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The objective of this paper is to assess whether existing pavement temperature prediction algorithms can be used to reliably determine Performance Grade (PG) design temperatures for Australian asphalt pavements. The results show good agreement between internationally and locally developed pavement temperature algorithms for the prediction of high pavement design temperature. There is more variability between models in the prediction of low pavement design temperature. The paper also provides a set of PG grading results for a range of Australian asphalt binders. The findings indicate that for a given design situation harder bitumen, ormore highly modified binder would be specified in Australia than in jurisdictions using the PG system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As humanity pushes deeper into the Anthropocene, Social-Ecological Systems (SESs) across the world are facing mounting pressures. Managing, protecting and understanding these systems require research into their complex and interlinked nature. One area that has been met with increased research in recent times is Sense of Place (SoP), broadly defined as the emotional bond that people have with a 'place'. There has been substantial growth in the number of studies seeking to understand and quantify SoP across different contexts to help integrate it into decision-making processes. This targeted scoping review aims to explore the environmental literature for examples of applied studies that measure SoP in social-ecological contexts with a focus on how SoP has been quantified and measured. Our results show a growing body of literature as well as a number of clear knowledge gaps. The majority of studies to date have focussed on the Global North (accounting for 79% of the published papers), particularly the USA and Australia, with the distribution of authors closely mirroring this same pattern. Marine and freshwater ecosystems were understudied in comparison to terrestrial ecosystems. Mixed methods were most commonly used to collect data, with interviews and surveys being the most common instruments. Further research into why SoP is being measured is required, but preliminary investigations indicate there is a perceived applicability to policy and planning. We explore these findings and identify research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon farming presents an opportunity for the land sector to generate income and transition to more sustainable land management practices. In Australia, establishing a carbon project and earning carbon credits is complex, with project proponents needing to satisfy eligibility requirements and adhere to rigorous measurement, verification, and reporting protocols of approved methods. To address these challenges, a human centered design (HCD) approach was used to deliver a digital solution, serving landowners' needs related to method discovery and reconfiguring how the methodological and scientific complexity of abatement potentials was delivered. The solution, called LOOC-C (pronounced "Look-see"), supports the discovery of abatement methods that are available for a given land area and provides an initial estimate of the potential quantum of carbon sequestered/emitted and the nature of co-benefits associated with each eligible method. Reporting on LOOC-C development and its observed impact demonstrates the role that human centered digital tools have in promoting land management actions that are both sustainable and reasonable to undertake. It equally demonstrates the power of integrating environmental market and user requirements with a robust design methodology. With similar opportunities in environmental markets globally, additional applications of an HCD approach are proposed. In 2012, the Australian government established the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) to reward landowners (via awarding Australian Carbon Credit Units, or ACCUs) for the implementation of management practices that either sequester carbon and/or reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. Rigorous eligibility and method requirements are intended to provide confidence in abatement outcomes, but they introduce significant complexity that participants must overcome. 11 years later, uncertainties in the implementation and ACCU generation potential of ERF projects and implications on productivity/co-benefits have limited uptake and the quantum of ACCU generation of land sector enterprises. Digital tools that support the discovery of options and provide estimated potential outcomes, such as the LOOC-C tool described in this paper (), can generate interest and empowerment, helping to initiate decisions toward market participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outlines the results of a survey of the post-graduate experiences of library technicians enrolled in a Bachelor of Science in Library Technology in Australia. Aim and structure of the course; Factors motivating students for enrolling in the course; Contribution of the course to the change of employment status.

The article presents a conference paper about "Next Generation" libraries. It cites changes that impacted library design such as developments in active collaborative and discursive learning and the transformation brought about by information technology. It discusses the Workshop Process utilized by the Iahznummo architects in building consensus for innovation in library design that involves all stakeholders, citing processes involved in libraries in Australia.

Examines the wholesale destruction of priceless and irreplaceable historical records in Australia during World War II. Impact of Australia's involvement in the war on the policy on waste materials; Features of the plan for the salvage of waste materials; Results of salvage collection in the country; Four types of salvage activities; Historical records destroyed during the campaign.

This paper reviews previous research and current practice in timber connection design in Australia with reference to methods of deriving design information from test data for nails and screws. The two key documents for timber connection design in Australia are AS 1720.1 design of timber structures and AS 1649 test methods and evaluation of timber connections. These documents have a long history of development, with major changes in design methodologies – from deterministic working stress design to probabilistic limit state design. The supply chain for timber connections has changed with a reduction in the utilisation of timber species and an increase in new fasteners developed for specific purposes. A new approach to the design of timber connections has been proposed to cope with the changing situation. The review is of historic interest but also to ensure that the proposed new approach is consistent with past developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the Victorian 2014 Mental Health Act (MHA14), Victorians have a right to advance statements. While there have been initiatives to support uptake, under 3% of consumers have done so. In March 2021, the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System (the Commission) released its report, including a call to repeal MHA14 and enact a new Act no later than mid-2022. In this paper, we discuss the role of advance planning documentation and instruments used in Australian legislation. Drawing on the Commission's recommendations, models of advance planning in Australia and the Victorian legislative context, this paper proposes a model of both binding and non-binding advance directives. This model would bring the rights of Victorian consumers into alignment with rights provided under the Medical Treatment, Planning and Decisions Act 2016 (Vic) and assist in bringing the new Act into compatibility with the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The minimum age of criminal responsibility in Australia is 10 years. The topic of raising the age of criminal responsibility remains a fraught and challenging field of both study and thought. Despite overwhelming evidence to support an increase in the minimum age of criminal responsibility, there remains a resolute opposition in the majority of States in Australia that this age should be raised. However, the grounds for reconsidering the current position