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

In Australia, the precarity of the aged care sector has been well documented over several decades. During this time, policy reforms have ultimately landed care, and the business of providing it, within a market model. Following recent evidence produced by the Royal Commission into Aged Care and Safety and the COVID‐19 Senate Committee, this model and the sector's incapacity to consistently deliver appropriate care has been the subject of intense public scrutiny and debate. The many COVID‐19‐related deaths of aged care residents have added to demands for urgent action to redress the sector's weaknesses, particularly those relating to workforce adequacy. This paper presents findings from a recent mixed methods study of community aged care provision by five providers who operate across a large rural part of regional Victoria. It utilises data to illustrate the impact of rural location on care provision, and significantly, on local capacity to maintain an appropriately skilled workforce. Demographic factors and funding shortfalls for consumers with multiple, complex care needs underscore the need for strategic planning to ensure workforce adequacy into the future. Encouragingly, our data showcase the many capacities of community aged services in this rural area and the opportunity to develop effective strategies relative to the recruitment and retention of direct care workers and the design of best practice models for meeting complex care needs. In Australia, the precarity of the aged care sector has been well documented over several decades. This paper provides findings from a mixed methods study conducted in rural Victoria. The data showcase the many capacities of rural community aged care providers and the opportunities for effective workforce strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

In recent months in Australia there has been extended debate about whether the age pension, particularly with regard to single pensioners, is sufficiently high to allow older Australians to attain an acceptable standard of living. This is an important policy consideration given Australia’s rapidly ageing population. By using microdata and microsimulation models, this paper examines the national and spatial impacts on the distribution of poverty among older single people of an increase in the single age-pension rate. This paper shows that the cost of increasing the single age-pension to 66 per cent of the couple-age pension rate would be about $A1.3 billion and would benefit about 824,000 single age-pensioners. Further, it is estimated that such an increase would reduce poverty rates for lone older persons from 46.5 per cent to 36.5 per cent, a 10-percentage point reduction. Looking at the spatial distribution of such benefits, the effect of the policy change seems to be generally stronger in capital cities, and in bands of rural areas in New South Wales and Victoria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

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

The purpose of this paper is to examine the positive impact that the creation of food processing hubs can have on "smart specialisation" on the economic development of regional Australia. The analysis looks at two existing developments in Australia, as well as providing an economic evaluation of another "regional hub" that is currently being proposed. Our paper provides an economic impact analysis of the proposed establishment of a food processing hub in Victoria. It presents an analysis on its impact both at a regional level (Gippsland), and more widely across Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

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

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

Victoria's Regional Management Forums were established in 2005 to facilitate collaboration between Victorian Government departments and local government in each of Victoria's eight administrative regions. At the time they were established, Regional Management Forums were a pioneering experiment in collaborative governance. Seven years after their establishment, this paper examines the Regional Management Forums to consider how they have evolved, what role they now serve, and what lessons can be learned. This paper finds that Victoria's Regional Management Forums have been able to adapt to an evolving policy and governance context. While not without their challenges, Regional Management Forums have given rise to regional-scale thinking and collaborative relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of digital dermatitis (DD) in Victoria, Australia, and to investigate which organisms are consistent with typical DD lesions. The prevalence and causative pathogens of DD are not clear yet in Australia and this paper is one of the first to explore these questions in this country. Methods: Examination and sampling of limbs was undertaken at three knackeries in Victoria, Australia. Limbs were classified as normal (N), active DD‐lesion (A), dried or chronic DD‐lesion (D) or suspected case of DD (S). A total of 823 cows were examined. Six skin biopsies were taken at each knackery, from which DNA was extracted for diversity profiling. Histochemical staining of samples was performed on eight of the skin biopsies. Results: DD was detected in 29.8% of all cows. The prevalence of DD was significantly higher in dairy cows (32.2%) than in beef cows (10.8%). The differential abundance of Treponema‐species was significantly increased in dried lesions, compared with the normal skin biopsies. Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Tenericutes were found to be significantly different in abundance in the DD lesions compared with normal skin biopsies. Silver staining of samples showed only mild inflammation and in two samples organisms with morphology consistent with Spirochaetes were detected. Conclusions: The calculated prevalence indicates that DD is present in Victoria, Australia. The results of diversity profiling showed that the presence of Treponema‐species was significantly different between the samples of DD lesions and normal skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eggs are a largely neglected life stage in most ecological studies of aquatic insects, despite the importance of oviposition behaviour and fecundity estimates for many research questions. Incorporating egg stages into ecological research requires that ecologists can identify and quantify eggs, but descriptions of eggs and egg masses are scarce for many groups and particularly for Australian taxa. This paper focusses on stream‐dwelling caddisflies in the family Hydrobiosidae and provides species‐level identifications, morphological descriptions and images of egg masses of some species that commonly occur in south‐eastern Australia. All the species we identified laid plaque‐shaped egg masses attached to the underside of river rocks that protrude above the water surface. These egg masses can be identified in the field with the naked eye or the aid of a low‐magnification hand lens. Interspecific variations in egg mass morphology were primarily thickness and firmness of the spumaline layer, egg mass size and arrangement of eggs within the mass. We also provide some ecological information on clutch sizes and the physical characteristics of oviposition sites, and we discuss various ways in which these taxa could be exploited as model systems for ecological research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Patients' perceptions about the functional impact of amblyopia and strabismus in daily life have not been explored extensively. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the lived experiences of adults with these conditions and understand the functional limitations they face in their day‐to‐day life. Methods: A qualitative study design was adopted. Participants over 18 years of age, with a primary diagnosis of amblyopia (with or without strabismus) were recruited from the community and various eye care practices in South Australia and Victoria, Australia. Participants took part in either focus group discussions or individual interviews and described the functional limitations they experienced in their daily life due to their eye condition. These sessions were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, coded inductively, and analysed iteratively to form emergent themes. Results: Thirty‐seven adult participants took part in the study: 23 (62%) had strabismic amblyopia; 5 (14%) anisometropic amblyopia;, 7 (19%) combined‐mechanism amblyopia; and 2 (5%) deprivational amblyopia. Their median age was 54 years (range: 21–82 years) and 19 (51%) were female. Participants reported several challenges in performing everyday tasks such as driving (e.g. judging distances, changing lanes), reading (e.g. fine print, reading for prolonged time) and sports (e.g. catching a ball). They also articulated trouble in navigating safely (e.g. using stairs, bumping into objects), performing work‐tasks (e.g. taking longer than peers to complete tasks) and other routine tasks (e.g. chopping vegetables with care). Conclusions: Several functional limitations were encountered by adults living with amblyopia and strabismus. Participants recognised these limitations in their normal day‐to‐day life and related the challenges they faced to symptoms associated with their eye condition. By presenting rich in‐depth qualitative data, the paper demonstrates qualitative evidence of the functional impacts associated with amblyopia and strabismus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

