A Federation of cultures? Innovative approaches to multicultural accommodation. This project examines how state and federal governments can better protect and support the values, beliefs and cultural practices of different cultural and religious groups, especially in matters concerning family life, community identity and freedom of conscience, within a framework of respect for human rights.
Internal Regulation: Overcoming the Disconnect between Corporate Objectives and Health, Safety, Environmental and Community Performance. This research will enable corporations to identify the points of greatest leverage over corporate and facility level health, safety, environmental and community (HSEC) performance and to develop strategies that successfully achieve their HSEC objectives. It will provide broader national benefits in (i) reducing workplace injury and environmental degradation at ....Internal Regulation: Overcoming the Disconnect between Corporate Objectives and Health, Safety, Environmental and Community Performance. This research will enable corporations to identify the points of greatest leverage over corporate and facility level health, safety, environmental and community (HSEC) performance and to develop strategies that successfully achieve their HSEC objectives. It will provide broader national benefits in (i) reducing workplace injury and environmental degradation at multiple facilities across Australia and (ii) increasing productivity and economic benefits (by doing so at reduced cost to companies). The study will also benefit the Australian and regional communities by identifying strategies that facilitate better community-company relations. Read moreRead less
Integrated governance of water and coal seam gas. This project aims to evaluate the governance of the water effects on unconventional gas, to develop legal and policy principles for the integration of these effects in an effective, efficient and legitimate manner, and to investigate problems posed for integrated and polycentric governance, more generally. Australia must meet its unconventional gas needs without harming its water resources. The project is expected to deliver effective and legitim ....Integrated governance of water and coal seam gas. This project aims to evaluate the governance of the water effects on unconventional gas, to develop legal and policy principles for the integration of these effects in an effective, efficient and legitimate manner, and to investigate problems posed for integrated and polycentric governance, more generally. Australia must meet its unconventional gas needs without harming its water resources. The project is expected to deliver effective and legitimate outcomes for water, energy and potentially other social and environmental issues, aiming to establish Australia as a leader in sustainable water management.Read moreRead less
Intellectual property and climate change: inventing clean technologies. By providing recommendations about intellectual property law, policy and practice to policy-makers and stakeholders, this project will promote research and development of clean technologies in Australia. It will also facilitate the transfer of such technologies in Australia and to developing countries and least developed countries.
Gene Patents in Australia: Options for Reform. Controversies over the upsurge in gene patenting, access to pharmaceuticals, biopiracy, and ownership of genetic resources, lead many to question whether patent law is appropriate for biotechnology. Do patents thwart access to beneficial technologies such as drugs, research tools and new crops, while hampering policy options for health care and agriculture? This project addresses the urgent need for a comprehensive study of the impact of biotech pat ....Gene Patents in Australia: Options for Reform. Controversies over the upsurge in gene patenting, access to pharmaceuticals, biopiracy, and ownership of genetic resources, lead many to question whether patent law is appropriate for biotechnology. Do patents thwart access to beneficial technologies such as drugs, research tools and new crops, while hampering policy options for health care and agriculture? This project addresses the urgent need for a comprehensive study of the impact of biotech patenting, critically reviewing overseas developments, setting biotechnology in the broader policy context of intellectual property law, and empirically analysing patterns rather than relying on the anecdotal and piecemeal studies that dominate this area.Read moreRead less
Establishing Guidelines for Coronial Best Practice Use of Internal Autopsy. Last year in Queensland 2700 Coronial internal autopsies were conducted at a cost of $5.3 million. In addition to the economic cost, other relevant concerns include few qualified personnel, public health risks, and cultural and religious sensitivities associated with internal autopsy. Anecdotal evidence suggests that for a number of these deaths, the internal autopsy was not necessary to establish cause or circumstance ....Establishing Guidelines for Coronial Best Practice Use of Internal Autopsy. Last year in Queensland 2700 Coronial internal autopsies were conducted at a cost of $5.3 million. In addition to the economic cost, other relevant concerns include few qualified personnel, public health risks, and cultural and religious sensitivities associated with internal autopsy. Anecdotal evidence suggests that for a number of these deaths, the internal autopsy was not necessary to establish cause or circumstance of death. The purpose of this research is to create guidelines to enable coroners to weight all sources of evidence before ordering internal autopsies The purpose is to decrease the number (and associated costs, risks and distress to families) of unnecessary internal autopsies being performed without compromising the finding as to cause and circumstance of death.Read moreRead less