are indeed compelling. This paper expounds the persuasive arguments for raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility by examining the current scientific evidence and opinion. Considerations are explored and the relevant literature examined using the author's framework that decisions should be just, scientific, not racist, humane, cost-effective and generally not ludicrous. Principles for an alternative approach to criminalisation and for managing the harmful behaviour of children are then offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding housing preferences is critical for successful compact city development. However, there is limited research on understanding preference heterogeneity in dwelling type choices. Using the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey, this paper identifies the key housing and built environment characteristics associated with changes in dwelling type choice from detached houses to high-density. A latent class choice model captures the heterogeneity of dwelling type preferences within a traditionally low-density city, Brisbane, Australia. Findings reveal six household classes with distinct dwelling preferences: Class 1 (senior households without children with other family members) and Class 2 (couple families with children) in inner-city areas, Class 3 (high-income young households) and Class 4 (low-income households without children) in middle-city areas, Class 5 (low-income families with children) and Class 6 (middle-income young families without children) in outer-city areas. Residential environments with better access to educational facilities encourage Classes 3 and 6 to change to high-density living. Greater land use diversity encourages Classes 2, 3, and 6 to move towards high-density living. The findings can be used to design and improve high-density housing for targeted population groups across inner-, middle- and outer-city areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this systematic literature review was to investigate the current understanding of the competencies needed by Engineering Asset Management personnel in local authorities within Australia. During the development of the search string for the literature review, it was found that there were no available peer-reviewed articles on Engineering Asset Management competencies through an Australian local authority lens between January 2010 and December 2019 within the searched databases. Based on this, the search string criteria was re-focused onto Engineer Asset Management competencies within Australia (in general), as the new frame. Using this updated string search, the authors searched several databases (EBSCOHost, Informit, Scopus Informit and Web of Science) for research published in English between January 2010 and December 2019 that detailed the competencies deemed necessary for personnel undertaking Engineering Asset Management activities within the Australian context. Additional records were searched for in relation to the topic, from a range of Engineering and Engineering Management Conferences held between 2010 and 2019. Two hundred and thirty publications were identified through database searches, while eight conference proceedings were identified from the additional conference search. These were initially checked for duplicates, and then subjected to the refinement stage against a detailed review criteria, as per the PRISMA framework checklist process. Four articles progressed through the full PRISMA framework process. Further in-depth reviews of the remaining four papers found that one article was principally focused on the Australian Quality Framework (AQF) certification training processes, while the remaining three papers contained data of competency requirements (and example subjects) for Engineering Asset Management personnel within Australia. This data was collated, and through a deductive qualitative content analysis, was coded into three common themes: (1) Technical skills, (2) Professional skills – internally focused and (3) Professional skills – externally focused. The review process undertaken within this research initially showed that there were no papers within the original search frame of Australian local authorities, while the updated search detailed limited available literature within the general Australian context. This highlights an apparent gap within the available literature for the research topic scope during the period within January 2010 and December 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Displacement-based methods, such as a non-linear static pushover analysis (e.g. the capacity spectrum method), have many advantages compared to traditional force-based design methods. However, implementing a non-linear analysis and design method in accordance with the Australian Standard for concrete structures (AS 3600) introduces many difficult technical issues into the design, of which the standard provides little guidance. The aim of this study is to provide a framework and general guidance for designers who wish to perform non-linear displacement-based analysis methods for RC wall buildings. The paper will present how these methods can be used in accordance with the Australian Standard for earthquake actions (AS 1170.4) to assess seismic compliance and then provide recommendations for the requirements stipulated by AS 3600, which includes an experimentally validated tension stiffening model, nonlinear stress-strain material curves, mean material properties and material strain limits. The paper is concluded with a case study example of how a displacement-based seismic assessment can be performed using a typical case study building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a statistical analysis of the actual mean material properties for typical grades of concrete and reinforcement available in Australia. The analysis was performed using a database of 3,447 concrete cylinder test results and 15,201 reinforcement tensile test results. The test results were taken over a period from 2009 to 2021. The paper provides a summary of the mean values and respective coefficient of variation values for the different grades of concrete and reinforcement that make up the database. Distinctive manufacturing trends and variability between suppliers were observed for reinforcement samples and appropriate recommendations have been proposed. Researchers or designers can adopt these values to undertake probabilistic assessments of RC structures. The paper also provides recommendations for mean material properties for the purpose of undertaking non-linear analysis of RC structures. The database of test results also includes early age strength data for concrete, which have been used to provide recommendations for predicting the early age strength of various standard grades of concrete available in Australia. The paper also presents an assessment of the theoretical characteristic values from the database for the various grades of reinforcement and concrete and how they compare to respective specified code requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a need to improve the Australian conformance practice for construction products. This paper presents an overview of the current operating environment of Australia and discusses the different ways in which a product may not be fit for its intended use. Issues discussed in this paper include methods for identifying problematic products, multi-level conformity assessment system and how to make the Australian system perform better. Various institutions have made independent proposals to improve different aspects of the system. These efforts will be much more effective if coordinated into a national system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With construction waste accounting for 40% of all waste produced in Australia, this paper evaluates front-end strategies to minimize physical site waste on Australian projects. Front-end strategies are those practices at the initial phase of the material logistics chain that will reduce or totally remove site waste, rather than simply treat the residual waste product. Following a global literature review, a qualitative methods approach using a pragmatic research framework was developed. The respondent sample for this research was from across the spectrum of Australian building and