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This paper critically examines the ways ageing migrants perceive and experience a sense of belonging in a mediascape during the pandemic. It underscores how 15 elderly people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds in Victoria, Australia stayed connected among their networks in and beyond Australia by accessing and consuming COVID-19 information via traditional and digital channels. By analysing the data based on conducting remote interviews in 2020 and 2021, the findings highlight the paradoxical nature of mediated belonging. On the one hand, ageing migrants forged connections at a distance with their familial and social networks by circulating and consuming COVID-19 information. This practice provided ageing migrants an assurance of their safety and their networks. On the other hand, differentiation and racialisation stirred frustrating, polarising and exclusionary-mediated environments. In this case, they deployed connective strategies to negotiate connections and belonging. In sum, this paper reveals the possibilities and politics of mediated belonging fuelled by intersecting structural and technological divides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industry diversity thesis of economic resilience to economic shocks is embedded in community development policy across Australia. The idea being that in the event of an economic shock some industries will prove more recession‐proof than others. The greater the industry diversity, the greater the likelihood of off‐setting industry effects, resulting in greater economic resilience. The COVID‐19 pandemic and the associated restrictions created a unique natural experiment to explore whether the industry diversity thesis holds true under the conditions of a global health pandemic. In this policy paper, we use JobKeeper applications as a proxy for decreased economic resilience. We explore if Australian local government areas (LGAs) with higher industry diversity had less necessity for JobKeeper. We also briefly consider if concentrations of certain industries acted as a better economic buffer to the COVID‐19 economic shock. We observe that as diversity increases, economic resilience strengthens except for Victoria (where the association is inverted). This observation has important implications for current and future policy formation and implementation across all layers of government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores social inclusion approaches implemented by ten secondary schools in Victoria, Australia, to support refugee students' well-being, as articulated in their policies, reports, and other published documents. Using an exploratory, qualitative research design, we found that all schools employed a holistic approach to implementing social inclusion programs for refugee students. This paper reports on the best practices and unique examples of social inclusion programs from all schools involved in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Why was the study undertaken? What was the research question, the tested hypothesis or the purpose of the research? The research question is: What are the implications of disciplinary aesthetics when marine science meets art in educational research? Children in schools from Victoria, Australia were engaged in a series of marine science fieldtrips, workshops and lessons based on the Great Southern Reef, a temperate marine environment of Australia. They created drawings based on provocations, to depict their knowledge of marine species, before and after these education experiences. Methods: When, where, and how was the study done? What materials were used or who was included in the study groups (patients, etc.)? This paper shares the mixed methodology used by focusing on the qualitative methods used, that arose out of a need to understand the role of aesthetics in this research project. This paper documents the analysis of data that included children's drawings and dialogue between researchers and children from interviews. We discuss insights into the role of aesthetics that were revealed in the visual and narrative data from perspectives of children's learning and how the researchers were able to understand this. These findings are discussed considering the teaching intentions and procedures used, the importance of this multimodal approach to research that revealed aesthetics of science, visual art and language in education. Results: What answer was found to the research question; what did the study find? Was the tested hypothesis true? The research reveals the important role drawing has when trying to understand the students' varying degrees of understanding marine science education. Variables include: their prior experience with marine environments, students' drawing abilities, stylistic elements (that can render an image 'confident' or 'sketchy'), compositional devices and use of perspective that their drawings depict (looking at a pier from underwater or through snorkel goggles). It also includes interpretations and explanations of their drawings and other uses of language such as the use of written labels to reinforce or clarify parts of their drawings. Discussion: What might the answer imply and why does it matter? How does it fit in with what other researchers have found? What are the perspectives for future research? This research reveals the important role of multi-modal approaches in science learning and the significant and dependent role of visual art and words, for students to communicate their learnt content knowledge. It highlights the aesthetic experiences that must be taken into consideration when teaching, learning and when understanding what has been learnt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This paper describes the rationale for and development of an innovative mental health service for people aged over 65 years living in Northern and Eastern Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Conclusion: The Healthy Ageing Service (HAS) was established in July 2020 to provide care for people aged over 65 years experiencing mild-to-moderate mental health concerns. It embraces a prevention and early intervention model of care. It provides primary consultation and brief intervention, secondary consultation, and capacity building to the primary healthcare sector. This innovative service is a Commonwealth-funded partnership between two tertiary mental health service providers that incorporates the recommendations from two major Royal Commissions. It demonstrates a service that acts as a bridge between primary and specialist mental health care, thereby extending mental health services to target the 'missing middle' and is potentially a model for mental health service provision throughout Victoria and Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to diverse manifestations of racism in Australia, from everyday attacks against Asian Australians to discriminatory policies towards temporary migrants. Since the start of the pandemic, considerable knowledge on pandemic-related racism has been produced. This knowledge has yet to be consolidated, leaving questions about the nature, forms, impacts and trajectories of racism during the pandemic. This paper presents a systematic review and synthesis of research on racism during the pandemic, with an emphasis on pandemic-specific racism. We searched the databases Scopus, MEDLINE and PsycINFO for research published between January 2020 and July 2022. Eighteen research studies were included in the review, along with reports of routine data collection by five organisations. The research reviewed collected data mainly around the pandemic's 'second wave' in Australia (June-October 2020), focusing largely on Asian Australians and temporary migrants nationally and in Victoria. Widely studied forms of COVID-racism were verbal abuse, physical attacks, exclusion and Othering, and institutional racism involving governments, media and employers. We examined the pandemic's health and socio-economic impacts, and variations in experiences of racism over time between ethnic groups. As Australia emerges from the pandemic, we consider the review's implications for pandemic response, anti-racism practice and policy, and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper presents a method to analyze and improve the set of equations constituting a rainfall‐runoff model structure based on a combination of a data assimilation algorithm and polynomial updates to the state equations. The method, which we have called "Data Assimilation Informed model Structure Improvement" (DAISI) is generic, modular, and demonstrated with an application to the GR2M model and 201 catchments in South‐East Australia. Our results show that the updated model generated with DAISI generally performed better for all metrics considered included Kling‐Gupta Efficiency, NSE on log transform flow and flow duration curve bias. In addition, the elasticity of modeled runoff to rainfall is higher in the updated model, which suggests that the structural changes could have a significant impact on climate change simulations. Finally, the DAISI diagnostic identified a reduced number of update configurations in the GR2M structure with distinct regional patterns in three sub‐regions of the modeling domain (Western Victoria, central region, and Northern New South Wales). These configurations correspond to specific polynomials of the state variables that could be used to improve equations in a revised model. Several potential improvements of DAISI are proposed including the use of additional observed variables such as actual evapotranspiration to better constrain internal model fluxes. Plain Language Summary: This paper presents a data‐driven