The impact and cost of short-term health staffing in remote communities. This project aims to examine the impact of the increasing levels of short-term health staffing in remote communities upon service acceptability to patients, workload and attitudes of long-term resident primary health care staff, and the effectiveness and cost of health services. There is a dearth of information about this 'fly in/fly out' (FIFO) workforce in remote communities, which have the worst health outcomes in the co ....The impact and cost of short-term health staffing in remote communities. This project aims to examine the impact of the increasing levels of short-term health staffing in remote communities upon service acceptability to patients, workload and attitudes of long-term resident primary health care staff, and the effectiveness and cost of health services. There is a dearth of information about this 'fly in/fly out' (FIFO) workforce in remote communities, which have the worst health outcomes in the country. The project aims to inform consumers, health practitioners, health service planners and policy-makers about the impact of FIFO, as well as to contribute to the development of strategies designed to stabilise the remote health workforce.Read moreRead less
Combating rising sexually transmitted infections among older Australians. This project aims to explore older Australians' knowledge of, and safe sexual practices in regards to, sexually transmitted infections (STIs). STI rates have increased rapidly amongst older age groups in recent years, yet there is a significant research gap concerning older Australians' knowledge of STIs and the preventative sexual practices they engage in. This project is understood to be the only known Australian study c ....Combating rising sexually transmitted infections among older Australians. This project aims to explore older Australians' knowledge of, and safe sexual practices in regards to, sexually transmitted infections (STIs). STI rates have increased rapidly amongst older age groups in recent years, yet there is a significant research gap concerning older Australians' knowledge of STIs and the preventative sexual practices they engage in. This project is understood to be the only known Australian study considering older people's knowledge and practices in relation to STI prevention. In examining this issue the project aims to contribute towards the development of policy and educational resources for older Australians, and is expected to work towards enabling optimal sexual health for older individuals.Read moreRead less
Ageing in China and Australia: Promoting health, productivity and wellbeing. This project aims to provide insights into the ways in which life-span development and social change in China have influenced the development of policies to support the health, productivity and wellbeing of people entering later life. China’s population is rapidly ageing, bringing pressure on intergenerational support arising from smaller families, migration, urbanisation, and growing social inequalities. It may also br ....Ageing in China and Australia: Promoting health, productivity and wellbeing. This project aims to provide insights into the ways in which life-span development and social change in China have influenced the development of policies to support the health, productivity and wellbeing of people entering later life. China’s population is rapidly ageing, bringing pressure on intergenerational support arising from smaller families, migration, urbanisation, and growing social inequalities. It may also bring opportunities. Using an understanding of social determinants, cultural context and policy responses, the project plans to undertake cross-national comparisons with Australia and examine historical influences and social variations within China. The project aims to deliver a better understanding of how public policy can enhance productivity, health and wellbeing of an ageing population.Read moreRead less
Assessing Bone Quality and Health: Experimental imaging, structural characterisation, and mechanical modelling of bone in 3D. Age-related bone fractures due to osteoporosis impose a significant social and economic problem on our increasingly aging population. The assessment of bone quality is important in the diagnosis of age related bone fragility and for studying the efficacy of therapeutic intervens. In this proposal a unique interdisciplinary group with expertise in bone and mineral research ....Assessing Bone Quality and Health: Experimental imaging, structural characterisation, and mechanical modelling of bone in 3D. Age-related bone fractures due to osteoporosis impose a significant social and economic problem on our increasingly aging population. The assessment of bone quality is important in the diagnosis of age related bone fragility and for studying the efficacy of therapeutic intervens. In this proposal a unique interdisciplinary group with expertise in bone and mineral research, experimental 3D imaging and the characterisation and modelling of complex materials will tackle the problem of assessing bone quality and health. The proposed research will greatly improve our assessment of the mechanical competence of bone.Read moreRead less
Curating Photography in the Age of Photo Sharing. This project aims to develop new curatorial models to enable Australian art galleries to respond effectively to changes in the medium of photography wrought by digital technologies. By conducting the first comprehensive analysis of nearly five decades of Australian photography curating and comparing it to curatorial approaches in related institutions locally and internationally, the project seeks to: identify the crucial role of photography exhib ....Curating Photography in the Age of Photo Sharing. This project aims to develop new curatorial models to enable Australian art galleries to respond effectively to changes in the medium of photography wrought by digital technologies. By conducting the first comprehensive analysis of nearly five decades of Australian photography curating and comparing it to curatorial approaches in related institutions locally and internationally, the project seeks to: identify the crucial role of photography exhibitions in the shaping of Australian visual culture; and develop opportunities for curators to better engage with the current proliferation of images, including new forms and practices of photography enabled by the Internet.Read moreRead less
Balancing law and life. Law firms have been transformed as a result of mergers, incorporation and listing on the stock exchange. The centrality of competition and globalisation has jeopardised any possibility of a work/life balance. This project will examine the tensions in trying to effect a balance for lawyers expected to work 24/7.
