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Information about several papers discussed at THETA (The Higher Education Technology Agenda) 2017 conference held on May 7–10, 2017, in Auckland, New Zealand, are presented. The topics included Information Technology, Library and Knowledge Management in tertiary education and research with subthemes including Digital Transformation and The Research Ecosystem. The conference features several speakers including beekeeper Nick Wallingford.

The article offers updates on the Pacific Maritime Security Programme, which is a follow-up to the Pacific Patrol Boat programme that sees the replacement of patrol boats from 2018. Topics mentioned include the rights of small Pacific Island Countries over their Exclusive Economic Zones, the Australia-New Zealand Cooperative agreement of 1944, and the 2016 Defence White Paper of the Australian Department of Defence released on February 25, 2016.

An editorial on the release of 2016 White Paper on February 25, 2016 is presented which provides coherent framework for a substantial increase in military spending to boost numbers of ADF and acquire more hardware. Topics discussed include issues related to spending 2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on military expenses, negative reaction of China to increase in Defence spending by Australia, and developing and building of high technology military equipment in Australia.

The article discusses issues related to 2013 Defence White Paper which has committed to the Offshore Combatant Vessels (OCV) project in Australia with procurement of an existing Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV). Topics discussed include comparison between the 2013 with that of the 2009 Defence White Paper, which had plans to introduce a class of 20 Offshore Combatant Vessels (OCV) under Project SEA 1180 for ship classes performing patrol duties and oceanographic survey.

The article reports that the Australian government has confirmed plans for investing in a new fleet of EW support aircraft that based on modified Gulfstream G550 commercial business jet platform and mentions release of the Integrated Investment Program in conjunction with the Defence White Paper.

The article discusses a defense white paper released by Australia to enhance its defense capabilities in areas such as intelligence, surveillance, cyber defense and weapons. Topics include plan of government of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to raise defense spending; its decision to help the U.S. in the Indo-Pacific region; decision to buy Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft; and its plans to increase the number of submarines and acquire electronic warfare aircraft for support jamming capability.

The article focuses on the goods and services (GST) and superannuation taxes reform in Australia. The changes to the GST base or rate would have to be taken to the 2016 election for Australians to accept or reject. GST reform is important as there are other state taxes governments can use to collect revenue.

The article discusses the 2013 Defence White Paper which provides information on the Australia's strategies for maintaining a capable Australian Defence Force (ADF). It informs that the White Paper doesn't discuss the less participation of local industries of Australia in manufacturing defence related products. It states that sustainment is not enough to develop experts in engineering and math's which has been recognized as a necessity by the Australian government for its defence capability.

The article examines whether the quota system is the right approach for Australia in its efforts to develop knowledge in Asian business practices. It says that when the Australian government released its white paper, "Australia in the Asian Century," one of the goals was that by 2025, one-third of board members of ASX 200 companies should have a deep experience in and knowledge of Asia. It questions the wisdom of such a goal because of its heavy slant towards Asian capabilities.

In this article, the editor presents the critical overview of the 2013 Defence White Paper of Australia. He mentions that continuation of manufacturing of naval ships will be a burden on the budget and states that addition of the Super Hornet aircrafts to the existing strike variants will reduce Joint Strike Fighter Jet numbers which will be a relief for the aircraft maker. He informs that it is unnecessary to launch the Future Submarine project as it is similar to the existing Collins class.

The article explores the leaked White Paper on Australia's defence budget model for 2013. On page eight of the White Paper, it stated that the defence budget model is realistic and appropriate for the uncertain fiscal circumstances of the country, but is still able to deliver the government's priorities. The author says the omission of SEA 1180, which aims to build 20 new multi-role naval vessels, is one interesting section of the White Paper.

The article reports on a white paper produced by consulting firm Milliman and financial research firm Lonsec which claims that most clients of financial planners in Australia are more concerned about managing their liabilities, rather than focusing on maximizing wealth.

The article explores the white paper released by the Asia Century on how Australia will be able successful as power shifts to Asia, which according to the author is the Gillard administration's last-ditch chance to show that it has vision.

The article discusses the factors which restrict the growth of the paperless office in Australia. It states that Australian consumption of cut reams of A4 paper has grown from 228,000 tonnes in 2002 to 251,000 tonnes in 2007 before dropping. According to Rob Bryant, sales manager at QA Software, the popularity of computer tablets make people more willing to skip paper and work solely on a virtual document.

The article discusses the vision set out by the Australian Water Association (AWA) for water efficiency. According to AWA's position paper, water efficiency and supply options must be considered as the country's highly variable and arising pressures will affect the security of water supplies in ways that are hard to predict. The author adds that the industry agreed efficiency measures should be carried out notwithstanding the levels of rainfall.

The article addresses the problem with the growth of government bonds in Australia and the effect of exporting Australian commonwealth government bonds (ACGB) on the Australian dollar.

The article lists five questions that should be asked to a stationery supplier, particularly in Australia, including the availability of an online ordering platform, their discount offering for bulk orders, and their ability to maintain continuous supply of their paper products.