method to improve rainfall‐runoff models used to generate future water resources scenario in climate change studies. The method, which we have called "Data Assimilation Informed model Structure Improvement" (DAISI) is generic, modular, and demonstrated with an application to monthly streamflow simulations over a large data set of catchments in South‐East Australia. Our results show that DAISI improves model performance for a wide range of metrics and increases the sensitivity of the model to climate inputs, which is critical in climate change scenarios. Finally, the improvements identified by DAISI take a simple mathematical form with distinct regional patterns in three sub‐regions of the study domain (Western Victoria, central region, and Northern New South Wales). Several improvements of DAISI are discussed including the inclusion of additional observed variables such as evapotranspiration to better constrain model simulations. Key Points: Data Assimilation Informed model Structure Improvement method diagnoses hydrological model structures by combining data assimilation with a polynomial update of state equationsThe method was applied to the GR2M rainfall‐runoff model with significantly improved streamflow simulations in 201 Australian catchmentsThe method identified updates to state equations with marked regional characteristics that could guide future improvement of GR2M [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Disaster Management (DM), reusing knowledge of best practices from past experiences is envisaged as the best approach for dealing with future disasters. But analysing and modelling processes involved in those experiences is a well-known challenge. But the efficient storage of those processes to allow reuse by others in future DM endeavours is even more challenging and less discussed. Without an efficient process in place, DM knowledge reuse becomes even more remote as the effort incurred gets construed as a hindrance to more pressing activities during the execution of disaster activities. Efficiency has to also be pursued without compromising the effectiveness of the knowledge analysis and reuse. It is important to ensure that knowledge remains meaningful and relevant after it is transformed. This paper presents and validates a DM knowledge analysis framework (DMKAF 2.0) that caters for efficient transformation of DM knowledge intended for reuse. The paper demonstrates that undertaking knowledge transformation and storage in the context of its use is crucial in DM for both, effectiveness and efficiency of the transformation process. Design Science Research methodology guides the research undertaken, by informing enhancements and how the framework is evaluated. A real case study of flood DM from the State Emergency Service of Victoria State Australia is successfully used to validate these enhancements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper, drawing on the published medical literature and unpublished medical record archives, provides an in-depth account of the introduction of malaria therapy for general paralysis of the insane into Australia in 1925–6, at Victoria's Sunbury Hospital for the Insane. This study reveals a complex and ambiguous picture of the practice and therapeutic impact of malaria therapy in this local setting. This research highlights a number of factors which may have contributed to some physicians overestimating malaria therapy's effectiveness. It also shows that other physicians of the era held a more sceptical attitude towards malaria therapy. Finally, this paper discusses the relevance of this history to contemporary psychiatry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To effectively manage a crisis, most decisions made by governments, organizations, communities, and individuals are based on "shared situational awareness" (SSA) derived from multiple information sources. Developing SSA depends on the alignment of mental models, which "represent our shared version of truth and reality on which we can act." Social media has facilitated public sensemaking during a crisis; however, it has also encouraged mental model dissonance, resulting in the digital destruction of mental models and undermining adequate SSA. The study is concerned with the challenges of creating SSA during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Australia. This paper documents a netnography of Australian public health agencies' Facebook communication, exploring the initial impact of COVID‐19 on SSA creation. Chaos theory is used as a theoretical lens to examine information perception, meaning, and assumptions relating to SSA from pre to post‐pandemic periods. Our study highlights how the initial COVID‐19 "butterfly effect" swamped the public health communication channel, leaving little space for other important health issues. This research contributes to information systems, information science, and communications by illustrating how the emergence of a crisis impacts social media communication, the creation of SSA, and what this means for social media adoption for crisis communication purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of long‐acting injectable buprenorphine preparations for opioid use disorder has been widely heralded as a breakthrough treatment, with several studies indicating positive results when using these medications. In many locations, nurse practitioners prescribe, administer, and monitor long‐acting injectable preparations. The objective of this paper is to explore whether a reduction in dispensed needles and syringes is attributable to increased nurse practitioner prescribing of LAIB. We used a retrospective audit of needles dispensed through the health service needle and syringe program vending machine, and individuals treated with long‐acting injectable buprenorphine by the nurse practitioner led model. In addition, we examined potential factors that may influence changes in the number of needles dispensed. Linear regression found that each individual with opioid dependence treated with long‐acting injectable buprenorphine was associated with 90 fewer needles dispensed each month (p < 0.001). The nurse practitioner led model of care for individuals with opioid dependence appears to have influenced the number of needles dispensed at the needle and syringe program. Although all confounding factors could not be discounted entirely, such as substance availability, affordability, and individuals obtaining injecting equipment elsewhere, our research indicates that a nurse practitioner led model of treating individuals with opioid use disorder influenced needle and syringe dispensing in the study setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant educational disruption globally. When the pandemic forced schools to switch to emergency home-schooling, parental engagement in education became more critical. Some parents found home-schooling as an opportunity to form stronger relationships with their children. Others acquired an enhanced insight into their children's schoolwork. However, the emerging literature shows that, as not all parents were equally positioned to support their children's learning at home, emergency home-schooling has resulted in a significant learning loss. Guided by the concept of capital interaction, this article reports on a qualitative case study that investigated the experiences of 20 migrant parents in Victoria, Australia. A thematic analysis of the data reveals challenges associated with parental self-efficacy, financial hardship, language and technological barriers, time constraints, and disengagement and exhaustion. Remote learning may return in the future, and we must prepare for such disruption by improving equitable access to education delivered online and at home. To this end, the paper outlines some policy ideas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper aimed to describe the legal worries of Australian general practitioners (GPs) and nurses regarding end-of-life care provided in the aged care setting. Methods: An analysis of responses to the final, open-ended question of a cross-sectional online survey of GPs and nurses practising in aged care settings in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria was undertaken. Results: Of the 162 GPs and 61 nurses who gave valid responses to the survey, 92% (151 GPs and 55 nurses) responded to the open-ended question. Participants identified concerns across all relevant areas of end-of-life law. The most common concerns were substitute decision-makers or family member(s) wanting to overrule an Advance Care Directive, requests for futile or non-beneficial treatment and conflict about end-of-life decision-making. Participants often also identified concerns about their lack of legal knowledge and their fear of law or risk related to both end-of-life care generally and providing medication that may hasten death. Conclusions: Australian GPs and nurses working in aged care have broad-ranging legal concerns about providing end-of-life care. Legal concerns and knowledge gaps identified here highlight priority areas for future training of the aged care workforce. The law supports good end-of-life clinical practice by facilitating health care that aligns with the values and goals of patients, including those residing in residential aged care facilities. GPs and nurses here reported broad-ranging legal concerns relevant to providing end-of-life care within aged care, including substitute decision makers/family members wanting to overrule Advance Care Directives, requests for futile or non-beneficial treatment and conflict about decision-making. Participants' concerns can inform end-of-life legal training for aged care GPs and nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Intercultural