Building rule of law capacity in a transitional state: lessons from the Australian criminal justice assistance programme in Cambodia 1997-2007. Australian overseas aid has recently stressed funding better governance and security as pre-requisites to poverty reduction and economic development. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a long term legal assistance programme designed to strengthen the rule of law in a fragile state such as Cambodia. Police reform in fragile states has often failed ....Building rule of law capacity in a transitional state: lessons from the Australian criminal justice assistance programme in Cambodia 1997-2007. Australian overseas aid has recently stressed funding better governance and security as pre-requisites to poverty reduction and economic development. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a long term legal assistance programme designed to strengthen the rule of law in a fragile state such as Cambodia. Police reform in fragile states has often failed and lessons learnt by the CCJAP over the past 10 years will contribute to our knowledge about the best practices and strategies needed to improve security and governance in fragile states. Capacity building efforts to improve international law enforcement cooperation, especially in regard to counter-terrorism and transnational crime, will benefit from this review.Read moreRead less
Resourcing Public Law Enforcement Agencies in the 21st Century; Coercion, Sale and Gift. This project will analyse three basic means of enhancing the resources of public law enforcement agencies: circumstances wherein police command cooperation from private institutions; those where police buy and sell services; and those where police are the beneficiaries of private sponsorship. The potentials and limits of these three forms of exchange will be studied in each Australian State and Territory, in ....Resourcing Public Law Enforcement Agencies in the 21st Century; Coercion, Sale and Gift. This project will analyse three basic means of enhancing the resources of public law enforcement agencies: circumstances wherein police command cooperation from private institutions; those where police buy and sell services; and those where police are the beneficiaries of private sponsorship. The potentials and limits of these three forms of exchange will be studied in each Australian State and Territory, in light of global developments. The project will aim to assist governments in coping with the growing demand for police services in a climate of enduring fiscal restraint. Products will include books, articles, workshops and a major conference.Read moreRead less
A disease of the brain: how do neurobiological explanations of addiction influence the attitudes and behaviour of smokers? This project explores the impact of promoting addiction as a "brain disease" on smokers' confidence in their ability to quit smoking, and the methods they use to quit. This is essential to inform public health policies designed to reduce the burden of tobacco related harms.
Air pollution: do modern statistical model selection techniques make the silent killer speak too loud? Air pollution is estimated to cause 2400 deaths annually in Australia with an associated cost to the community of $17.2 billion. The outcomes of this project will enable an improved understanding of the association between air pollution and mortality in Australia, thereby allowing government, public health authorities, and regulatory agencies to implement better air pollution standards and pro ....Air pollution: do modern statistical model selection techniques make the silent killer speak too loud? Air pollution is estimated to cause 2400 deaths annually in Australia with an associated cost to the community of $17.2 billion. The outcomes of this project will enable an improved understanding of the association between air pollution and mortality in Australia, thereby allowing government, public health authorities, and regulatory agencies to implement better air pollution standards and provide more informed advice to the public on the necessity of avoiding exposure to air pollutants. These two outcomes are particularly important given Australia's ageing population and the fact that the elderly are among those most susceptible to harm from air pollution exposure.Read moreRead less