Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia

In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay systems fairer and more effective.

With more information on how much certain tasks and roles are valued, employees can better understand and interpret pay differences, and advocate for themselves. When pay is weakly aligned with employee contributions, pay transparency can be embarrassing for firms.

As the government continues to legislate for pay transparency, wise employers should move to identify – and correct – both real and perceived inequities.

The salary taboo

At one extreme, imagine that you work for California-based tech company Buffer, which develops social media tools.

Buffer lists the salary of every company employee, in descending order, on its website. Salaries are non-negotiable and all Buffer employees receive a standard pay raise each year. Prospective job applicants can use Buffer’s online salary calculator to estimate their pay.

Does Buffer’s pay system make you cheer – “yay, no uncomfortable salary negotiations!”, or squirm – “what, my salary is on the website?”

Most probably, both. There is a persistent social norm researchers call the salary taboo. We want to know, but we don’t like to ask, and we definitely don’t want anyone to know that we’re asking.

In Norway, an app that enabled users to access neighbors’ tax-reported income was enormously popular – but only while the user could remain anonymous.

Read more:
QANTAS pays women 37% less, Telstra and BHP 20%. Fifty years after equal pay laws, we still have a long way to go

The problem with not knowing

Historically, companies have given employees only minimal information about their pay systems, and some have even prohibited them from sharing their own pay information.

Such non-transparency creates two big problems.

First, managers place too much trust in organisational systems. The more managers become convinced that pay decisions accurately reflect employee contributions, the less diligent they become about monitoring their own personal biases. Without accountability, it’s easy for an organisation’s pay system to drift into inequity.

Second, in the absence of comparative information, employees often suspect they are being underpaid – even if they aren’t.

In a survey of over 380,000 employees by data firm Payscale, 57% of employees paid at the market rate and 42% of people paid above the market rate all believed they were being underpaid.

However, unfounded it might be, a nagging sense of inequity can drive people out the door. Payscale estimates that people who think they are underpaid are 50% more likely than other employees to seek a new job in the next six months.

Pay transparency is trending

Broadly speaking, pay transparency policies see companies report their pay levels or ranges, explain their pay-setting processes, or encourage their employees to share pay information.

Some companies voluntarily share pay information in response to workforce demand, but there’s also a trend toward mandating pay transparency.

In Australia, pay secrecy terms are banned from employment contracts and the Workplace Gender Equality Agency is publishing employers’ gender pay gaps.

Read more:
Pay secrecy clauses are now banned in Australia; here’s how that could benefit you

The European Union’s Pay Transparency Directive already publishes gender pay gaps and requires employers to provide comparative pay data to employees upon request. Several US states and cities now require employers to include salary ranges in their recruitment materials.

Pay transparency usually has positive effects

In equitable pay systems, pay differences align with the differential values employees bring to the business. When pay systems are transparent, it’s easy for employees to recognise when they – and their coworkers – are being appropriately rewarded for their contributions.

Evidence is building that such transparency is often a good thing.

For one, it can increase employee performance and job satisfaction. People also generally underestimate their bosses’ salaries, so pay transparency can inspire employees to aspire to higher-paid senior positions. And pay transparency identifies staff with unique expertise, so employees seek help from the right coworkers.

Pay transparency has also been shown to help narrow gender pay gaps. As pay transparency rules spread across public academic institutions in the US, the pay gap between male and female academics dramatically narrowed (in some states, it was even eliminated).

In Denmark, where firms are now required to provide pay statistics that compare men and women, the national gender pay gap has declined by 13% relative to the pre-legislation average.

But it can still be risky

Every pay system has pockets of unfairness, where managers have made special arrangements to attract or retain talent. Pay transparency exposes these exceptions, so they can be immediately explained or corrected.

But if there are too many such pockets, managers need to brace for a productivity downturn. When pay transparency reveals systematic inequities – for example, disparities based on gender – overall organisational productivity declines.

Over the long run, pay transparency leads to flatter and narrower pay distributions, but distributions can also be too flat and too narrow. Managers making pay decisions are aware that their decisions will be directly scrutinised and may become reluctant to assign high wages even for high performance.

If pay loses its motivating potential, employees can become disheartened, especially star performers.

Proceed with caution

As stakeholders on this issue demand more transparency, employers would be wise to stay ahead of legislative moves.

