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Purpose: School consolidation reforms are underway in regional New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The purpose of this paper is to establish an evidence base of research literature on school consolidation in regional, rural and remote locations. Design/methodology/approach: A scoping study of empirical literature on school consolidation, with a particular focus on regional, rural and remote education, since the year 2000 was undertaken. A corpus of 35 papers were identified and subjected to analysis based on: year of publication, country of origin, unit of analysis, data sources, timeframe and theoretical model. Findings: There remains a limited evidence base for the success of school consolidation reforms for turning around student outcomes. In addition, a number of social implications are experienced by communities losing their local school. These issues are amplified in regional, rural and remote locations. Practical implications: School consolidation reforms are used by governments/systems wanting to reduce costs and address issues of student disengagement and under-achievement. Despite a lengthy history internationally, there is at best mixed evidence regarding these reforms. With a consider disparity gap between urban and regional, rural and remote school outcomes, robust evidence on the success of reforms has major policy implications for government, systems, educators and communities. Originality/value: With reforms already underway in NSW (and elsewhere), the need for a rigorous and robust evidence base, such as this scoping study, is timely and significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to examine driving retirement and its impact on the well-being of older citizens. The concepts of value creation and destruction are used to understand older consumers' experiences with the self-service consumption activity of driving. This paper formally introduces the concept of value re-creation, as a means of restoring the overall value lost from the destruction of certain components of previous value structures. In doing so, this paper explores the different ways that resources across the micro, meso and macro levels of the ecosystem can be re-aligned, in order for older citizens to maintain their well-being after driving retirement. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative, individual-depth interview approach was undertaken with 26 participants living in New South Wales, Australia. The participants comprised of both drivers approaching driving retirement age, as well as driving retirees. Thematic analysis was undertaken to analyse the data. Findings: The findings identified that emotional value in the forms of freedom, independence/autonomy and enjoyment, functional value in the forms of convenience and mobility and community value are created from driving. Driving retirement destroys certain components of this value (e.g. enjoyment and convenience) irrevocably, however freedom, independence/autonomy, mobility and social connectedness can still be maintained through re-aligning resources across the micro, meso and macro levels of the ecosystem. New components of value are also created from driving retirement. These include peace of mind, which contributes to the re-creation of the emotional value dimension, and cost savings, which creates the new value dimension of economic value. These changes to the value structure effectively re-create the overall value obtained by individuals when they retire from driving. Originality/value: The main contribution of this work is the formal introduction of the concept of value re-creation at the overall and value dimension level, and development of a conceptual model that explains how this value re-creation can occur. The model shows the resource contributions required across all levels of the ecosystem, expanding on existing conceptualisations that have predominantly focussed on resource contributions at the individual and service levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how Harry Messel, Harold Wyndham, L.C. Robson and Robert Menzies were instrumental in bringing about substantial change in science curriculum and infrastructure reform in NSW schools. Design/methodology/approach – The paper relies on substantial archival research including materials never before examined or used by historians of education history. The paper is divided into sections, the first uses teacher surveys and identifies problems with science teaching in 1958, a key year in education history and each section after that looks at the contribution of Wyndham, Messel, Robson and Menzies in driving a new direction for science education. Findings – The research found that Wyndham, Messel, Robson and Menzies each contributed a new dimension to the reform of science education in Australia. Their individual contributions were substantial, inter-related and interlocking but quite different. The paper argues that it is not adequate to look at science education reform purely as a means to introduce State Aid, rather science education reform was advocated as a means to ensure students had a scientific literacy going forward into a technologically driven future. Research limitations/implications – The research strikes a path through a vast primary source record to outline how individuals and science teachers more generally believed in science education reform as a mechanism to ensure students were better placed to enter a post-Sputnik world. As a result, known arguments around State Aid are only part of the story and not the main focus of the research. The aim is to supplement that knowledge by looking more at a broader picture for science reform for its own sake. Originality/value – This paper takes an original approach to the history of curriculum change by providing a broader context for the State Aid debate, that is, by focussing on individual contributions to science education reform for its own sake and because science education was deemed necessary for student literacy in the future. At the same time it uses archival material never before accessed or used to tease out this history. The teachers’ surveys provide a unique insight into conditions for science teachers in the late 1950s. This material has not been accessed before and it provides a context upon which to superimpose the impact of the contributions of Wyndham, Messel, Robson and Menzies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to