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This article presents the experimental design of ClaimCheck, an artificial intelligence tool for detecting repeated falsehoods in political discourse using a semantic similarity model developed by the fact-checking organization Newtral in collaboration with ABC Australia. The study reviews the state of the art in algorithmic fact-checking and proposes a definition of claim matching. Additionally, it outlines the scheme for annotating similar sentences and presents the results of experiments conducted with the tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on an instrumental case study exploring what migrant and refugee-background youth in Australia make of the critical media literacy they learn in school, and what critical media practices they use out of school. It addresses the perennial question of the relationship between school literacy learning and everyday literate lives, paying deliberate attention to the experiences of youth whose diversity is underrepresented in research. Interviews with two English teachers and focus groups with culturally and linguistically diverse Year 10 students were analysed using content analysis and the concept of recontextualization. Findings are that these youth see significant value in their critical literacy learning at school, and they report utilising the types of critical reading/viewing skills they experience at school but for different purposes. They frequently use five main strategies for critical reading/viewing out of school: 1. using awareness of myriad multimodal semiotic features to examine representations of products and information; 2. evaluating trustworthiness; 3. fact checking; 4. doing further research; 5. identifying attempts at positioning. This research brings in-school and out-of-school domains together to understand the connections between critical literacy practices undertaken in school, and those reshaped by immigrant youth, who are still learning English, out of school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In both Australia and New Zealand, Indigenous peoples have called for alternative non-colonial political arrangements. In October 2023, Australians voted in a referendum against distinctive Indigenous participation in public policymaking, which had been proposed as a step toward a more inclusive political system. On the same day, New Zealand elected a new Parliament, leading to the formation of a government comprising three parties that had campaigned against what they saw as excessive Māori political influence. Comparing these developments and the histories of the two countries raises questions about liberal equality, democratic citizenship, and whether all or just some citizens should own the liberal democratic state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social media is a popular source of information about food and nutrition. There is a high degree of inaccurate and poor-quality nutrition-related information present online. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality and accuracy of nutrition-related information posted by popular Australian Instagram accounts and examine trends in quality and accuracy based on author, topic, post engagement, account verification and number of followers. Methods: A sample of posts by Australian Instagram accounts with ≥ 100,000 followers who primarily posted about nutrition was collected between September 2020 and September 2021. Posts containing nutrition-related information were evaluated to determine the quality and accuracy of the information. Quality was assessed using the Principles for Health-Related Information on Social Media tool and accuracy was assessed against information contained in the Australian Dietary Guidelines, Practice-based Evidence in Nutrition database, Nutrient Reference Values and Metafact. Results: A total of 676 posts were evaluated for quality and 510 posts for accuracy, originating from 47 Instagram accounts. Overall, 34.8% of posts were classified as being of poor quality, 59.2% mediocre, 6.1% good and no posts were of excellent quality. A total of 44.7% of posts contained inaccuracies. Posts authored by nutritionists or dietitians were associated with higher quality scores (β, 17.8, CI 13.94–21.65; P < 0.001) and higher accuracy scores (OR 4.69, CI 1.81–12.14, P = 0.001) compared to brands and other accounts. Information about supplements was of lower accuracy (OR 0.23, CI 0.10–0.51, P < 0.001) compared to information about weight loss and other nutrition topics. Engagement tended to be higher for posts of lower quality (β -0.59, P = 0.012), as did engagement rate (β -0.57, P = 0.016). There was no relationship between followers or account verification and information quality or accuracy and no relationship between engagement and accuracy. Conclusions: Nutrition-related information published by influential Australian Instagram accounts is often inaccurate and of suboptimal quality. Information about supplements and posts by brand accounts is of the lowest quality and accuracy and information posted by nutritionists and dietitians is of a higher standard. Instagram users are at risk of being misinformed when engaging with Australian Instagram content for information about nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to address the challenges of learning and teaching given the seismic changes in news consumption, production and the surfeit of information, this paper explores the trajectories of learning in journalism in two culturally different academic institutions: Xiamen University in China and Western Sydney University in Australia. This comparative research presents the new and innovative ways news and information gathering is taught while instilling good, ethical practice in future journalists and information gatherers. It explores the challenges facing both institutions and countries, in building a good journalism foundation through ethical research, use of authoritative sources, balance, fairness in reporting, writing and presenting news with accuracy and speed while targeting multimedia platforms for maximum reach to target audiences. Cultivating storytelling abilities in students using scenarios, simulations, real-life situations, lived experiences, situational and mobile learning, is identified as a common approach to nurturing responsive and responsible journalism in both institutions. The paper outlines the methods that work and explores the opportunities as well as challenges these approaches present in understanding journalism and in delivering news while