Estimation of School Cost Functions. The main objective of the project is to determine the efficient school size for government schools. To achieve this cost functions for WA government schools will be estimated. Knowledge of the cost functions will shed light on whether regional non-government schools are disadvantaged by Federal and Sate funding models, the impact of school size and expenditure on outcomes and the extent of savings or costs as the enrolment shares of private and public schools ....Estimation of School Cost Functions. The main objective of the project is to determine the efficient school size for government schools. To achieve this cost functions for WA government schools will be estimated. Knowledge of the cost functions will shed light on whether regional non-government schools are disadvantaged by Federal and Sate funding models, the impact of school size and expenditure on outcomes and the extent of savings or costs as the enrolment shares of private and public schools changes. Knowledge of the latter is critical to the proper functioning of the Enrolment Benchmark Adjustment (EBA) used to address cost-shifting in Commonwealth-State education funding arrangements.Read moreRead less
Evaluating the Benefits of Regional e-Marketplaces for SMEs. Electronic marketplaces proliferate yet there are few research studies on the benefits of electronic-trading and its impact on businesses, particularly SMEs. Should a company join an e-marketplace and if so which one should it select and what criteria should be used to evaluate the appropriate model? This research project explores these issues and examines the benefits of a unique e-market concept "2Cities" sponsored by regional govern ....Evaluating the Benefits of Regional e-Marketplaces for SMEs. Electronic marketplaces proliferate yet there are few research studies on the benefits of electronic-trading and its impact on businesses, particularly SMEs. Should a company join an e-marketplace and if so which one should it select and what criteria should be used to evaluate the appropriate model? This research project explores these issues and examines the benefits of a unique e-market concept "2Cities" sponsored by regional government and focussed on SMEs. The findings and recommendations will be of immense value in regional economic planning and provide business and Government with a best practice model for e-marketplace participation for improved economic development.Read moreRead less
Climate Change, Industrial Structure and the Knowledge Economy: Key Issues for an Effective Response on Greenhouse Gases. The objectives of this project are to undertake a major, long term study of the impact of global structural change on greenhouse gas emissions and on climate change, and to develop a detailed knowledge base concerning trade in embodied emissions. It is hoped that the knowledge generated will both inform global responses to this vital problem and contribute to the continuing d ....Climate Change, Industrial Structure and the Knowledge Economy: Key Issues for an Effective Response on Greenhouse Gases. The objectives of this project are to undertake a major, long term study of the impact of global structural change on greenhouse gas emissions and on climate change, and to develop a detailed knowledge base concerning trade in embodied emissions. It is hoped that the knowledge generated will both inform global responses to this vital problem and contribute to the continuing development of effective responses within Australia. The output - a book and many papers - will be directed in part to contribute to the IPCC's Fourth Assessment Report.Read moreRead less
Remediation of Underground Contaminant Source Areas using Nano-scale, Zero Valent Iron and Potassium Permanganate. Land in parts of Australia valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars is currently contaminated by organic compounds to levels unsuitable for human health and safety . At many of these contaminated sites, the contamination is present as pure, separate phase oil that is trapped due to geology or other physical reasons. This remaining oil is a long term source of contamination, a ....Remediation of Underground Contaminant Source Areas using Nano-scale, Zero Valent Iron and Potassium Permanganate. Land in parts of Australia valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars is currently contaminated by organic compounds to levels unsuitable for human health and safety . At many of these contaminated sites, the contamination is present as pure, separate phase oil that is trapped due to geology or other physical reasons. This remaining oil is a long term source of contamination, and is exceptionally difficult to remediate. The proposed research will investigate a novel and highly effective approach to destroying this contamination in the ground, helping to restore the value and utility of the land.Read moreRead less
Vegetable Oils as Dielectric Liquid for Oil Filled Distribution and Power Transformers. A new transformer cooling and insulating liquid is proposed from vegetable oil seeds available in Australia. The proposed liquid will be fully biodegradable and non-toxic and will cause no harm in the event of explosions or accidental leakage from a transformer. Approximately, 30 to 40 billion liters of oils are in use in transformers worldwide. The development of this liquid requires selection of suitable ve ....Vegetable Oils as Dielectric Liquid for Oil Filled Distribution and Power Transformers. A new transformer cooling and insulating liquid is proposed from vegetable oil seeds available in Australia. The proposed liquid will be fully biodegradable and non-toxic and will cause no harm in the event of explosions or accidental leakage from a transformer. Approximately, 30 to 40 billion liters of oils are in use in transformers worldwide. The development of this liquid requires selection of suitable vegetable oil base;thermal and oxidation stabilization; electrical performance,biodegradability,and endurance testings, viscosity and pour point improvements, compatibility tests with existing oils, and characterization of its gassing phenomena. The development of this new liquid from local oil seeds will provide the Australian industry huge export potentials. The prject will also provide Australian farmers a new avenue for their oilseed market.Read moreRead less
A Fundamental Study of the Breakage of Gibbsite and Smelter Grade Alumina. This project aims to develop a fundamental understanding of the cracking of gibbsite and smelter grade alumina, thus providing useful guidance for the alumina refineries to control the particle size distribution of the smelter grade alumina. This addresses an important issue in alumina refineries in terms of providing a high quality product for the downstream aluminium smelter.