Independently making the first move is a show of good faith and can unfold in stages. A good first step is to reveal the pay ranges associated with groups of related roles, giving employers time to conduct internal audits, communicate with employees and systematically correct inequities as they surface.

In contrast, having to reveal pay data because of a government mandate can publicly expose patterns of inequity and cause permanent damage to a company’s reputation.

Carol T Kulik does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Why don’t Australians talk about their salaries? Pay transparency and fairness go hand-in-hand – https://theconversation.com/why-dont-australians-talk-about-their-salaries-pay-transparency-and-fairness-go-hand-in-hand-224067

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

When ASIO boss Mike Burgess delivered his annual threat assessment earlier this year, he stressed the rising danger posed by espionage and foreign interference.

“In 2024, threats to our way of life have surpassed terrorism as Australia’s principal security concern,” he said.

But ASIO also remained concerned about “lone actors” – individuals or small groups under the radar of authorities with the potential to “use readily available weapons to carry out an act of terrorism”.

It was a concern “across the spectrum of motivations – religious and ideological”.

With minor variations, Burgess might have been describing what allegedly happened at Sydney’s Wakeley Assyrian Orthodox Church on Monday night, where Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was attacked with a very “readily available weapon” – a knife.

Monday’s incident would have set off shock waves in ordinary times, especially given it was followed by an ugly riot as angry locals converged on the scene, trying to get at the alleged perpetrator, a 16-year-old boy.

In this case, the fear the attack triggered was dramatically heightened by context.

Tensions, especially in western Sydney, are much elevated because of the Middle East conflict. And the Wakeley attack came just two days after the Bondi shopping centre stabbings, which killed six people. While that atrocity did not fall under the definition of “terrorism”, inevitably the two incidents were conflated by an alarmed public.

The mix, further stirred by incendiary social media, increases the difficulty of keeping a sense of proportion about the church incident, which isn’t the first instance of a terrorist act in Australia and presumably won’t be the last.

We don’t know the background of the attack on the bishop. We do know that the wider pressures on our social cohesion – including dramatic rises in antisemitism and Islamophobia – are deeply troubling. Australia’s multiculturalism is enduring unprecedented strains, with all the difficulties that brings for political and community leaders.

When there are security crises, terror-related or not, the default call is, not surprisingly, for authorities to DO SOMETHING. More police (or security guards). Greater law enforcement powers. Tougher penalties. New controls on social media. (After the church incident, the eSafety commissioner ordered tech companies to take down images of the attack. These were widely available, because the church service had been live-streamed.)

Sometimes calls for action may be warranted, but often they’re little more than a knee-jerk response – and can open other debates (for example, over the justification for censoring certain images but not others).

The challenge for political leaders is not just dealing with the immediate increasing threats to cohesion, but with longer term policy.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently flagged, when he met a Jewish youth group, that the government planned to appoint an envoy against antisemitism (a post existing in other countries) and a matching envoy against Islamophobia. There’s no timetable for these appointments.

Looking to the future, what’s unclear, given the present tensions, is the likely trajectory of Australia’s multiculturalism.

Will the strains worsen, seriously fracturing the society? Or will they ameliorate in the years to come? Multiculturalism is likely in transition, but what will be its pathway? And what are the political implications?

Labor is particularly worried about the erosion of its support among Muslim voters in western Sydney seats.

The cat was belled on the suburban multicultural vote in 2022, ironically not by a Muslim candidate but a Christian of Vietnamese heritage. Dai Le, whose family fled the Vietnam war, seized the previously safe Labor seat of Fowler in Sydney’s outer south-west.

It remains to be seen whether this is a one-off, or if more strong independent candidates will start to emerge as people from multicultural communities fight for a bigger direct presence in politics, or to exert more influence through strategic voting.

A recently-registered group called Muslim Votes Matter styles itself as “shaping our future through informed voting and collective influence”. It says on its website, “There are over 20 seats where the Muslim community collectively has the potential deciding vote”.

Kos Samaras, from the Redbridge Group, a political consultancy, says “the fire” has been raging for some years in multicultural communities in areas such as north-western Melbourne and western Sydney. The Israel-Hamas war has obviously fuelled it.

