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A number of regolith-hosted REE occurrences have recently been discovered in the Esperance region in southern Western Australia. This paper summarizes major characteristics of REE mineralization and discusses contributing factors and potential controls. The main aim is to explain why there is a lack of highly sought-after ion-adsorption-clay-type REE deposits across the region despite the presence of the regolith-hosted REE mineralization on a regional scale. Local mineralization mostly occurs as continuous flat-lying enrichment "blankets" within the residual regolith developed over Archaean–Proterozoic granite gneisses and granitoids with elevated REE content. The enriched horizon is commonly located in the lower saprolite and saprock and is accompanied by an overlying REE-depleted zone. This distribution pattern, together with the data on HREE fractionation and the presence of the supergene REE minerals, indicates chemogenic type enrichment formed by supergene REE mobilization into groundwater, downward transport, and accumulation in the lower part of the weathering profile. Residual REE accumulation processes due to bulk rock volume and mass reduction during weathering also contribute to mineralization. It is proposed that climate and groundwater chemistry are the critical regional controls on the distribution of REEs in the weathering profile and on their speciation in the enrichment zone. Cenozoic aridification of climate in southwest Australia heavily overprinted pre-existing REE distributions in the weathering profile. Acidic (pH < 4), highly saline groundwaters intensely leached away any relatively weakly bound, adsorbed or colloidal REE forms, moving them downward. Dissolved REEs precipitated as secondary phosphates in neutral to alkaline environment at lower Eh near the base of the weathering profile forming the supergene enrichment zone. Low denudation rates, characteristic of areas of low relief under the arid climate, are favourable for the preservation of the existing weathering profiles with REE mineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data that is collected at the individual-level from mobile phones is typically aggregated to the population-level for privacy reasons. If we are interested in answering questions regarding the mean, or working with groups appropriately modeled by a continuum, then this data is immediately informative. However, coupling such data regarding a population to a model that requires information at the individual-level raises a number of complexities. This is the case if we aim to characterize human mobility and simulate the spatial and geographical spread of a disease by dealing in discrete, absolute numbers. In this work, we highlight the hurdles faced and outline how they can be overcome to effectively leverage the specific dataset: Google COVID-19 Aggregated Mobility Research Dataset (GAMRD). Using a case study of Western Australia, which has many sparsely populated regions with incomplete data, we firstly demonstrate how to overcome these challenges to approximate absolute flow of people around a transport network from the aggregated data. Overlaying this evolving mobility network with a compartmental model for disease that incorporated vaccination status we run simulations and draw meaningful conclusions about the spread of COVID-19 throughout the state without de-anonymizing the data. We can see that towns in the Pilbara region are highly vulnerable to an outbreak originating in Perth. Further, we show that regional restrictions on travel are not enough to stop the spread of the virus from reaching regional Western Australia. The methods explained in this paper can be therefore used to analyze disease outbreaks in similarly sparse populations. We demonstrate that using this data appropriately can be used to inform public health policies and have an impact in pandemic responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the on-going research at Cliff Head, Garden Island (Indigenous name Meeandip) in Western Australia, the first British settlement on the west coast of Australia dating to 1829. The research has recorded features of local limestone and introduced materials such as low-fired brick, a well, and other artifacts brought from Britain. Early results suggest that areas at the camp existed for domestic purposes, storage of equipment and food supplies, the running of stock, and intra and inter-island communication, but other hypotheses are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, 100 years of uninterrupted rainfall data for 12 rainfall stations (four rainfall stations from each region) in Western Australia were analyzed against respective dominant climate indices, and representative prediction models were developed using ARIMAX, GEP, and a hybrid technique (GEP-ARIMAX). Statistical performance evaluators such as Pearson correlation (r) , root mean square error (R M S E) , mean absolute error ( MAE ), and refined Willmot index of agreement ( d r ) were used to evaluate the prediction performance of the developed models. These models demonstrated their capability to predict up to four months in advance with Pearson correlation (r) values ranging from 0.53 to 0.83, 0.75 to 0.85, and 0.87 to 0.95 for ARIMAX, GEP, and hybrid (GEP-ARIMAX) models respectively. While compared, the hybrid (GEP-ARIMAX) model showed superior prediction performance in both calibration and validation periods with Pearson correlation (r) and refined Willmot index of agreement ( d r ) values were as high as 0.96 and 0.84 respectively. This paper demonstrated a novel hybrid GEP-ARIMAX model showing significantly good rainfall forecasting capability than conventional linear and non-linear models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Urban Policy & Research is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper revises all the species of the Frasnian Late Devonian genus Ancyrodella. Seventeen species are recognized, as well as several intraspecific morphotypes not considered separate species. Illustrated specimens are all from collections from the Canning Basin, Western Australia, but publications of global Devonian tropical localities are also reviewed in the synonymies. The taxonomic approach herein is one using the controversial "vertical chronospecies" based primarily on the Pa elementsʼ platform outline and the pattern of secondary carinae and keels, if present. Multielement reconstructions have been few. In view of the widespread confusion and variable application of species names, zonations based on the succession of Ancyrodella species appear premature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2008, the Western Australian State Government initiated its Royalties for Regions Program to fund its regional development mandate. The program, an outcome of an electoral commitment, reallocated 25% of the state's prodigious mineral royalties to non-metropolitan regions, with supporters applauding the improved regional conditions and critics claiming fiscal irresponsibility. Numerous reviews, mostly qualitative, were undertaken, but the state's Auditor-General asserted that the program remained unmeasured. This paper presents a quantitative analysis of the program's outcomes as framed by the state's regional development policies. It investigates the program's influence on populations in small local governments (with fewer than 5,000 residents), where its effect would be most prominent, to determine whether the program prompted population growth. The research uses census data to examine how these municipalities' population growth deviated from their projected growth while discounting for major resource projects – the mainstay of these local governments. The research concludes that the sampled populations typically declined more than projected. Discussion follows, questioning whether government investment and interventionist policies in regional development can achieve population growth in regional settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of incident occurrence in recreational protected areas, there is a need to consider larger questions of risk and responsibility for visitor safety. Whether visitors in national parks think that their safety lies in the hands of themselves or others has important implications for the prevention of accidents. This paper sought to explore the visitor perspective of responsibility in Western Australian national parks. A visitor survey was administered over an eight-month period in 2017–2018 in four parks identified as high in visitor risk. Using data from 1059 questionnaires, a cluster analysis revealed four visitor groups who differ in their views on who