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Acknowledging Australian Indigenous cultural diversity involves respecting local Indigenous knowledge and perspectives. This can be difficult for teachers who do not know about Indigenous people and their knowledge. The Differentiated Indigenous Pedagogies project evaluated digitally available information describing Indigenous in this paper, 'Indigenous' will be used when referring to First Nations and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, pedagogies, policies, and institutional contexts in Australia apart from references used which use other terminology. The authors acknowledge the contested nature of terminology and use the term 'Indigenous' as it is consistent with the title of the research project on which this article is based pedagogies in the Northern Territory. The purpose was to consolidate findings to increase positive intercultural actions in the wider education community. An important aspect of the project is addressing gaps in western, non-Indigenous teacher knowledge pertinent to the diversity within Indigenous language groups and regions. Through searching for available Indigenous pedagogies as a teacher might, we found information differs in description and levels of relationality. Pedagogies are presented in numerous ways which complicates teachers' cultural understandings. Common themes from search results and Indigenist educational research are used to define ways teachers can actively engage in more respectful, relational, and reconciliatory ways to develop a differentiated approach for themselves to use when working with Indigenous pedagogies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores strategies that support Aboriginal parents' mastery of evidence-based early learning strategies, and their impact on young Aboriginal children's learning outcomes. The three-year study followed 32 parent-child dyads attending Families as First Teachers (FaFT) playgroups in two remote Northern Territory communities in 2015–2017. Trained FaFT staff provided parents with coaching in the use of Conversational Reading—an evidence-based shared reading strategy in first language—at FaFT. The study examined patterns of parent mastery across the three-year study period, the relationship between levels of parent-child participation at FaFT (program dosage) and parent mastery, and the impact of parent mastery of Conversational Reading on young Aboriginal children's language and learning outcomes. By including measures of parent-child participation and parent mastery of key program strategies at three time points, the study also provides a picture of the fidelity of program implementation across the study period. The findings indicate that parents' mastery of strategies (and thus the fidelity of program implementation) increased over time in line with the program dosage parents received. Higher levels of parent-child participation at FaFT and parent mastery of strategies at the end of the program were positively associated with children's language and learning outcomes. This study demonstrates that the provision of coaching at playgroup is an effective way to build parent capacity in the implementation of evidence-based early learning strategies, and that supporting parent mastery of teaching strategies has the potential to improve the learning outcomes of young children in remote Aboriginal communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cancer patients in Australia's Northern Territory (NT) face unique challenges to accessing cancer-related community and allied health services (referred here as 'health services'). This is in part due to the NT's unique geographic, socioeconomic and demographic profile. This paper describes the use of health services by cancer patients in the NT.Methods: Adult cancer patients attending appointments at a cancer centre in Darwin, NT and who were diagnosed within the past five years were invited to participate in face-to-face interviews about their use of allied and community health services. A descriptive analysis of health services utilization was conducted.Results: Of the 76 participants interviewed, 63% identified as non-Indigenous, 53% female and 45% lived in very remote areas. Mean age at interview was 58.7 years (SD 13.2). Overall, 82% of participants utilized at least one health service since their cancer diagnosis. All Indigenous participants used at least one service, while 28% of non-Indigenous participants did not use any health service. The services most frequently used by participants were community services (42%) and information sources (40%).Conclusion: The findings from this study suggest there is variation in the type of community and allied health services used by NT cancer patients across clinical and demographic groups (including Indigenous status). Further qualitative enquiry is needed to better understand this variation, which may reflect differences in service preference, accessibility, health literacy of patients or patient engagement. Such knowledge may inform service delivery improvements to better support cancer patients through their cancer care pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The parasitic guava root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne enterolobii Yang and Eisenback (syn. M. mayaguensis), has a wide distribution, host range and is established majorly in tropical-subtropical climates. A routine diagnostic analysis of symptomatic plant roots confirmed the first detection of M. enterolobii in Australia, near Darwin, Northern Territory. The morphology of female perineal patterns, second stage juveniles (J2s) and males were consistent with other reports of this species. The presence of M. enterolobii was first evaluated with a species-specific sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) and the intergenic spacer region (IGS2), followed by sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I and II (COI & COII) and large subunit ribosomal RNA (28S rRNA) gene regions. The nematode was detected on several important crop-host plants in Australia's Northern Territory including chilli, tomato, capsicum, cucumber, pumpkin, eggplant, snake bean and sweet potato. The ability of M. enterolobii to colonise a variety of weeds and native Australian plants makes management challenging. The route of introduction of M. enterolobii is presently unknown but is under investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing awareness that some children transition