preparing students for the future of work. The first part of the paper overviews journalism development in China and how the craft is taught at Xiamen University. The second part focuses briefly on Australian journalism history and the pressure and challenges the Fourth Estate faces in fulfilling its public interest role. It then outlines methods of engaged learning activities at Western Sydney University. The paper concludes by discussing the common meeting points of learning in a global and changing world where there will be greater need for journalists to present the truth in news through verification and fact-checking - common perennial foundations of the craft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In August 2023 RMIT University (Melbourne, Australia) announced it would cease delivering a program of chiropractic education. The program commenced in 1975 and was the first in the world to be funded by a National government. Today it is officially being 'taught out' and will cease to be in just 4 years. As irresponsible as this decision may seem from a Chiropractor's perspective, it remains RMIT's right to determine which programs it delivers and those which it does not. The lesson the profession must learn is that state-funded universities can not be expected to reflect the passion that their education creates in its graduates, especially Chiropractors. In past papers I have made this comment and now formalise and index it: 'Australia's publicly-funded institutions of higher education have no redeeming qualities to warrant them holding custody of a program of Chiropractic education'; they most certainly do not and can not replicate the integrity of a purpose-focussed private college nor match the integrity and academic commitment evident in many non-Australian universities throughout East Asia which are guided by a strong social conscience. The usual claim is that a university with multiple disciplines provides cross-fertilisation of ideas and high levels of teaching quality from discipline experts in other fields, but in Australia this can not really be claimed to have been found true. There is also a claim that within a university Chiropractic academics will hone their scholarship, write, and publish; we know this is laughable. RMIT has been far from exceptional for Chiropractic education for most of its 30 or so years as a university created by one political party's agenda. It is healthy for the profession to now be forced into examining new models of education to better serve the profession and create a stronger professional identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mis/disinformation has in recent political and health climates become increasingly spread through social media and the internet, drawing increased discussion on the role libraries play in countering and combating the spread of mis/disinformation. This study investigated the impact and management of mis/disinformation at university libraries in Australia through a survey of 88 library staff and interviews with 17 managers. Library staff believe they have a role in teaching skills such as critical thinking and evaluation, advocating in this space and maintaining credible, balanced and inclusive collections. Although combating mis/disinformation is a strategic priority for libraries, it is often not a priority for the institutions themselves, leading to barriers for staff who would like to devote more time and resources to teaching information literacy skills and assessing the credibility and accuracy of collections. While complaints about collection content are low and library managers' view is that libraries should not censor materials, there is an increasing priority in Australia to address historical inaccuracies in content and build and maintain collections that are inclusive and culturally safe. Library staff in Australia would like support from national library bodies through training and resources and playing an advocacy role in national discussions around mis/disinformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first subcutaneous (SC) formulation of infliximab (IFX), CT‑P13 SC, has been approved in Europe and Australia, including for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We provide a comprehensive overview of available clinical trial and real-world data for IFX SC treatment of IBD, focusing on the potential benefits of switching from IFX intravenous (IV) to IFX SC. We evaluate emerging evidence for IFX SC treatment for difficult-to-treat IBD, use as monotherapy, and suitability for patients receiving escalated IFX IV doses. Therapeutic drug monitoring approaches and patient and healthcare system perspectives on IFX SC are also discussed. IFX SC represents a significant treatment innovation in the tumor necrosis factor inhibitor class after approximately 20 years of IFX IV availability. Evidence suggests that IFX SC is well tolerated and is associated with high patient acceptance and satisfaction. In addition, effectiveness is maintained in patients with stable disease following switch from IFX IV. Switching may be advisable, given the clinical benefits of IFX SC and its potential to improve healthcare service capacity. There are several areas requiring further research, including the role of IFX SC in difficult-to-treat and refractory disease, and the feasibility of IFX SC monotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to develop a sensory methodological framework to explore older user's landscape experience. Applying empirical experience in Australian aged-care facilities, it addresses a methodological gap in the current literature to help move beyond the current taken-for-granted approaches such as interviews, cognitive mapping, behavioural observation and visual methods. We propose a more holistic method which enables the exploration of older people's in situ environmental experience. The multisensory framework we propose here is based on the first author's doctoral fieldwork experience that took place in two aged-care facilities in Brisbane, Australia. Findings suggest this framework facilitates an understanding of users' olfactory, auditory and visual responses to the physical environment, and promotes a deeper engagement with the landscape. We argue that this is essential to promoting good landscape design which genuinely connects with older people's needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sovereign Citizen rhetoric is a security issue in Australia, linked to the incitement of violent extremism. Amplifiers of Sovereign Citizen rhetoric argue that government