understanding' (ICU) and its core concept 'interculturality', was introduced in the new national curriculum, implemented across Australia from 2013 (Australian Curriculum, ACARA. [2013]. Australian curriculum V.60. Retrieved from ). This paper draws on a study conducted in Victoria, Australia, which asked: how history teachers conceptualise interculturality for history teaching and learning? The study used two methods to gather data: textual analysis and focus group interviews. This paper only reports on specific findings from the focus group interviews, analysed through a methodology of crystallisation and discourse analysis, framed by four modes of historical thinking; traditional, exemplary, critical and transformative. The paper argues that interculturality is a significant challenge to history education often located in discourses constructed over time which disrupt how things have always been taught. By analysing the teachers' talk through a lens whereby the construction of language reveals the educational problematic, the research looks for a way in for interculturality into history teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous young people around the world suffer poorer mental health outcomes than their non-Indigenous peers. Currently, how culture matters for health, what cultural practices are used in community to support health and well-being, and how culture is passed on in Aboriginal contemporary life in southeast Australia--the region most affected by settler-colonisation--is not well understood. This paper presents findings from yarns with a representative sample of 44 Indigenous participants working in the field of health and well-being that explored how culture interleaves with health and well-being. It uses grounded theory as the overarching methodology with community participation in all aspects of the project. Participants were nominated through snowball sampling and screened by a governing board of Elders. They included men and women of varied ages with half residing in urban areas and half in rural Victoria, Australia. They had declared affiliations to 31 traditional tribal groups. The yarns were held over Zoom videoconferencing between an Indigenous research assistant who was part of the community, and each participant. Each yarn was recorded, transcribed, coded and analysed by a multi-perspectival team. Culture was viewed as central to individual and communal life and passed on through relationships with people and Country itself. Community members used a wide variety of cultural practices to aid and maintain health and wellbeing in profound ways. Myriad extant obstacles to health and well-being were also described, from experiences of disconnection through to barriers for accessing services. These findings have the potential to shape future holistic care and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how a stochastic disruptive event can dramatically alter community soundscapes. Whilst religious bells have symbolism in many worldwide faiths, the sound emanating from church bells can be considered public domain and therefore, is not exclusive to the church. Pandemic-related interruption of these sounds impacts not only the church involved, but both the surrounding soundscape and any members of the community who ascribe value to these sounds. This paper examines the soundscape of Christian churches in the states of New South Wales and Victoria, to give an Australian perspective one year after the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. It provides an update of the situation in Australia, building on our previous work from August of that year. In doing so, it explores the activity of church tower bell ringing, and how this "non-essential" activity has been affected, both during and subsequent to the heavy community restrictions applied in Australia. The paper also explores what lengths bellringers have undertaken to be permitted to conduct such activities, such as the use of adaptive measures due to "social distancing", and considers what implications this enforced silence has in similar soundscapes elsewhere in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental caries, a non-communicable disease, is one of the most prevalent diseases globally and share common modifiable risk factors with obesity such as excess sugar intake. However, prioritization by governments to improve population oral health has been limited and is typically excluded from the discourse of public health policy development. Therefore, interventions that target dental caries can have other co-benefits including obesity prevention. In Victoria, Australia, local government authorities have a regulatory requirement to develop their Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plans. The aim of this paper is to identify whether prioritization for oral health by local government authorities in Victoria has changed through the subsequent renewal of the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plans 2011–2015 and 2019–2023. Three desktop audits for all publicly available Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plans by local government authorities in Victoria were conducted between 2014 and 2022. Key terms related to oral health was searched within these policy documents and categorized into six indicators: (i) included oral health as a priority, (ii) linked healthy eating and oral health, (iii) supported the Achievement Program, (iv) included the Smiles 4 Miles program, (v) advocated for fluoridated drinking water, and (vi) included other strategies related to oral health. Overall, there was statistically significant reduction in five of the six indicators, with the exception for prioritization of other strategies related to oral health such as targeting excess sugar intake and smoking. A multi-sectoral approach, that includes oral health would be advantageous to address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reported in this paper is an evaluation of structural and functional performance of heavy duty and light duty pavements by addressing the effects of several factors on the rate of pavement deterioration. The sample used herein is a network of freeways and arterials from Victoria/Australia covering four road classes, namely M, A, B and C. The first two road classes represent heavy duty pavement and the last two road classes represent light duty pavements. These road classes differ in qualities, functions, duties, geometric standards, and traffic volumes and loadings. This paper aims to assess the performance of the four road classes by comparing their pavement conditions and environmental factors affecting the rate of pavement deterioration. More than 2300 kilometers of road length was selected from 40 highway sections to reflect Victoria's network conditions. The parameters considered for assessing road performance were traffic loading, pavement strength, and environmental factors. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was used to explore the significance of different predictor variables for all road classes. The study confirms that the rate of roughness and rutting progression per year for all road classes is very close, and the environmental factors affect roughness and rutting progressions for light duty pavements only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Calls for the adoption of a systems approach to chronic disease prevention date back at least ten years because of the potential to empower communities to identify and address the complex causes of overnutrition, undernutrition and climate change. Australia, like many countries, has high levels of obesity and extreme climate events. The Reflexive Evidence and Systems interventions to Prevent Obesity and Non-communicable Disease (RESPOND) trial aims to prevent unhealthy weight gain in children in 10 intervention and two pilot communities in north-east Victoria, Australia using community-based participatory approaches informed by systems science. Intervention activities co-designed in 2019 were disrupted by COVID-19 and bushfires. This paper explores the impacts of these 'shocks' on the local prevention workforce to implement actions within communities. Methods: A case study design involving one-hour online focus groups and an on-line survey (November 2021-February 2022). Purposive sampling was used to achieve diverse representation from RESPOND stakeholders including local council, health services, primary care partnerships and department of health. The focus group interview schedule and survey questions were based on Durlak and DuPre's implementation factors. Results: Twenty-nine participants from seven different communities participated in at least one of nine focus groups to discuss the impacts of COVID-19 and bushfires on localised implementation. Twenty-eight participants (97% of focus group sample) also completed the on-line survey. Implementation of RESPOND stalled or stopped in most communities due to bushfires and/or COVID-19. These shocks resulted in organisational priorities changing, loss of momentum for implementation, redeployment of human resources, culminating in fatigue and exhaustion. Participants reported adaptation of RESPOND, but implementation was slowed due to limited resources. Conclusion: Further research is needed to advance risk management strategies and protect resources within health promotion. System shocks such as bushfires and COVID-19 are inevitable, and despite multiple adaptation opportunities, this intervention approach was not 'shock proof'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the impact of removing the level crossing, which constitutes traffic hazard to the society, on house prices by conducting a quasi-natural experiment using the Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP) implemented by the Victoria state government in Australia since 2015. Using a difference-in-differences method, we analyzed the changes in housing prices due to the improvement of transportation infrastructure, gauging the LXRP's impact on house and unit submarkets separately. We found that the prices for house and unit markets increased significantly after the removal of level crossings, with the value uplift decreasing with distance from the removal site. This paper contributes to the existing literature by adding an empirical study related to the enhancement of infrastructure aiming to improve the traffic safety in the urban context. Unlike previous studies, this study examines the effect of improvement projects for existing infrastructure and provides relevant implications to improve the efficiency of investing public resources in infrastructure improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia, like many high-income countries, food insecurity is associated with increased risks of chronic diseases, sub-optimal development outcomes in children, and mental health conditions including depression and anxiety. Food insecure households employ a range of strategies, including the use of food charity, to help alleviate hunger and meet cost of living pressures. The aim of this paper is to investigate the lived experience of food insecurity for welfare-dependent households, and to examine these experiences within a structural violence framework. Structural violence investigations seek to understand the distal causal factors that can help explain poor health patterns and inequities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with customers (n = 78) of food pantries, soup kitchens, and community development programs (June 2018 to January 2019) in the state of Victoria, Australia. Thematic analysis established evidence of controlling, demeaning and depriving practices in the interactions between the participants and the services and staff at national welfare providers and food charities. The same providers and charities nominally set up to address the exact situations in which participants found themselves. The findings of this study suggest that food and social services are an on-the-ground setting through which structural violence is enacted and experienced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of Australia's classrooms are equipped with operable windows for ventilation, and occupant-controlled air-conditioners that do not provide fresh air. This can result in insufficient ventilation and high indoor CO2 levels, which comes to the detriment of occupant productivity and health. In this paper, we report on the results of a field study in which we captured indoor CO2 levels in five classrooms at a school in Victoria, Australia. The study consisted of three measurement periods: (1) First, CO2 levels were measured pre-COVID pandemic; here, the readings exceeded the recommended ASHRAE threshold of 1,000 ppm for 73% of occupied hours, while levels exceeded 2,000 ppm 37% of the time. (2) Then, we captured data after the teachers had been informed of the poor indoor air quality (IAQ) and the state government introduced COVIDSafe measures; the impact was significant, with now only about 16% of readings above 1,000 ppm and values almost never exceeding 2,000 ppm. (3) Finally, we installed devices that gave the occupants visual feedback when CO2 levels were high, prompting them to open the windows and doors; this further improved the classrooms' IAQ, with now just 13% of readings above 1,000 ppm. Our study suggests that, while relying on uninformed occupants to operate windows can lead to poor IAQ due to insufficient ventilation, it is possible to considerably influence occupant behaviour through education and feedback devices. While these interventions alone did not mitigate the problem of inadequate ventilation entirely, they were sufficient to keep CO2 levels within a generally healthy range. Considering the large energy savings that are possible by foregoing mechanical ventilation, we suggest that natural ventilation is a feasible operation method for school buildings in temperate climates, as long as occupants are informed about the importance of ventilating, by providing them with CO2 feedback devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a spatiotemporal clustering algorithm and its implementation in the R package spotoroo. This work is motivated by the catastrophic bushfires in Australia throughout the summer of 2019-2020 and made possible by the availability of satellite hotspot data. The algorithm is inspired by two existing spatiotemporal clustering algorithms but makes enhancements to cluster points spatially in conjunction with their movement across consecutive time periods. It also allows for the adjustment of key parameters, if required, for different locations and satellite data sources. Bushfire data from Victoria, Australia, is used to illustrate the algorithm and its use within the package. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence (IPV) can involve patterns of physical, sexual and emotional abuse. Women typically experience physical IPV in combination with emotional IPV, while emotional IPV is often experienced in the absence of other types of IPV. There is very little known about women's experiences of these different types of IPV over time. The primary aim of this paper is to describe patterns in women's individual experiences of physical and/or emotional IPV across the first 10 years of motherhood. Data were drawn from a prospective pregnancy cohort of 1507 first-time mothers in Melbourne, Australia. Emotional, physical, and combined physical and emotional IPV were reported in the first, fourth and tenth year of motherhood using the Composite Abuse Scale. The overall prevalence of each type of IPV remained consistent across the three time-points, with emotional IPV alone being the most prevalent. There was substantial variability in women's experiences of IPV over time and there was no common progression from one type of IPV to another. Women were more likely to report IPV at more than one time-point if they experienced combined physical and emotional IPV, while for women who reported emotional or physical IPV alone this was more likely to be at a single time-point. A number of socio-demographic characteristics in early pregnancy were associated with a higher risk of reporting IPV at all three time-points, including being unemployed (RRR = 3.6; 95% CI: 2.1, 6.2) and being aged 18–24 years (RRR = 3.1; 95% CI: 1.8, 5.4). Knowledge of the variability and persistence of IPV in the first 10 years of motherhood, and factors associated with these experiences, can help tailor effective health and social service responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, deep learning (DL) approaches have been proven effective in addressing high nonlinear relationships within complex systems. Although various scientific studies have primarily focused on optimizing model architecture and enhancing its computational efficiency through hybridization, they have neglected the crucial aspect of selecting appropriate predictor variables (PV) and their influence on the model's predictions. In this paper, a new multi-phase stochastic DL model is designed with a feature selection framework for monthly streamflow prediction. The multi-phase hybrid MCMC–BC–BiLSTM–BiGRU model is based on bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) and bidirectional gated recurrent unit (BiGRU) integrated with Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) based bivariate copulas (BC). First, Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) algorithm was employed for screening optimal PV, and then significant antecedent streamflow was coupled with it to generate optimized input combinations. In addition, 25 different MCMC–BC models were adopted for each input combination to determine the dependency of previous month's streamflow on current and future streamflow. Finally, best-fitted MCMC–BC model was integrated with hybrid BILSTM–BiGRU model to predict streamflow at nine different catchments in the Victoria region of the Upper Murray Basin (UMB), Australia. The experimental results show that the multi-phase hybrid MCMC–BC–BiLSTM–BiGRU model showed remarkable performance in comparison to its benchmark counterparts with respect to different robust statistical error metrics. Therefore, this study demonstrates that stochastic DL techniques can be effectively employed as a promising alternative predictive tool for upstream discharge predictions with high consistency and accuracy, specifically when a statistically significant relationship with the antecedent streamflow exists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fair political representation is an important goal of democratic governments, yet Australia lags behind many democracies in women's representation in elected politics. Attacks against women in public spaces through harassment and verbal abuse have long constrained women's ease in physical spaces and, in the digital age, this has extended into online spheres. This paper examines the impact of on- and offline incivility on women's experiences in local politics. It focuses on Australia's southern state of Victoria and its 79 local government municipalities. We conduct two surveys of men and women elected representatives (N1 = 222, N2 = 205) to determine their experiences during the campaigning period and first year on council. We follow up with in-depth interviews with women who have experienced gender harassment (n = 10) to further understand its impacts. We offer new insights in to a 'push factor' that contribute to women leaving elected