Samaras says the Muslim political alienation from the major parties has been strongest among members of the those communities who were born in Australia – people in their 20s, 30s and 40s.

This week, after the church attack, NSW premier Chris Minns called in faith leaders. But it is a moot point whether this consultation with predominantly older people reaches the younger, more alienated generation.

Young Australian Muslims grew up in a post-September 11 world, Samaras says, with a sense of being outsiders in the country. We saw this feeling during the pandemic, in the complaints about the different treatment of people in Sydney’s eastern and western suburbs.

Notably, Muslim community leader Jamal Rifi, speaking this week to Sky on behalf of the 16-year-old’s family, referenced the fact the Bondi killings were not labelled “terrorism” by the authorities while the church incident was. “I understand there is a difference between the two but unfortunately the overwhelming feeling in the community [is] that it is, you know, Tale of Two Cities,” he said.

Andrew Jakubowicz, emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Technology Sydney, highlights the three separate elements of multiculturalism. These are

• “Settlement policy, which deals with arrival, survival and orientation, and the emergence of bonding within the group and finding employment, housing and education

• “Multicultural policy, which ensures that institutions in society identify and respond to needs over the life course and in changing life circumstances, and

• “Community Relations policy, which includes building skills in intercultural relations, engagement with the power hierarchies of society and the inclusion of diversity into the fabric of decision-making in society – from politics to education to health to the arts.”

Australia has been fairly good at the first, not so good on the second and “very poor” on the third, he says.

The Albanese government last year commissioned an independent review of the present multicultural framework. The report has recommendations for the short, medium and long terms. It envisages changes to institutions as well as policies and at federal and state levels.

Although the review is not due for release until mid-year, the May budget is likely to see some initiatives.

But there are differences between ministers about how far and how fast reform should go. A febrile combination of local and international factors is making crafting a multicultural policy for the next decade a much more sensitive operation than might have been envisaged when the review was launched.

Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Grattan on Friday: Ethnic tensions will complicate the Albanese government’s multicultural policy reform – https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-ethnic-tensions-will-complicate-the-albanese-governments-multicultural-policy-reform-228188

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University

As more than half of Australian office workers report using generative artificial intelligence (AI) for work, we’re starting to see this technology affect every part of society, from banking and finance through to weather forecasting, health and medicine.

Many people are now using AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini to get advice, find information or summarise longer passages of text. But our recent research demonstrates how generative AI can be used for much more than this, returning results in different formats.

On the one hand, AI tools are neutral – they can be used for good or ill depending on one’s intent.

However, the models powering such tools can also suffer from biases based on how they were developed. AI tools, especially image generators, are also power hungry, ratcheting up the world’s energy usage.

And there are unresolved copyright claims surrounding AI-generated outputs, given the content used to train some of the models isn’t owned by the organisations developing the AI.

But ultimately, there’s no escaping generative AI. Learning more about what these tools can do will improve your digital literacy and help you understand their full impact, from benign to problematic.

Read more:
AI to Z: all the terms you need to know to keep up in the AI hype age

1. Imagining what lies beyond the frame

Adobe’s recently developed “generative expand” tool allows users to expand the canvas of their photos and have Photoshop “imagine” what is happening beyond the frame. Nine News infamously experimented with this tool for a broadcast featuring Victorian politician Georgie Purcell.

Here’s a video that shows how that tool works:

But it can also be used more innocently to extend the borders of a landscape or still-life image, for example. You might do this when trying to edit a square Instagram photo to fit a 4×6 inch photo frame.

2. Visualising the past or the future

Photography was only invented within the past 200 years, and camera-equipped smartphones within the last 25.

That leaves us with plenty of things that existed before cameras were common, yet we might want to visualise them. This could be for educational purposes, entertainment or self-reflection.

One example is the writings of historical figures, like architect Robert Russell, who conducted the first survey of what is now Melbourne in 1836. He wrote at the time:

The soil is in this country superior to any in the colony, we have a good grazing land, and a fine supply of water: a fine harbour, a Town on which much capital (I am afraid to say how much) has been expended, enterprising settlers and flocks and herds increasing in all directions, a climate well fitted for Englishmen, and events hastening forward the necessity for some scheme of extended emigration from which we shall soon feel the benefit.

We can feed this text from Russell’s letters into a text-to-image generator and see what the area may have looked like.