institutions are illegitimate, and individuals are not subject to the law. This article seeks to frame a question for further research in relation to the Sovereign Citizen security threat: can Sovereign Citizen rhetoric be understood as weaponised strategic narrative? If Sovereign Citizen rhetoric is weaponised strategic narrative, should governments of liberal democracies, such as Australia, frame policy responses on a narrative warfare platform? It is argued that anthropological analysis can be applied to address these questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To clarify factors that support a policy change from pandemic to endemic status and to examine options for non‐medical responses to reduce COVID‐19 transmission. Background: Critical factors to be considered in pandemic response decisions are not limited to medical options or public health orders, although these are important. Sources of evidence: All evidence drawn from publicly available sources is presented through the lens of the authors' nursing, management, education, policy and research experience. Discussion: As COVID‐19 variants cause infections to surge nurses and other health practitioners, who are the de facto implementers of public and health policy, need to consider the evidence supporting a pandemic policy change to endemic status. Non‐medical options for reducing transmission and variant mutations are needed to enable at‐risk populations to avoid infection. Conclusion: Public policy that shifts infection risks onto the general population requires close scrutiny of the evidence base for such decisions and warrants open debate and review. If people are to manage risks arising from policy decisions, they need access to non‐medical virus detection options as well as access to effective medicines and treatment. Implications for nursing practice: Nurses have an extension to their advocacy role when policy changes about infectious disease status are declared. Evaluation of policy in terms of validity, equity and scientific basis is part of nursing's public responsibility. Policies that fail to reflect what is happening at the patient care level need to be questioned and modified where necessary. Only policies deemed 'good' policy by nurses should be implemented without challenge. Access to devices for environmental detection of the virus would enable real‐time estimation of infection risks and inform individual decisions about the real risk of participating in work or other activities. Implications for health and social policy: Policy decisions to transition from pandemic to endemic status must be evidence based. Clear messaging about risks and options assists policy implementation. Terminologies describing stages of infectious disease spread from 'outbreak, epidemic, endemic and pandemic' are not interchangeable, although they will expand and contract across the range in response to interventions such as public health safety measures (PHSM), quarantine, vaccinations, antivirals and fatalities that alter the case count in defined locations for those who avoid or survive an infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renée Erdos was a history teacher and distance educator whose significance to Australian and international education was recognised in 2021 with an entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography. During her lifetime Erdos published a memoir, Teaching Beyond the Campus, and has left a collection of papers with the National Library of Australia. However, this material deals almost exclusively with her professional life. Her family history and personal life have been difficult to reconstruct even though the digital revolution and access to online resources such as Trove and Ancestry.com have helped to reveal more of the traces of her past. This article reflects on the way in which old-fashioned serendipity and collaboration resulting from chance encounters with researchers in different fields have played a role in providing access to otherwise hidden sources and information. The stories that emerge are interesting and add new dimensions to our understanding of Erdos's early life. Even though the serendipity and collaboration have been mediated by the internet and its instantaneous international reach, they highlight the way in which life writing can thrive on personal meetings across the range of historical practice, including family history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Black Lives Matter rallies across Australia in 2020 drew wide attention to Indigenous deaths in custody, calling forth racial justice to right the wrongs of continuing colonization. However, many may have missed the rare, if not fortuitous, presence of Chinese Australians at the rallies and the heated discussions within the Chinese community on social media. Little recognition of the cross-cultural contact between Chinese and Indigenous peoples points to a blind spot vis-à-vis Australia's race and ethnic relations, a schism that needs bridging if community-wide social cohesion and reconciliation is to be realized. The key question is: why do Indigenous-Chinese relationships remain unrecognized and misunderstood by the mainstream society? In an attempt to tackle this question, this essay will look into the under-reported participation of Chinese individuals and organizations at the Australian BLM rallies and provide a critical consideration of the mixed attitudes within the Chinese community over the rallies in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. By exploring the understated support and camaraderie, as well as fractures and frictions, of the ongoing relationships between Indigenous and Chinese Australians, this essay examines the conceptual, historical and transnational factors that render the recognition of their interrelations difficult in contemporary Australia. It brings together otherwise disparate issues, including the conceptual divide between race and ethnicity, segregation history, identity politics, and transnational racism. It links cyber discussion within the Chinese community in Australia with the discourse of race in China, so as to chart the transnational connectivity of racial discourses and racism against cultural others in the era of social media. In so doing, the essay will offer new insights into Indigenous-Chinese interrelations in culturally diverse Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seeking to assess the current state of international broadcasters (IBs) within the framework of public diplomacy, this paper assesses the relevance of state-sponsored