construction industry, varying from industry company directors to general superintendents. The paper observes that the historically rapid increase in construction waste will be exacerbated by the very real increasing risk of waste due to recovery from disaster damage (bush fire, flood and storm surge coupled with climate change). Increasingly intelligent front-end strategies that minimize waste have therefore become a high priority for action. It is concluded that the most effective way to reduce construction waste in Australia is via regulatory change, requiring policies and procedures that focus on front-end strategies. This paper explores some opportunities for action in the areas of management, design and procurement in line with the themes identified in the surveys [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior to European Settlement in 1829, the Western Australian coast to the north of Perth, the state capital, had long been occupied by the Yued Nyungar Aboriginal group. However, much of this land had limited agricultural potential and, following Aboriginal dispossession, it remained as largely unoccupied Crown (public) Land for about a century. From the 1920s, farmers, crayfishers and Perth residents began to establish campsites and shacks for temporary use. However, since the 1960s, pressure has been growing: to develop better access routes and more formal (and legal) coastal/recreational settlements; to offer greater statutory protection to the natural coastal environment; and to acknowledge Aboriginal rights over some areas of Crown Land. This paper analyses the land use transitions experienced in this coastal area, with particular reference to the growing and diversifying external pressures that are being applied to this formerly isolated and currently vulnerable locality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been the longstanding targets of racism and discrimination in Australia. This paper presents the findings of a systematic literature review designed to identify and synthesise the available evidence exploring these intergroup attitudes, and the factors that correlate with them. Searches were conducted in Medline, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, ProQuest Psychology Database and PsycINFO databases. Eligible studies were required to measure attitudes of non-Indigenous Australians towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Twenty studies met the eligibility criteria (n = 2,958). The results outlined: (a) the prevalence of negative attitudes, (b) attitudes were most commonly conceptualised as modern racism, and (c) that there are a range of factors that are associated with negativity towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The review outlined the relationship between attitudes towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and demographic, ideological, individual differences, and intergroup factors. This review highlights the need for continued research in this domain to inform appropriate prejudice reduction strategies. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples face continued adversity, prejudice, and discrimination on their own land. This heightened propensity to be targeted for prejudice is a known social determinant of poorer health and wellbeing. Understanding racial attitudes towards this group is an imperative step in understanding and combating this health disparity. What this topic adds: There is a paucity of academic research exploring negativity towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples The limited quantity of evidence does establish a range of correlates with negative attitudes that can be clustered into four themes – demographic factors, ideological variables, individual differences factors, and intergroup factors. More research is warranted in this domain to further establish a body of evidence on intergroup attitudes towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, with a renewed focus needed on prejudice reduction techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent report by the Foundation for Young Australians that derived from an analysis of 4.2 million job advertisements in Australia from 2012 to 2015, revealed that the demand for professionals possessing creative problem-solving skills grew by 249%. This paper reflects on the successes of engineering educators in developing creative graduates and discusses the means to instil the skills of creative problem-solving. It considers research evidence of the suitability of heuristics (methods) for problem framing and idea generation that are sourced from the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) for enhancing the creative problem-solving skills of engineering students. Twelve TRIZ heuristics are considered. A repository of TRIZ educatinal materials (TRIZ Repository) is introduced. The outcomes of four studies from Australia, Hong Kong and New Zealand that embedded educational materials offered by the TRIZ Repository into existing courses are presented. This paper concludes that TRIZ heuristics are suitable for embedding into courses that require students to tackle open-ended problems. As demonstrated by the studies, even one class devoted to a TRIZ heuristic can statistically significantly enhance students' creative problem-solving self-efficacy. The TRIZ Repository of educational materials may enable many engineering educators to instil creative problem-solving into their courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First reported in the early 2000s, a new generation of metals called 'high-entropy alloys' (HEAs) have the potential to outperform conventional alloys that rely on a primary base metal. The plethora of five or more metallic elements when alloyed in equiatomic or near equiatomic creates a vast HEA material hyperspace that can lead to exceptional technical properties. This paper provides insights into HEAdevelopment in Australia; in particular, the additive manufacturing of HEA deposits through thermal spray and laser-based methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CSIRO has extensive experience and track record in turning powders into products. Through the CSIRO Lab 22 and associations, the teams in CSIRO are tailoring metal powders to processes, repurposing waste for additive manufacturing (AM) processes and generating unique materials, products and processes for Australia. The laboratory also houses Australia's own metal printer from Aurora Labs that can operate in both direct laser melting (DLM) and laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) modes. This paper discusses capability and case study examples, with some scientific detail, as we work to mainstream and industrialise AM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yolŋu Aboriginal people's knowledge about water ("gapu") and its governance has strong cultural significance and meaning in East Arnhem Land Aboriginal worlds in northern Australia. This study used transdisciplinary research methods to explore the ways in which Yolŋu Aboriginal gapu and Western science hydrological knowledge can work together and contribute towards water management on Milingimbi Island, a small, resource-constrained, bedrock island. Transcending disciplinary boundaries is distinctly different to an interdisciplinary, socio-hydrological perspective, which can pose a risk to hybridizing Aboriginal knowledge and Western science. Community engagement activities and workshops were conducted as part of a three-year research project to bring together the incommensurable knowledge communities. A participatory three-dimensional mapping exercise created a shared space, facilitating an open-dialogue exchange of insight and knowledge among Aboriginal knowledge authorities, hydrologists, public servants, and academic researchers. This paper prompts readers to reconsider the ways water can be perceived and conserved in a decolonizing way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malthouse Theatre's The Suitcase Series celebrated ten years in 2020. As a participatory theatre making program for young people in Years 9 and 10 of secondary education, it holds a unique position in the Victorian and, arguably, the Australian theatre education landscape. Since 2010 Malthouse Theatre has commissioned an original script by a new playwright every two years, then challenging young people to give voice to their thoughts and feelings to the issue through the interrelated roles of creator-performer-audience-critical peer. This paper offers critical insight into the origin, intentions, process, and social and artistic impacts of the program across ten years. It positions the Malthouse as a key contributor to the field of participatory theatre programs in Australia, and considers how theatre can create 'something very forceful, something that we believe, then offer to students in a way that doesn't crush them' (Lynch, 2010). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an approach to earthworks design and construction for residential, industrial and commercial developments in the eastern states of Australia, mostly for Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. This approach has been implemented successfully over a range of projects and development types, for various ground conditions, over a period of 15 years. The approach has benefited from the Authors' experience with claims and disputes arising from earthworks. It is acknowledged that there are many possible approaches to earthworks projects, and the intention of the paper is to raise awareness of the importance of a unified approach to earthworks design, construction, testing and documentation, auditing and certification consistent with AS3798-2007. The paper argues that whilst the 'earthworks specification' is a major component of the earthworks approach, it is only part of the approach. Far too often a few notes on a civil drawing represent the entire thinking regarding the earthworks component of a project/development. Often drawings and specifications are prepared with little evidence that the works have been designed for particular end use. Included in this paper is an example earthworks specification, and discussion of various clauses in these, in light of usual practice and the Authors' experience with earthworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pre-stressed unbonded retrofit (PUR) CFRP strengthening of steel structures is becoming a common method of strengthening metallic structures. This paper presents a comprehensive study on the use of the PUR CFRP-strengthening method for strengthening a steel bridge in Melbourne, Australia. Finite element analysis is performed in this study to model the entire bridge and the strengthened element, and the model is validated using actual on-site measurements which showed the stress developments of two girders before and after strengthening when a fully loaded truck passed over the bridge. A parametric study is performed to investigate the stress development of steel girders strengthened with the PUR system under different girder-deck levels of rigidity. The results showed a perfect match between the finite element modelling and actual measurements, and the effectiveness of the PUR system under critical conditions such as different girder-deck stiffness connection levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper addresses the hypothesis that mineral supplementation (sodium chloride and magnesium oxide at 1:1 weight ratio) for dairy heifers grazing mature wheat in the spring-summer period will improve live weight gain compared with the non-supplemented group. In addition, the potential of mineral supplementation to reduce environmental pollution through diluting urinary nitrogen content was evaluated in this study. The grazing study was conducted at the Dookie Campus, The University of Melbourne, Australia between September and November 2017. The study comprised two temporal trial replications with two dietary treatments; graze wheat with (supplemented, SUP) or without mineral supplementation (control, CTR). The first and second trial replications used 22 and 24 heifers, respectively to conduct a 22-day and 21-day weight gain measurement. Heifers in the CTR group had 11% lower daily water intake than those in the SUP group. No differences were observed in heifers' weight gain and urinary nitrogen content and excretion. The study indicates that protein deficiency may override the mineral deficiency when heifer grazed mature wheat, and this may have led to no mineral supplementation effect on heifer performance. The level of protein in grazing wheat needs to be considered in feeding minerals to heifers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To promote better collaboration for patient care, interprofessional education (IPE) is required in many health professions courses. However, successful IPE implementation at scale can be challenging because of complicated logistics and competing priorities. Implementing across multiple geographies adds further complexity. This paper describes the implementation of a full cohort IPE activity for medical and pharmacy students delivered at both the Australian and Malaysian campuses of Monash University. We designed a 150-minute, blended learning activity centred around asthma care for second-year medical and pharmacy students. Student perceptions were measured with a pre- and post-activity survey using the validated ten-item, three-factor, SPICE-R2 instrument. Analysis focused on differences between professions and countries. All second-year medicine (N = 301 in Australia and N = 107 in Malaysia) and pharmacy students (N = 168 in Australia and N = 117 in Malaysia) participated in the learning activity. A total of 326/693 (47%) students participated in the associated research by completing both the pre- and post-activity surveys. The pre-activity survey showed significant differences in four items between medicine and pharmacy students in Australia and two items in Malaysia. Post-activity, we observed significant changes in 8/10 items when the two professions were combined. Specifically, we noted changes across the countries in perceptions of roles and responsibilities for collaborative practice and patient outcomes from collaborative practice. IPE across different professions and countries is feasible. Positive outcomes in role understanding and perceived patient outcomes are achievable through a context-sensitive, locally driven approach to implementation. Longitudinal experiences may be required to influence perceptions of teamwork and team-based care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When children participate in online sexual behaviour, such as 'sexting', there can be a range of legal and social consequences. Criminal law in Australia does not consistently address sexting, which means that in some jurisdictions, children who participate in sexting can be liable for offences related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Children who are 16 or 17 years old have reached the age to consent to sexual activity, yet the law, in many jurisdictions, does not allow them to participate in sexting. This paper seeks to reconceptualise sexting among older children as a separate practice to possessing and/or distributing CSAM. It explores the socio-legal considerations which arise when older children possess and share intimate online material, including how the age of consent to sexual activity is relevant to their participation in sexting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As rail operators look for efficiency improvement, a new trend towards integration of detection technologies on revenue raising rolling stock has emerged, the objective being that a saving can be made by eliminating specialised rolling stock and reducing network scheduling. An area currently attracting research attention in the Australian heavy haul segment is the detection of rail foot flaws from moving vehicles through the use of Infrared Thermography. This paper presents a modelling and simulation methodology for full train simulation using a co-simulation approach for calculating heat transfer in the rail under a number of different vehicle system dynamics cases. The excitation source for the heat transfer focuses only on wheel/rail contact mechanics. The paper will explore the problem from a Modulated Thermography perspective that uses periodic heating and observation of the heating process for flaw detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effectiveness of train speed restrictions on the performance of Insulated Rail Joint (IRJ) joint bars, for typical train speeds utilised on heavy haul