VicTrack in the State of Victoria in Australia began using fair value to value its assets in 2011. In doing this the company encountered the difficulties normally associated with valuing long-lived assets that are specific to their use. In this paper, a case study is presented centred on VicTrack in order to provide information on the basic difficulties of determining the fair value of assets that are long-lived, specific-to-use and in markets that are incomplete; and to better understand some of the implications of the switch from historical costs to fair value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Papers appearing in the journal 'Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology' are based on presentations at a symposium entitled Muscle Mechanics and Energetics: A Comparative View. The symposium was held in Melbourne, Australia, to celebrate the retirement of college teacher Colin Gibbs from Monash University in Gippsland, Victoria. Gibbs is a graduate of the Sydney, New South Wales-based University of Sydney in pharmacology and biochemistry, completing a PhD in 1964 in the area of cardiac electrophysiology. Colin was awarded one of the first Overseas Research Fellowships by the National Heart Foundation of Australia and this supported his post-doctoral training at the Heart Research Laboratory at the University of California at Los Angeles. Although Colin's primary focus has been on the energetics of mammalian cardiac muscle and extending the knowledge gained through research in this area to understanding the physiology and pathophysiology of the human heart, his interests span all muscle types. During his career, Colin has also published several important papers on aspects of the energetics of both skeletal and smooth muscle.

Aim: This paper documents a study that aimed to discover the meaning of leisure experiences for an ageing Italian community in a large regional centre in Victoria, Australia. Methods: This qualitative investigation used a phenomenological study design, and data were collected through semistructured interviews with 10 well-elderly Australian Italians. Results: Participants engaged in numerous leisure occupations that were meaningful to them and directly impacted on positive subjective experiences and health outcomes. Conclusion: This paper adds to an understanding of how leisure impacts on the health of well-elderly Australians and how occupational therapists can use leisure effectively in interventions for successful ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Far from being incidental, what is taught at primary school can reveal key beliefs about the world and its future held at a given period. I compare Victorian primary school curricula and reading resources of the 1930s and 1950s, attending particularly to references to war and cultural difference. I find that in the 1930s war was to be avoided by valuing cultural differences, whereas in the later decade the aim was effacement of difference through modernisation. I argue that this attitude to difference, combined with the imperialism and internationalism of the 1930s, engendered a moral form of identity in Victorian primary school children. In contrast, under the economic nationalism of the 1950s, children were taught to be good citizens taking little moral responsibility to those who were not Australian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Voluntary assisted dying (VAD) is increasingly being legalised internationally. In Australia, all six states have now passed such laws, with Victoria being the first in 2019. However, early research in Victoria on the patient experience of seeking VAD shows that finding a connection to the VAD system is challenging. This study analyses the causes of this 'point of access' barrier. Methods: We conducted semi‐structured qualitative interviews with family caregivers and a person seeking VAD, with participants recruited via social media and patient interest groups. Data were thematically analysed. We also undertook documentary analysis (content and thematic) of publicly available reports from the oversight body, the Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board. Results: We interviewed 32 family caregivers and one patient across 28 interviews and analysed six Board reports. Finding a point of access to the VAD system was reported as challenging in both interviews and reports. Four specific barriers to connecting with the system were identified: (1) not knowing VAD exists as a legal option; (2) not recognising a person is potentially eligible for VAD; (3) not knowing next steps or not being able to achieve them in practice; and (4) challenges with patients being required to raise the topic of VAD because doctors are legally prohibited from doing so. Conclusion: Legal, policy and practice changes are needed to facilitate patients being able to find a connection to the VAD system. The legal prohibition on doctors raising the topic of VAD should be repealed, and doctors and institutions who do not wish to be involved in VAD should be required to connect patients with appropriate contacts within the system. Community awareness initiatives are needed to enhance awareness of VAD, especially given it is relatively new in Victoria. Patient or Public Contribution: Families and a patient were the focus of this research and interviews with them about the experience of seeking VAD were the primary source of data analysed. This article includes their solutions to address the identified point of access barriers. Patient interest groups also supported the recruitment of participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer survival in Australia varies according to socio‐economic status (SES) and between rural and urban places of residence. Part of this disparity may be due to differences in prognostic factors at the time of diagnosis. Methods: Women with invasive breast cancer diagnosed from 2008 until 2012 (n = 14,165) were identified from the Victorian Cancer Registry and followed up for 5 years, with death from breast cancer or other causes recorded. A prognostic score, based on stage at diagnosis, cancer grade, whether the cancer was detected via screening, reported comorbidities and age at diagnosis, was constructed for use in a mediation analysis. Results: Five‐year breast cancer mortality for women with breast cancer who were in the lowest quintile of SES (10.3%) was almost double that of those in the highest quintile (5.7%). There was a small survival advantage (1.7% on average, within each socio‐economic quintile) of living in inner‐regional areas compared with major cities. About half of the socio‐economic disparity was mediated by prognostic factors, particularly stage at diagnosis and the presence of comorbidities. The inner‐regional survival advantage was not due to differences in prognostic factors. Conclusions: Part of the socio‐economic disparity in breast cancer survival could be addressed by earlier detection in, and improved general health for, more disadvantaged women. Further research is required to identify additional causes of socio‐economic disparities as well as the observed inner‐regional survival advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Community Dentistry & Oral Epidemiology 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.)