Conversely, we might want to look ahead and see if AI can help us visualise what is to come.

For example, a probe is currently heading to a never-before-seen metal asteroid, 16 Psyche. It’s projected to reach the asteroid in 2029. We can feed an AI tool a description from NASA to get a rough sense of what the asteroid might look like.

NASA currently works with artists to illustrate concepts we can’t see, but artists could also draw on AI to help create these renderings.

3. Brainstorming how to visualise difficult concepts

Where we might have once turned to Google Images or Pinterest boards for visual inspiration, AI can also help with suggestions on how to show difficult-to-visualise subject matter.

Take the Mariana Trench, for example. As one of the deepest places on Earth, few people have ever seen it firsthand. It’s also pitch black and artificial light wouldn’t allow you to see very far.

But ask AI for suggestions on how to visualise this spot and it provides a number of ideas, including taking a more familiar landmark, such as the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest structure, and placing a scaled model next to the trench to better allow audiences to appreciate its depth.

Or creating a layered illustration that shows the flora and fauna that live at each of the ocean’s five zones above the trench.

4. Visualising data

Depending on the tool, you can prompt AI with numbers, not just text.

For example, you might upload a spreadsheet to ChatGPT 4 and ask it to visualise the results. Or, if the data is already publicly available (such as Earth’s population over time), you might ask a chatbot to visualise it without even having to supply a spreadsheet.

It’s a great way to speed up such tasks, as long as you keep in mind AI can “hallucinate”, or make things up, so you need to double check the accuracy of the results.

Read more:
Misinformation: how fact-checking journalism is evolving – and having a real impact on the world

5. Creating simple moving images

You can create a simple yet effective animation by uploading a photo to an AI tool like Runway and giving it an animation command, such as zooming in, zooming out or tracking from left to right. That’s what I’ve done with this historical photo preserved by the State Library of Western Australia.

Another way you can experiment with video is using Runway’s text-to-video feature to describe the scene you want to see and let it make a video for you. I used this description to create the following video:

Tracking shot from left to right of the snowy mountains of Nagano, Japan. Clouds hang low around the mountains and they are about 50m away.

6. Generating a colour palette or simple graphics

Maybe you’re creating a logo for your small business or helping a friend with the design of an event invitation. In these cases, having a consistent colour palette can help unify your design.

You can ask generative AI services like Midjourney or Gemini to create a colour palette for you based on the event or its vibe.

If you’re designing a website or poster and need some icons to represent certain parts of the message, you can turn to AI to generate them for you. This is true for both browser-based generators like Adobe Firefly, as well as desktop apps with built-in AI, like Adobe Illustrator.

Next time you’re interacting with a generative AI chatbot, ask it what it’s capable of. In addition to these six use cases, you might be surprised to know that generative AI can also write code, translate content, make music and describe images. This can be handy for writing alt-text descriptions and making the web more accessible for those with vision impairments.

T.J. Thomson receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He is an affiliate with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision Making & Society.

– ref. Visualising the 1800s or designing wedding invitations: 6 ways you can use AI beyond generating text – https://theconversation.com/visualising-the-1800s-or-designing-wedding-invitations-6-ways-you-can-use-ai-beyond-generating-text-228089

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Nicole Sharwood, Injury epidemiologist | Expert Witness, UNSW Sydney

Injuries are the leading cause of disability and death among Australian children and adolescents. At least a quarter of all emergency department presentations during childhood are injury-related.

Injuries can be unintentional (falls, road crashes, drowning, burns) or intentional (self harm, violence, assault). The type, place and cause of injury differs by age, developmental stage and sex. Injury also differs by socioeconomic status and place of residence. Injuries are predictable, preventable events, and understanding where and how they occur is essential to inform prevention efforts.

A new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, released today, tells us more about the injuries Australian children and adolescents sustained in the year from July 2021 to June 2022. It finds:

• children aged 1–4 years are the age group most likely to present to an emergency department with injuries

• adolescents aged 16–18 years are the age group most likely to be admitted to hospital for injuries

• boys are more likely to be hospitalised for injuries than girls. This continues into adulthood

• girls are five times more likely to be hospitalised for intentional self-harm injuries than boys

• falls are the leading cause of childhood injury, accounting for one in three child injury hospitalisations. Falls from playground equipment are the most common

• fractures are the most common type of childhood injury, especially arm and wrist fractures in children aged 10–12 years.