local government and their political underrepresentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To describe post‐neonatally acquired (PNN) cerebral palsy (CP) in terms of temporal trends in prevalence, clinical and sociodemographic profiles, known causes and associations between causes, and sociodemographic variables. Method: Numerator data, a count of children with PNN‐CP confirmed at 5 years of age (n = 523), was drawn from two Australian state CP registers (birth years 1973–2012). Poisson regression was used to investigate temporal trends in the prevalence of PNN‐CP by 5‐year intervals, calculated per 10 000 live births. Using data from all state and territory Australian CP registers (n = 469), distributions of clinical characteristics, PNN‐CP causes, and sociodemographic factors were tabulated (birth years 1995–2012). χ2 and logistic regression analyses were used to assess associations between sociodemographic profile, Australian reference data, and known causes. Results: A significant temporal decline in PNN‐CP in Victoria (p = 0.047) and Western Australia (p = 0.033) was observed. The most common proximal causes of PNN‐CP were cerebrovascular accidents (34%, n = 158), infection (25%, n = 117), and non‐accidental injuries (12%, n = 58). Children born to teenage mothers, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander mothers, or children born in remote areas were over‐represented in this cohort compared with reference data (all p ≤ 0.001). Infectious causes were strongly associated with teenage motherhood (odds ratio 3.0 [95% confidence interval 1.1–8.2], p = 0.028) and remote living (odds ratio 4.5 [95% confidence interval 2.0–10.2], p < 0.001). Interpretation: Although prevalence of PNN‐CP has declined, the over‐representation of priority populations, and the relative severity of a condition that is largely preventable, suggest the need for more specific primary preventive measures and support. What this paper adds: Prevalence of post‐neonatally acquired (PNN) cerebral palsy (CP) in Australia significantly declined between 1973 and 2012.Cerebrovascular accidents are the most common proximal cause of PNN‐CP.Children born in remote areas are at greater risk of PNN‐CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While many countries have experienced more than one wave of the pandemic throughout 2020, Australia has been able to contain the virus in a way that makes it a stand out (with New Zealand) in the way that it has been contained, with an exception in Victoria linked to failed quarantine procedures for travellers returning from overseas. Through descriptive analysis, this paper builds on earlier papers by the authors on the Australian response, with a focus on the changing dynamics of travel activity, concern with public transport, and attitudes surrounding activity given the perception of risk of COVID-19 and the level of public support for regulatory intervention and restrictions on movement. We find that Australia continues to suppress travel, particularly that for commuting, that comfort in completing day-to-day activities continues to rise (with the exception of Victoria where confidence feel significantly), and while support for intervention measures remains high, there has been an erosion in sentiment. As with previous work, we discuss what this might mean for future transport policy, and attempt to draw lessons from the Australian experience. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind energy is a rapidly expanding renewable technology with massive global investments; however, operating turbines are associated with bat strikes globally, and evidence suggests that without intervention, wind farm collisions could drive some common species to extinction. One widely regarded method for reducing strike mortality is operational mitigation, or curtailment, where turbine operation is restricted at low wind speeds. Despite an increasing number of studies in the Northern Hemisphere demonstrating curtailment effectiveness, no empirical studies have yet been conducted in Australia. This paper reports the findings of a curtailment study implemented at the Cape Nelson North wind farm in southwest Victoria, Australia. Conservation detection dog teams conducted mortality surveys between January and April in 2018 (before; pre‐curtailment) and 2019 (after; during curtailment). Results were consistent with similar studies in the USA and Europe, as curtailment significantly reduced pooled species mortality by 54%. Bat calls did not decline during the study period, and thus were not an explanation for the reduction in fatalities. This study demonstrates that curtailment is a valid method for reducing bat turbine collision in south‐eastern Australia. Consideration should be given to curtailment as a means to reduce bat turbine impacts in Australia, particularly at sites with known endangered and threatened populations, as we act to reduce anthropogenic climate change and its time‐sensitive negative consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Community engagement or community involvement in Aboriginal health research is a process that involves partnering, collaborating and involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people or potential research participants to empower them to have a say in how research with Aboriginal communities is conducted. In the context of Aboriginal health, this is particularly important so that researchers can respond to the priorities of the community under study and conduct research in a way that is respectful of Aboriginal cultural values and beliefs. One approach to incorporating the principals of community engagement and to ensure cultural oversight and guidance to projects is to engage a community reference group. The aim of this study was to describe the process of establishing an Aboriginal community reference group and terms of reference. The community reference group was established to guide the research activities of a newly formed research collaboration aiming to to develop osteoarthritis care that meets the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia. Methods: Adopting a Participatory Action Research approach, this two-phase study was conducted in Victoria, Australia. In phase one, semi-structured research yarns (a cultural form of conversation used as a data gathering tool) were conducted collaboratively by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal co-investigators to explore Aboriginal health stakeholder perspectives on establishing a community reference group and terms of reference. In phase two, recommendations in phase one were identified to invite members to participate in the community reference group and to ratify the terms of reference through a focus group. Data were analyzed using a framework analysis approach. Results: Thirteen people (eight female, four male) participated in phase one. Participants represented diverse professional backgrounds including physiotherapy, nursing, general practice, health services management, hospital liaison, cultural safety education, health research and the arts. Three themes were identified in phase one; Recruitment and Representation (trust and relationships, in-house call-outs, broad-spectrum expertise and Aboriginal majority); Purpose (community engagement, research steering, knowledge dissemination and advocacy) and; Function and Logistics (frequency and format of meetings, size of group, roles and responsibilities, authority, communication and dissemination). In phase two, six Aboriginal people were invited to become members of the community reference group who recommended changes which were incorporated into the seven domains of the terms of reference. Conclusion: The findings of this study are captured in a 10-step framework which describes practical strategies for establishing a community reference group and terms of reference in Aboriginal health research. Plain English Summary: Community engagement or community involvement in Aboriginal health research is a process that involves partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people or potential research participants to empower them to have a say in how research with Aboriginal communities is carried out. In the context of Aboriginal health, this is particularly important so that researchers can respond to the priorities of the community and conduct research in a way that respectful of Aboriginal cultural values and beliefs. One approach to community engagement in research is to form a community reference group to provide input to the research project. Although using a community reference group is considered to be an effective way to involve community members in research, often there are practical challenges in setting up and sustaining such a group. In this paper, we set out to describe an approach used to set up a community reference group for a new Aboriginal health research project exploring joint pain in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This involved interviewing 13 health professionals and researchers (12 who identified as Aboriginal and one who identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) about how to best go about setting up a community reference group. We used recommendations from these participants to inform who we approached to be members of the group and how the group would function. In describing the process we used to establish a community reference group, we were able to design a 10-step practical guide which may help other research groups who are looking to conduct new, ethical Aboriginal health research projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past decade, there have been several efforts in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia to increase