Introduction and Aims. In Australia, people who inject drugs (PWID) commonly report the use of benzodiazepines (BZDs). This paper explores the emerging use of alprazolam among PWID in Melbourne, Australia. Design and Methods. This study reports on 3 years of data collected through the Victorian Illicit Drug Reporting System (2008-2010). Structured interviews were conducted with 451 PWID and analysed using odds ratios and χ2-tests for trends over time. Results. While the proportion of PWID reporting recent BZD use remained stable over time, the proportion reporting alprazolam to be their most commonly used BZD fluctuated, peaking in 2009. Alprazolam users were significantly more likely to report using illicit BZDs and to report recent BZD injection compared with users of other BZDs. Alprazolam use was associated with the sale of drugs for cash, but not with other criminal activities. Discussion and Conclusion. The fluctuations in alprazolam use over time may be reflective of medical practitioners ceasing to prescribe alprazolam in response to reports of associated harms; however, this may in turn be driving the illicit alprazolam market. While the data do not indicate a clear association between alprazolam use and harms, considering the potential severity of associated harms and the association between alprazolam use and anterograde amnesia, patterns of alprazolam use among PWID should be closely monitored. Potential changes to prescribing practice should consider unintended consequences, such as replacement with other BZD types, or illicitly obtained BZDs.[Horyniak D, Reddel S, Quinn B, Dietze P. The use of alprazolam by people who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia. Drug Alcohol Rev 2012;31:585-590] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During every Australian summer fires are common in the south-eastern region of the continent. The combined forces of climate, topography and vegetation make Victoria in particular, one of the most fire prone regions on earth ( DSE 2003 ). Throughout its history, Victoria has seen a number of devastating bushfires, including Black Friday 1939, Ash Wednesday 1983, and more recently in the northeast of the State in 2003. The loss of life combined with the damage caused to land and property results in a heavy cost to the community. In Victoria, two of the organizations involved in fire management are the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) and the Country Fire Authority (CFA). Both use fire ‘meters’ to determine potential fire behaviour given certain conditions. Values for temperature, wind speed, fuel load and vegetation type are input and a numerical estimate of fire danger given. There are a number of different meters used for different locations and environmental types. The most common meter used in Victoria is the McArthur Meter ( CSIR0 2001b ). The output data from this meter is numerical, and provides no spatial representation of fire danger. This paper looks at a variety of techniques used to visualise the numerical output from the McArthur Forest Fire Danger Meter. The article outlines the different models used by fire managers to simulate a fire situation, to assess future scenarios and for decision making involving fire management. Particular emphasis is placed on the McArthur Forest Fire Danger Meter as this is commonly used by fire departments in Australia. The article then focuses on geographical visualisation and a number of techniques employed to convey spatial information are discussed. The article then goes on to describe the fire simulation prototypes created for a study, a visualisation proof-of-concept product for organizations involved in managing bushfires in Australia. Finally, results from the evaluation of the prototype are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Australian irrigation industry diverts significant volumes of water from our rivers, and as such, may also divert and entrain riverine fish. Although it is widely acknowledged that our native fish fauna have been greatly affected by a variety of anthropogenic changes, little is known about the extent or significance of fish entrainment in irrigation systems. This paper presents results from a preliminary investigation into the diversion of fish into irrigation channels undertaken in the Goulburn-Murray Irrigation Network, Victoria, Australia. The case study and our knowledge of the life-history strategies of the Basin's fish fauna suggest that the loss of native fish into irrigation networks may be a substantial problem, which, up until recently, has been largely ignored. We strongly suggest that the impact of diversions on native fish populations requires urgent further investigation and quantification, through the cooperation of water management authorities and fish biologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limiting connectivity between road runoff sources and stream networks is crucial for preservation of water quality in forested environments. Where flow is non-eroding, the length of hillslope available to accommodate volumes of discharged water is the key to restricting connectivity. Hairsine et al. (2002, Hydrological Processes 16: 2311–2327) proposed a probabilistic model of diffuse overland flow that predicted the hillslope lengths required to infiltrate road discharge, based on the concept of volume to breakthrough (Vbt). This paper extends this analysis to a different forest environment with the aim of testing the portability of the Hairsine et al. (2002) model. The volume of flow required to travel overland to a distance of 5 and 10 m (Vbt5 and Vbtl0) from drainage outlets was measured in deep, highly conductive mountain soils in the Upper Tyers catchment, Victoria, Australia. Rainfall, hydraulic conductivity and soil depths contrasted markedly with those in the Hairsine et al. (2002) study, and represent an extreme in Australian forests. Statistical analyses revealed the population of Vbt5 to be indistinguishable from that observed by Hairsine et al. (2002), indicating the model is valid for a range of forest soils. There was no significant correlation of sediment plume length with site characteristics such as slope, width of flow, or existence of incised pathways. It is suggested there are universal properties of pathways draining tracks and roads, with bioturbation acting to restore available pore spaces filled by antecedent plumes. Drain discharge design criteria may be developed for local conditions using the Hairsine et al. (2002) model, providing a robust tool for protection of water quality in the siting of new forest roads, and maintenance of exiting roads and tracks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Psychology 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.)