IBs within the contemporary public diplomacy. This paper focuses on the IBs of two neighboring countries, Indonesia and Australia, and political authorities' dynamic support for their services. Data were obtained through desk reviews of IB policies, in-depth interviews, and online observation of the websites of Siaran Luar Negeri (SLN, Indonesia's IB) and ABC Radio Australia (RA, Australia's IB). This paper finds that both countries have continued to use IBs for their public diplomacy, yet 'political parallelism' determines the position and sustainability of each. SLN has had limited political support and faced a series of managerial crises, while RA has enjoyed the fruitful support of the Australian authorities and has been heavily involved in public diplomacy in the Asia–Pacific region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on an instrumental case study exploring what migrant and refugee-background youth in Australia make of the critical media literacy they learn in school, and what critical media practices they use out of school. It addresses the perennial question of the relationship between school literacy learning and everyday literate lives, paying deliberate attention to the experiences of youth whose diversity is underrepresented in research. Interviews with two English teachers and focus groups with culturally and linguistically diverse Year 10 students were analysed using content analysis and the concept of recontextualization. Findings are that these youth see significant value in their critical literacy learning at school, and they report utilising the types of critical reading/viewing skills they experience at school but for different purposes. They frequently use five main strategies for critical reading/viewing out of school: (1) using awareness of myriad multimodal semiotic features to examine representations of products and information; (2) evaluating trustworthiness; (3) fact checking; (4) doing further research; (5) identifying attempts at positioning. This research brings in-school and out-of-school domains together to understand the connections between critical literacy practices undertaken in school, and those reshaped by immigrant youth, who are still learning English, out of school.

Concepts and practices related to risk are central to people's experiences of the COVID-19 crisis and attempts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Sociological perspectives and empirical research on risk and uncertainty have much to offer for insights into how people conceptualise and respond to health risks such those associated with this new pandemic: including identification of the geographical, political, socioeconomic and other contextual dimensions. In this article, we provide findings from a qualitative interview-based project on Australians' experiences of the first six months of the pandemic in 2020, including the national lockdown. A total of 40 adults from across Australia took part in a semi-structured telephone interview. Adopting a narrative analysis approach, we explored people's biographical, embodied, spatial and affective experiences in what we term their 'COVID-19 risk narratives'. We further identified the events and circumstances that contributed to people beginning to feel at heightened personal risk from COVID-19 or which helped them feel safe or less vulnerable. The findings highlight the roles of factors including media coverage, previous experiences with infectious disease, beliefs about personal health and immunity, the government's implementation of containment measures, observations of others' behaviours and experiences, interactions with healthcare providers, geographical location and concern for family members. We argue that surfacing the interplay of these dynamic complex and highly contextual forces and relationships is vital to understanding COVID-19 risk understandings and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns have been raised about an 'infodemic', with information and misinformation being spread across multiple channels and mediums. Information consumption has also been associated with increased anxiety throughout the pandemic. Thus, the present study investigates the mediating role of state anxiety on the relationship between information consumption (defined as mean frequency of information consumption multiplied by number of information sources) and COVID-19 protective behaviours. We compare results across Australian and United States samples and account for personal risk perception and belief in misinformation about COVID-19. Cross-sectional data collected between 28 and 30 April 2020 were analysed using Bayesian structural equation modelling among participants from Australia (N = 201), and the United States (N = 306). State anxiety scores were above the conventional clinical cut-off. Information consumption was positively associated with state anxiety, personal risk perception, and COVID-19 protective behaviours in the Australian and the United States samples. Additionally, the relationship between information consumption and COVID-19 protective behaviours was positively mediated by state anxiety in both nations, suggesting some functional benefits of anxiety. Differences in risk perception and belief in misinformation existed between the Australian and United States sample. Findings provide support for current guidance from organisations such as the WHO, APA, and APS on limiting information consumption to reduce anxiety. To effectively communicate critical public health messaging while minimising potential burdens on mental health, there is a need to develop and test interventions that assist people in calibrating the extent and nature of their information consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

