Preventing the financial abuse of older people by a family member: Designing and evaluating older-person-centred models of family mediation. The financial abuse of older people is a significant social problem that is likely to intensify as Australia's ageing population continues to rise exponentially over the next twenty years. This project engages a broad range of stakeholders, including older people and their families, in the process of developing specialised models of family mediation to redu ....Preventing the financial abuse of older people by a family member: Designing and evaluating older-person-centred models of family mediation. The financial abuse of older people is a significant social problem that is likely to intensify as Australia's ageing population continues to rise exponentially over the next twenty years. This project engages a broad range of stakeholders, including older people and their families, in the process of developing specialised models of family mediation to reduce the incidence and severity of financial abuse within a framework that promotes social sustainability and family cohesion. The outcomes of the project, therefore, will have a direct and positive impact on policy and practice in the social and economic care of older people.Read moreRead less
Increasing advance personal planning by older adults. This project aims to increase the uptake of advance personal planning among people aged 65 years or over in the community by developing, implementing and evaluating a community action model. People have a legal right to engage in advance personal planning, a process that helps them discuss and document their financial, personal and health preferences, in case they later lose the ability to make or communicate decisions. Few people plan ahead, ....Increasing advance personal planning by older adults. This project aims to increase the uptake of advance personal planning among people aged 65 years or over in the community by developing, implementing and evaluating a community action model. People have a legal right to engage in advance personal planning, a process that helps them discuss and document their financial, personal and health preferences, in case they later lose the ability to make or communicate decisions. Few people plan ahead, even though it can reduce the likelihood of financial exploitation, family conflict and unwanted medical care. This project aims to provide a model of community action to build capacity and collaboration across social services and improve the wellbeing of older people.Read moreRead less
The Future of Television: Australian Legal Protection of Digital Broadcast Content. Free-to-air broadcasting performs central democratic, economic and cultural functions, with a key place in Australia's media. But technological changes pose fundamental and urgent challenges for broadcasters. By investigating mechanisms to protect digital content, the project will advance understanding of a crucial issue in the digital economy. The project will increase understanding of options for protecting bro ....The Future of Television: Australian Legal Protection of Digital Broadcast Content. Free-to-air broadcasting performs central democratic, economic and cultural functions, with a key place in Australia's media. But technological changes pose fundamental and urgent challenges for broadcasters. By investigating mechanisms to protect digital content, the project will advance understanding of a crucial issue in the digital economy. The project will increase understanding of options for protecting broadcast content to promote innovation in content production and distribution, while not restraining reasonable content uses nor hindering innovative consumer electronics. Australian policies should foster an innovative and diverse broadcasting sector to serve Australian public interests. The project promotes this vital objective.Read moreRead less
Reform of the Personal Liability of Directors for Unpaid Employee Entitlements. The financing of business and the provision of labour services to the corporate sector are central to the nation's economic health. Loss of employment, employee entitlements and the fallout of business collapse impact on every aspect of social and economic life. The ability of employees to recover lost entitlements has emerged as an issue critical to a sustainable, efficient and equitable economy. Presently, the burd ....Reform of the Personal Liability of Directors for Unpaid Employee Entitlements. The financing of business and the provision of labour services to the corporate sector are central to the nation's economic health. Loss of employment, employee entitlements and the fallout of business collapse impact on every aspect of social and economic life. The ability of employees to recover lost entitlements has emerged as an issue critical to a sustainable, efficient and equitable economy. Presently, the burden of compensating unpaid employee entitlements is carried by the taxpayer through the General Employment Entitlements and Redundancy Scheme. Director liability provisions which make placing failing companies into voluntary administration an attractive option could relieve that burden. Read moreRead less
Cultural Collections, Creators and Copyright: Museums, Galleries, Libraries and Archives and Australia's Digital Heritage. This project investigates current and emerging ways of using digital collections in museums, galleries, libraries and archives, in light of copyright law and the interests of creators. It serves the strong public interest in facilitating digital access to collections while efficiently managing copyright. Exploiting the potential of digital media and maximising Australia's cr ....Cultural Collections, Creators and Copyright: Museums, Galleries, Libraries and Archives and Australia's Digital Heritage. This project investigates current and emerging ways of using digital collections in museums, galleries, libraries and archives, in light of copyright law and the interests of creators. It serves the strong public interest in facilitating digital access to collections while efficiently managing copyright. Exploiting the potential of digital media and maximising Australia's creative capability both depend on providing adequate incentives for content production while granting access to creative material as a resource for new production. The project will assist Australia better manage its digital cultural collections and balance the interests of creators, institutions and public accessibility.Read moreRead less