Background: The surgical management of trauma within Australia and New Zealand has recently been undergoing major organizational changes. The aim of the present paper was to evaluate the attitudes and experience of Australian and New Zealand advanced surgical trainees in this changing climate and to identify problems with trauma training. Methods: A survey assessing important areas of trauma management and training was sent to all advanced surgical trainees of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Results: Two hundred and seventy-two of 587 trainees responded (46%). Overall 85% of trainees believed they would be involved in trauma management in the future. The majority of trainees reported low rates of involvement and consultant supervision in trauma resuscitations. Only 32% of general surgical trainees believed that their exposure to major trauma operations was very adequate despite an average of 12.3 trauma operations per year. Seventy per cent of general surgical trainees reported a very adequate level of consultant supervision at trauma operations. In contrast 86% of orthopaedic trainees reported a very adequate exposure to trauma operations with an average of 221 orthopaedic trauma operations per year. Only 46% of orthopaedic trainees reported a very adequate level of consultant supervision at trauma operations. Conclusions: Regional rotations may need to be developed to even out trainees’ experience in trauma management. The low level of supervision in trauma resuscitations and orthopaedic surgical training requires attention. This survey warrants repeating in a prospective manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia is inhabited by a very rich and mostly endemic fauna of ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae), with a relatively high proportion of taxa belonging to the tribe Coccidulini. Australian Coccidulini are grouped in 15 genera, of which 11 are endemic. Here, a new distinctive Australian Coccidulini genus and species is described--Euchre australis gen. et sp. nov., which is characterised by compact antennal club, long ventral antennal grooves on head capsule extending to anterior margin of prosternum, and presence of chin piece partially covering mouthparts in repose. Its relationship with other Australian Coccidulini genera is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To identify the origin of fresh and minimally processed foods served to hospital patients, and explore the challenges and enablers to local food procurement in hospitals. Methods: A mixed methods study was conducted in a healthcare network in Victoria, Australia. Packaging labels and product information were used to audit fresh and minimally processed foods purchased in 1 week. Processed food items and meals made offsite were not audited. Interviews were conducted with patients, staff and suppliers to explore their perspectives towards local food in hospitals. Framework analysis was used to identify themes. Results: Of 105 food products audited, 32% were imported, 25% were 'local' from Victoria and the remaining 43% were from within Australia (excluding Victoria). Qualitative interviews revealed several challenges including: increased cost of local food items, inconsistent supply and variable quality of local produce, difficulty accessing origin information, and lack of autonomy for hospitals to make food procurement choices. Enablers included: conducting a food origin audit to increase awareness, group purchasing organisation prioritising local food suppliers, and suppliers valuing local produce. Conclusion: A food origin audit and interviews with stakeholders provided a rich understanding of current practices and how to increase local food procurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Issue addressed: This study systematically reviewed Australian literature to determine if an association exists between geospatial exposure to food outlets and diet, health or weight status. Recommendations for future research are provided. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in December 2021 using CINAHL Plus, PubMed and Web of Science databases. Data were extracted, as per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines. Study quality was assessed using an eight‐item checklist. A descriptive synthesis of study characteristics and findings was carried out, stratified via study outcomes. Results: Of the 36 included articles, the majority were from Victoria (n = 19), involving adult participants (n = 30) and cross‐sectional in design (n = 27). Overall, associations were mainly null (nonsignificant) for diet (80%), weight status (75%) and health outcomes (90%). Significant findings were mixed with no positive trend with study quality. Conclusions: Six recommendations are suggested to address current knowledge gaps and limitations in the Australian evidence base: (1) Conduct research on different populations; (2) Employ robust study designs that can test the impact of change over time; (3) Improve the accuracy of food outlet data sources; (4) Improve food outlet geospatial exposure measures; (5) Improve measurement of outcome variables; and (6) Incorporate theoretical models into study design and data analysis. So what?: Improving the quality and consistency of research will be critical to informing locally relevant policy. Despite the present limitations in the evidence base, it is reasonable to assume that decisions to purchase and consume food are driven by availability and access. Thus, policy and planning aimed at improving the overall "healthiness" of the community food environment by increasing access to healthy food outlets is warranted to ensure that healthy options are easier choice for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Perinatal emotional well‐being is more than the presence or absence of depressive and anxiety disorders; it encompasses a wide range of factors that contribute to emotional well‐being. This study compares perinatal well‐being between women living in metropolitan and rural regions. Design: Prospective, longitudinal cohort. Participants/setting: Eight hundred and six women from Victoria and Western Australia recruited before 20 weeks of pregnancy and followed up to 12 months postpartum. Main outcome measures: Rurality was assessed using the Modified Monash Model (MM Model) with 578 in metropolitan cities MM1, 185 in regional and large rural towns MM2‐MM3 and 43 in rural to remote MM4‐MM7. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‐IV (SCID‐IV) was administered at recruitment to assess depression, and symptoms of depression and anxiety were measured using the Edinburgh Post‐natal Depression Scale and the State and Trait Anxiety Scale, respectively. Other measures included stressful events, diet, exercise, partner support, parenting and sleep. Results: The prevalence of depressive disorders did not differ across rurality. There was also no difference in breastfeeding cessation, exercise, sleep or partner support. Women living in rural communities and who also had depression reported significantly higher parenting stress than metropolitan women and lower access to parenting activities. Conclusions: Our study suggests while many of the challenges of the perinatal period were shared between women in all areas, there were important differences in parenting stress and access to activities. Furthermore, these findings suggest that guidelines and interventions designed for perinatal mental health should consider rurality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate‐induced fire regimes may change species abundance and species composition in affected forest types, potentially altering pyro‐eco‐hydrologic feedbacks. In some fire‐prone forests across the globe, eco‐hydrologic thresholds (changing points, or tipping points, in ecohydrology when vegetation shifts from one steady vegetation to another) are being exceeded due to changes in relationships between climate, fire and vegetation. Following compound disturbances, forests may fail to maintain ecological