A table is presented that lists the suppliers of stationery products in Australia, including Australian Stationery Supplies, Cumberland Stationery and Invitation House.

This section offers news briefs on issues related to management. Australian Institute of Management released the paper "Managing in a Flexible Work Environment" regarding the underrepresentation of women in senior management roles. A survey of information technology contractors was conducted by the Information Technology Contract and Recruitment Association. A survey of businesses was conducted by the Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Commonwealth Bank.

The author comments on the paper by Treasury economist David Gruen which reports on Australia's failing productivity, its causes and how it can be resurrected. She discusses the impact of the region's low productivity to the economy. She offers insight on the need for firms to improve their productivity.

The article presents the author's views on the 2012 Defense Capability Plan (DCP) in Australia. He comments that a large credibility problem is surrounding the government due to its failures to deliver on previous DCP. He remarks on a noteworthy feature of the DCP that it has been released in advance of the Defense White Paper.

The article focuses on the submarine plans in the new Defense White Paper (DWP) announced by the Australian government in 2009. It is noted that the restoration of a reliable and deployable capability will be the first and foremost aim of the first batch of new submarines. It is mentioned that the development and promulgation of an acquisition strategy to re-establish a reliable submarine warfare capability would be included in the first phase.

The article stresses the need for more federal support for medical technology companies in Australia. A paper published by the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA) suggests strategies on how to ensure a sustainable medical technology industry. The MTAA proposes an increase in export of medical technology products to meet the growing demand across Asia. The organization also favors a collaborative approach to thinking about the future of the industry.

The author discusses the need for Australia's business law industry to move from paper-based documents to electronic formats in order to make legal processes simpler and shorter. Ways in which the use of technology may make notices of investor communications more user friendly are addressed. Federal Attorney General Nicola Roxon's observations that contract law's adaptation to technological innovations is a way to better facilitate participation in the digital economy is also mentioned.

The article reports on the review in the area of contract law being conducted in Australia. A discussion paper was released by Attorney-General Nicola Roxon calling for submissions ahead of proposed reforms to contract law. Roxon says the country's contract law need to support businesses in creating a culture of innovation, embracing technology and looking for new trading opportunities.

The article reports that Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) is now ready to join the debate about the future of Australian cities. The core of AIA's campaign is that design needs to be front and centre of every planning, building and development decision. In March 2011, they contributed a 35-page submission to the federal Major Cities Unit in response to the "Our Cities" consultation paper.

The article presents information on the opportunity posed by greyfields to construction companies, builders and urban renewal in Australia, as indicated in a discussion paper that was commissioned by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute in 2011.

The article reports on the paper released by the non-profit recruitment organization Aboriginal Employment Strategy in Australia in 2011, which counters the traditional negative stereotypes of young Aborigines.

The article reports on a decline in spending of American and British tourists in Australia, according to the paper "Tourism Outlok: Australia" released by Visa in 2011.

The article reports that forestry and agricultural conglomerate Gunns has received the final environmental approval from the Australian government for its planned pulp mill in northern Tasmania.

The article reports on the plan of Australia Department of Defence to acquire AIR 7000 aircraft. The plan aims to parallel the U.S. Navy's Broad Area Maritime Surveillance programme and to provide a Maritime Patrol and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance. Moreover, the plan was also announced by the Rudd government at the release of the Defence White Paper in May 2009.

The article discusses the performance of the top 500 private companies in Australia as of August 2010. It claims that superannuation funds in the insurance sector have posted a strong recovery in 2010 with an overall growth of 337% and a total revenue of 48 billion dollars. It highlights the exemplary performances of such companies as AustralianSuper, paper and packaging firm Visy Industries and UniSuper.

The article discusses the Australian study related to supplying spectacles to elderly patients on falls. It examines whether there was any association between falls and the type of lens worn. It states the key recommendation of the paper which states that older multifocal wearers who regularly take part in outdoor activities should be dispensed single-vision (SV) spectacles as a falls prevention strategy. However, supplying multiple pairs spectacle is a potential cause of confusion.

The article discusses how water retailer South East Water in Australia reduced its annual printing waste. It states that by consolidating its printing and photocopying equipment under a new office equipment leasing deal, the company saves 2000 A4 pieces of paper per person, per year. Chief information officer Marcus Darbyshire has introduced new printing practices in the company which the staff supported. Under the follow me printing system, an employee needs to swipe the building access card at the printer before items are printed.

The article features Simon Burton, a developer of software which provide Wall Street day traders with the data they need to make split-second decisions. It states that software developers have played a key role in the local sharemarket since the adoption of a computerised trading system by the Australian Securities Exchange on October 19, 1987. His career as a capital markets software developer at National Information and Communications Technology Australia started when he presented a paper on software development at a conference.

The article reports on the initiative launched by Australian company EcoQuest to make diapers and all personal care products compostable.