is responsible for safety: the Shared Responsibility, the Individual Responsibility, the Management Responsibility, and the Indifference to Responsibility group. Further analysis revealed that visitors' sense of responsibility was found to relate to risk perceptions, risk propensity and preparedness in parks. The results of this paper have important implications for management agencies, indicating that visitors vary in their expectations on how risks should be managed in parks. Avenues for further research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important focus of risk management in national parks is the interplay between how risk is perceived and how visitors would like risks to be managed. This paper presents the results of a study that investigated visitors' expectations on how the risk of injury should be controlled by park management agencies, linking it with perceptions on park dangerousness and confidence to deal with unexpected adverse events. Results of our survey among visitors in two Western Australian national parks, Karijini and Stirling Range, suggest that visitors tend to approve risk management intervention. However, higher levels of risk control were linked to a lower likelihood that visitors thought that the park was dangerous. Visitors establish a sense of safety from the park management context when the park appears to be managed well. Given that national parks are never free of risk, the management challenge is to balance legal and moral obligations along with societal expectations, without reducing visitors' appreciation of risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archaeology in Oceania is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Sucht is the property of Hogrefe AG and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper describes the archaeology of one family's tolerance to the stressors associated with the settlement of a new place. Artifacts associated with the maintenance of clothing suggest that a British family newly arrived at the Swan River colony in the southwest of Australia had the ability to remain composed during a period of reduced resources and psychological strain. The family's ability to resist stress was probably the result of the social knowledge gained during previous experiences with internal migration in the British Isles during a time of high social dislocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study examines whether corporate governance enhances the financial and social business performance of three-to five-star hotels in Western Australia (WA) through the three dimensions of market orientation (i.e. customer orientation, competitor orientation and inter-function coordination) as mediators. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from managers of hotels in the WA capital city of Perth and its surrounding areas using a questionnaire. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse the data. Findings: The overall result shows interesting findings of market orientation's mediating role. It is found that corporate governance may lead to better financial business performance through competitor orientation but not through customer orientation and inter-function coordination. Complementary, corporate governance may lead to better social business performance through customer orientation and inter-function coordination but not through competitor orientation. Originality/value: This paper offers contributions to both literature and practice on what dimensions of market orientation are important to enhance the performance of hotels when corporate governance is applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In most developed countries, intervention in regional development is declining due to non-interventionist policies and increasing local responsibility for development. Western Australia, however, has embarked on a different route – a unique version of the 'new' paradigm, or place-based development – that departs from these broader neo-liberal trends. This paper examines Australian and Western Australian policies and compares them with those of Canada and British Columbia, jurisdictions similar to Australia and Western Australia, respectively. The Western Australian approach is investigated in the context of the 'new' paradigm, how it manifests in the case studies and, finally, which lessons emerge from these approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper, the second of two parts comprising this volume, outlines the distribution and biology of the Western Australian ant fauna addressed in part one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1935, a Joint Parliamentary Committee at Westminster reported on 'The Petition from the State of Western Australia in Relation to Secession'. The culmination of a process triggered by a 1933 referendum, when two-thirds of West Australians voted to secede from the Australian Commonwealth, the Joint Committee famously resolved that Western Australia's petition was 'not proper to be received'. Not for the last time in British history, a referendum result promising sweeping constitutional change collided with the practicalities of its implementation. But while Western Australia's secession movement foundered, it nonetheless sparked a series of debates around London's obligations to overseas Britons, Britannic identity, and the future of imperial relations. While previous scholarship has for the most part focused on the local and national dimensions of Western Australian secession, this article examines it as a window onto the complex political partnerships that comprised Britain's interwar empire. It makes the case for the movement's imperial significance and offers the first substantive investigation of its influence on interwar imperial affairs. It argues that West Australian secession deserves more serious consideration than it has traditionally been awarded, not only as a local and national question, but above all as an imperial issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a region, Western Australia is the largest and most isolated state in Australia, and supports a community of vibrant arts organizations. The arts is widely recognized for its creativity and innovation, but what about the managers of these organizations, are they equally innovative, or entrepreneurial? Rusak (2016) explored this question and found that their Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) matched the three core dimensions of Innovativeness, Proactiveness, and Risk-taking, but the study did not include the other two EO dimensions of Autonomy and Competitive Aggressiveness. It did however observe that "arts companies don't generally try to take offensive postures or aggressive responses to competitive threats and rather work collaboratively". There are at least two possibilities here: it could be a passive aversion to competitive aggression, or a more deliberate counterbehavior of collaboration. Either of these would appear to contradict the EO construct, in particular the expectation that all EO dimensions covary, which makes it interesting from a theory perspective. This paper explores this challenge to the EO theory in some detail, using software-aided analysis to tease out the finer nuances in this dimension of Competitive Aggressiveness. While the sample size and its geographical confines limit the generalizations that can be made, there is evidence that in this sample of Arts Managers, the Arts could be a powerful contextual modifier to the expectations of EO theory. In this context, the dimension of Competitive Aggressiveness has not simply been altered or toned-down, it has been replaced by a polar opposite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perennial pastures are the dominant feedbase in many regions of the world, and offer several advantages when compared with an annual pasture system. In Western Australia (WA) there has been a concerted effort over seven decades to develop new perennial pasture options and expand the adoption of suitable species. The agricultural region of WA (i.e. south-western Australia) is characterised by a Mediterranean climate where the 5–7 month summer drought has proved a considerable challenge with only a small number of the many promising species being adopted commercially. Research, development, and extension have covered a wide range of herbaceous perennial legumes, leguminous and native shrubs, herbs, and temperate and warm season grasses. This paper reviews the literature to determine whether a perennial pasture must satisfy the following criteria to be successful and widely adopted in south-western Australia: (i) sourced from a similar Mediterranean environment and adapted to the target