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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]

Purpose: This research examined how Australian construction projects perform in the area of client-led innovation. The purpose of this paper is to test the influence of a set of enablers in promoting the innovative performance of construction projects and examine how Australian construction projects perform in relation to innovation. Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire was developed and distributed to over 300 construction industry practitioners to obtain perceptions of industry practitioners regarding client-led enablers to promoting innovation at the project level, with 131 valid responses received. The data from the survey were subjected to statistical analyses including mean comparisons, using the Mann–Whitney U-test and Kruskal Wallis Test. Findings: This research identified a number of enablers that clients can employ in construction projects to enhance innovative performance. It also revealed that the innovative performance of construction projects in Australia appears to be above average, although the perceived level is not too high. The main finding of the research is that Australian clients could achieve higher outcomes from construction projects by promoting innovativeness in their projects, especially by promoting innovativeness in their own organizations and providing incentives/rewards and other support for innovative activities in projects. Originality/value: Past research focusing on client-led enablers at the project level is limited. This research identified a number of enablers that clients can employ to achieve greater benefits from their projects through innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The building sector responsible for 40 per cent of energy use ( UNEP SBCI Sustainable Buildings and Climate Initiative, 2010 ); by 2030, a total of 60 Mt of carbon-reduction opportunities can be found in the Australian building sector ( McKinsey, 2008 ). Reduction in the carbon emissions from Australian buildings is thus a priority for the Federal government. In Australia the government recently announced plan to cut emissions by 26–28 per cent by 2030 ( Federal Politics, 2015 ). This study concerns energy use in building construction and the degree of carbon emissions reduction that can be achieved through use of bioclimatic principles. Criteria of the model proposed in this research have been developed through analyzing bioclimatic principles to measure the potential construction carbon emissions that can be reduced in pre-construction and construction (cradle to site) stages during the lifecycle stages of a building. The developed model examines six case studies from Australia and the UK. The outcomes of this research clearly shows that by use of bioclimatic principles up to 65 per cent reduction in construction carbon emissions can be achieved for a whole building systems (floor, wall and roof), while current best construction practice (i.e. a graded by Green Star) at the highest level achieve less than 32 per cent reduction. However the future of the green construction industry lies on taking into account the bioclimatic principles- such as replacing conventional building materials with more energy efficient materials (i.e. replacing Portland cement with geopolymer based cement); reusing the recycled construction materials; reducing transportation and other similar initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article uses a comprehensive database about children in adversity collected over the 16-year period from 1990 to 2005 in the state of Western Australia. The focus of this interrogation is the effect of major changes in responses to information about children brought to the attention of the Western Australian statutory authority in a 10-year period during this 16 years. The initiative for these changes was termed New Directions , and its associated policy and practice changes were aimed at differentiating information expressing concerns about children and families from allegations of child maltreatment. They emphasized the provision of supportive and empowering services to families experiencing difficulties – a form of differential response to children in adversity. The article covers the period leading up to the policy and practice change and the 10 years during which these changes were implemented. It examines some effects of the new policy and comments on whether the changes resulted in missed opportunities to protect children from harm, which in turn, might have led to higher rates of re-reporting. The authors present an overall picture of the nature of the information accepted by the statutory authority and how the interpretation of that information might have affected subsequent outcomes for children. In doing so, it shows that the policy and consequential practice changes associated with a differential response mechanism had long lasting positive effects that, despite dire warnings, did not compromise the protection of the small group of children identified as requiring protective interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article highlights aspects of the medical condition Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) relevant to legal claims in negligence threatened by players of collision and contact sports in Australia against their sporting organisations. CTE is characterised by cognitive dysfunction, irritability, aggression, depression, short-term memory loss, heightened suicidality and ultimately death, which may, in advanced forms, be preceded by dementia and parkinsonism. It is neither the purpose nor intention of this article to consider each element of a negligence claim, but rather to provide a means to understand the foundational and factual basis for such a claim within a legal context. For the litigant the medical literature is foundational to establishing a legal connection between the playing of contact sport and cognitive dysfunction. As the High Court of Australia quoted with approval of a claim of negligent "failure to inform": "the non-disclosed risk must manifest itself into actual injury in order for a plaintiff to establish proximate causation"., Competing Interests: None.