resilience. Under multiple burn conditions, Eucalyptus regnans F. Muell. forests in south east Australia are highly vulnerable to ecological tipping points. In Victoria, over 189 000 ha of obligate seeder forests have been burned two or more times within 18 years. These short return‐interval fires allow Acacia dealbata to become the dominant overstorey species. Such a dramatic species replacement may result in a new evapotranspiration (ET) regime, leading to a new hydrologic state. Stand scale dynamic models were combined with field estimated ET in E. regnans and A. dealbata forests aged 10, 35 and 75/80 years. We found that long‐term forest structure, ET and water yield significantly diverge between E. regnans and A. dealbata forests with increasing age. These divergences imply a non‐equilibrium state after A. dealbata replaces E. regnans under high‐frequency fire conditions. In senescing A. dealbata, understorey transpiration contribution of 29.8% to system ET was similar to that of overstorey transpiration (31.2%), indicating the understorey and overstorey contribute equally to total ET at the final stage of Acacia forests. In contrast, in 75‐year‐old E. regnans forests, understorey contribution to the total system evapotranspiration is about 16%. This suggests that, after the Acacia life cycle finishes, the ET regime will transit into a new state that will be dominated by shrubby understorey species. Our findings suggest that this climate‐induced species replacement would decrease long‐term ET, inferring an increase in streamflow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mine closure practices have continued to improve over the last few decades; however, across the industry rehabilitation outcomes continue to fall short of community expectations. While examples of successful rehabilitation exist, there are still limited examples of mines closing, relinquishing, and transitioning to another land use. Barriers to relinquishment such as residual risk, land transfer liability, and limited next land use options are compounded by the lack of legislated mine relinquishment policy. Broader mine closure policy has evolved significantly over the last few decades in Australia, with recent changes in some states enhancing mandates requiring progressive rehabilitation and financial assurance mechanisms in an effort to continue to improve mine closure outcomes. Government authorities with legislative powers to report and influence rehabilitation activities in Queensland and Victoria are also considered a positive mine closure policy direction. Despite these recent legislative developments there is still no multi‐agency regulatory policy framework integrating mine closure and relinquishment in any Australian jurisdiction. This article explores how recent mine closure policy changes in Australia could be used by policy makers to enable relinquishment in the future and provides recommendations for an integrated multi‐agency relinquishment policy framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The distribution and abundance of forest biodiversity can be shaped by multiple drivers, including disturbances like wildfires. We quantified the influence of wildfire severity and bird life history attributes on temporal patterns of bird site occupancy. Location: Wet eucalypt forests of Victoria, Australia. Methods: We employed a Before, After, Control, Impact experimental design, gathering occupancy data on birds 5 years before, and for 10 years after, a wildfire in 2009. We quantified post‐fire decline and then recovery on sites subject to high‐severity fire, comparing these temporal patterns with those for birds at sites that were unburnt or burnt at moderate severity. We also tested the influence of life history attributes on bird responses to wildfire. Data were analysed using joint species distribution modelling, accounting for imperfect detection. Results: We found a two‐way interaction between fire severity and time period for overall bird site occupancy. The largest change between time periods was on sites burnt at high severity where bird occupancy declined immediately after fire followed by a strong recovery. Occupancy patterns remained largely unchanged on unburnt sites. For many individual species, interactions between fire severity and time period were similar to overall species occupancy. On sites subject to high‐severity fire, most species recovered to pre‐fire levels within 6 years. We found no evidence of a three‐way interaction between fire severity, time period, and life history attributes, with all trait groups of birds examined largely recovered to pre‐fire site occupancy levels 10 years post‐fire. Main conclusions: The Victorian 2009 wildfires were severe, but their impacts on common bird species were relatively short‐lived, with immediate post‐fire declines mostly reversed within ~10 years. Rapid post‐fire stand regeneration appears a likely driver of these responses and may account for the relatively limited influence of life history attributes on bird species recovery. However, diet influenced bird species occupancy after fire, with nectivores recovering slower than insectivores on sites subject to high severity fire. Our findings may be relevant to other forests types globally where there can be rapid post‐fire vegetation growth and stand regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carnivores have key ecological roles in structuring and regulating ecosystems through their impacts on prey populations. When apex‐ and meso‐predators co‐occur in ecosystems, there is the potential for complex interspecific interactions and trophic dynamics that can affect the composition and functioning of ecological communities. Investigating the diet of sympatric carnivores can allow us to better understand their ecological roles (e.g. potential suppression of herbivores) or impacts (e.g. predation of threatened species). Australia's alpine region provides an ideal system in which to explore spatial and temporal variation in predator and prey interactions, using the dingo (Canis dingo) and invasive red fox (Vulpes vulpes) diet. We examined the diet of dingoes and foxes across three different mountains and seasons in Victoria's alpine region, using macroscopic scat analysis. There was little diet overlap between the two carnivores, with foxes having a broader diet than dingoes. Dingoes primarily consumed larger mammal species, including invasive sambar deer (Cervus unicolor, 44%), and the native common wombat (Vombatus ursinus, 34%), whereas foxes typically consumed smaller mammals, including the native bush rat (Rattus fuscipes, 55%), and the invasive European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus, 15%). Dingoes consumed more than thirty times the volume of large invasive mammals (predominantly sambar deer) than did foxes. Foxes consumed close to 15 times as many critical weight range individuals per scat than dingoes. Only one threatened critical weight range mammal species was identified within scats, the broad‐toothed rat (Mastacomys fuscus), found within five fox scats. Our results suggest that the introduction of novel prey may alter predator–predator interactions by causing a reduction in the dietary overlap. Therefore, in the context of integrated wildlife management and biodiversity conservation, any control of novel, invasive prey populations needs to consider possible flow on effects to apex‐ and meso‐predator diets and potential secondary impacts on native prey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potato cyst nematode, Globodera rostochiensis, is a quarantine pest in Australia affecting a relatively small number of properties in three different production areas in the State of Victoria. The effects of susceptible (Trent, Sebago and Coliban) and H1‐resistant potato cultivars (Atlantic, Crop 13 and Nicola) on nematode populations were compared in two trials in a naturally infested field in the 2008/09 season (Trial 1) and in the 2009/10 season (Trial 2). The latter included a bare fallow treatment. The reproduction factor