rail networks (20-90 km/hr). The work presented in this paper was prompted by a series of premature IRJ failures on Iron Ore heavy haul lines, in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, via cracking of the IRJ joint bars. This failure mode is characterised by partial, or complete failure of one or both of the IRJs connecting joint bars through fatigue crack initiation and propagation through the joint bar steel section. Train speed restriction is an approach commonly implemented by railway operators, as a risk mitigating control when travelling past failure prone IRJ locations. Field testing of in-service IRJs has been conducted. Strain gauge, sleeper displacement and wheel load measurements were obtained and analysed, via regression analysis, to investigate the influence of train speed on joint bar strains. This analysis clearly indicates that there is not a strong relationship between train speed, and joint bar strains, over the observed speed range of 20-90 km/hr. This result suggests that speed restrictions provide little or no benefit in reducing IRJ joint bar strains. While this result is consistent with theory presented in the literature, it is in contrast with typical operator practices. The data presented in this paper also indicate that there is a significant variability in both the strains developed in IRJ joint bars, and vertical sleeper displacements, between the installation locations monitored. For the two sites, the variability in peak bending strains was of the order of 40-45%. The analysis presented in this paper indicates that this variability is not related to differences in train speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to understand the procedural effectiveness of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of urban planning in Australia. The SEA has been practiced in Australia over the last two decades under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act of 1999. After the reform of EPBC Act in 2006, the application of SEA in urban sector has been widened. By evaluating the procedural practice of SEA of Melbourne Urban Extension Plan using a set of evaluation criteria, the study shows that most of the procedural requirements were confirmed by the SEA of the plan. There were some shortcomings including, among others, inadequate consideration of cumulative impacts, socio-economic impacts and the analysis of alternatives at different stages of SEA. The possible reasons behind these shortcomings were explained based on the context of SEA in Australia. Furthermore, this study explored some key features of SEA system in Australia those may influence the SEA practice. The findings of the study can be useful to the application of SEA of urban planning in addition to practitioners, academics and policy makers in Australia or elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vulnerability models for housing during extreme wind events are a critical part of modern catastrophe modelling used to inform insurance pricing, policy-making, emergency management, etc. Historically, the most robust vulnerability model development has taken place in the US. However, since structural systems in the US differ significantly, it is important that Australia-specific models are available and fully described in the literature. Development in Australia has continuously progressed since early works of the 1970s, although much of the research exists in unpublished format. Models from unpublished studies have been used broadly in academia, insurance and by policymakers, in many cases without a clear understanding of underlying assumptions and limitations. The aim of this paper is to provide a review and clarification of these models and introduce the Vulnerability and Adaption to Wind Simulation (VAWS) model, which takes an engineering-based approach. An overview of VAWS program logic and engineering assumptions is presented in addition to a comparison of outputs for one cyclonic region house type with existing models and insurance claims data. For the housing style considered, results suggest that VAWS can provide a better estimate of vulnerability than existing Australian models and those from abroad, not specific to Australian construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst advancing outcomes for young people transitioning from out-of-home care is a national priority, no synthesis of Australian interventions that support their transition from care and into independence currently exists. The aim of this systematic scoping review was to examine the characteristics of such interventions delivered in Australia and to evaluate their impact. Papers were included if they assessed the extent to which transitional support interventions, delivered in Australia, improved housing, employment, education, financial, health, or social functioning outcomes. Eleven studies were included. Interventions primarily adopted a case management approach to support care-leavers' transition. Interventions facilitated improvements in care-leavers' independent living outcomes (e.g., housing, education, and financial stability), but less so in health outcomes. This synthesis provides guidance for how research organizations in partnership with community service organizations and statutory services should develop and deliver interventions to support young Australians transitioning from care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:This paper approaches evidence-informed practice from the perspective of evidence-informed policy-making. Using the findings of a recent study of evidence-use by educational policy-makers to raise questions about evidence-use by educational practitioners, it seeks to explore what such a study might tell us about how to understand and improve evidence-use by educational practitioners. Purpose:The paper aims, therefore, to identify potential connections, shared insights and common issues between evidence-use in policy and evidence-use in practice. It does this by focusing on two specific areas: the nature of the evidence (i.e.whatevidence is used) and the nature of the use (i.e.howevidence is used). The paper outlines what was found about each of these aspects of evidence-use in policy, and then considers what questions and issues these findings might raise for evidence-use in educational practice. Sample:The empirical study on which this paper is based was an in-depth study of the use of evidence within educational policy development in Australia. It focused on the development of three specific education policies within one Australian state education department and involved interviews with 25 policy-makers who were actively involved in the development of these policies. Design and methods:The policy-based study involved the following data collection processes: (i) in-depth semi-structured interviews with 25 policy-makers who were involved in the development of the selected policies; (ii) documentary analysis of policy documents, background research reports and other relevant papers relating to the selected policies; (iii) unstructured observation (where possible) of meetings and events connected with the development of the selected policies; and (iv) feedback from 40 wider policy staff who took part in a verification workshop to discuss the project’s emerging findings. Findings:Drawing on the findings from the original policy study, two areas of potential connection to evidence-use in practice are explored. First, in relation to ‘varieties of evidence and uses’, the negotiation of diverse evidence types and the potential for using evidence in multiple and varied ways appear to be features of evidence-use that are common to educational policy-makers as well as educational practitioners. Secondly, in relation to ‘narrowness of evidence sources’, there is potential for both policy-makers and practitioners to use a narrow (rather than broad) selection of evidence, due to a tendency to work with certain evidence types as a starting point (e.g. performance data) and a tendency to draw on certain evidence sources more frequently (e.g. well-known, familiar research sources). Conclusions:This paper emphasises: (i) the need for more integrated (or joined-up) understandings of evidence-use across contexts of practice and contexts of policy; (ii) the importance of continued efforts to understand and