the opportunities and improve the experiences of women cyclists in recreational and racing contexts. However, cycling in Victoria and Australia more broadly continues to be a male dominated sport. This study incorporates a digital ethnography of two Melbourne-based women's cycling Facebook groups including 11 interviews with stakeholders over the period of 2017–2018 to analyse how women and girls are harnessing social media to create counter sports spaces to enhance women's cycling. The paper explores the emergence of the "virtual clubhouse" which operates as a digitally networked counterpublic, providing a space for women and gender diverse cyclists to connect, coproduce and engage in knowledge sharing practices, and build a more inclusive culture for cycling that challenges dominant, mainstream narratives of women's sport. The "virtual clubhouse" addresses a gap in the physical bicycle landscape in which cycling and cycling knowledge (including bicycle maintenance) is largely mediated by men and cycling clubs are configured as masculine spaces within Australia. This research adds further depth into a specific localised network of women cyclists to consider how physical and online sports cultures and communities are intertwined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe patterns of use of the available Government-subsidised mental health services among people living in Australian residential aged care facilities. Methods: A retrospective population-based trend analysis was conducted, including all non-Indigenous people living in an Australian facility between 2012 and 2017. Adjusted incidence proportions and trends were estimated for four groups of mental health services. Results: The use of Medicare-subsidised mental health services was very low overall. The proportion of residents who accessed primary care mental health services increased from 1.3% in 2012/2013 to 2.4% in 2016/2017, while psychiatry service use increased from 1.9 to 2.3%. Claims for clinical psychology increased from 0.18 to 0.26%, and claims for a registered psychologist, occupational therapist or social worker rose from 0.45 to 1.2%. People with dementia were less likely than people without dementia to access all services aside from psychiatry services. Conclusions: Less than 3% of residents accessed funding subsidies for mental health services and people with dementia experienced pronounced barriers to service access. Mental health care is a pillar of the publicly-funded health system in Australia, and low use of these services among aged care residents indicates a need for organisational and policy changes to improve access. What is known about the topic? People living in residential aged care facilities report very high rates of mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. What does this paper add? We demonstrate very low use (<3%) of Government-funded mental health services among people living in residential aged care facilities in Australia, with only small increases in use over time. What are the implications for practitioners? Practitioners should routinely assess the mental health needs of people living in residential aged care and refer for in-reach mental health services where needed, noting that facility staff are usually not trained for this role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is ample evidence to demonstrate that a positive group climate in juvenile justice centers contributes to improvements in motivation for positive behavior and reducing incidents and even recidivism. Being provided opportunities for growth and development and being actively supported by well-trained staff creates a positive atmosphere and minimal repression. Such a pedagogical group climate is strongly related to fulfilling the basic psychological needs of the young people and is promoted by relational security. Following a series of challenging situations inside youth justice centers in Australia, we explored the opportunities for investing in staff training on awareness of basic psychological needs of these young people and introducing the concept of an open, positive group climate. This study reports the results of an explorative measurement of perceived group climate in four units of two juvenile justice centers in Victoria (Australia). The young people (N = 57) were provided with the Prison Group Climate Instrument. The results of the group climate research and a cross-cultural comparison show that there are inherent strengths but also important opportunities for improvement in the group climate experienced by young people. Recommendations to improve the group climate are discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Australian government pays $6.7 billion per year in rebates to encourage Australians to purchase private health insurance (PHI) and an additional $6.1 billion to cover services provided in private hospitals. What is the justification for large government subsidies to a private industry when all Australians already have free coverage under Medicare? The government argues that more people buying PHI will relieve the burden on the public system and may reduce waiting times. However, the evidence supporting this is sparse. We use an instrumental variable approach to study the causal effects of higher PHI coverage in the area on waiting times in public hospitals in the same area. The instrument used is area-level average house prices, which correlate with average income and wealth, thus influencing the purchase of PHI due to tax incentives, but not directly affecting waiting times in public hospitals. We use 2014-2018 hospital admission and elective surgery waiting list data linked at the patient level from the Victorian Center for Data Linkage. These data cover all inpatient admissions in all hospitals in Victoria (both public and private hospitals) and those registered on the waiting list for elective surgeries in public hospitals in Victoria. We find that one percentage point increase in PHI coverage leads to about 0.34 days (or 0.5%) reduction in waiting times in public hospitals on average. The effects vary by surgical specialities and age groups. However, the practical significance of this effect is limited, if not negligible, despite its statistical significance. The small effect suggests that raising PHI coverage with the aim to taking the pressure off the public system is not an effective strategy in reducing waiting times in public hospitals. Alternative policies aiming at improving the efficiency of public hospitals and advancing equitable access to care should be a priority for policymakers., (© 2024 The Authors. Health Economics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The RUBY randomised controlled trial was found to be effective in promoting breastfeeding continuation, in the setting of a high income country, through a program of proactive telephone-based peer support in the first 6 months postpartum. This paper explores women's experiences of receiving the peer support intervention in the RUBY trial. Methods: Ten in-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted between December 2015 and November 2016 in Metropolitan Melbourne, and regional Victoria, Australia. Participants were women who received the peer support intervention in the RUBY trial and were between 11 and 15 months postpartum at the time of interview. Interviews were underpinned by social support theories and were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: A global theme of 'non-judgemental support and guidance' was identified, which included five organising themes. Four of the organising themes centred on the support from the peer, in which women felt the support was a 'positive experience with empathy and understanding', 'non-judgemental', 'practical advice', and a 'social connection that was more than just breastfeeding'. In contrast to the support from peers was the theme 'not all support from family and friends is supportive'. Conclusion: Participants, including those who considered that they had adequate and available family and friend support for breastfeeding, valued and appreciated the non-judgemental, empathetic and understanding support from peers. This support, facilitated by the anonymity of the telephone-based program, allowed open and honest conversations, normalising women's experiences and helping them feel less alone in their challenges with breastfeeding and transition to motherhood. These findings can inform the design, and upscaling, of innovative and sustainable peer support models, ensuring delivery of effective and engaging support with a broad population reach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Hospital utilisation research is important in pursuing cost-saving healthcare models. Tonsillectomy is one of the most common paediatric surgeries and the most frequent reason for paediatric hospital readmission. This study aimed to report the government-funded costs of paediatric tonsillectomy in the state of Victoria, Australia, extrapolate costs across Australia, and identify the cost determinants. Methods: A population-based longitudinal study was conducted with a bottom-up costing approach using linked datasets containing all paediatric tonsillectomy and tonsillectomy with adenoidectomy surgeries performed in the state of Victoria between 2010 and 2015. Results: The total average annual cost of tonsillectomy hospitalisation in Victoria was A$21 937 155 with a median admission cost of A$2224 (interquartile range (IQR) 1826–2560). Inflation-adjusted annual tonsillectomy costs increased during 2010–2015 (P < 0.001), not explained by the rising number of surgeries. Hospital readmissions resulted in a total average annual cost of A$1 427 716, with each readmission costing approximately