into formal schooling more readily than others. Compelling evidence indicates that children familiar with the skills and knowledge associated with the dominant practices of literacy teaching in schools have an advantage. While families play a pivotal role in children's early literacy development, there is often a disjuncture between the literacy experiences of children from minority backgrounds and those they encounter on entry into formal schooling. Quality teaching in the prior-to-school setting becomes increasingly important for these children. This paper first examines what research and the literature reveal about successful transitioning of children into formal schooling, successful early literacy practices, and the importance of a quality early childhood education. This sets the backdrop for a description of an early literacy initiative, which took place in six remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, Australia, where all the early childhood educators were under- or un-qualified. Significant aspects emerging from the initiative were: the engagement of the Elders in the community for the implementation of the initiative; the 'two-way' learning between the non-Indigenous University mentor and the Aboriginal early childhood educator in each community; the necessity for making Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing a key pillar of the children's literacy learning; the bilingual nature of the initiative; and the University mentors gradually stepping further and further away, moving from teacher, to coach, to mentor, as the skills and confidence of the early childhood educators developed. [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]

Darwin Harbour is a working port and the most populated city in the Northern Territory of Australia. This macrotidal estuary is located in the wet–dry tropics of Northern Australia and notwithstanding mounting development pressures in the region, is largely unmodified. The prevailing oligotrophic condition of estuarine waters suggest that biogeochemical cycling in sediments remain active, buffering the influence of anthropogenic inputs. We tested the hypothesis that nutrient hotspots exist in depositional low-velocity zones, with a gradient of high to low nitrogen processing from the upper to outer reaches of the estuary. A number of factors were examined for their influence on the effectiveness of denitrification in these depositional zones, a putative key process driving nitrogen removal, with particular emphasis on carbon-loading extremes in tidal creeks, spatial gradients along the estuary and the influence of seasonality. There were significant differences in process rates between hypereutrophic/eutrophic tidal creeks that receive the largest proportion of treated sewage loads in the region and the mesotrophic/oligotrophic tidal creeks that were comparatively undisturbed. Net benthic nutrient fluxes and dinitrogen efflux rates were more than an order of magnitude higher and lower, respectively, in degraded (hypereutrophic/eutrophic) tidal creek systems where denitrification efficiency (DE%) was < 40%. Denitrification (Dinitrogen efflux) rates in tidal creeks (mesotrophic/oligotrophic) and broader estuarine sites were high (~ 8 mmol N m−2 day−1) and denitrification efficiency remained > 65%, particularly during the wet season. On a whole-of-estuary basis, denitrification in conjunction with mechanisms such as burial could feasibly make a substantial impact, abating the influence of anthropogenic inputs. Although considerable variability was encountered, particularly across seasons, the hypothesis of elevated denitrification rates as nutrient hotspots in depositional zones along the estuary was not convincing. More influential are tidal creeks as potential 'reactors' for N cycling and removal, but their capacity can be degraded by overloading with nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the Australian Shark-Incident Database, formerly known as the Australian Shark-Attack File, which contains comprehensive reports of 1,196 shark bites that have occurred in Australia over 231 years (1791–2022). Data were collated by the Taronga Conservation Society Australia using purpose-designed questionnaires provided to shark-bite victims or witnesses, media reports, and information provided by the department responsible for fisheries in each Australian state (including the Northern Territory). The dataset includes provoked and unprovoked bites from fresh, brackish, and marine waters in Australia. Data span 22 suspected shark species. This dataset will be publicly available, and can be used by analysts to decipher environmental, biological, and social patterns of shark bites in Australia. The information will aid scientists, conservationists, authorities, and members of the public to make informed decisions when implementing or selecting mitigation measures. Measurement(s) Shark bite incidents Technology Type(s) survey Factor Type(s) none Sample Characteristic - Organism Elasmobranchii Sample Characteristic - Environment ocean Sample Characteristic - Location Australia [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is a noctuid moth from the Americas with a broad host range that threatens a range of important crops. It consists of two morphologically indistinguishable strains ('corn' and 'rice') that have different host plant preferences. It was detected for the first time in Australia in 2020 following its rapid dispersal through Africa and Asia. Species identification of S. frugiperda in 48 specimens from seven locations in the Northern Territory was confirmed by DNA barcoding and morphological assessment. The majority of specimens possessed the mitochondrial haplotype associated with the 'rice-strain', whereas two specimens had a haplotype identified as the 'corn-strain'. The two mitochondrial haplotypes observed in our study are identical to the most common haplotypes previously observed in Africa. Analysis of a nuclear gene identified all specimens as 'corn-strain'. The agreement of both mitochondrial and nuclear markers as 'corn-strain' haplotypes occurred in two samples only, suggesting discrepancies between the mitochondrial and nuclear markers analysed. As fall armyworm spreads to other locations in Australia, further monitoring and genetic characterization of populations is recommended to investigate strain, genetic diversity and population structure. Monitoring of populations in association with host plant preferences will provide valuable information