Pf/Pi (final compared with initial nematode population) was used to determine treatment effects. Initial population density was very high, averaging 111 and 119 eggs g−1 soil in Trial 1 and 2, respectively. The Pf/Pi of population density (eggs g−1 soil) was greater after growing susceptible cultivars (average 1.74 and 2.92 in Trials 1 and 2, respectively) than after growing resistant cultivars (average 0.72 and 0.61 in Trials 1 and 2, respectively), or after a bare fallow (1.09) in Trial 2. This correlated with higher Pf/Pi values of cysts 500 g−1 soil and eggs cyst−1 for susceptible cultivars than for resistant cultivars. Average Pf/Pi values greater than one in both trials are consistent with more cysts and an increased population density after growing susceptible cultivars. There was a trend of population decline, that is, Pf/Pi < 1, after growing resistant cultivars (average Pf/Pi values of eggs cyst−1 of 0.77 and 0.35 and of eggs g−1 soil of 0.72 and 0.61, for Trials 1 and 2, respectively). However, Trial 2 showed that these Pf/Pi values were not significantly less than those for the bare fallow (0.68 eggs cyst−1 and 1.09 eggs g−1 soil). The susceptible cultivars Trent and Sebago produced lower yields than the resistant cultivars in both trials. In contrast, the susceptible Coliban yielded as well as the resistant cultivars, suggesting a high level of tolerance of this cultivar to infestation by the nematode. The resistant cultivar Crop 13 produced 34% and 36% greater total yields in Trials 1 and 2, respectively, than the once popular, but susceptible cultivar Sebago. This is the first report of the effects of potato cultivars on a population of the potato cyst nematode in an Australian field. The use of H1‐resistant potato cultivars can feasibly reduce populations of G. rostochiensis Ro1 on infested land and reduce PCN risk on land regulated as "linked" with infested land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensity, duration, and frequency (IDF) of low streamflow events are often considered stationary in time. Given droughts are likely to become more frequent and extreme, here those IDFs are analyzed for their non‐stationarity in relation to three climate drivers, namely, the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation, the Indian Ocean Dipole, and the Southern Annular Mode. For this, low flow events were identified for 161 unregulated catchments in Victoria, Australia. The relationship between the climate drivers and the IDFs were developed using covariate‐based non‐stationary statistical models. We found that several of these catchments exhibit strong non‐stationary influences from the climate modes. Such catchments have a higher probability of experiencing more intense, prolonged, and/or frequent low flows when a dry phase of these climate drivers occurs. We found that catchments having strong evidence of non‐stationary frequency (n = 77) were more compared to those having non‐stationary intensity (n = 19) or duration (n = 34). Further, we derived projected indices of these climate drivers from CMIP5 models for the RCP8.5 scenario. These indicate an intensification in the dry phase of the climate drivers. Using information of the projected indices in the IDF models, we found that future dry phases of these climate drivers are likely to further increase the probability of experiencing higher magnitudes of low flow IDFs in catchments non‐stationary in these characteristics in relation to one or more of these climate drivers. Frequency shows greater response to future dry phases of these drivers than intensity or duration of low flows. Plain Language Summary: The interaction of the ocean and atmosphere can lead to conditions that can control how dry or wet a season might be for a region. These conditions are called climate modes or climate drivers. Drought periods in many regions of the world are known to be impacted by these climate modes. The activity of these climate modes can make an ongoing drought more severe compared to a situation when these modes are not active. Drought spells often entail abnormally low flows in streams. In this study, we show that low flows in southeast Australia have a significant link with the activity of the climate drivers. In fact, when a drought coincides with a dry phase of these climate modes, low flow events can become more intense, frequent and/or can last longer. Unabated climate change has the potential to make these climate modes more intense in future. Our study shows that if this happens, low flow events can become more extreme. Thus future dry phases of these climate drivers may likely cause shortage of freshwater availability, disruption of ecosystems vitally dependent on flows, uncertainty in dam operations, all of which increases the risk associated with future droughts for such regions. Key Points: Low flow characteristics of catchments in southeast Australia exhibit significant non‐stationary influences from large‐scale climate modesDry phase of these climate drivers is expected to intensify under climate change, leading to reduced water availability when they occurFrequency of low flows shows greater response to non‐stationary influences from the climate modes than intensity or duration [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Aim: Many species are adapted to a particular fire regime and major deviations from that regime may lead to localized extinction. Here, we quantify immaturity risks to an obligate‐seeder forest tree using an objectively designed climate model ensemble and a probabilistic fire regime simulator to predict future fire regimes. Location: Alpine ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis) distribution, Victoria, south‐eastern Australia. Methods: We used a fire regime model (FROST) with six climate projections from a climate model ensemble across 3.7 million hectares of native forest and non‐native vegetation to examine immaturity risks to obligate‐seeder forests dominated by alpine ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis), which has a primary juvenile period of approximately 20 years. Our models incorporated current and future projected climate including fuel feedbacks to simulate fire regimes over 100 years. We then used Random Forest modelling to evaluate which spatial characteristics of the landscape were associated with high immaturity risks to alpine ash forest patches. Results: Significant shifts to the fire regime were predicted under all six future climate projections. Increases in both wildfire extent (total area burnt, area burnt at high intensity) and frequency were predicted with an average increase of up to 110 hectares burnt annually by short‐interval fires (i.e., within the expected minimum time to reproductive maturity). The immaturity risk posed by short‐interval fires to alpine ash forest patches was well explained by Random Forest models and varied with both location and environmental variables. Main conclusions: Alpine ash forests are predicted to be burned at greater intensities and shorter intervals under future fire regimes. About 67% of the current alpine ash distribution was predicted to be at some level of immaturity risk over the 100‐year modelling period, with the greatest risks to those patches located on the periphery of the current distribution, closer to roads or surrounded by a drier landscape at lower elevations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Megafires are increasing in intensity and frequency globally. The impacts of megafires on biodiversity can be severe, so conservation managers must be able to respond rapidly to quantify their impacts, initiate recovery efforts and consider conservation options within and beyond the burned extent. We outline a framework that can be used to guide conservation responses to megafires, using the 1.5 million hectare 2019/2020 megafires in Victoria, Australia, as a case study. Location: Victoria, Australia. Methods: Our framework uses a suite of decision support tools, including species attribute databases, ~4,200 species distribution models