Development of a Novel Flue Gas Desulphurization Technology for Alumina Refineries. This project aims to develop a novel technology of flue gas desulphurization for alumina industry. The successful completion of this project will provide a practical solution to the SOx emission problem in alumina refineries. Specifically, we aim to make use of the waste causticiser sludge discharged during the causticisation of the liquor streams and the used filter aid after the polishing filtration of the ref ....Development of a Novel Flue Gas Desulphurization Technology for Alumina Refineries. This project aims to develop a novel technology of flue gas desulphurization for alumina industry. The successful completion of this project will provide a practical solution to the SOx emission problem in alumina refineries. Specifically, we aim to make use of the waste causticiser sludge discharged during the causticisation of the liquor streams and the used filter aid after the polishing filtration of the refinery pregnant liquors as reagent to remove SOx emitted by the power house and the alumina calciners. We also aim to recover some alumina during the process of flue gas desulphurization thus further reducing the cost of air pollution control.Read moreRead less
Iron and Silica Co-precipitation from Industrial Zinc solutions. The aim of this research project is to gain a molecular level understanding of the physical processes that occur during the co-precipitation of iron and silica from electrolytic zinc liquors. The research program will be specifically focussed on systems in which similar concentrations of iron and silica are present in the liquor. Such systems are of interest to the industry partner as they represent the expected characteristics of ....Iron and Silica Co-precipitation from Industrial Zinc solutions. The aim of this research project is to gain a molecular level understanding of the physical processes that occur during the co-precipitation of iron and silica from electrolytic zinc liquors. The research program will be specifically focussed on systems in which similar concentrations of iron and silica are present in the liquor. Such systems are of interest to the industry partner as they represent the expected characteristics of future process requirements, but they are also of broader relevance to a range of mineral processing industries, as iron and silica occur as impurities in many mineral ores.Read moreRead less
The quality of prisons for Indigenous persons in custody: determining how prison impacts on culture, community life and recidivism. International experience with Indigenous prisoners suggests prison need not be the void it presently is for too many traditional Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. Through working in partnership with prisoners from primarily remote communities and two State jurisdictions, a nationally applicable measure of Indigenous prison quality will be developed. For the ....The quality of prisons for Indigenous persons in custody: determining how prison impacts on culture, community life and recidivism. International experience with Indigenous prisoners suggests prison need not be the void it presently is for too many traditional Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. Through working in partnership with prisoners from primarily remote communities and two State jurisdictions, a nationally applicable measure of Indigenous prison quality will be developed. For the first time, this research will provide insight into how Australian Indigenous culture and spirituality relates to prison quality and how prison can be more effectively applied in crime reduction. The ultimate national benefit is a contribution to better health and safety in remote Indigenous communities through custodial reform and reduced criminal justice costs through lower recidivism.Read moreRead less
A Future Beyond the Wall: Improving Post-release Employment Outcomes for People Leaving Prison. Engaging in meaningful work has been shown to reduce re-offending by ex-prisoners, but few prison releasees internationally or in Australia gain employment, and successful pathways to employment for this group are poorly researched and understood. This study aims to gather and analyse, for the first time, comparative data from Australian jurisdictions and employment agencies on the relationship betwee ....A Future Beyond the Wall: Improving Post-release Employment Outcomes for People Leaving Prison. Engaging in meaningful work has been shown to reduce re-offending by ex-prisoners, but few prison releasees internationally or in Australia gain employment, and successful pathways to employment for this group are poorly researched and understood. This study aims to gather and analyse, for the first time, comparative data from Australian jurisdictions and employment agencies on the relationship between in-prison and post-prison vocational education and employment programs, employment and recidivism. It aims to identify effective elements, strategies, program and policy directions in offender training and employment. This is a unique partnership amongst key academics in the field, peak national bodies, correctional and employment organisations.Read moreRead less