News media literacy has come to receive considerable public attention in recent years in the context of anxieties about the impact of misinformation on society. This article outlines research that examines how Australian teachers perceive and value news media literacy and it explores their experiences of teaching news in the classroom. The article presents findings from an online survey of 295 Australian teachers and follow-up semi-structured interviews with 20 teachers. Our analysis finds that although many teachers value students' learning about the news, there are significant challenges and barriers to address if the approach is to become more widely available in Australian classrooms. Teachers lack direction about how news should be taught to young people, the curriculum is already crowded, limiting opportunities to address news, and teachers lack access to relevant professional development. The article provides insights into how to move forward to ensure young people receive adequate education about news in Australia, with the findings holding relevance to other countries facing similar challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In February 2020 the World Health Organization declared an 'infodemic' in relation to COVID-19. The label infers that people are being contaminated by 'misinformation' as they would be by a virus. However, this metaphor conveys a simplistic empirical understanding of communication, which may encourage 'information control' responses. This article argues for the importance of understanding the diverse factors that impact the effectiveness of communication – including the context in which it is received, and the emergent properties created through communication processes. Analyzing 'vaccine-critical' Facebook activity in Australia between 1 December 2020 and 28 February 2022, we find that controlling access to or censoring vaccine-critical misinformation does not lead to a reduction in vaccine-critical narratives. Rather, discussions continue based on more tenable political and social arguments. Further, bans antagonize vaccine-critical Facebook users and encourage them to move to other platforms where they may be radicalized. Crucially, recruitment to vaccine-critical sites accelerated following both bans of 'misinformation' and the introduction of vaccine mandates, suggesting that such responses can lead to increased discontentment. Accordingly, we call for researchers, policy makers and media platforms to engage with a more nuanced view of communication, acknowledging the powerful role of audiences' uses and gratifications in determining the effectiveness of public health messaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nurses and midwives have a professional obligation to promote health and prevent disease, and therefore they have an essential role to play in vaccination. Despite this, some nurses and midwives have been found to take an anti-vaccination stance and promulgate misinformation about vaccines, often using Facebook as a platform to do so. Research question: This article reports on one component and dataset from a larger study – 'the positives, perils and pitfalls of Facebook for nurses'. It explores the specific issue of nurses and midwives who take an anti-vaccination stance, deemed to be unprofessional by crossing professional boundaries and by providing medical information on Facebook that is not within their scope of practice. Participants: Data were collected via an online worldwide survey from nurse and midwife participants, distributed and 'snowballed' through relevant nursing and midwifery groups on Facebook. In total, 1644 Registered Nurses and Midwives, and Enrolled Nurses worldwide attempted the online survey. There were 1100 (66.9%) completed surveys and 54 partially (33.1%) completed surveys. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted online using Skype® with 17 participants in Australia. Ethical considerations: Ethical processes and procedures have been adhered to relating to privacy, confidentiality and anonymity of the participants. Findings/results: A mixed-methods approach was used, including descriptive and content analysis of the quantitative survey data and thematic analysis of the qualitative interview data. The main theme 'blurred boundaries' was generated, which comprised three sub-themes: 'follow the science, 'abuse of power and erosion of trust' and 'the moral and ethical responsibility to safeguard public health'. The results offer an important and unique understanding of how nurses and midwives interpret the conduct of fellow health professionals as unprofessional and crossing the professional boundary if they used Facebook to promulgate anti-vaccination messages and/or give medical advice online. Conclusion: There are many positives and negatives for nurses and midwives associated with using Facebook for personal and professional communication, which is in keeping with the results of the larger study from which this article is taken. Professional behaviour is a key theme in the larger research as is the ethical construct of 'every act has a consequence'; however, in this article, the theme 'blurred boundaries' offers an overall understanding of how nurses and midwives interpret the behaviour of their colleagues who espouse anti-vaccination sentiment and/or give medical advice online that is outside their scope of practice and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conspirituality--the merger of conspiracy theories and spirituality--has attracted significant global media and scholarly attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article expands upon the 'two core' conspiritual convictions proposed by Ward and Voas that '1) a secret group covertly controls, or is trying to control, the political and social order, and 2) humanity is undergoing a "paradigm shift" in consciousness'. We identify an additional ten key convictions central to (con)spirituality, including those that result in vaccine hesitancy and/or refusal. We chose to bracket the 'con' to problematize the term, and to encompass a wider spectrum of spiritual beliefs and practices, including those that are non-controversial, those that may be deceptive cons, and/or those that draw on conspiracy theories. The article presents an analysis of these twelve (con)spiritual convictions, focusing on a sample of 'Aussie Warriors' selling (con)spirituality, and also on influencers attempting to counter the spread of dis/misinformation within wellness circles. In so doing, the article provides a more nuanced understanding of (con) spirituality and vaccine hesitancy, and a greater knowledge of the benefits and risks of spiritual practices and ideas during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart infrastructure is positioned as central to the liveability and viability of rural and regional towns in Australia. The Australian Government's Smart Cities Plan and Regional Connectivity Program includes Smart Investment in regional areas and the New South Wales Government has prioritised connectivity and telecommunications infrastructural development through the Regional Digital Connectivity program. And yet regional and rural communities are typically excluded from the evidence base for smart technologies and services. Local Aboriginal Land Councils are also important stakeholders in managing the digital processes associated with