represent evidence-use more effectively within educational practices; and (iii) the value of paying careful attention to the quality and qualities of evidence-use within and across the different settings of educational practice and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Teacher knowledge continues to be a topic of debate in Australasia and in other parts of the world. There have been many attempts by mathematics educators and researchers to define the knowledge needed by teachers to teach mathematics effectively. A plethora of terms, such as mathematical content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, horizon content knowledge and specialised content knowledge, have been used to describe aspects of such knowledge. Purpose:This paper proposes a model for teacher knowledge in mathematics that embraces and develops aspects of earlier models. It focuses on the notions of contingent knowledge and the connectedness of ‘big ideas’ of mathematics to enact what is described as ‘powerful teaching’. It involves the teacher’s ability to set up and provoke contingent moments to extend children’s mathematical horizons. The model proposed here considers the various cognitive and affective components and domains that teachers may require to enact ‘powerful teaching’. The intention is to validate the proposed model empirically during a future stage of research. Sources of evidence:Contingency is described in Rowland’s Knowledge Quartet as the ability to respond to children’s questions, misconceptions and actions and to be able to deviate from a teaching plan as needed. The notion of ‘horizon content knowledge’ (Ball et al.) is a key aspect of the proposed model and has provoked a discussion in this article about students’ mathematical horizons and what these might comprise. Together with a deep mathematical content knowledge and a sensibility for students and their mathematical horizons, these ideas form the foundations of the proposed model. Main argument:It follows that a deeper level of knowledge might enable a teacher to respond better and to plan and anticipate contingent moments. By taking this further and considering teacher knowledge as ‘dynamic’, this paper suggests that instead of responding to contingent events, ‘powerful teaching’ is about provoking contingent events. This necessarily requires a broad, connected content knowledge based on ‘big mathematical ideas’, a sound knowledge of pedagogies and an understanding of common misconceptions in order to be able to engineer contingent moments. Conclusions:In order to place genuine problem-solving at the heart of learning, this paper argues for the idea of planning for contingent events, provoking them and ‘setting them up’. The proposed model attempts to represent that process. It is anticipated that the new model will become the framework for an empirical research project, as it undergoes a validation process involving a sample of primary teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper describes the development and validation of spatial models for wildfire occurrence at a broad landscape scale. The hotspots databases from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and logistic regression models are investigated for the comprehensive understanding of environmental and socioeconomic determinants regulating the spatial distribution of wildfires over the 11-year period 2003–2013. The probability of occurrence of at least one fire on a 1 km2grid cell in a 1,030,000 km2region located in South-Eastern Australia is studied for the prediction of future fire occurrence. Our research shows that wildfires are most likely to occur in mountainous areas, forests, savannas and lands with high vegetation coverage, and are less likely to occur on grasslands and shrublands. Wildfires also tend to occur in areas near human infrastructures. Environmental variables are strong individual predictors of fire occurrence while socioeconomic variables contribute more to the final model. The influence of environmental and socioeconomic conditions on wildfire occurrence and the spatial patterns of wildfires identified in this study can assist fire managers in implementing appropriate management actions in South-Eastern Australia. This paper also demonstrates the potential of applying the MODIS active fire product in wildfire occurrence studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The story of the Encyclopedia of Australian Science is fundamental to the story of the eScholarship Research Centre (ESRC) and its predecessors. Published online in 2010, there are data in this public knowledge web resource that can be traced back to the early days of the World Wide Web in the mid-1990s, and earlier to the beginnings of the Australian Science Archives Project (ASAP) in March 1985. ASAP was created to help meet the needs of the history of Australian science research community by locating, documenting and finding an archival home for collections of records and creating a register of where collections relating to the history of science were held in Australia. This paper provides a perspective on the events that led to the web publication of the Encyclopedia of Australian Science in 2010 and its continuing role as a key activity of the ESRC. There is a focus on the reasons why this work was required in the first instance and the lessons learned along the way. The paper reflects on the initial drivers that continue to challenge, indeed frustrate, the development of cohesive national information infrastructure to support research and societal self-awareness, despite the developments in digital and communications technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike many archival organisations, the University of Melbourne's eScholarship Research Centre (ESRC) is not a custodial repository or a teaching facility. This allows the centre to collaborate with a wide range of organisations and individuals, bringing archival thinking and practice to a variety of sectors, many of which are not traditionally associated with information professionals. Central to all the ESRC's work is the importance of effectively documenting things and their context. This paper draws on project examples, the author's PhD research and key concepts from archival and knowledge management theory to explore the idea that effective documentation requires more than a focus on items and collections. Instead, it requires working with individuals, organisations and documentary resources (published and unpublished) to reveal explicit connections and capture implicit knowledge in ways which more accurately reflect the complexity of collections and the entities needed to understand them. These ideas are introduced using two examples: a series of projects carried out over many years with the Victorian Government's Department of Primary Industries and its successors and The Australian Ballet. The paper then uses key concepts from this work to explore the nature of museum documentation and some of the limitations of current practice in museums, including the specific example of the Nordström mining models held by Museum Victoria. Thinking about these issues in the digital world, and applying archival thinking, the author argues for better connections between collection materials, not through convergence but by expanding our concept of collection documentation to include the relationships between things as things in their own right. Arguing for the practical benefits of such a change, the paper concludes by suggesting that testing these ideas in a museum context has the potential to further develop the ideas of the ESRC in ways which will benefit society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to determine uncertainty in the gauged range of the stage-gauged discharge relationship for 622 rating curves from 171 Australian Bureau of Meteorology Hydrologic Reference streamgauging Stations (HRS). Water agencies use many methods to establish rating curves. Here we adopt a consistent method across all stations and develop rating curves based on Chebyshev polynomials, and estimate uncertainties from standard regression errors in which residuals from the polynomials are adjusted to ensure they are homoscedastic and normally distributed. Uncertainty in input water level is also taken into account. The median uncertainties in