and a spatially explicit conservation action planning tool to quantify the potential effects of megafires on biodiversity, and identify species‐specific and landscape‐scale conservation actions that can assist recovery. Results: Our approach identified 346 species in Victoria that had >40% of their modelled habitat affected by the megafire, including 45 threatened species, and 102 species with >40% of their modelled habitat affected by high severity fire. We then identified 21 candidate recovery actions that are expected to assist the recovery of biodiversity. For relevant landscape‐scale actions, we identified locations within and adjacent to the megafire extent that are expected to deliver cost‐effective conservation gains. Main conclusion: The 2019/2020 megafires in south‐eastern Australia affected the habitat of many species and plant communities. Our framework identified a range of single‐species (e.g., supplementary feeding, translocation) and landscape‐scale actions (e.g., protection of refuges, invasive species management) that can help biodiversity recover from megafires. Conservation managers will be increasingly required to rapidly identify conservation actions that can help species recover from megafires, especially under a changing climate. Our approach brings together commonly used datasets (e.g., species distribution maps, trait databases, fire severity mapping) to help guide conservation responses and can be used to help biodiversity recover from future megafires across the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: P2Y12 inhibitor therapy is recommended for 12 months in patients hospitalised for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) unless the bleeding risk is high. Aims: To describe real‐world use of P2Y12 inhibitor therapy following AMI hospitalisation. Methods: We used population‐level linked hospital data to identify all patients discharged from a public hospital with a primary diagnosis of AMI between July 2011 and June 2013 in New South Wales and Victoria, Australia. We used dispensing claims to examine dispensing of a P2Y12 inhibitor (clopidogrel, prasugrel or ticagrelor) within 30 days of discharge and multilevel models to identify predictors of post‐discharge dispensing and persistence of therapy to 1 year. Results: We identified 31 848 patients hospitalised for AMI, of whom 56.8% were dispensed a P2Y12 inhibitor within 30 days of discharge. The proportion of patients with post‐discharge dispensing varied between hospitals (interquartile range: 25.0–56.5%), and significant between‐hospital variation remained after adjusting for patient characteristics. Patient factors associated with the lowest likelihood of post‐discharge dispensing were: having undergone coronary artery bypass grafting (odds ratio (OR): 0.17; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.15–0.20); having oral anticoagulants dispensed 180 days before or 30 days after discharge (OR: 0.39, 95% CI: 0.35–0.44); major bleeding (OR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.61–0.76); or being aged ≥85 years (OR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.62–0.75). A total of 26.8% of patients who were dispensed a P2Y12 inhibitor post‐discharge discontinued therapy within 1 year. Conclusion: Post‐hospitalisation use of P2Y12 inhibitor therapy in AMI patients is low and varies substantially by hospital of discharge. Our findings suggest strategies addressing both health system (hospital and physician) and patient factors are needed to close this evidence‐practice gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The rapid shift to digital platforms during the COVID‐19 pandemic enabled occupational therapy practice education to continue while creating unique learning opportunities for students in an environment of high demand for practice education providers. How occupational therapy practice educators experienced fieldwork supervision during this rapid redesign of service delivery is not widely understood. This study aimed to explore the experiences of practice educators who supervised occupational therapy students during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Australia. Methods: Fifteen occupational therapy practice educators participated in focus groups and individual semi‐structured interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to understand the experiences of the participants and explore the barriers and facilitators to providing practice education in this context. Findings The experiences of the occupational therapy practice educators were interpreted into three themes: (1) Opportunities lost and then created (as two subthemes); (2) The relationship between the student and practice educator (comprising subthemes of practicing self‐care and connection and support); and (3) Signing‐off of students' competencies. While digital platforms were initially viewed as limiting, they also were used to create new opportunities for student learning. Participants spoke of being mindful of their and students' wellbeing and finding ways to provide connection and support. Participants were challenged by the need to adapt how they evaluated students in the context of a pandemic. Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight the complexities of occupational therapy practice education in the rapidly shifting context of the COVID‐19 pandemic in Australia. The outcomes highlight the importance of creating new ways of using digital platforms during practice education while focussing on the relationships with students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Institutional change in water rights in the nineteenth century Australian colony of Victoria raised institutional efficiency, which contributed to long-run economic growth. High-quality human capital and the extension of voting rights (franchise) were crucial for efficient institutional change in the water sector. Quality human capital (literacy) appeared to increase the rural population's awareness of the economic impact of the existing structure of water rights that may have constrained growth in the agricultural sector and reduced investment incentives. Extension of the franchise allowed the rural population to exert political pressure for enactment of change in water rights, which resulted in efficiency-enhancing policies and efficient institutions. The findings show these two factors were more important than Victoria's British colonial heritage in determining whether growth-enhancing institutional change took place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) were surveyed within grain production landscapes in Victoria, Australia, between 2017 and 2018, as well as more sporadically nationwide between 2016 and 2019. In addition, Aphidiinae records were collated from insect depositories around Australia and online databases. The 5525 specimens recorded constituted a total of 23 species and seven genera. Diaeretiella rapae (M'Intosh) was the most common species, representing more than 70% of all Aphidiinae recorded. This species also showed a greater northerly geographical range than other Aphidiinae. During sampling between 2017 and 2019, Aphidiinae were reared from mummies to ascertain host–parasitoid relationships. Diaeretiella rapae was again the most commonly reared parasitoid, although parasitoid preference varied with aphid host and between states and territories. An illustrated dichotomous key to Australian Aphidiinae in grain production landscapes is provided for the 11 species sampled in our field surveys. This is the first comprehensive review of Aphidiinae sampled within Australia in over two decades. Knowledge about the diversity and distribution of these parasitoids is important for understanding their impact on current and future invasions of aphid species. In addition, understanding the interactions between grain aphids and their associated parasitoids will further support the inclusion of parasitoid wasps into integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owning a pet has often been associated with