soils; (ii) have a relative advantage over the annual-based system it replaces; (iii) a robust management package; and (iv) a viable seed supply. The findings of this review highlight that perennial pastures must indeed satisfy multiple criteria to be commercially successful. Notably, the requirement for the source of the germplasm to have a good match between climate and soils is less clear because some of the commercially successful species come from diverse environments. We conclude with some key learnings for future perennial pasture development as climate change intensifies the research challenge and the drive for producers to adapt. In Western Australia, there has been a concerted effort to develop new perennial pasture options. Research, development, and extension have covered a range of herbaceous perennial legumes, leguminous and native shrubs, herbs and temperate and warm season grasses. Overall, this search has proved to be a considerable challenge in a Mediterranean environment with many promising species having little or no commercial impact, and only a small number of species have had widespread commercial adoption. This review explores the key requirements for perennial species to become more than a niche pasture in a Mediterranean climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The region-building process in Western Australia is examined using Paasi's theoretical framework of ‘regional institutionalisation’. The paper examines the formalisation of the regions in Western Australia from the 1940s with the first attempts to regionalise the State, through to the recent political and policy shifts. A particular focus is given to the pivotal legislation passed in 1993 which created nine Regional Development Commissions, and the implications of the post-2008 Royalties for Regions program. The discussion examines the trajectory of the Western Australia regions through the lens of Paasi's model. The paper shows that the Regional Development Commissions have had a critical role in fulfilling the different stages of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how two Britons, working in Western Australia and Natal, respectively, engaged with ideas about the civilisation and education of Indigenous people. It is argued that concepts of civilisation were debated by missionaries, researchers and members of the public. Using the correspondence, publications and private journals of two educators, Dr Henry Callaway, Church of England missionary in Natal, and Ann Camfield, teacher in Western Australia, the paper draws attention to their respective approaches to education. Each contributed to broader imperial debates concerning the meaning of race in relation to educability. Education in both places, while connected to these global ideas, was also profoundly influenced by local context. 'Civilisation' and the 'civilising mission' may have been unifying goals for missionaries in different sites of Empire, but understandings of what civilisation should inculcate, or do, varied according to particular circumstances. These histories are best understood in transnational and comparative perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines Western Australian (WA) public library collections and the representations of Asia in these collections. Serving the needs of the general public within a certain geographic area, public libraries collect materials in all formats and genres based on institutional priorities related to community or user needs and interests. This paper presents findings from a 2019 survey and series of interviews with librarians from WA public libraries to find out more about their collections by examining two types of materials: (1) items about Asia and, (2) items in Asian languages. The key findings are as follows: (1) relatively little attention is paid to cultural representations of the community in the development collections in WA's public libraries (2) LOTE (Languages other than English) materials make up a small percentage of WA public libraries' overall collections; and (3) representations of Asia within the collections are associated thematically with migrant support, travel destinations, cool Asia, and food cultures. This study makes a contribution to research and practice in this area by employing an interdisciplinary approach using cultural studies, library and information studies frameworks, introducing new ways of thinking about these collections and how library materials connect to cultural identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This volume, comprising two parts, continues the review of the Ants of Western Australia which commenced with 'A Guide to the Ants of South-western Australia' by the author (2009). Here, however, coverage of the entire state is attempted. All named species recorded for the state in the major Australian repositories are included, as well as unnamed species listed on the World Wide Web. The author has also inspected accessional and type specimens in the Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC), Canberra, ACT, and accessional material in the Tropical Ecosystems Research Centre (TERC), Darwin, NT, in a further effort at comprehensiveness. In this work, the author recognises 11 subfamilies, 76 confirmed genera and at least 832 species (including 200 to which a name cannot be given). Three species (Rhytidoponera castanea Crawley, R. quadriceps Clark, and Melophorus marius Forel), are resurrected from synonymy, three nominal subspecies (Camponotus claripes inverallensis Forel, Crematogaster laeviceps clarior Forel and Crematogaster queenslandica bipartita Forel) are raised to species status and 32 taxa (21 species and 11 subspecies) are reduced to synonymy as follows: Rhytidoponera rufonigra Clark under R. punctata (F. Smith); Rhytidoponera carinata Clark under R. castanea Crawley; Camponotus walkeri Forel under C. claripes Mayr; Camponotus churchetti McArthur under C. inverallensis Forel; Camponotus discors angustinodus Emery under C. consectator (F. Smith); Camponotus christmasensis McArthur under C. darlingtoni Wheeler; Camponotus minimus Crawley under C. insipidus Forel; Camponotus samueli McArthur under C. scratius Forel; Camponotus walkeri bardus Forel under C. michaelseni Forel; Camponotus spenceri Clark and C. nigroaeneus xuthus Emery under C. fieldeae Forel; Melophorus castanopus Heterick, Castalanelli & Shattuck under M. biroi Forel; Plagiolepis clarki impasta Wheeler under P. clarki Wheeler; Prolasius reticulatus McAreavey under P. wheeleri McAreavey; Stigmacros aciculata McAreavey, S. brooksi McAreavey, S. clarki McAreavey, S. extreminigra McAreavey, S. ferruginea McAreavey, S. glauerti McAreavey and S. sordida McAreavey under S. clivispina (Forel); Stigmacros armstrongi McAreavey under S. occidentalis (Crawley); Stigmacros minor McAreavey under S. pusilla McAreavey; Crematogaster frivola sculpticeps Forel under C. frivola Forel; Crematogaster laeviceps broomensis Forel and C. laeviceps chasei Forel under C. laeviceps F. Smith; Crematogaster pythia Forel under C. clarior Forel; Crematogaster dispar Forel and C. rufotestacea dentinasis Santschi under C. rufotestacea Mayr; Pheidole variabilis latigena Forel under P. ampla Forel; P. ampla perthensis Crawley and P. pyriformis Clark under P. bos Forel; P. proxima bombalensis Forel under P. rugosula Forel and Pheidole variabilis rugocciput Forel under P. variabilis Mayr. The junior synonyms Monomorium laeve nigrius Forel and Monomorium fraterculus Santschi are removed from synonymy under M. fieldi Forel and placed under M. antipodum Forel, and Tetramorium viehmeyeri venustus Wheeler is removed from synonymy under T. viehmeyeri and placed under T. impressum (Viehmeyer). Camponotus scratius nuntius Forel becomes a species inquirenda. Taxonomic keys to the ant subfamilies, genera and species found in Western Australia are provided, as are several new interpretations of sub-generic categories including those for the large genera Camponotus, Meranoplus and Stigmacros. A list of taxa treated as monophyletic in this volume, but which may contain hidden species complexes, is included as an appendix to this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Duck Curve is an illustrative term used to describe the compounding effect of small-scale renewable generation on the electricity demand curve in electricity markets. The "Duck Curve" 1 1 The effect is also been referenced as the "Duck Chart" in early literature on the topic. problem has become a topical subject in the electricity industry in recent years and is associated with issues such as minimum system demand, changes to ancillary service requirements, unsustainable ramp rates, risk of over generation, occurrences of negative