information and infrastructure moving across different Countries. This paper draws on data from the 'It just works!': Regional and rural consumer understandings of smart technologies in North West New South Wales project, including over 130 survey responses and interviews with shire councillors, land councillors, and consumers on smart development and Internet infrastructure in the region. In the areas surveyed, smart regional policy is variously emerging, non‐existent, or assembled from existing policy domains and regulation involving the Internet, telecommunications, regional development, First Nations, and local government. We argue that regional and rural understandings of growth and development are experienced through the infrastructuring processes of Internet quality, availability, and speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Early warning of disease outbreaks is paramount for health jurisdictions. The objective of the present study was to develop syndromic surveillance monitoring plans from routinely collected ED data with application to detecting disease outbreaks. Methods: The study involved secondary data analysis of ED presentations to major public hospitals in Queensland and South Australia spanning 2017–2020. Monitoring plans were developed for all major Queensland and South Australian public hospitals using an adaptation of Exponentially Weighted Moving Averages – a process control method used in detecting anomalies in industrial production processes. The methods rely on setting a threshold (control limit) relating to the time between an event of interest (e.g. flu outbreak) using ED presentations as a signal to monitor. An outbreak is flagged as this time gets significantly smaller, and each event offers a decision point on whether an outbreak has occurred. The models incorporate differing levels of temporal memory to cover outbreaks of different sizes. Results: The novel approach to real‐time outbreak detection indicates outbreaks for individual hospitals coinciding with the first wave of the COVID‐19 outbreak in Queensland and South Australia as well as the large 2017 and 2019 influenza seasons. Conclusion: Outbreak detection models demonstrate the ability to quickly flag an outbreak based on clinician‐assigned ED diagnoses. An implemented syndromic surveillance approach can pick up geographic outbreaks quickly so they can be contained. Such capability can help with surveillance related to the current COVID‐19 pandemic and potential future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The classical account of reasoning posits that analytic thinking weakens belief in COVID-19 misinformation. We tested this account in a demographically representative sample of 742 Australians. Participants completed a performance-based measure of analytic thinking (the Cognitive Reflection Test) and were randomized to groups in which they either rated the perceived accuracy of claims about COVID-19 or indicated whether they would be willing to share these claims. Half of these claims were previously debunked misinformation, and half were statements endorsed by public health agencies. We found that participants with higher analytic thinking levels were less likely to rate COVID-19 misinformation as accurate and were less likely to be willing to share COVID-19 misinformation. These results support the classical account of reasoning for the topic of COVID-19 misinformation and extend it to the Australian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet offers an unprecedented confluence of low cost production, distribution, and marketing in a single publishing platform with minimal barriers to entry. At least in the USA, this distinctive political economy has seen an explosion of bottom-up, grassroots journalism and political discussion without the centralised direction, large-scale funding, and editorial control that are hallmarks of traditional news media. This paper explores the emergence of a `blogosphere~ which threatens to disturb, if it has not already ruptured, what Jay Blumler (2001, p. 204) describes as the `straightforwardly top-down' character of mainstream political communication in which issues of the day are `mainly defined and discussed by politicians, journalists, experts and interest group leaders'. US bloggers have had an impact upon the established news media that extends well beyond driving them to publish their own j-blogs. In effect, bloggers now constitute a `fifth estate~ fact-checking and-often obsessively-analysing the output of mainstream news media including its coverage of politics. In some cases bloggers have also shaped the course of political events by publicising issues originally overlooked by traditional news media. Yet in Australia the picture is rather different. In a different institutional setting blogging has not emerged as an important vehicle for political news and debate, nor even taken firm root. This would appear to pose a difficulty for the argument advanced by its champions that, with its particular political economy, the blogosphere is destined to transform political communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dominant theme across examinations of the intelligence used to justify invading Iraq in 2003 is that political decision-makers amplified the clarity of their evidence. What has been missed is that Australia did exactly the opposite: here, the political leadership channelled uncertainty, inconclusiveness and doubt into highly effective rhetorical manoeuvres that embraced the imperfection of evidence and, with it, sufficiently weakened arguments that an invasion could take place only with absolute proof. This article examines the role of Australian intelligence amid a complex mix of factors that facilitated those manoeuvres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the relationship between crisis and critique in light of the prospects for critical theory. Topics discussed include the crises facing modern society such as the Australian bushfire crisis, crises of capital and the global financial system and the crises of domestic liberalism and the international order, connection of the crisis of critique to intellectualism, expertise and humanistic knowledge, and the need to be critical of the language of crisis.