The article describes how Anthony Pratt, the grandson of the founder of the Pratt family's flagship business Visy Australasian paper, packaging and recycling company. Anthony is said to be well aware of the saying that it is the second generation who expands the business while the third generation squanders it and so he is out to prove that this is not so. In many ways, Anthony is reportedly following in the footsteps of his father, Richard, who had expanded the company.

The article discusses the impact of the National Legal Profession Reform (NLPR) paper in Australia. The draft legislation is expected to create a more standardized legal profession in Australia and is pending for review with the Coalition of Australian Governments and the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General. Legal groups like the Law Council of Australia and the Law Society of New South Wales are being consulted on several issues of reform in the legislation's provision including the business structure of law firms.

The article offers information on the effort of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to provide right intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities solutions for the security of Australia. It notes that the White Paper released by the ADF focused on the challenges in surveillance and armed maritime responses. According to the 2009 Defence Capability Plan (DCP), the country is planning to acquire eight military-off-the-shelf maritime patrol and response aircraft through a government-to-government cooperative programme in 2013-2016. Former Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon stressed that the upgrades into digital version and introduction of an improved propulsion system have enhanced the reliability and the overall performance of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The article offers information about the Future Submarine Program (ESP) proposed under SEA 1000 and the other submarine projects in Australia and Asia Pacific. It notes that ESP supplies 12 submarines with improvements in their operational capabilities. It points out that Chapter 9 of the Defense White Paper (DWP) was amended on May 2009 for significant information on the performance and characteristics for FSP. It stresses that the Netherlands focuses on improving its indigenous market. Other military technologies are also included including the attack submarines U212/212A, U-214, and Pem Cell Battery.

The article discusses the challenges and problems in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines. It cites a paper "Keeping Australia's Options Open in Constrained Strategic Circumstances," in which Submarine Institute of Australia said that the lack of Australian nuclear industry, acquisition and operational cost, and public and political problems hinder them to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. It indicates that the Australia government prioritizes on the defence of Australia by increasing the security of the air and sea approaches to the country. It notes that the non-nuclear submarine stands out as an option for underwater warfare.

The article discusses various reports published within the issue including, one on the 17th "BRW" Top 500 Private Companies in Australia in 2009, one on the finalists as well as the winners of the BRW ANZ Private Business Awards in 2009, and one on the research paper on the Private Business Research which features the resilience of the industry during the economic downturn.

This article focuses on the controversy concerning publisher Elsevier that emerged from a publishing venture in Australia. A civil suit was filed by consumer Graeme Peterson against Merck and its Australian subsidiary Merck, Sharp & Dohme Australia for the negative health effects while taking painkiller Vioxx from Merck. There are now questions on Merck's marketing strategy for the drug through a publication owned by Elsevier. An article on the Internet revealed that money was paid to Elsevier to publish papers favoring Vioxx.

The article focuses on the issues regarding regulatory reform for the telecommunications industry in Australia that may force structural separation of Telstra Corp. Ltd. It notes that growing response for the discussion paper on the telecommunications regulatory reform issued in April 2009 is putting a lot of pressure to the federal government. However, Telstra contends that the claims for functional, structural or any kind of separation of the company is unwarranted.

The article offers world news briefs related to the electronic warfare (EW) industry. The Italian leaders have approved the upgrades to be made to its F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft and its Joint Airborne Multisensor Multi-mission System. The Australian government has released a paper titled "Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030," on April 19, 2009. A defense program to develop and produce radars, military avionics and EW systems was signed by EADS and Larsen & Toubro Ltd.

The article profiles Anthony Pratt, the richest person in Australia in 2009 with a $4.30 billion worth of wealth. Anthony has taken the executive role of the manufacturing and investment business of the Pratt family following his father's death, Richard Pratt on April 28, 2009. Anthony handles the Pratt Industries USA Inc. in Georgia and shares ownership of the paper recycling and manufacturing company Visy Industries Inc. with his mother Jeanne and siblings Fiona and Heloise Waislitz.

The article focuses on a defense white paper by Australia, which indicated the country's plan to strengthen and reorient its defense forces. The paper included an assessment of risks in the Asian balance of power out to 2030 and described plans to adopt land-attack missiles as a strategic strike force based on a fleet of larger and more numerous warships and to replace the Royal Australian Air Force's combat aircraft. Maritime patrol missions are set to use long-endurance drones and Boeing P-8 Poseidons.

The article reports on a defense white paper which included recommendations for a domestic surveillance satellite capacity in Australia. The document urges the Australian government to prioritize the expansion of its space capabilities and acquire access to high-quality imagery to support mapping, charting, navigation and targeting activities. According to defense planners, the country would still rely on U.S. space imagery but would acquire domestic capacity in order to ensure timely access to desired data.

The article reports on the impact of the increasing number of companies sourcing paper packaging from overseas in the local packaging industry in Australia. It is said that prices and revenue have decreased in the wake of growing import penetration. It is expected that the revenue of the industry will decline by 2.9% to $2.6 billion. It is also anticipated that there will be a big change in generic labels and environmental issues will remain.