. Conclusion: A collaboration between respiratory and palliative care services resulted in successfully embedding nurse‐led supportive care in a small outpatient service for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Nurses are well placed to lead new models of care that aim to address unmet biopsychosocial‐spiritual needs of patients. More research is needed to evaluate nurse‐led supportive care in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and other chronic illness settings; the effectiveness of nurse‐led supportive care from the perspective of patients and caregivers and the impact of nurse‐led supportive care on health service usage. Patient or Public Contribution: The development of the model of care is informed by ongoing discussions with patients with COPD and their caregivers. Data availability statement: Research data are not shared (due to ethical restrictions). Impact Embedding nurse‐led supportive care in an existing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease outpatient service is achievable.Nurses with clinical expertise can lead innovative models of care that address the unmet biopsychosocial‐spiritual needs of patients with conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.Nurse‐led supportive care may have utility and relevance in other chronic disease contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We mapped gay and bisexual men's (GBM) patterns of using pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) over time and explored sexual behavior as PrEP use changed. We conducted semi-structured interviews between June 2020 and February 2021 with 40 GBM living in Australia who had changed their PrEP use since initiating. There was considerable diversity in patterns of discontinuation, suspension, and recommencement of PrEP. Reasons for changing PrEP use mostly centered on accurate perceived changes to HIV risk. Twelve participants reported condomless anal intercourse with casual or fuckbuddy partners after discontinuing PrEP. These sex events were unanticipated, condoms were not a preferred option, and other risk reduction strategies were applied inconsistently. Service delivery and health promotion can support safer sex among GBM when PrEP use fluctuates by promoting event-driven PrEP and/or non-condom-based risk reduction methods during periods off daily PrEP, and guiding GBM to better recognize changing circumstances of risk and when to recommence PrEP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) encompass environmental, social, and economic dimensions which are linked to the characteristics of place and have a strong local dimension. They are interconnected at local scales in complex ways which makes progress toward them difficult to predict. To understand how these interconnections play out at the local scale, we used knowledge coproduction to undertake systems mapping for the purpose of sustainability assessment framed by the SDGs. We partnered with a local community in Australia as our coproduction case study, with a multistage engagement process to understand how they interpreted sustainability and their vision for a sustainable community. We found that codeveloping a map of the local system with participants can elicit far more societal interconnections between the SDGs than might be expected without knowledge coproduction, as the participants viewed the system through a social lens. Issues from the social dimension of sustainability, in particular, were intensely local in origin and effect which suggests that attempts to represent them at national or global scales are unlikely to succeed. We teased out the interconnections between societal and nonsocietal issues with local knowledge, which enhanced the ability to identify effective actions to tackle broader sustainability problems. Our results demonstrate that knowledge coproduction can improve understanding of what sustainability is at the local scale and how it can be achieved, enabling the transformative change required to achieve the SDGs. Plain Language Summary: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a United Nations agenda to guide nations to achieve sustainability. To help nations reach the goals, we also need action from cities, businesses, and communities. The SDGs interact in complicated ways, and sustainability assessment is used to understand the best ways to achieve them without too many negative side‐effects. We worked with a regional community in Australia to learn what sustainability means to them and what they believe they need to reach a sustainable future. We discovered that by working collaboratively with the people in the community to understand how their town works—looking at it from social, economic, and environmental perspectives—we learned much more about the important social factors in their community than if we had not worked with them. This is a positive outcome because these factors are often missed or left out in sustainability assessment. The assessment is more representative of how the community functions as a result. Overall we have a clearer understanding of the causes of problems in the local context, which means we can test different actions to fix those problems and help the town become more sustainable. Key Points: Knowledge coproduction used to map systems for sustainability assessment at the local scaleLocal‐scale coproduced systems mapping resulted in a stronger focus on societal elements than generally observed at larger scalesReflection identified strengths and weaknesses of the process and facilitated understanding of the coproduction types and modes involved [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article will examine whether the category of religiously motivated terrorism serves justice in Australia, first considering its lawfulness from a human rights perspective and, secondly, examining its operation in the courtroom. Judicial comment in two cases, the subject of national media attention and complaints to the (New South Wales) NSW Judicial Commission, were used as a basis. This article finds that efforts to establish a ‘religious cause’ were stifled by complexity and ambiguity about the difference between Islamic adherence and violent extremism. Biasprone assumptions had observable implications for the judicial assessment of the defendant’s culpability and rehabilitation prospects. Moreover, judicial reasoning seemed to overlook evidence of an intent to coerce the government or intimidate the public, treating religious beliefs and motives as a vehicle to establish intent. The article concludes that judicial education could help. Still, those measures would not fix the core of the problem. By removing the motive element, the issues would be avoided while focusing attention on the remaining intention elements. An alternative option is to remove ‘religious cause’ so that terrorism cases must demonstrate ‘ideological or political cause’, encouraging more precise and comparable reasoning across offending contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]