In recent years, the term 'fake news' has gained considerable traction in scholarly and public discourse. While fake news is increasingly attributed to declining audience trust, we know little about how publics are making sense of the concept. To address this, I discuss findings arising from interviews with 24 Western Australian media consumers who offered their perspectives on Australian news coverage of asylum seekers. Combining Critical Discourse methods with Rhetorical Analysis, findings highlight how participants evaluated misinformation and disinformation about asylum seekers and in particular, how some adopted a discourse of 'fake news' to delegitimise perspectives that oppose their own stance. Discussed alongside Egelhofer and Lecheler's (2019) theoretical framework of the fake news 'label', I argue that by understanding how audiences discussed fake news before the concept rose to prominence in 2016, scholars can meaningfully examine discursive patterns within social constructions of fake news across numerous contemporary and historical contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the Australian 'Continental Philosophy' community through the lens of the Azanian philosophical tradition. Specifically, it interrogates the series of conversations around race and methodology that arose from the 2017 Australasian Society for Continental Philosophy (ASCP) conference. At the heart of these were questions of place, race, Indigeneity, and the very meaning of 'Continental Philosophy' in Australia. The pages that follow pursue those questions, grappling with the relationship between the articulation of disciplinary bounds and the exercise of colonial power. Having struggled with the political and existential cost of participation in the epistemic community that is the ASCP, I argue for disengagement and the exploration of alternative intellectual communities. This is ultimately a call to intellectual work grounded on ethical relations rather than on the furtherance of the status quo. It is a call to take seriously the claim, 'the land is ours'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genres of written communication do not take place in a vacuum; rather they are fundamentally influenced by historical context and socio‐political circumstance. In recent years, the political memoir genre in Australia has moved away from its tradition of personalised narrative towards a more assertive mode of historical representation. Drawing on empirical and oral history research, this article examines recent alterations in the genre as manifest in six political memoirs produced by senior members of the Rudd–Gillard Labor government. I conclude that Australia's embittered and combative political culture has driven changes in the aesthetic and epistemological features of the genre itself. This research demonstrates that the "trust deficit" embedded in contemporary democracies is manifest not only in the daily ephemera of public discourse, but also in long‐form modes and genres of political communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare, debilitating, genetic disease characterized by unpredictable, recurrent, and potentially fatal swelling of the skin and mucous membranes. We conducted a noninterventional, cross-sectional, web-based survey of patients with a self-reported diagnosis of HAE type 1/2 in Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom to gain a comprehensive real-world understanding of the characteristics of HAE and its burden from the perspective of the patient. The survey included questions on clinical and demographic characteristics, burden of disease, and treatment. Instruments used to measure patient-reported outcomes included the Angioedema Quality of Life questionnaire (AE-QoL), 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12v2), Angioedema Control Test (AECT), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Work Productivity and Impairment questionnaire (WPAI). Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics.Results: A total of 242 patients (67.4% female; mean [range] age 43.8 [18-92] years) completed the survey. The mean (SD) age at first symptoms was 11.5 (8.9) years, while diagnosis occurred at 20.8 (13.2) years. Patients reported a mean (SD) of 12.5 (14.1) attacks in the past 6 months. The most recent attack occurred within the past month in 79.7% of patients; most were of moderate severity, 6.6% affected the larynx, 21.9% lasted ≥ 3 days, and 76.4% were treated with on-demand medication. Hospitalizations and emergency/urgent care visits were highest for patients with more attacks. At the time of the survey, 62.4% of patients were using long-term prophylaxis, including 34.4% using androgens. Moderate to severe anxiety and depression were reported in 38.0% and 17.4% of patients, respectively, as measured using the HADS. The severity of anxiety and depression was associated with poorer quality of life and productivity, measured using the AECT (mean overall score 8.00 [moderate perceived disease control]), AE-QoL, WPAI, and SF-12v2. Scores for AECT, AE-QoL, and WPAI were also worse with a higher number of attacks.Conclusions: This survey study of a broad international sample of patients with HAE showed that despite the availability of on-demand treatment and long-term prophylaxis for the prevention of attacks, patients across a wide geographical area continue to have high disease activity, likely due to restrictions in the availability of medications or incorrect use. Subsequently, significant disease burden, including impaired quality of life and mental health and decreased productivity, was evident. Increased patient education and access to newer, more effective therapies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study of Australian participatory-journalism project ABC Open analyzes the role of professional staff in the gatekeeping of user-generated content. Informed by the concept of 'reciprocal journalism' and applying the 'network gatekeeping theory' developed by Barzilai-Nahon, this study finds a user-generated content project that prioritizes rapport between user-generated content contributors and the initiative's professional gatekeepers ('producers'). Analysis suggests that the 'collegial gatekeeping' approach of ABC Open is resource- and labor-intensive, but succeeds by prioritizing quality over quantity in a long-term, non-profit initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theory and practice of Wikipedia has a common heritage with professional history. In spite of the project being very new, the number and variety of its authors and the ambivalence of academia towards it, Wikipedians have created an encyclopedia that upholds high standards of scholarship and encyclopedism. Simultaneously it provides universal easy access to knowledge. The policies and practices enacted by Wikipedia to achieve these standards are rarely