Investigating the Coronial Determination of Suicide as a Category of Death. Data for suicide statistics can only come from official findings of suicide by a coroner, but this is a finding they are often reluctant to reach. The purpose of this project is to investigate how statistical calculations of suicide are dependent upon its coronial determination. The research is not only expected to result in more defensible national suicide data, it also aims to clarify the degree to which the recurrent ....Investigating the Coronial Determination of Suicide as a Category of Death. Data for suicide statistics can only come from official findings of suicide by a coroner, but this is a finding they are often reluctant to reach. The purpose of this project is to investigate how statistical calculations of suicide are dependent upon its coronial determination. The research is not only expected to result in more defensible national suicide data, it also aims to clarify the degree to which the recurrent 'problem' of suicide data may lie in the coronial construction of suicide itself. Expected benefits of the project include the clarification of the role of the coroners regarding suicide determination, and the more effective targeting of suicide prevention programs.Read moreRead less
Teachers Reporting Child Sexual Abuse: Towards Evidence-based Reform of Law, Policy and Practice. Every year, thousands of Australian children are sexually abused. This causes lifelong psychological, social and economic cost to victims. It also undermines Australia's social fabric, and costs the nation hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Early intervention promotes enhanced health and life outcomes for abused children, and teachers are well-placed to contribute to early reporting of child ....Teachers Reporting Child Sexual Abuse: Towards Evidence-based Reform of Law, Policy and Practice. Every year, thousands of Australian children are sexually abused. This causes lifelong psychological, social and economic cost to victims. It also undermines Australia's social fabric, and costs the nation hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Early intervention promotes enhanced health and life outcomes for abused children, and teachers are well-placed to contribute to early reporting of child sexual abuse. This research promotes children's healthy start to life by being the first inquiry to identify the most effective legal and practical strategies for requiring and enabling teachers to accurately report child sexual abuse. It adds further economic and social benefit by finding ways to reduce inaccurate reports of child sexual abuse.Read moreRead less
Promoting Plant Innovation in Australia: maximising the benefits of intellectual property for Australian agriculture. The development of new plant varieties is crucial to the ongoing competitiveness and sustainability of Australian agriculture. It also has wider social, cultural and economic consequences. Intellectual property laws have the potential to promote and hinder the developments of new plant varieties. In recent years there has been a shift towards the use of patents to protect plant i ....Promoting Plant Innovation in Australia: maximising the benefits of intellectual property for Australian agriculture. The development of new plant varieties is crucial to the ongoing competitiveness and sustainability of Australian agriculture. It also has wider social, cultural and economic consequences. Intellectual property laws have the potential to promote and hinder the developments of new plant varieties. In recent years there has been a shift towards the use of patents to protect plant innovations: a trend which has the potential to transform existing research and development arrangements and industry practices in Australia. By providing policy-makers and stakeholders with recommendations on how to respond to and manage these changes, the project will promote plant breeding in Australia and also enhance the sustainability and competitiveness of Australian agriculture.Read moreRead less
Intellectual property and 3D printing. This project aims to provide guidance for industry and policy-makers about intellectual property, three-dimensional (3D) printing, and innovation policy. It will consider the evolution of 3D printing, and examine its implications for the creative industries, branding and marketing, manufacturing and robotics, clean technologies, health-care and the digital economy. The project will examine how 3D printing disrupts copyright law, designs law, trade mark law, ....Intellectual property and 3D printing. This project aims to provide guidance for industry and policy-makers about intellectual property, three-dimensional (3D) printing, and innovation policy. It will consider the evolution of 3D printing, and examine its implications for the creative industries, branding and marketing, manufacturing and robotics, clean technologies, health-care and the digital economy. The project will examine how 3D printing disrupts copyright law, designs law, trade mark law, patent law and confidential information. The project expects to provide practical advice about intellectual property management and commercialisation, and boost Australia’s capacity in advanced manufacturing and materials science.Read moreRead less