mean response of the available gauged discharge relationship at median daily discharges for the HRS dataset range from +4.5 to −4.2% (95% confidence band) and for individual gaugings from +29 to −22% incorporating a water level uncertainty of ±4 mm. The uncertainties estimated are consistent with values estimated in Australia and elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The map presented in this paper summarises the combined land- and airside accessibility within Australia. To this end, we calculate a bimodal accessibility index at the scale of statistical units by aggregating the (shortest) travel time for three route segments: (1) road travel from the origin to a departure airport, (2) air travel, and (3) road travel from an arrival airport to the destination. The average travel time from a statistical unit to all other statistical units is calculated for the units' population centroids, after which an accessibility surface is interpolated using kriging. The map shows that southeastern Australia is generally characterised by a high accessibility index with the most populated cities being hotspots of accessibility. Central and northern Australia are – with few exceptions – far less accessible. In addition to this largely-expected pattern, the map also reveals a number of specific and perhaps more surprising geographical patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold-formed steel shear walls are commonly used in the housing industry. Generally, the wall stud connections play an important role in the seismic performance of these structures as they should be capable to dissipate the induced energy via the plastic deformation of the shear wall components. The riveted connection between the studs and the tracks is one of the most important components that dictates the behaviour and strength of such panels. In this paper, details of an experimental study on the behaviour and strength of two types of rivets which are applied in riveted wall stud connections under tension and compression monotonic loading are presented. Twenty-four full-scale specimens were taken into account. Two dominant failure modes are identified: rivet head failure and buckling failure of the section away from the connection in tension and compression tests, respectively. The results show that the second rivet type (type O) possesses a higher capacity in both tension and compression; and therefore is recommended to use by CFS designers. In addition, the design capacities of the connections were calculated based on some design codes and compared with the experimental results. It is shown that the codes are too conservative and can be improved considerably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Early childhood education and care has been an area of significant policy attention, public investment and private market activity in Australia over the past three decades. Australian educationists and policy-makers have looked to international examples for evidence, policy design and institutional models. However, this area is under-researched in Australia, with regard to how these knowledge flows are theorised, and how policy is implemented on the ground. Purpose:The paper’s purpose was to contribute new Australian-focussed conceptual and empirical insights on the trajectories, development and implementation of evidence-based policy in the field of early childhood education and care. Sources of evidence:The paper is based on three main sources of evidence:• the critical literature on policy transfer and policy mobility• policy statements, reports and planning documents produced by national- and state-level governments• data from fieldwork analysis of new capital works and programmes in the early childhood field. Main argument:International research and evidence on the benefits of investment in early learning has had a significant impact on the framing of Australian policy. So too has a move in several countries to align early childhood institutions with schools. However, a dominant paradigm of policy transfer, reliant on pluralist and rationalist frameworks of policy-making, fails to account for the dynamics of policy development and implementation across and within jurisdictions and geographical space. Conceptualising a new alignment in Australia between children’s centres and schools as ‘educare’, this article employs the theoretical lens of policy mobility to account for the circulation and transformation of educare policy in Australian settings. Through an empirical analysis of a new educare centre in the growth corridor of western Melbourne, the article demonstrates the extent to which neoliberal policy settings outside the educational sphere, around public finance, partnership, place and infrastructure provision, influence the implementation of ‘educare’ policy. Conclusions:The educare discourse in Australia addresses a complex and multiscalar set of policy problems that associate child development with concerns around human capital formation, economic efficiency and productivity, place making and community building, and the role of the public sector in neoliberal democracies. International circuits of knowledge, policy design and institutional models in the educare field have been significant in shaping recent Australian policy, despite well-publicised views expressed in Australia on the disconnection between academic research and policy. The strength of policy mobility as a theoretical lens to assist our understanding of these influences lies in its critique of formalism in policy-making and in its attention to fluidity and transformation. The mobility lens encourages new empirical research that focuses on spatial and institutional dynamics, assisting our reading of on-the-ground developments in Australia’s fastest growing city. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The dramatic arts utilise emotion, introspection, artistry and interpretation from multiple perspectives to promote dialogue and reflection. Drama research can access these kinds of engagements by using artistic mediums to present phenomena, experiences and findings. This paper resulted from a research project investigating drama performance assessment in Australian schools. Data was collected in Year 11 and 12 Drama classes at six school sites, using ethnographical observation of performances, narrative and semi-structured interviews, and participant observation. Findings of the research indicate that there are several influences on students’ performative responses for assessment, including the local curriculum and assessment practices, school and class cultures and the approach of the teacher. These influences are illustrated using mediums that complement the field of drama, specifically scripts and stories. This paper presents three of these artefacts; one collection of storied descriptions and two scripts, discussing the methodology used to create them and exploring future directions for the presentation of findings, using other mediums that complement the field of drama. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article details the outcomes of the 'National Learning and Teaching Resource Audit and Classification' project, commissioned by the Australian Government's Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT). The project used a range of methodologies to reorganise the OLT's Resource Library (http://www.olt.gov.au/resource-library), constructing and selecting an optimal set of metadata elements, along with certain vocabularies for these elements, and then reindexing the content of the Resource Library utilising the new schema and vocabularies. This paper reports on a before-and-after evaluation of the Resource Library's search performance through an information retrieval experiment based on searches logged by the repository's content management system. It was found that the reindexing produced a significant increase in average recall from 25.1 to 37.1% and a significant increase in average precision from 37.6 to 50.4%. The paper also describes the construction of a new controlled vocabulary for the 'resource type' element and confirms the importance of clarity, conciseness, structure and scope in research report summaries for accurate document selection. Further, the paper outlines the audit of the OLT collection based on the frequency of particular