A$2411 (IQR 1936–2732). The most common reason for readmission was haemorrhage, which was associated with the highest total cost. The estimated total annual expenditure of both tonsillectomy and resulting readmissions across Australia was A$126 705 989. Surgical cost in the upper quartile was associated with younger age, male sex, lower socioeconomic status, surgery for reasons other than infection alone, overnight vs day case surgery, public hospitals and metropolitan hospitals. Surgery for obstructed breathing during sleep had the strongest association to high surgical cost. Conclusions: This study highlights the cost of paediatric tonsillectomy and associated hospital readmissions. The study findings will inform healthcare reform and serve as a basis for strategies to optimise patient outcomes while reducing both postoperative complications and costs. What this known about the topic? Tonsillectomy is one of the most common surgeries in childhood and the most frequent reason for paediatric unplanned hospital readmissions. There is growing interest in cost containment and a value-based model of funding. What does this paper add? This is the first study to investigate the economic effect of paediatric tonsillectomy at a national level worldwide. The estimated national annual cost of tonsillectomy was A$126 705 989 and rising. What are the implications for practitioners? These findings will inform healthcare reform that aims to contain costs while optimising patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A broad consensus exists that Australian economic activity is too heavily concentrated in capital cities, and regional employment creation should be encouraged. Given the magnitude of international migration to Australia, it is important to determine the impact of migration on regional development by investigating business ownership and job creation by international migrants in regional areas. This paper examines the probability that regional migrant business owners are employers – and thereby employment generators – using a multivariate logit model. We find that migrant business owners with staff are more likely to be male, married and live in regional NSW, metropolitan Victoria and regional and metropolitan Queensland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia, the nominate subspecies of the Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles miles usually occurs in northern Australia. There have been only two reports of this taxon in Victoria: at Mildura, in 1968; and at the Eastern Treatment Plant at Bangholme, from 1 January to 24 May 1981. This paper details, with a photograph and field notes, the latter record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research conducted in 2018 documented the disaster experiences of 56 women and men in Australia aged between 18 and 93 years. This paper draws out the gendered factors that affected their resilience, and in so doing, begins to address the dearth of research related to gendered aspects of long-term disaster resilience. It is unique in capturing the voices of survivors who spoke of events 9 years after the 2009 Black Saturday fires and of earlier fires and floods in Victoria more than 50 years ago, including the 1983 Ash Wednesday fires. Over decades, gendered expectations of men and women significantly hindered resilience. Men spoke of the long-term cost to them of demands to 'be strong' in the worst of disasters and reasons they were reluctant to seek help afterwards. Women spoke of their contributions holding a lesser value and of discrimination. Discussions of violence against women and children after disaster, and suicide ideation in anticipation of future disasters offered critical insights. Protective factors identified by informants were not wholly intrinsic to their character but were also physical, such as essential resources provided in the immediate aftermath, and psychological and community support offered in the long-term. Factors that helped resilience departed from the 'masculine' model of coping post-disaster by moving away from a refusal to admit trauma and suffering, to community-wide resilience bolstered by widespread emotional, social and psychological support. Genuine community planning for disasters before they strike builds trust and offers insights for emergency management planners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In Australia, the National Disability Strategy provides a framework to guide actions and investment to achieve equity in social inclusion and economic participation for people with disability. We investigated the social outcomes of school leavers with cerebral palsy (CP) in Victoria, Australia and explored the determinants of desirable outcomes. Methods: We used the Victorian CP Register to invite all adults with CP aged 18–25 years (n = 649). On-line and/or paper-based surveys explored participation in education, employment, community activities, living situation, relationships and life satisfaction. Functional and health status data were collected. Social outcomes were summarized descriptively and compared between individuals with CP and non-disabled peers aged 18–25 years from the Household Income and Labor Dynamics in Australia dataset. Within the CP cohort we explored whether physical and mental health and level of functioning were associated with social outcomes. In addition, a descriptive comparison was undertaken between the social outcomes of the current CP cohort with that of a previously reported 2007 cohort. Results: Ninety participants (57% male; mean age 22.4 years (SD: 2.2) in 2020; 61.1% self-reported) provided data for analyses; response rate 16.9%. CP characteristics were similar between respondents and non-respondents. In comparison to similar aged peers, 79.8% had completed secondary school (compared to 83.2%); 32.6% (compared to 75.8%) were in paid work; 87.5% (compared to 48.2%) were living in their parental home; and 3.4% (compared to 31.6%) were married or partnered. Individuals with CP and higher levels of functional capacity and better physical health were more likely to undertake post-secondary education. Higher levels of functional capacity and physical health, as well as lower mental health status were associated with being employed. Conclusions: While foundational education completion rates were similar to non-disabled peers, significant gaps in social outcomes remain, including residence in the parental home and single status. While addressing these issues is challenging, substantial efforts are needed to reduce these disparities—work that needs to be done in collaboration with people with CP and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Warnings issued by meteorological or oceanographic agencies are a common means of allowing people to prepare for likely impactful events. Quantifying the relationships between ocean conditions and coastal impacts, such as shoreline change or flooding of coastal assets (e.g. flooded access points, overtopping of sea walls) is crucial for developing operational coastal hazard warnings. Existing studies have largely omitted empirical data, relying on modelling to estimate total water levels and impact potentials. It is well documented that site-specific conditions influence local morphodynamics and as such, detailed data related to the physical environment is a necessary component of these existing approaches. The capacity to collect these data is not always available, however, and so an alternative approach that does no rely on detailed modelling may be necessary in some instances to identify the conditions that lead to coastal impacts. We propose an alternative empirically based approach for isolating oceanic conditions that are conducive to impact along open coasts, using two case studies from Victoria, southeast Australia: Port Fairy and Inverloch. Oceanic conditions were defined using data obtained from a WAVEWATCH III (WW3) model hindcast, assessed against newly installed wave buoys, which evidenced variation in mean conditions between the two sites. We coupled impact-based data derived from citizen-science and social media to modelled and observational data, to identify the oceanic conditions that led to impacts. We found heterogeneity in the response of the case study locations to deviations from the local mean wave characteristics and still water levels. This paper demonstrates an approach through which impact-based thresholds for erosion could be developed for management applications and early warning systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voluntary assisted dying laws have now been enacted in all six Australian States with reform being considered in the remaining two. While there is an emerging body of literature examining various aspects of regulation, there has been scant consideration of what these reforms mean for First Nations peoples, and to what extent their experiences have been considered in the process of developing legislation. This article provides a critical analysis of how Indigenous perspectives both contributed to, and were engaged with, during the law reform processes in Victoria and Western Australia, the first two States to grapple with this topic. Findings reveal the sophistication in how Indigenous organisations and individuals engaged with this issue and highlight the critical importance of not universalising Indigenous perspectives. Significantly, there was much greater engagement with Indigenous views in Western Australia than in Victoria. We conclude by considering how Indigenous voices can meaningfully influence Australian law reform processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To describe the establishment of a cross‐border and multi‐university collaboration in rural Australia