wholesale prices and exit of large-scale thermal generation. Unfortunately in the South West Interconnected System (SWIS) 2 2 The SWIS is the name of the power system located in the south west corner in the state of Western Australia, Australia. the Duck Curve has been referenced at a cursory level with a limited amount of formal analysis with poorly formed views of the effect of what it is trying to describe. This paper summarises a literature review undertaken of the Duck Curve focusing on econometric aspects rather than power system engineering in the SWIS. The paper develops a hypothesis and substantiates that behind the meter generation should be displacing the revenue from all generation, but the effect will be more pronounced in commercial scale PV farms as the generation profile of both rooftop and commercial PV is determined by irradiation levels that are in similar geographic locations. Due to high variance in electricity spot prices a value analysis approach was used to create a model suitable for Ordinary Least Squares analysis. This analysis showed evidence for the proposed hypothesis and more importantly that econometric rigger using easily accessible tools and techniques can be applied to the Duck Curve concept with significant results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The petroglyphs of the Murujuga (Burrup Peninsula and Dampier Archipelago) in Western Australia are of exceptional cultural value for the nation. It is Australia's largest and most significant collection of aboriginal rock art essentially as petroglyphs, with the number estimated at more than one million engravings. The Murujuga is a textbook example of ancient and modern times colliding as it also hosts potentially polluting, major industrial complexes such as iron ore and salt ports; liquefied natural gas, liquid ammonia and ammonium nitrate plants; railway lines, pipelines and rock quarries. The work presented in this paper is underpinned by an annual monitoring study of 10 selected sites including two control sites located on Dolphin and Gidley islands and eight test sites located closer to the industrial areas. The main rock types of the Murujuga, gabbro and granophyre, have been affected by weathering consisting of a cm-thick leached zone capped by a skin of orange and red iron and manganese oxides. The petroglyphs were engraved by removing the few top millimetres of the iron oxide-rich layer and the contrast with the paler leached zone clearly showing the carved motifs. Phosphorus is abnormally enriched in the leached zone and the surface coating, with manganese exclusively on the surface coating, demonstrating the impact of bird droppings and 'desert varnish' on the rocks. The colour difference and the hematite–goethite ratio, measured with a field portable reflectance spectrometer, between the background and engraving provides a tool to estimate the relative age of the petroglyphs and the selection of the backgrounds. As the fine-grained granophyres were preferentially chosen from the coarser-grained gabbros to host the petroglyphs, the goethitic (or yellower) backgrounds were prepared as canvas before being engraved. Many petroglyphs register the food items of the area, which changed as the last ice age ended and sea levels rose. We hypothesise that based on their locations and colour difference the constraint for the oldest age of the petroglyphs exceeds 17 000 years BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The introduction of the convict system in 1850 into the Western Australian (WA) economy resulted in a large injection of capital into the colony, the dissemination of which cannot be overlooked when considering the transformative effect of the convict system. This injection resulted from the purchase of goods and services by the penal system that ultimately transferred money from the British Crown into the local market. For this paper, historical and archaeological data was used to develop an understanding of the breakdown of spending by the penal system, and to consider how the circumstance of individual aspects of the penal system impacted purchasing choices, and subsequently benefitted the local market. Using artefacts recovered from two sites within Fremantle Prison, one representing institutional purchases and the other relating to a wage earner, it was possible the test the variation in economic impact of spending given institutional circumstance. By considering whether purchases represented local commodities or imports, it was possible to see how capital transferred into the local economy and how much of that spending leaked out through imports. In doing this, the analysis highlighted the varying benefit of the capital injected by the penal system related to circumstance and the value of considering the penal system as an elaborate entity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This paper examines health reform which has been designed to improve cancer services across Western Australia. Setting Western Australia is a large state divided into nine regions each with differing demographics. The diversity of the state and the distribution of the population over a large area of land create significant challenge in ensuring equality in service delivery. Design A comparison was conducted looking at cancer services in Western Australia pre-2005 and service delivery in 2014. A review of the partnership initiatives and programs provides a clear discussion on the need for coordination of care between service providers. Main Outcome The approach undertaken in Western Australia has seen an increase in the delivery of cancer services closer to the patient's home as well as greater involvement of primary care professionals in cancer care. This work has resulted in demonstrated improvements in patient care and support. Conclusion Services for cancer patients need to be accessible closer to home with distance being an appreciable barrier to treatment access.A statewide approach needs to be developed to ensure all people have equitable access to service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of significant advancement of techniques in the construction industry is off-site construction (OSC) technique that has existed for long but only recently gaining leverage from the advances in manufacturing. OSC carries much potential and even termed as the modern method of construction. OSC has been identified as an effective solution to address speed expectations and quality issues facing the global construction industry. Particular to the housing sectors such as in Western Australia (WA), implementing OSC holds significant potentials but has also been considered risky by local builders, hence its lower uptake in WA. However, risks are often double-edged and rewards may be waiting for builders willing to take on the risks and become the main OSC providers. This paper presents the findings from a research project aiming to explore OSC adoption as a potential source of competitive advantage through the first mover advantage (FMA). The data collection was designed to capture potentials of gaining competitive advantage based on the existing characteristics of the sector. While confirming the potential of OSC adoption as a source of competitiveness, findings also revealed the barriers and enablers in adopting OSC in WA followed by identifying the critical success factors of OSC adoption in WA to gain competitive advantage. Findings from the data analysis were then aggregated to form a holistic framework showing the interconnectedness between differentiation/focus, cost leadership and FMA. This novel framework is considered the main contribution of the research that can be used to support house builders in gaining competitive advantage by implementing OSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on findings from the first Western Australian Survey of Educators of Sexuality Education, which aimed to assess the state of relationships and sexuality education (RSE) in the state of Western Australia. Key findings show that secondary school teachers provided more hours of RSE instruction than the national average. However, they mainly taught curriculum topics such as Abstinence from Intercourse until Married, Effects of Alcohol/drug Use on Decision-making, Puberty, and Sex and Ethics (respectful relationships). The least taught subjects included Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS, Birth Control, the Impact of Media on Sexual Identity and Sexual Orientation. These findings are of concern when one considers that nationally, Western Australia has higher rates of STIs among young people aged 15–24 years and teenage pregnancies, than other parts of the country. Results from the survey can be used to form a baseline measure ahead of the roll-out of the Australian Curriculum, which includes RSE as a focus area, and the new Western Australian Curriculum for Health and Physical Education. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Western Australia's domestic gas reservation policy nominally requires new gas export projects to supply the equivalent of 15 per cent of their exports to the domestic gas market. This export restriction suppresses the domestic price below the export netback price. A theoretical model shows that a binding reservation policy always causes a deadweight loss, and clarifies the source of this loss. Western Australia's reservation policy is estimated to cause losses with a present value of between $6.9 and $22.9 billion, depending on export netback prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of a large accumulation of natural hydrogen in Mali has triggered the opportunity to search for hydrogen accumulations in other countries. The generation of hydrogen in Mali is linked to the presence of very old iron-rich basement rocks. Solid-liquid redox reactions between iron-rich minerals and groundwater are a possible source of H 2 in deep basement rocks. The hypothesis is that hydrogen degassing may result in the surface circular shallow depressions. The Archean iron-rich Yilgarn and Pilbara cratons that cover a vast area of Western Australia contain abundant iron-rich mafic-ultramafic rocks. The craton reveals many surficial circular depressions visible through satellite images. The area has abundant fault systems and is blanketed with Eocene sedimentary rocks containing high-quality reservoir rocks. All these characteristics appear to provide most of the required elements, such as a hydrogen source, migration pathway, and reservoir rock for a complete "Hydrogen System" to be developed in the area. • A natural "Hydrogen System" has been assessed for Western Australia in this paper. • Interactions between iron-rich minerals and water are a possible source of H 2. • The Archean Craton of WA reveals depressions that could be location of H 2 emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with most other developed nations, Australian local government policymakers have traditionally relied heavily on structural reform based on compulsory council consolidation as their chief instrument of municipal reform. Western Australia (WA) launched its most recent attempt at local government reform in November 2017 with the appointment of a Local Government Review Panel to make recommendations on improving its Local Government Act 1995. The WA Government released the Final Report: Recommendations for a New Local Government Act for Western Australia prepared by the Panel in August 2020. The Final Report offers a host of recommendations for improving the Local Government Act 1995, the great majority of which represent uncontroversial improvements to the Act. However, Recommendation 8 calls for the establishment of a Local Government Commission empowered to make recommendations on municipal mergers and Recommendation 10 proposes the formation of community boards to facilitate municipal representation in large councils. This practice insight paper critically examines these two contentious recommendations in the light of extant empirical evidence. This serves to highlight the contrast between the weight of empirical evidence in the literature with the 'evidence-free' nature of Recommendations 8 and 10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Unlocking the Potential of Underground Hydrogen Storage in Western Australia. • Formation Rock Characteristics Favor Hydrogen Storage. • Optimal Porosity Discovered in Hovea Field, which is 17.23%. • Hydrogen loss through claystone, which is the cap rock, should be further analysed. • Viable locations for Underground Hydrogen Storage pilot projects in Australia. Hydrogen, recognised as a clean and sustainable energy carrier with excellent transportation fuel properties, drives numerous countries towards a hydrogen-based economy due to its high utilisation efficiency and minimal environmental impact. However, the gaseous nature of hydrogen necessitates larger storage surface areas. Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS) has emerged as a promising and efficient method to overcome this challenge. Currently, only a handful of UHS locations exist globally due to the novelty of this field. With its abundant depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs boasting significant storage capacity, Western Australia presents a suitable region for hydrogen storage. This paper comprehensively analyses petrophysical and petrographic characteristics, employing XRD, MIP, and Micro-CT techniques on sandstone and claystone samples obtained from several fields in Western Australia. The suitability of these samples for hydrogen storage is evaluated based on mineral composition and porosity. The analysis reveals that more than 96% of Quartz is present in the sandstone samples. The claystone samples exhibit a mineral composition comprising Quartz, Calcite, K-feldspar, Kaolinite, Pyrite, Albite, and Muscovite. The study suggests that hydrogen storage in formation rock is favourable due to the low reactivity of hydrogen with silicate minerals, but interactions with cap rock minerals should be considered. Micro-CT results indicate the connected porosity in the 17.23–4.67% range. Pore distribution in sandstones ranges from nanometers to millimetres, with a substantial proportion of connected pores in the intermediate range, which is conducive to hydrogen storage. This is particularly advantageous as the hydrogen-water system is highly water-wet, with hydrogen primarily occupying medium and larger pores, minimising hydrogen trapping. In claystone, most pores were below 3 nm, but instrumental constraints limited their quantification. In conclusion, the petrophysical and petrographic analysis underscores the potential of Western Australian depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs for hydrogen storage. Understanding the mineralogical reactions with cap rock minerals is crucial, while the favourable pore distribution in sandstones further supports the viability of hydrogen storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Western Australia, the issue of bushfires (wildfires) poses a persistent health risk to both volunteer and career forestry firefighters, populations that have been historically understudied. Aims: This descriptive qualitative study aimed to examine firefighters' level of understanding concerning hazardous exposures, their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) protocols and their decontamination practices. Methods: Guided by the socioecological model, 23 semi-structured interviews were conducted with firefighters representing both volunteer and forestry sectors. Key results: Results indicate a gap in knowledge regarding the health risks associated with bushfire-generated smoke and contaminants among volunteer firefighters. Forestry firefighters, conversely, showed a greater awareness of these risks. Social dynamics, such as peer pressure, were identified as historical deterrents to PPE use, although recent trends indicate positive change. Forestry firefighters also highlighted systemic shortcomings, including inadequate provision of respiratory protection and lack of decontamination facilities for cleaning themselves and their PPE. Conclusion: This study underscores the critical need for educational initiatives to address these gaps in understanding, along with organisational reforms to promote a culture encouraging PPE use and to provide essential resources for effective decontamination. Implications: This research emphasises that a multi-level approach is essential for safeguarding the health of firefighters in bushfire-prone environments. Volunteer firefighters in Western Australia have a significant knowledge gap about of bushfire smoke health risks and protection. Forestry firefighters are more informed but still face issues like inadequate respiratory protection and lack of decontamination facilities. Better education and essential resources are crucial to improving safety for all firefighters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Australia. Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) people have higher levels of CVD compared with non-Indigenous people. Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) is an evidence-based intervention that can assist with reducing subsequent cardiovascular events and rehospitalisation. Unfortunately, attendance rates at traditional CR programs, both globally and in Australia, are estimated to be as low as 10-30 % and Indigenous people are known to be particularly under-represented. An in-depth assessment was undertaken to investigate the provision of CR and secondary preveniton services in Western Australia (WA) with a focus on rural, remote and Indigenous populations. This paper reports on the findings for Indigenous people.Methods: Cardiac rehabilitation and Aboriginal Medical Services (n = 38) were identified for interview through the Heart Foundation Directory of Western Australian Cardiac Rehabilitation and Secondary Prevention Services 2012. Semi-structured interviews with CR coordinators were conducted and included questions specific to Indigenous people.Results: Interviews with coordinators from 34 CR services (10 rural, 12 remote, 12 metropolitan) were conducted. Identification of Indigenous status was reported by 65 % of coordinators; referral and attendance rates of Indigenous patients differed greatly across WA. Efforts to meet the cultural needs of Indigenous patients varied and included case management (32 %), specific educational materials (35 %), use of a buddy or mentoring system (27 %), and access to an Aboriginal Health Worker (71 %). Staff cultural awareness training was available for 97 % and CR guidelines were utilised by 77 % of services.Conclusion: The under-representation of Indigenous Australians participating in CR, as reported in the literature and more specifically in this study, mandates a concerted effort to improve services to better meet the needs of Indigenous patients with CVD as part of closing the gap in life expectancy. Improving access to culturally appropriate CR and secondary prevention in WA must be an important component of this effort given the high rates of premature cardiovascular disease affecting Indigenous people. Our findings also highlight the importance of good systematic data collection across services. Health pathways that ensure continuity of care and alternative methods of CR delivery with dedicated resources are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant growth in the size of gold Resources on many mines of the Yilgarn Craton has occurred well after the deposit was discovered and after mining had commenced. Examples include the Kalgoorlie and Norseman goldfields found more than a century ago and the Jundee and Sunrise goldfields discovered in the 1990s. The initial discovery event is referred to as greenfields exploration, and the later additions as brownfields exploration. For the Yilgarn Craton, annual Resource additions have significantly exceeded mine depletion since 1980. Brownfields exploration enjoys economic benefits not available to greenfields exploration such as reduced infrastructure and regulatory costs. In Australia, criticism of the exploration and mining industry for failing to find deposits is misplaced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Phos-Chek WD881A is a short-term retardant used by fire-fighters in Western Australia to suppress and control the movement of fire across the landscape. It is currently applied at a working concentration of 0.1-1%. Aim. Our objective was to assess and quantify the impact of the suppressant on seed germination and seedling emergence across eight native and two weed species commonly found in Eucalyptus wandoo woodland. Methods. Seeds were exposed to five Phos-Chek concentrations, from 0 to 10% (v/v), in a germination trial in Petri dishes, and three concentrations of 0, 0.1 and 1% (v/v) in a seedling emergence trial. Key findings. Increasing concentrations of Phos-Chek both delayed and reduced germination and emergence for all species except Acacia saligna. The sensitivity to Phos-Chek varied among the tested species. Conclusions. Phos-Chek had a significant impact on the germination and emergence of native and invasive species, with irreversible damage to seed viability in one taxa (Allocasuarina humilis). Implications. It is recommended that applications of Phos-Chek foam remain closer to the minimum recommended concentration (0.1% v/v) to reduce adverse effects on the recruitment of sensitive species, particularly during dry autumns when leaching of this chemical is likely to be limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the social licence to operate (SLO) of Western Australia's (WA's) mining industry in the context of the state's ‘developmentalist’ agenda. We draw on the findings of a multi-disciplinary body of new research on the risks and challenges posed byWA's mining industry for environmental, social and economic sustainability. We synthesise the findings of this work against the backdrop of the broader debates on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and resource governance. In light of the data presented, this paper takes issue with the mining sector's SLO and its assessment of social and environmental impacts in WA for three inter-related reasons. A state government ideologically wedded to resource-led growth is seen to offer the resource sector a political licence to operate and to give insufficient attention to its potential social and environmental impacts. As a result, the resource sector can adopt a self-serving CSR agenda built on a limited win–win logic and operate with a ‘quasi social licence’ that is restricted to mere economic legitimacy. Overall, this paper problematises the political-cum-commercial construction and neoliberalisation of the SLO and raises questions about the impact of mining in WA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on the emerging field of evolutionary economic geography to offer insights into the transformation of rural economies. In particular, it focuses on the concepts of path dependence and resilience, and the ways in which these help to explain change within four case study local areas in rural Western Australia. The paper draws on recent advances in dynamic econometrics to examine the ways in the major economic shock of the late 1980s and early 1990s restructuring process ‘unlocked’ these local economies from existing development pathways and reshaped their trajectories. The paper finds that while common trends were evident across the four case study areas, the ways in which they responded and recovered from the shock were quite different reflecting the diverse ways in which multiscalar processes play out across rural space economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wide range of wetland types occur on the Swan Coastal Plain of Western Australia. They vary from basins, and flats, to slopes and channels, and vary in size, shape, water characteristics, sediment types, stratigraphy, vegetation, origin, and maintenance processes. The wetlands range from large linear lakes to small round or irregular seasonally damp wetland basins to seasonally flooded flats, to seasonally flooded or permanently flowing channels. Salinity ranges from fresh to saline to hyposaline; and recharge mechanisms from perching of surface-water to wetting and inundation by groundwater, as determined by regional features such as geology, geomorphology, soils, climate and hydrology, and local physical/chemical processes. The Swan Coastal Plain presents a bewildering array, diversity, and complexity of wetlands, but patterns and ordering can be recognised if the wetlands are aggregated into natural groups. The wetlands, in fact, have been aggregated into natural groupings termed 'consanguineous suites', resulting in some 30 different formally named wetland suites related to geomorphic setting varying, for instance, from interdune depressions on a beach-ridge plain (the Becher Suite), to karst-formed linear lakes in limestone-ridge country (the Yanchep Suite), to irregular to round, semi-interconnected basins on a quartz sand subdued dune system (the Jandakot Suite), to linear and round basins formed along the hydrological contact between limestone and quartz sand (the Bibra Suite), among others. The variety of wetland types on the Swan Coastal Plain represents geodiversity that needs to be addressed in geoheritage assessments of the State of Western Australia. Further, as repositories of Holocene to Pleistocene sedimentary sequences, the wetlands present significant reservoirs of information on wetland history, climate changes, and hydrochemical history, and are templates on wetland maintenance and functioning, diagnostic for their geologic/geomorphic setting useful for management of wetlands in Western Australia, nationally, and globally. From a global perspective, the diversity and array of consanguineous suites of the Swan Coastal Plain is unique. An understated aspect of the approach in identifying consanguineous suites of wetlands of the Swan Coastal Plain is that in their geological, geomorphological, and hydrological/hydrochemical