Australian Thesaurus of Education Descriptors and Australian Standard Classifications of Education used in the reindexing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preserving and providing access to local archives is one of the roles performed by public libraries in New South Wales. This role is not mandated, nor is it a stated priority for public libraries. Local government records are regulated by legislation, but what of the other records documenting the lives of rural and city communities? In many cases the library’s local studies collection becomes the default home of the archives of local community organisations and of individuals whose personal papers are acquired by libraries. In some cases, the library shares the role of maintaining local archives with historical societies, museums and universities. The result is a functioning example of distributed custody, where public libraries and other local institutions take responsibility for local archives. This paper is a case study that draws on two major surveys of local studies collections undertaken by the State Library of NSW, the first in 1984 and the second in 2013–2014. It concludes that public libraries have been critical for over 50 years in ensuring that local archives have been acquired and managed, despite there being no explicit regulatory or policy frameworks for doing so. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the pop-up concept, a world-wide trend which has been employed in various commercial and community settings, with a particular interest in how it has been applied to literary environments, using both physical and digital resources. The report examines six Australian public libraries, investigating why and how they established a pop-up library, and reflecting on their successes, challenges and what they have learnt from the process. The paper provides a definition of pop-up libraries and outlines how to create a pop-up library for a public library service, exploring the risks, benefits and issues to consider when planning for a successful pop-up library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kay Poustie OAM Travel Scholarship is an initiative of the State Library of Western Australia Foundation. It provides Western Australian librarians with the opportunity to travel, visiting international library services and learning from their experiences. In 2012, the author was the inaugural winner of the scholarship, travelling to Europe to visit 10 renowned and innovative library services: Amsterdam Public Library, the DOK Library Concept Centre in Delft, Copenhagen Main Library, Copenhagen University and Royal Library, Malmö Library, The London Borough of Tower Hamlets' Idea Stores, The British Library, Cardiff Central Library, Manchester Central Library and Liverpool Central Library. The activities, buildings and programmes of these libraries were examined and several common features were identified as contributing to the success of these libraries. This paper discusses the features which these libraries thought were important to the success of their library services, and describes programmes, events and services which these libraries have implemented. This paper identifies goals for public libraries wishing to emulate the success of these international libraries in the areas of the library building, opening hours, events programmes and customer engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares a government-commissioned health study of coal seam gas (CSG) developments in Queensland with international best-practice health impact assessment (HIA) methodologies. A literature review was conducted of (HIA) methods and health studies of CSG development areas in Queensland. Forty-eight interviews were conducted in the Darling Downs CSG region in Queensland. One Queensland Health report was identified but failed to meet HIA international best practice because 7 of 9 key steps were omitted. Interview participants reported poor consultation by government and industry within affected communities. Lack of and poor quality health data was found to exacerbate community tensions. We recommend application of HIAs, epidemiological studies, consultation with communities and consideration of social risks of poor quality health studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Anna Meares Velodrome (AMV) is Queensland’s first indoor velodrome, located on a sloping site alongside the Brisbane Super X BMX Track at Sleeman Sports Complex in Brisbane. The AMV was designed with the planning flexibility to not only host the track cycling competition for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth GamesTM, but to provide a legacy venue for track cycling and a range of other indoor sports and community uses. To provide the required planning flexibility with world-class spectator and user amenity, the AMV has a large column-free arena with an elliptical footprint. The arena roof clear spans up to 118 m between inclined perimeter supports, making it one of the largest clear-span roofs in Australia. The roof is gently curved in two directions, and the resulting saddle shape combined with the inclined perimeter walls creates a striking and memorable building, befitting the important role that the venue will play in 2018 and beyond. The building was successfully delivered quickly and to a tight budget, in large part due to the efficiency of the design of the steel roof and wall structure, and to the adoption of a ‘construction-led’ design approach. This approach ensured that the steel roof structure could be economically, safely and quickly fabricated and erected in parallel with the construction of the concrete substructure and bowl. The paper describes key aspects of the project, including some of the design innovations that played a crucial role in the successful delivery of the project and the realisation of the competition-winning architectural vision. These innovations included parametric design, geometric rationalisation, a ‘construction-led’ approach and structural design optimisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the original Walsh design method used for designing slabs on expansive soil and describes how the method has been implemented from its earliest use in the 1970s up to current practice. The focus of the paper is solely on the Walsh design method and, because the Walsh design method has been the instrument for the deemed-to-comply solutions for raft slab designs within the Australian Standard AS 2870, no comparison is made with alternative approaches used either within or outside Australia for designing residential footings. The paper presents previously unpublished changes to the original the Walsh method made as part of its inclusion in the two most recent editions of the Australian Standard AS 2870 and broadly discusses some of the impacts of these changes. A new adaptation of the Walsh method, written by the first named author, is introduced in which new parameters have been adopted to model more accurately the soil-footing interaction than previous adaptations. These changes still achieve residential footing designs comparable to those obtained using existing versions of the Walsh design method and are in keeping with the spirit of the Standard and Walsh's original intentions for the implementation of his program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarises an arts partnership between a Victorian-based children’s theatre company, Polyglot Theatre, and three Victorian primary schools. The importance of arts partnerships between professional artists and the education sector cannot be overemphasised, especially in light of the implementation of the national (Australian) curriculum. Emerging from an evaluation of the partnership, this paper contextualises the findings in a framework of the key attributes of an arts partnership in schools, and the importance in documenting such processes. The paper maps the divergences and successes of this arts partnership in the broader context of the sustainability of such programs for the benefit of all participants, and considers how generalist primary school teachers might effectively engage arts partnerships as one strategy in meeting the Australian Arts Curriculum’s proposed access for every student to the five art disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]