unique. Facing the same challenges that encyclopedists, lexicographers, translators, librarians and archivists have before, it does not achieve a uniformly high standard but it is a new chapter in a very old book. This paper uses Wikipedia's articles to highlight practical means by which historians might engage with the project as a historical source and still maintain professional standards. Discussion pages, several associated paratexts and the statistics demonstrating article popularity are considered. Finally, there is a discussion about how historians can be directly involved in the Wikipedia project – by editing it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The representation of scientific knowledge and information on Wikipedia is controversial. While some entries present established scientific fact, other entries are devoid of information or present information of questionable rigour. Taking this and the problems associated with essay topics as assessment tasks into consideration, an assessment task has been developed in which senior physiology or histology students edit a Wikipedia entry which is relevant to the themes in the unit of study. Students develop digital literacy skills while improving the quality of scientific information on Wikipedia. Teaching and learning resources have been developed to aid the students transition from writing in a typical 'essay style' to writing in a style appropriate to Wikipedia. The assessment task and design presented here can be readily adapted to any field of study and is designed to help academics introduce editing of Wikipedia articles into existing curricula in an efficient and effective manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media use has redefined the production, experience and consumption of news media. These changes have made verifying and trusting news content more complicated and this has led to a number of recent flashpoints for claims and counter-claims of 'fake news' at critical moments during elections, natural disasters and acts of terrorism. Concerns regarding the actual and potential social impact of fake news led us to carry out the first nationally representative survey of young Australians' news practices and experiences. Our analysis finds that while social media is one of young people's preferred sources of news, they are not confident about spotting fake news online and many rarely or never check the source of news stories. Our findings raise important questions regarding the need for news media literacy education – both in schools and in the home. Therefore, we consider the historical development of news media literacy education and critique the relevance of dominant frameworks and pedagogies currently in use. We find that news media has become neglected in media literacy education in Australia over the past three decades, and we propose that current media literacy frameworks and pedagogies in use need to be rethought for the digital age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the relationships between scientists, science communicators and science journalists in Australia. Building upon a smaller previous study, this article provides an overview of the science media landscape across a nation through the use of semi-structured interviews with members of stakeholder groups. Although relationships between each of the groups are generally positive, a lack of clear understanding of the professional practice and cultures of the different groups sometimes appear to hinder positive interactions. Many scientists continue to lament the need for journalists to understand more science, yet very few make similar comments about the need for scientists to know more about media. Refocusing on sharing the responsibility for science reporting may be a means of bridging the identified cultural divide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural resource management practices such as community-based resource management (CBRM) are well-established bottom-up approaches to developing adaptive governance systems. Less is understood about how communities involved in such processes can attract top-down support without compromising their credibility or salience. We tested the usefulness of the linked boundary functions concept - boundary chains - for explaining the role of "research for development" (R4D) organizations in the integration of bottom-up community resource governance and top-down policy and legislative governance. We used the Australian Centre for Agricultural Research (ACIAR) in the Solomon Islands as a case study to probe the role of R4D organizations in this regard. The linked boundary functions concept proved useful in exploring the active functions of R4D organizations as actors that lend credibility, salience, and legitimacy to community-based governance initiatives. The concept of linked boundary functions or boundary chains can contribute to the current discussion in the complexity-aware theory of change and open new avenues for boundary management that enable the development of integrated resource governance in complex development contexts. This article contributes to the existing literature on the boundary spanning activities of R4D organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between immigration and crime rates has long been a topic of robust debate in criminology and sociology, especially for scholars of the United States. Researchers in those fields have highlighted divergent factors to explain high arrest rates including the presence of ethnic gangs, media reporting, racial profiling, over‐policing of immigrant communities, and wider issues of social dislocation brought about by migration. By contrast, historians have given little consideration to the topic. This lack of historical investigation is particularly curious in studies of Australia's post‐war immigration given the political importance of the issue at the time. Immigration and criminality — or more precisely, whether immigrants committed more crime or worse crimes than the Australian‐born population — became a prominent topic of media coverage and political interest in the early 1950s. In fact, the question of migrants’ criminality was so important that it was the subject of the first research inquiries ever ordered by the Department of Immigration. Our article examines this research, explaining the impetus for the inquiries, their findings, and their historical significance. We conclude by outlining how this topic can illuminate new areas of inquiry in immigration history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]