setting they provide profound insights into gradual and uninterrupted wetland development, sedimentary filling and ecological functioning because, for a given east–west transect, they are located in the same climate setting but in different geologic/geomorphic and hydrochemical settings. They appear to be unrepresented globally, and therefore, in terms of geoheritage, are internationally significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Geochemical simulations of precipitation of uranyl-vanadate minerals from groundwater. • Hydrogeochemistry of uranium leaching, transportation and precipitation in palaeochannels. • Discussion of critical factors controlling calcrete uranium deposits. • Conceptual models of calcrete-hosted uranium systems. Abstract This three-part paper reports the results of geochemical modeling, prospectivity modeling and quantitative resources assessments of calcrete-hosted surficial uranium deposits in the palaeochannels of geologically, physiographically, and climatologically permissive part of Western Australia. In this Part 1, geochemical dynamics of uranium mobilization and precipitation in near-surface oxidized groundwater systems are reviewed in order to understand the processes responsible for precipitation of uranyl vanadate minerals in valley/lacustrine calcrete within palaeochannels in arid and semi-arid desertic regions. The review indicates that uranium precipitation is essentially a function of concurrent changes in three mutually interdependent parameters of groundwaters, namely, ∑ CO 2 (i.e. activities of all the carbonate bearing species), Eh-pH, and the activities of other ionic species. Geochemical modeling of groundwater data from northern part of the Yilgarn craton in Western Australia indicates that opening of the groundwater aquifer system to the atmosphere and consequent evaporation is likely the key process leading to precipitation of uranyl vanadate minerals in valley calcrete and playa lake sediments. Fluid mixing could also induce the precipitation below the water table, provided that the mixing groundwaters have contrasting geochemistry. These processes may operate in diverse geomorphic traps in palaeochannels. A generalized conceptual model of calcrete-hosted uranium systems is presented and regional-scale targeting criteria and their spatial proxies are identified, which, in turn, are used in Part 2 to develop a targeting model for calcrete-hosted uranium deposits in Western Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study describes the experiences of eight mothers from the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia who shared their stories of travelling and/or temporarily relocating for birth. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe rural and remote Western Australian mothers' experiences of travelling long distances and/or relocating to give birth. Design: This study was based on Crotty's four elements of qualitative research. This study was underpinned by a constructivist epistemology, a feminist theoretical lens and a narrative approach using semistructured, story‐based interviews. Participants narrated their stories of birthing away from home by telephone interview. Findings: Five major themes were identified utilising thematic analysis. These were (1) feeling forgotten in the system, (2) accessibility and choice, (3) compounded social isolation, (4) doing it hard: financial and logistical challenges and (5) building strength: advocating for myself and baby. Discussion: Mothers' stories were reflective of current and historical failures of rural maternal health policy, including widespread closures of rural birthing hospitals. Mothers described the logistical barriers they faced with little support and suggested multiple solutions that would improve their experiences. Conclusion: Mothers faced significant obstacles which impeded their access to equitable maternal healthcare. This study highlights the complexities of birthing as a rural mother and the need to address maternal health inequities between rural and metropolitan women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their significant contributions to parliament and the Western Australian community, the role of women in the WA public sphere has historically been overlooked due to cultural and structural prejudice. To remedy this erasure, this article assesses the body of scholarly work that has focused on women serving as members in the Parliament of WA. Finding that the literature identifies three phases of women's engagement with the Parliament of WA, these phases can be periodised as follows: the first is the 'age of individuals' where a select few pioneering women entered the parliament due to a variety of historical specificities. The second we term the 'age of Labor women', as the literature widely acknowledges that the 1983 Burke government adopted affirmative action policies that saw a significant increase of women MPs hailing from the Labor Party. The third we label the 'age of disappointment', as the literature underscores the bipartisan deprioritising of women's policy issues in the 1990s–2000s, alongside the existence of continuing barriers to gender equality in Australian parliamentary politics. Suggestions for further research are also identified, including the impact of neoliberalism on women's representation, and the emergence of intersectionality as a key paradigm in women's studies.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2021, two years after voluntary assisted dying (VAD) laws commenced in Victoria, Western Australia (WA) was the second Australian jurisdiction to permit VAD. While the two regimes are broadly similar, key differences exist. This article reports on findings from a qualitative study of WA participants with VAD experience across four stakeholder groups (patients and families; health practitioners; regulators and VAD system personnel; and health and professional organisation representatives), focusing particularly on participants' reflections on aspects of the WA VAD regime which differs from that in Victoria and the practical implications of those differences. Globally, participants viewed VAD as operating smoothly in Western Australia and, despite identifying some areas for improvement, that WA's model was more functional and accessible than Victoria's. By comparing two different VAD models, this article's findings add to growing empirical evidence about VAD in Australia and can inform future VAD reforms and reviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new crabronid wasps, Podagritus apivorus sp. n. and P. stuartae sp. n., are described from Western Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lacking human and financial resources to monitor every catch, regulatory agencies promote cooperative compliance among recreational and commercial fishers alike, via accessible information campaigns and user-friendly guides. However, it appears that a section of the fishing community is resistant to educational initiatives and continue to breach licence conditions and fisheries regulations. Fishing non-compliers engage in opportunistic activities, which individually may not be significant, however in aggregate, could potentially be a major economic and environmental threat to Australian fisheries. In most legal frameworks, breaches of licence conditions and fishing regulations have real and significant penalties which are designed to dissuade potential offenders. Therefore, to ensure these legal frameworks are effective, understanding drivers for non-compliance, and fishers' attitudes towards these civil and criminal penalty regimes, are important. This paper critically analyses results from primary survey data collected from a cross-section of West Australian recreational and commercial fishers about perceptions of sanctions for fisheries infringements. The research applies criminological theory to interpret the rationale contributing to a 'culture' of non-compliance among some fishers. It concludes that greater use of sanctions can play a role in encouraging a 'culture' favouring compliance. • Fisheries regulators rely on a culture of compliance to encourage adherence to fisheries legislation and regulations. • Fisheries management mechanisms are routinely adopted to prevent non-compliance. • Literature reveals a common culture of non-compliance across geographic locations and fisheries. • Results are drawn from a study of 945 participants to understand the culture of compliance among West Australian fishers. • Results improve understanding of non-compliance for this inshore fishery and how responses can encourage a compliant culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent scholarship has charted the