on host plant preferences and strain characterisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural Hazard-induced Disasters (NHD) cause a wide range of losses to built and natural environments, the latter often beyond standard measures. Precise accounting and characterisation of the losses can assist in developing effective management policies that help to build resilient communities. This study applies trans-disciplinary approaches to assess total, monetary and non-monetary, NHD-related losses, estimated at AUD 156 million per year (2010–2019 average), for Australia's Northern Territory where bushfires, cyclones, storms and floods are destructive and frequent events. Non-monetary losses, often overlooked or omitted, were estimated at AUD103 million per year, accounting for two-thirds of total disaster-related losses. Marketable losses, estimated at AUD 53 million per year, were inferred, using standard and non-standard datasets, from the Australian Government's Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements, insurance costs (Insurance Council of Australia database), and other relevant sources. Non-monetary losses were accounted for by the loss of ecosystem services from natural systems caused by cyclones and bushfires only, applying ecological economics approaches, but without considering long-term losses over the duration of recovery. This study informs disaster management policies to invest in collective emergency and environmental management planning for reducing NHD risk and building resilience of local communities to manage and prepare for rapidly changing climates. Such an accounting approach is essential in contexts where NHDs disproportionately affect the lives and well-being of disadvantaged remote communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australian internal migration is characterised by increasing temporariness. In addition, a greater number of people undertaking cross-jurisdictional migration are those who have already moved more than once. However, most research and discussion on migration does not examine the characteristics of these multiple-movers. Regional and peripheral areas such as the Northern Territory of Australia are becoming increasingly reliant on short-term and temporary migration to maintain population growth overall. Consequently, a better understanding of the differences between first-time migrants and short-term migrants is required for policies aiming to attract and retain migrants. Differentiating the characteristics of these migrant groups is also vital to attracting-back former, or repeat, residents. In this research we develop and apply a new method for examining the migration behaviours of a region's former residents and their likelihood of returning, using the Northern Territory of Australia as the basis. Results demonstrate policy and planning can be enhanced by distinguishing internal migrant types and that the methods we have developed to do so are purposeful as well as replicable for other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the relative and absolute timing associated with the formation of the world-class Dead Bullock Soak (DBS) mining camp. The study area is situated in the Paleoproterozoic Granites-Tanami Gold Province in the Northern Territory, Australia, and consists of five orogenic gold deposits, including the Callie deposit with a resource of 14.2 Moz Au. At DBS, the ore is hosted in Paleoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks and consists of two contrasting styles of mineralization, vein-hosted and stratabound. The vein-hosted mineralization consists of visible gold in quartz, chlorite, carbonate veins preferentially hosted in finely laminated, decarbonized siltstones. In contrast, the stratabound mineralization consists of free gold associated with arsenopyrite concentrated in bedding-parallel sulfide-rich layers, hosted in iron-rich siltstones. This study combines structural and petrographic analysis with detailed U–Pb geochronological data on hydrothermal and metamorphic xenotime and monazite to constrain the relative and isotopic timing of ore formation in the DBS mining camp. The results of this study show that both mineralization styles developed within a series of NE-trending and SE-dipping vein corridors or structural pathways, associated with the development of axial planar fabric related to small-scale F2 folds. U–Pb geochronology shows that both mineralization styles formed at c. 1805 Ma, approximately 35 m.y. after peak metamorphism at c. 1840 Ma. A post-mineralization hydrothermal event is locally remobilizing gold and yields an age of c. 1790 Ma, which provides a minimum age for gold deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is newly invigorated interest in intensifying agriculture in northern Australia, and research has identified up to 17 M ha of suitable soils, much of which are floodplains. Given that 88% of these best soils for agriculture occur outside the current protected area network, and floodplains are a minority habitat in northern Australia, developing northern Australia whilst maintaining its biodiversity will be a great challenge. Ants are a particularly prominent and diverse faunal group within northern Australia, but almost nothing is known of the floodplain fauna. We sampled 20 pairs of plots in floodplains and surrounding savannas in three locations in the high rainfall zone of the Northern Territory to investigate the ant faunal composition of the floodplains, to determine to what extent they are comprised of species unique to floodplains or just a subset of the broader savanna fauna. We collected 114 species from 29 genera. Eighteen species were found only in floodplain plots, but only three were definitively floodplain specialists and another four had a propensity for clay soils. For all locations combined, savanna plots contained approximately 1.7 times more species than floodplain plots. Multivariate analysis found that the two habitats supported distinct ant faunas and the three locations also had distinct faunas. Nine species in this study were new to science, suggesting that there are many other species yet to be discovered. The results indicate that floodplains have conservation value for ant biodiversity, as is the case for other components of the biota. Efforts to intensify agriculture on north Australian floodplains therefore need to have effective conservation considerations if we are to achieve ecologically sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]