improved mental health among owners, including enhanced quality of life, and decreased levels of depression and loneliness. The aim of this study was to identify whether owning a cat and/or dog was associated with better psychological wellbeing during a strict lockdown period in Victoria, Australia, during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Data were analysed from a large‐scale mental health study: the COvid‐19 and you: mentaL heaLth in AusTralia now survEy (COLLATE). The impact of pet ownership on levels of resilience, loneliness and quality of life were examined in a sample of 138 pet owners and 125 non‐pet owners. Hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated that pet ownership was significantly associated with poorer quality of life, but not significantly associated with resilience or loneliness, after accounting for situational factors (e.g. job loss) and mood states. Contrary to expectations, the findings suggest that during a specific situation such as a pandemic, pets may contribute to increased burden among owners and contribute to poorer quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the conservativeness of tracers through the sediment generation process. This is done by comparing a selection of tracer properties of sediment eroded from large plots by simulated rainfall, with the corresponding properties of the source materials within the plots. Sediment was generated using three simulated rainfall events for each of five selected erosion source types in the Tarago catchment, Victoria, Australia. As there were particle size and organic content differences between the source material and the generated sediment, the measured tracer properties of the source material were corrected for these differences. The possible role of analytical errors in this investigation was also addressed. The geochemical property, concentration of Fe2O3, was not conservative for any of the process sources investigated. Concentration of Al2O3 was not conservative for three of the four process sources investigated, and the sum of molecular proportions of CaO, Na2O, K2O and Al2O3 was not conservative for two of the four process sources investigated. Mineral magnetic properties, IRM850 and h were also found to be not conservative, although this may be the result of the complex relationship between particle size and mineral magnetic properties not being adequately accommodated in this analysis. The radionuclide tracers, [sup137]Cs and [sup210]Pbex, were found to be conservative through the sediment generation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Editorial. Reviews the research projects on rural health in Australia undertaken by the Monash University Centre for Rural Health. Health service delivery in small communities; Study on general practitioners in towns without a hospital; Models of sustainable rural health services.

This study examines the long-run and short-run behavior of public hospital average costs in two Australian States: Victoria and Queensland. Using adjusted weighted inlierequivalent separations as a measure of hospital output, and floor area as a measure of capacity, the study finds a hump- or '∩'-shaped long-run average cost curve at the 5 per cent significance level in both data sets. The study also finds a saucer- or '∪'-shaped relationship between capacity utilization and short-run average cost at the 5 per cent level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire severity is a key component of fire regimes, and understanding the factors affecting it is critical given the increasing incidence of wildfires globally. We quantified the factors affecting the severity of the 2019–2020 fires in Victoria, southeastern Australia. We constructed statistical models of relationships between fire severity (as reflected by two measures: Crown Burn and the composite measure of Crown Burn/Crown Scorch) and the main and interacting effects of five key covariates: fire progression zone (reflecting fire weather), time since previous major disturbance in the forest, forest type, slope, and aspect. The best supported models for the probability of a Crown Burn and the probability of a Crown Burn/Crown Scorch contained evidence of a three‐way interaction between fire weather, forest type, and time since previous major disturbance as well as two‐way interactions between (1) fire weather and slope, and (2) fire weather and aspect. There was an increase in the probability of Crown Burn and Crown Burn/Crown Scorch under more extreme fire weather in all forest types, with the effect especially elevated in dry forest. Our analyses also revealed a range of response curve shapes for the relationships between time since previous major disturbance and fire severity relationships and these varied by fire weather classes and forest type. Under severe fire weather conditions, we found that relationships between time since previous major disturbance and fire severity relationships often exhibited non‐linear, negative polynomial shape with a peak around 10–40 yr, especially for Crown Burn, although there also were instances of this distinctive curve shape in our Crown Burn/Crown Scorch fire severity analysis. Our analyses also contained strong evidence that fire severity was higher on steeper slopes and on more exposed northerly aspects under extreme fire weather. Our analyses suggest that forests managed for timber production near settlements may be at increased risk of high‐severity fire. This is because logging resets stand age to zero, after which there is a subsequent period of increased probability of high‐severity fire, particularly under extreme fire weather conditions. Therefore, policies to maintain cover of older forest near settlements should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Oral health is essential to maintaining good overall health, and access to dental care is necessary for the early detection, prevention and control of oral diseases. The COVID‐19 pandemic has seen a significant disruption in the provision of dental services globally. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of COVID‐19 on dental services provided in Australia through the Child Dental Benefits Schedule. Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of Medicare data on utilization of the Child Dental Benefits Schedule obtained from the Australian Government. Data were analysed for the period February to September 2020, with the number of services provided per month across five categories (diagnostic, preventive, restorative, endodontic and oral surgery) compared with the monthly average for 2019 (95% CI) and the same month for 2019. Total services by month were reported for 2017, 2018 and 2019 to compare the yearly trend with 2020. Differences in services provision by State/Territory were also described. Results: Over the period of March to September, there were 881 454 fewer dental services provided in 2020 than 2019, with the largest decline seen in April. There was a greater decline in preventive and diagnostic services, and a smaller decline in endodontic and oral surgery services. A second wave of COVID‐19 in Victoria saw 198 609 fewer dental services provided in that state from July to September 2020 than 2019. Dental service provision had still not returned to normal levels across Australia by September 2020. Conclusion: The COVID‐19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the provision of dental services to children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who already experience higher levels of dental disease and disadvantage in accessing dental care. Although the restriction of dental services was deemed necessary in order to minimize the risk of transmission of COVID‐19 in the dental setting, the impact of these restrictions on oral health will be long lasting. Given the chronic and progressive nature of dental disease, the deferral of necessary dental care is likely to contribute to poorer oral health and long‐term problems for many Australians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]