dramatic social impact of mining booms and busts on local communities. Yet scant research addresses how mining economies shape different professions. This article ethnographically traces the careers of a doctor, a lawyer and a journalist during Western Australia's mining boom in the early 2000s. For vocally opposing a politically popular mining operation due to public health concerns, they were subject to backlash, which led to disillusionment and career changes. Their narratives share a pivotal shift: each expert initially conceptualised their role through a welfarist, liberal-democratic lens, underpinned by a moral imperative to disrupt imbalances of power, fight injustice and 'help people'. Yet the mining boom revealed and exacerbated the neoliberalisation of their respective disciplines, in which profits were maximised, businesses treated leniently and worker protections calculated dispassionately. These stories illuminate the lived experience of neoliberalisation, and the limits of individual professional resistance in a pro-mining political economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine adaptation to a dynamic business environment from the perspective of family and non-family firms. Furthermore, the study provides a comparative component and proposes a theoretical framework to understand firm adaptation, incorporating the dynamic capabilities approach. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured, in-depth, face-to-face interviews were undertaken predominantly with firm owners and managers of family and non-family-owned firms operating in Western Australia. Findings: Regardless of firms' family or non-family background, valuable, rare, imperfectly imitable and non-substitutable attributes were strongly associated with both groups. Moreover, expertise, tacit and new knowledge, innovation or established brand image emerged as key adaptive responses to challenges posed by new trends, consumer expectations, increased demand or competition. These attributes allowed firms to sense and seize opportunities, and experience transformational processes to remain competitive. Implications of the findings and future research directions will be discussed. Originality/value: First, and empirically, the study's objectives contribute to addressing extant research gaps, including scant research on methodologies and innovative approaches used by family firms to adapt to contemporary challenges. Thus, the study complements entrepreneurship scholarly discourses on firms' adaptation. Second, the chosen inductive approach results in the development of a framework, which also exhibits various relationships with the adopted dynamic capabilities approach. Both the findings and the developed framework enhance the understanding of adaptive behaviour among both family and non-family firms. Finally, the study contributes to the literature examining firms operating in geographically dispersed and isolated regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to examine physical activity and sedentary behaviours during Western Australia's COVID-19 lockdown and their association with mental well-being. Methods: Participants completed activity related questions approximately two months after a three-month lockdown (which formed part of a larger cross-sectional study from August to October 2020) as part of a 25-minute questionnaire adapted from the Western Australia Health and Well-being Surveillance system. Open-ended questions explored key issues relating to physical activity behaviours. Results: During the lockdown period, 463 participants (female, n = 347; 75.3%) reported lower number of active days (W = 4.47 p <.001), higher non-work-related screen hours per week (W = 11.8 p <.001), and higher levels of sitting time (χ2=28.4 p <.001). Post lockdown body mass index was higher (U = 3.0 p =.003), with obese individuals reporting the highest non-work-related screen hours per week (Wald χ2= 8.9 p =.012). Inverse associations were found for mental well-being where higher lockdown scores of Kessler-10 (p =.011), Dass-21 anxiety (p =.027) and Dass-21 depression (p =.011) were associated with lower physical activity levels. A key qualitative message from participants was wanting to know how to stay healthy during lockdown. Conclusions: Lockdown was associated with lower physical activity, higher non-work-related screen time and more sitting time compared to post lockdown which also reported higher body mass index. Lower levels of mental well-being were associated with lower physical activity levels during lockdown. Given the known positive affect of physical activity on mental well-being and obesity, and the detrimental associations shown in this study, a key public health message should be considered in an attempt to maintain healthy activity behaviours in future lockdowns and similar emergency situations to promote and maintain positive well-being. Furthermore, consideration should be given to the isolation of a community due to infectious disease outbreaks and to recognise the important role physical activity plays in maintaining weight and supporting good mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well-managed legume pastures play a crucial role in agricultural systems, contributing to strategies for the increasingly complex challenges of supplying meat and wool, improving soil fertility, increasing land use efficiency while minimising environmental impacts, and building system resilience. This paper examines the potential for a range of improved annual legume pasture species to deliver multiple benefits such as extending the length of the growing the season and closing feed gaps, boosting crop yields and farm profits, and contributing to natural resource management. Using MIDAS, a bioeconomic model of a crop-livestock farming system, we quantified the relative profitability and sustainability of five self-regenerating legume pasture scenarios − burr medic (Medicago polymorpha L.), bladder clover (Trifolium spumosum L.), French serradella (Ornithopus sativus L.), biserrula (Biserrula pelecinus L.) and common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) − against the baseline scenario of (mainly) subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) for the medium-rainfall region of Western Australia. The modelling indicated that profit gains of more than 25% were possible by using an improved self-regenerating legume option when compared to a subterranean clover-based pasture system. This could be achieved through greater utilisation of land under pastures and higher stocking rates while still maintaining a major cropping program. The whole-farm economic benefits of improved legume pastures resulted from land use adjustments to sustain more profitable cropping and livestock enterprises, and benefits were small at low stocking rates. The combination of additional feed at the start of the season and slower loss of energy values at the end of the season in the improved pasture scenarios was an important profit driver for the livestock enterprise. Other benefits included projected savings in nitrogen fertiliser for crops in rotation with the pasture, greater sheep carrying capacity, improved efficiencies in supplementary feed and labour costs per animal, lower groundwater recharge, and improved farm business resilience overall. Pastures with higher nutritional value could lead to reduced net emissions per DSE if they allow ruminants to reach finishing weight faster or improve reproductive efficiency. This whole-farm study expands previous work by comparing a broad range of annual legume pasture species developed for the soils and climatic conditions of Western Australia. The general principles behind changes in land use revealed by the MIDAS modelling have wide application beyond this Australian region, confirming the potential role of well-managed legume pastures for achieving sustainable intensification of agricultural systems, while offering sufficient flexibility for grazing systems to cope with climate variability. [Display omitted] • Pasture and livestock are integral to crop-dominated dryland farming systems in the Mediterranean bioclimates of Australia • Bioeconomic modelling examined the potential for five improved annual pasture legumes to deliver multiple whole-farm benefits • Biserrula, bladder clover and serradella outperformed in farm profit, flock size, N savings, feed/labour efficiency and NRM • Improved pasture legumes led to greater pasture utilisation driven by stock rates while maintaining a major cropping program • Well-managed improved legume pastures can increase economic value, resilience, and sustainability of farming systems [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]