explore the interaction between a liminal rural Australian city (Lithgow) and the development of higher education options across the city's history. The paper proposes a nuanced interaction between national, social, religious, political, regional and local forces to explain why an industrial city such as Lithgow, with obvious educational strengths, would be overlooked while others (such as Wollongong and Bathurst) were not. Design/methodology/approach -- The paper takes the form of a longitudinal study of educational institutions, placed in their historical contexts, in order to demonstrate the fluctuation of educational vision with the rise and fall of socio-economic contributors to the town's fortunes. Findings -- The paper finds that the city's formation and dependence on war-related industries created boom-bust cycles which negatively impacted on its entrepreneurial, managerial and working class elites, and so on its ability to bring cultural and political influence to bear in the formation of local higher education options, across a period in which higher education becomes an increasingly federal responsibility. Practical implications -- The paper suggests policy ramifications for the support of higher education options in the city. Social implications -- The paper supports the interpretation that it is not merely that education itself promotes social mobility, but that what type of education is important, along with an eye to how education contributes to the overall well-being and cross-class profile of the city of Lithgow. Originality/value -- This paper fills a gap in historical knowledge about Lithgow's educational institutions, the study of which heretofore has tended to be located with either labor historical or heritage approaches. This paper takes a socio-cultural and longitudinal/holistic approach which brings together a variety of approaches previously not treated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Patient-centred care is a key approach used in Australia for the delivery of quality health care, and understanding experiences and perceptions is a key part to this. This paper aims to explore prisoners' experiences and perceptions of health-care service provision in New South Wales, Australia.Design/methodology/approach: In February and March 2017, 24 focus groups, consisting of 128 participants, were undertaken using semi-structured interviews that explored experiences of health care in prison.Findings: A conceptualisation of the prisoners' health-care experience around the core category of access to health care emerged from the data. Enablers or barriers to this access were driven by three categories: a prison construct - how the prisoners "see" the prison system influencing access to health care; a health-care system construct - how the prisoners "see" the prison health-care system and the pathways to navigate it; and personal factors. Communication was the category with the greatest number of relational connections.Research Limitations/implications: This study takes a pragmatic approach to the analysis of data, the findings forming the basis for a future quantitative study. The findings identify communication as a key issue for access to health care.Originality/value: This study provides first-hand accounts of enablers and barriers to accessing health-care services in the prison environment. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to identify access to health care as a core category and is of value to health workers and researchers that work with the prison population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the processes and relationships between school councils and school leadership teams in the local governance of 18 independent, faith-based schools in New South Wales, Australia. Design/methodology/approach: A three-phase, mixed-method research design was used incorporating development of a conceptual framework for local school governance drawn from current literature, face-to face interviews with chairs of school councils and principals, and a subsequent survey of school council members and within-school leadership teams. Findings: Noting a lack of research into the practices and processes of school council operations and their interface with school leadership, the study identified five key areas that were seen to be foundational to the effectiveness of local governance. Research limitations/implications: The study contributes an Australian perspective to an international need to better understand local governance arrangements in school leadership and management. Practical implications: At a practical level, the study provides valuable insights to principals, and to those aspiring to the role, on the nature of the relationship between the school council and school leadership teams. Social implications: The study responds to a marked increase internationally in local governance arrangements for schools by way of school councils or boards. Originality/value: A review of literature reveals that, somewhat surprisingly, there has been relatively little research undertaken in this key area of leading and managing schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to trace debates between state and federal governments, and community stakeholders, leading to the establishment and abolition of the first attempt at a university for Western Sydney, established as Chifley University Interim Council. Design/methodology/approach - The historical analysis draws from published papers, oral history accounts, and original documents in archives of the University of Sydney and the University of Western Sydney. Findings - Higher education reform in the 1980s in Australia was fought out as an extension of broader issues such as "States rights", the rising political power of peri-urban regions, long-standing tensions between state and Commonwealth bureaucracies, and the vested interests of existing tertiary education and community groups. Originality/value - This is the only existing study of attempts to found Chifley University, and one of the few available studies which take a social and contextual approach to understanding the critical reforms of the 1980s leading up to the Dawkins Reforms of 1988-1990. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to identify, and explore the importance of, ethical and socially responsible (ESR) factors in Australian consumers' choices of grocery products and stores. Design/methodology/approach -- Following an earlier study in the UK, an initial qualitative investigation, then a survey of grocery shoppers in New South Wales, was conducted. Factor analysis explored the structure of the choice factors for grocery products and stores in "main" and "top-up" shopping situations. Finally, four multiple regression equations measured the effects of these factors. Findings -- This paper finds that, when "top-up" shopping, ESR consumers are less discriminating than when "main" shopping. The provision of ethically farmed produce has most influence on store choice when "main" shopping, while retailers' fair trading and environmentally responsible policies have the greatest influence when "topping-up". The ethical provenance of goods is the most important factor in product choice. Research limitations/implications -- The constructs developed need to be validated internationally. Practical implications -- The two large Australian retail grocers may benefit by developing roles as "choice editors" on behalf of their ESR customers; whilst smaller retailers may gain advantage by concentrating on community-based, environmentally friendly and fair trading policies. Manufacturers of grocery products may benefit by emphasizing their products' ESR provenance and their organisations' ethical policies. Originality/value -- This is the first study of its kind in Australia. It contributes to the development of an internationally relevant set of ESR shopping choice factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – While ageing with an intellectual (learning) disability has been subject to increased research in recent years, there remains little knowledge regarding the daily practice issues that disability workers struggle most to support in this cohort. The purpose of this paper is to gain feedback directly from staff regarding the problems they experience in daily work, and to evaluate whether any changes to legislation or practice could potentially alleviate identified areas of concern. Design/methodology/approach – A Delphi project was conducted over three rounds with participants from rural areas of New South Wales (NSW). The panel was composed of support workers who assist people ageing with a learning disability. Participants were asked their perceptions of the main practice issues facing them while they provide support. Findings – The panel identified 29 issues that were considered problematic in the provision of support to people ageing with a learning disability. A thematic analysis indicated three main themes of access to services; time constraints; and funding. Research limitations/implications – The participants in this study were all disability workers employed by non-government organisations in rural NSW, and as such, many of the issues identified may be specific to this population cohort and geographic setting. Any generalisation of these results to other locations or populations must be considered within these limitations. Originality/value – Identification of the issues facing disability staff may facilitate government, health care providers and disability organisations to proactively plan to address current and future problem areas. The consequent effect of improving practices can assist individuals to receive better support and lead to a corresponding improvement in their quality of life. The current implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in Australia is an ideal opportunity for cross-sectoral collaboration to change practice to facilitate better support for a highly vulnerable group of the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: As part of a broader qualitative study on well-being and social support, the study reported here explored the issue of principal well-being to provide further insight into the concerns of principals. Its aim was to identify aspects of the principal role that impact on well-being. Design/methodology/approach: A phenomenological approach was used to study the experiences of the principals. Eight primary school principals in New South Wales, Australia participated in semi-structured interviews that examined this area and identified aspects of their leadership role that influence their well-being. Purposive sampling was used to ensure representation in terms of gender and school size. Findings: Five themes emerged as the key concerns of the principals: the responsibility of the role; managing people; feelings of isolation; the stress caused by the role; and prioritising the well-being of staff. Comments from the principals highlight how each of these areas is experienced. Originality/value: Identifying and exploring these concerns added to the extant research on principal well-being by providing detail on the specific experiences of principals. The study also offers a basis to consider how the current situation may be improved by addressing the well-being concerns that are common, as well as highlighting areas that warrant further research attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore characteristics of men procuring sexual services from women. Design/methodology/approach - This is a quantitative study using questionnaires and purposive sampling. The sample was from New South Wales, Australia, and included brothels and outreach organisations where sex work is decriminalised. The participants were 309 men who reported procuring sexual services with women. Findings - Primary motivations for procurement included thrill/excitement and attractiveness of the sex worker. Cluster analysis identified five groups, the most frequent being those with a drive for exciting, thrill-seeking sex with an attractive partner and those with the same drive but not wanting investment. High proportions of men were married, in professional employment and did not present with a criminal history. Sexual experiences procured were conventional. Procurement presented as an enduring behaviour maintained across decades, commencing at a young age. Involvement in procurement preceded decriminalisation. Practical implications - The results do not support men's procurement as primarily "deviant". Professionals may need to explicitly enquire about such behaviour where relevant to do so (e.g. in discussing sexual health) and in doing so ensure procurement is discussed as normative and not as unusual behaviour. Originality/value - Challenges any conceptualisation of procurement as deviant, extending the research base further by capturing users of such services as opposed to attitudes towards procurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigates the relationship between aged care accommodation pricing options (refundable accommodation deposits (RADs), daily accommodation payment (DAPs) and concessional) and the profitability of aged care facilities. Design/methodology/approach: Data are obtained from 33 aged care facilities across New South Wales in Australia. This study uses multivariate regression for analyses. Findings: The estimation results suggest that higher level of RADs has a negative and significant relationship with profitability of aged care facilities. The authors also find that concessional pricing option is positively associated with higher profitability. Originality/value: These findings may benefit aged care operators by reviewing their strategies and portfolios to enhance their financial performance. The results are also useful to the Australian Government to further explore how the removal of RADs may transform the aged care sector's profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose--This paper aims to reflect on the boundaries of corporate responsibility in the outsourcing relationships between chain stores, transport companies and owner-driver truck operators. Design/methodology/approach--Fictional prose. Findings--Finds that questions about corporate social responsibility and accountability for driver safety remain unanswered by the 2005 New South Wales Parliament's Stay-safe Committee's Inquiry into Road Safety Administration in New South Wales. Research limitations/implications--Encourage further research into the social effects of transport industry accounting practices particularly in terms of exploring links between performance measurement and road safety. Originality/value--A creative reflection on performance measurement and corporate accountability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This research seeks to understand the potential impact to investors from government responses to climate change risk, as reflected in changes to planning processes made after significant weather events. Design/methodology/approach: The research examines the land planning responses within a select local government authority ("LGA") area following four significant weather events, in order to identify any changes made, and the impact on future development proposals. The LGA selected is the Central Coast Council, which is a coastal LGA in the Australian State of New South Wales. The research engaged with the publicly accessible records available on the Central Coast Council, Australian Bureau of Meteorology and other websites; and extant literature. Findings: The research reveals that some adjustments were made by the Central Coast Council, and or the State government, to relevant laws, policies and processes following these events. These changes, however, tended to focus on imposing additional requirements on future development applications, rather than on requiring changes to current structures, or prohibiting further development works. Research limitations/implications: The research has three limitations: (1) land law in Australia varies, as each State and Territory, and LGA, has specific laws, policies and processes; (2) as laws and policies are subject to change, it was necessary to select points in time at which to engage with those laws and processes; and (3) COVID-19's impact on domestic Australian travel [the authors could not travel interstate] meant only documents available on the Internet were considered, however, not all documents relating to development; or changes to laws and processes were easily accessible online. As the research focussed on one case study area, this may limit the applicability of the results to other areas. However, as extreme events are international, the related issues are a concern in all areas. Practical implications: This research confirms the results of other extant research, which observed that some risks cannot be properly mitigated, such that any development in an at-risk area remains at risk. It also identifies that more current, accurate and publicly accessible data are required to enable investors to more easily and accurately identify all risks affecting a property. Originality/value: The research provides a snapshot of one LGA's response to the physical risks arising from climate change events. As investors and other organisations integrate and build up their analysis of climate risks to their portfolios and organisations, governments become more aware of the long-term effects of climate change and consistently with extant research; this research indicates that a greater awareness is required of current risks and action to manage the short-term effects and cost challenges, in addition to the long-term adaptation requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates the environmental reporting practices of a sample of twenty Australian companies which were subject to success prosecution by the New South Wales and Victorian Environmental Protection Authorities (EPA). The authors analyzed the annual reports of the companies for each of the years from 1990 to 1993. In order to determine the extent of environmental disclosures within the companies' annual reports, the authors reviewed the entire reports thoroughly for any disclosures related to their interaction with the environment. Environmental disclosures constitute part of what frequently are labeled social responsibility disclosures which can include, among other things, disclosures relating to the interaction between an organization and its physical and social environment inclusive of disclosures relating to human resources, community involvement, the natural environment, energy, and product safety. The amount of environmental disclosure in each case was determined by the use of content analysis, individual words being the unit of measurement.

This article researches the effect that secondary heads of departments (HoD) have on academic achievement in public high school students in New South Wales, Australia. The article examines the role of HoDs as one that is responsible for implementing educational change and argues that HoDs should receive training to help them move into being both a manager and an educator. The research was conducted under the auspices of An Exceptional Schooling Outcomes Project (AESOP), which is sponsored by he Australian Research Council. The role of HoDs in organizing their departments and writing policies that deal with student discipline and educational resources.