Lawyers, Civil Society and the State in Post-colonial Malaysia. This study investigates how Malaysian lawyers have mobilized to defend core legal values in response to key political events in Malaysian history. It will contribute to Australian understanding of civil society and the rule of law in our regional neighbour and build bridges between Malaysian and Australian lawyers and scholars. The development of deeper respect for the rule of law in this region plays an important role in increasing ....Lawyers, Civil Society and the State in Post-colonial Malaysia. This study investigates how Malaysian lawyers have mobilized to defend core legal values in response to key political events in Malaysian history. It will contribute to Australian understanding of civil society and the rule of law in our regional neighbour and build bridges between Malaysian and Australian lawyers and scholars. The development of deeper respect for the rule of law in this region plays an important role in increasing regional stability and creating a safe and more predictable environment. Understanding the role that lawyers play in this process is a vital component of regional security.Read moreRead less
A cross-disciplinary investigation of creative arts as intervention activity for young people at risk in urban and rural Victoria. The research project will investigate whether the involvement of "at risk" teenagers in creative arts activities can act as effective diversions from harmful risk taking behaviour. The project will set up, document and analyse creative arts projects in three urban and rural Victorian localities where there is a high proportion of marginalised youth. This research wil ....A cross-disciplinary investigation of creative arts as intervention activity for young people at risk in urban and rural Victoria. The research project will investigate whether the involvement of "at risk" teenagers in creative arts activities can act as effective diversions from harmful risk taking behaviour. The project will set up, document and analyse creative arts projects in three urban and rural Victorian localities where there is a high proportion of marginalised youth. This research will explore how involvement in creative expression results in increased self-esteem, an improved sense of goal setting and achievement together with community commitment. It will provide justice and social agencies with a model for effective youth program planning which will facilitate re-education and work opportunitiesRead moreRead less
Defamation and Privacy: Law, Media and Public Speech. This project investigates important recent legal changes in defamation and privacy, laws which can considerably limit public speech. It addresses the urgent need in law for a more sophisticated understanding and evaluation of the practices of media professionals. It will assist lawyers and judges apply the changed laws, contribute to scheduled reviews of legislation, assist publications and journalists deal with risks of legal liability, deve ....Defamation and Privacy: Law, Media and Public Speech. This project investigates important recent legal changes in defamation and privacy, laws which can considerably limit public speech. It addresses the urgent need in law for a more sophisticated understanding and evaluation of the practices of media professionals. It will assist lawyers and judges apply the changed laws, contribute to scheduled reviews of legislation, assist publications and journalists deal with risks of legal liability, develop critical academic and legal debates about the media, and clarify the parameters of lawful public speech. It promotes better legal understanding of popular media forms, which have key roles in contemporary economies and public debate.Read moreRead less
Amateur Hour: The Sociolegal Construction of Amateur Media. This project addresses Research Priority 3, specifically the priority goal of Promoting an Innovation Culture and Economy. The rise of amateur networked production is a highly significant transformation in Australia's cultural and media industries. Innovation policy provides incentives for the socially-optimal production of new works, but amateurs do not produce for commercial gain, and may not respond to commercial incentives of inte ....Amateur Hour: The Sociolegal Construction of Amateur Media. This project addresses Research Priority 3, specifically the priority goal of Promoting an Innovation Culture and Economy. The rise of amateur networked production is a highly significant transformation in Australia's cultural and media industries. Innovation policy provides incentives for the socially-optimal production of new works, but amateurs do not produce for commercial gain, and may not respond to commercial incentives of intellectual property. The project articulates motivations, incentive and conditions for amateur content production.Read moreRead less
Defamation Law in Context: Australian and US News Production Practices and Public Debate. Legal and media commentators claim Australian defamation law 'chills' media speech and limits public debate, especially compared to the US. This project examines how defamation risks are considered in media production practices under differing legal, institutional and social contexts in Australia and the US. It responds to important defamation law developments and media transformations. The project will: ....Defamation Law in Context: Australian and US News Production Practices and Public Debate. Legal and media commentators claim Australian defamation law 'chills' media speech and limits public debate, especially compared to the US. This project examines how defamation risks are considered in media production practices under differing legal, institutional and social contexts in Australia and the US. It responds to important defamation law developments and media transformations. The project will:
- Produce qualitative data about media news production practices and products in Australia and the US.
- Use the data to evaluate the role of defamation law in the media's contribution to public debate, and argue for optimal reforms to Australian defamation law.Read moreRead less