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National uniform legislation exists in federations to implement national reforms where the central government does not have the direct authority to legislate under the Constitution. The State jurisdictions must work together on legislation to address urgent issues of national concern, national uniform legislation. Developing and drafting national uniform legislation are complicated and complex because they require the cooperation of many units with asymmetrical knowledge, competing priorities, limited budgets and timeframes, and at times irreconcilable differences. Empirical data analysis and statistics could provide an aid for decision-making in these circumstances. On examination of a large body of legal information on the 69 most significant Australian national reforms, this article finds factors that inhibit or promote sustainable uniformity of enacted legislation by using ordinal regression for the first time. This work provides significant evidence-based insights into the process of harmonisation in federations. Overall, our findings contradict the general belief that the uniformity is mostly dependent on structures alone (referred, applied, mirror, and hybrid). If sustainable uniformity is the goal,the decision-makers must allow resources for establishing the national regulator, ensure maximum uptake by the majority of the nine Australian jurisdictions, support the development of national uniform legislation through the National Cabinet, and be prepared for the second wave of national reforms through consecutive reforms. These findings have valuable strategic implications for policymakers, law reform agencies, and legislative drafters who intend to rely on evidence for future decision-making in terms of the most important national reforms. This paper provides recommendations for governments intending to ensure the sustainability of uniformity and adaptability of the Australian legislation for any future changes without losing the important consensus that has been achieved. The findings are also important for other federations seeking to implement harmonised legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper, which is based on literature and documentary survey, explores civilian police oversight mechanisms in Europe, Australia and Africa. The paper reveals that Europe has several nations with independent institutions to investigate police misconduct; thought there is limited empirical research on the effectiveness of these institutions. Independent police oversight institutions in Australia have limited investigative powers and they are more of review boards. Two African countries- Kenya and South Africa have independent institutions to investigate police misconduct, though the effectiveness of these two institutions has been questioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mothering and motherhood can be a very challenging experience in the 21st century, where cultural pressures, on the one hand, and health experts' regular parenting surveillance, on the other, continue to influence mothering decisions and practices. The socially constructed "good mother" discourses and associated pressures/influences can be amplified for vulnerable mothers who may feel marginalized from or judged by the broader society. This article presents findings from a study that involved interviews with ten young mothers and 12 staff working at a leading family welfare agency supporting young parents in Melbourne, Australia. The study examined how digital technology could promote a sense of agency for vulnerable mothers as well as barriers and enablers of accessing digital knowledge and online parenting support. In addition, the study explored how technology could assist community organizations' staff in helping their clients better. This paper argues that, overall, digital technologies can positively influence the experience of mothering and can empower vulnerable mothers by increasing their access to various sources of support. Furthermore, our findings suggest that technology can enhance community and family service providers' practice, opening possibilities for a more supportive relationship with clients by empowering them and increasing agency over their situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood poverty matters—not only because of the disturbingly high number of children affected, but also because of the deleterious impact on their human flourishing, both now and in the future. Effectively addressing child poverty requires clear identification of the nature and causes of the problem, as well as an understanding of how it is experienced. This paper aims to deepen understanding of child poverty, by drawing on key elements of a capability approach, rights-based approaches, and feminist standpoint theory, and empirical research. It is grounded in the findings of rights-based, participatory research with children aged between 7 and 15 years in Indonesia and in Australia, which cast new light on the dimensions of poverty that are most egregious from a child-driven standpoint. It presents a three-dimensional typology of material, opportunity, and relational poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]