to mitigate potential competition, maximise Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training (RHMT) Programme investments and regional health workforce outcomes. Context: Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training programme investments have enabled the establishment of 19 Australian University Departments of Rural Health (UDRH) and 17 Rural Clinical Schools. The importance of these investments is acknowledged. However, in regional settings, due to limited clinical placement and training opportunities, there is potential for heightened competition between universities who are operating within shared geographical footprints. Competition between universities risks focusing RHMT programme activity on individual reporting requirements and activities, in preference to: regional needs; existing community–university relationships; and place‐based approaches to health workforce development. Participants: A rural New South Wales and Victorian RHMT‐funded departments, collectively known as the Sunraysia Collaboration. Approach: Strategic and operational processes, structures and actions underpinning collaboration formation and relationship consolidation will be described. Co‐design methodologies employed to collectively define collaboration vision and aims, governance framework and guiding principles, reporting structures and co‐contributions to teaching, research and service will be discussed. Collaboration sensitivity to the social, cultural, relationship and economic connectedness within the region and existing health workforce flows will also be explored. Conclusion: The Sunraysia collaboration demonstrates one approach towards mitigating potential competition between RHMT Programme funded universities within rural and remote Australia. The collaboration is an exemplar of co‐design in action providing an alternative approach to address RHMT Programme parameters and regional needs whilst supporting rural‐remote health workforce training and education innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residents in aged care homes constitute a significant proportion of Australia's population. The elderly population is vulnerable to poor indoor air quality (IAQ). Because mobility declines with age, they tend to spend longer indoors compared with the general population. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an affordable ventilation retrofit to improve the IAQ in aged care homes in Victoria, Australia. The fresh filtered air ventilation system was installed independently of the existing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in each facility. The monitoring characterized the ventilation of aged care homes to establish the baseline performance. The results showed that air change rates (ACH) in the common rooms were from 0.84 ACH to 3.81 ACH. This was generally sufficient for low or average occupancy but insufficient when the rooms were fully occupied. Up to a 1,000 ppm reduction in the carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration was achieved with the addition of a supplementary ventilation system. However, there was no reduction in the levels of particulate matter (PM). Local activities and the movement of people inside the room influenced the PM concentration. A systematic approach for the regular monitoring of IAQ, analyzing data, and adopting appropriate interventions is required to better prepare the community and the health systems against the consequences of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Strict patient isolation in hospital is associated with adverse health outcomes. However, there is a lack of high‐quality evidence for effective interventions to improve safety and quality of care for these patients. Aims: To identify patient reported areas for improvement in the care of patients in hospital isolation and to determine the feasibility of collecting patient reported outcomes using validated tools. Methods: Design: An exploratory mixed methods study. Setting: A major metropolitan teaching hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Participants: Patients in hospital isolation for transmissible infections. Data collection: Data were collected by (1) phone interviews with patients in isolation and (2) seven validated measurement tools to assess cognition, loneliness, nutritional status, quality of life, anxiety and depression and physical activity. Data were collected between September and December 2021. Data analysis: Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively including participant characteristics and outcome data. Results: Participants identified areas for improvement including activities to decrease boredom, more contact with staff to mitigate loneliness and increase comfort care, and formalised communication about clinical treatment and discharge plan. Patients with gastrointestinal symptoms were happier to be alone. There were operational challenges within the health service including delays and miscommunication. Only 70% of the participants completed all questionnaires. Conclusion: This study identified areas for improvement in care of patients in isolation and demonstrated that collecting patient reported outcomes using validated tools was feasible. The results of this research will inform development of an intervention to manage adverse effects. Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care: Patients in hospital isolation require additional consideration to ensure that their needs are met to avoid adverse outcomes. The patient experience and comfort can be negatively affected when fundamental care is lacking. Reporting Method (EQUATOR): EQUATOR guidelines for Mixed Methods Reporting in Rehabilitation & Health Sciences (MMR‐RHS). Patient or Public Contribution: Thirteen patients in hospital isolation agreed to participate in this study, sharing their experiences through interviews and assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic integrity lies 'at the core of the reputation of Australia's world class higher education sector' (Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), 2020). This pilot study analyses the dominant approach (punitive or educative) of academic integrity policies by selected institutions within the Australian state of Victoria who offer a Foundation Studies Programme (FSP). This pilot study indicates a punitive approach is most commonly adopted. There is a scarcity of research within this field. An increasing prevalence of academic integrity breaches has been reported in the Australian and global education sector. It is therefore of paramount importance that we focus on supporting learners to understand and act with academic integrity. A literature review of qualitative data enabled patterns, or 'themes', to be identified. A deductive thematic analysis was conducted at the semantic (explicit) level to compare the approach taken at different institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dairy cows in Australia and New Zealand are generally kept outdoors, making them susceptible to weather variability and in particular heat stress. In this paper, we review (1) exploiting genetic variability to improve heat tolerance, (2) genotype by environment interactions, i.e. suitability of high merit cows to weather variability and (3) how novel phenotyping and genomics can help improve heat tolerance. Selection for heat tolerance is a permanent and cumulative strategy and especially useful in grazing situations where management practices, such as cooling mechanisms, are sometimes impractical. Australia was the first country in the world to release breeding values for heat tolerance in dairy cattle nationally in 2017. The breeding value captures genetic variation in the reduction of milk production traits with rising temperature and humidity. The breeding values have been validated in independent studies (in Victoria, Australia, and California, USA), showing that thermotolerant cows maintain a lower core body temperature under hot and humid conditions. Genotype by environment interactions for traits sensitive to heat is only a concern for farms in very extreme conditions and therefore affect only a small proportion of individuals (those in the extreme 5th percentile). Heat tolerance is a complex trait in that in addition to milk traits, health and fertility may also be affected. Next-generation heat tolerance breeding values may include sensor device information in addition to changes in milk composition, or other measurable biomarkers. This is especially useful when measured in genotyped female populations. Research into novel ways of measuring heat tolerance could transform the way we select for this trait and capture more of the complexity of this trait. To be successful in this area, multi-disciplinary collaboration among animal scientists is likely to facilitate this goal. Combining genomics, traditional and novel measures of heat tolerance with intermediate metabolic biomarkers and prioritised genetic variants could be a way to capture the complexity of thermotolerance in future heat tolerance breeding values. Finally, selecting cows that are resilient to variability in weather is feasible and heat tolerance is a good example of this. Dairy cows are susceptible to weather variability and in particular heat stress because of the metabolic load associated with lactation. Australian genomic breeding values for heat tolerance have been available for breeding decisions since 2017 and have been validated in independent studies. Technological advances, such as sensor devices and novel biomarkers that are measurable in female genomic reference populations will pave the way for the next-generation heat tolerance breeding values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]