So injury patterns differ between boys and girls. And causes of injury in children change as they progress through different stages of development.

For children under age one, drowning, burns, choking and suffocation had the highest injury hospital admission rates compared to adults.

In early childhood (ages 1-4 years), the highest causes of injury hospitalisation were drowning, burns, choking and suffocation and accidental poisoning.

Road and other transport injuries are the most common cause of injury requiring hospital admission among adolescents aged 16–18 years.

What about sports?

Sports and physical activities come with risk of injury. But the health benefits far outweigh the risks.

Cycling causes the highest number of sporting injuries with almost 3,000 injury hospital presentations. Again, active transport has many benefits for our health and connecting communities. But there is still more to be done to make cycling safer.

For the top 20 sports that are most likely to cause injury hospital admissions, fractures are the most common type of injury. Soft-tissue injuries, open wounds and head injuries are also common.

However, the data should be interpreted with caution, as only around half of all injury hospitalisations among children and adolescents had an “activity while injured” specified.

What we do know is that injuries are most likely to occur at home.

Read more:
Is it broken? A strain or sprain? How to spot a serious injury now school and sport are back

Balancing risk and safety

Injuries can be serious or fatal. Even non-fatal injuries can keep children in hospital for long periods of time and delay their growth and development.

To prevent injuries, we need to balance risk and safety. For children, play is an important part of learning and expressing various skills, knowledge, and attitudes. Play teaches children to problem-solve, nurtures social and emotional development, improves self-awareness and helps them master their physical abilities.

Embracing risk is a fundamental part of play in all environments where children play and explore their world. As children transition into adolescence, the nature of these risks changes. But with proper guidance and supervision from parents and caregivers, we can strike a balance between offering opportunities for risk-taking and ensuring children’s safety from serious harm.

What can governments do to prevent injuries?

The Australian government has drafted a new National Injury Prevention Strategy, which is expected to be released later in 2024. This will provide clear guidance for all levels of government and others on prevention strategies and investment needed.

In the meantime, better injury surveillance data is sorely needed to better identify the cause of injuries (such as family violence, alcohol and other drug misuse, intentional self-harm or consumer product-related injuries), and to identify where injuries took place (home, school, shopping centre, and so on). There is also insufficient attention paid to priority populations, including people of low socioeconomic status, those in rural and remote areas and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Better reporting on childhood and adolescent injury trends will better inform parents, caregivers, teachers and health professionals about the risks.

Read more:
Giant tube slides and broken legs: why the latest playground craze is a serious hazard

Lisa Nicole Sharwood is an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow in the School of Population Health, UNSW. She is currently undertaking a project specific short term contract at the AIHW, in the Family and Domestic Violence Unit. She has received funding from the NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) to conduct research into childhood playground injury, the ACI to research adolescent driver attitudes to risky driving, iCare to research costs of traumatic spinal injuries and a range of other funding sources in injury research. She sits as Injury Epidemiologist (nominated by the Australasian Injury Prevention Network) on two national Standards Australia Technical Committees; namely Playground Equipment and Surfacing, and Indoor Trampoline Facilities. She also sits on the International Mirror Committee for Playground and Sports Equipment. Dr Sharwood is recognised as a Professional Fellow in the Faculty of Engineering and IT, UTS, for her industry expertise in product related injuries.

Rebecca Ivers receives funding from The National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. She is chair of the National Injury Surveillance Advisory Committee of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, and a member of the Australasian Injury Prevention Association Executive Committee.

Warwick Teague is Director of Trauma and Consultant Paediatric Surgeon at The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne (RCH). He receives funding from The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation. A/Prof Teague is chair of the Victorian State Trauma Registry Steering Committee and is an active member of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Injury Surveillance Advisory Committee, Kidsafe Victoria Advisory Committee, and Victorian Government Trauma System Advisory Committee.

– ref. Falls, fractures and self-harm: 4 charts on how kids’ injury risk changes over time and differs for boys and girls – https://theconversation.com/falls-fractures-and-self-harm-4-charts-on-how-kids-injury-risk-changes-over-time-and-differs-for-boys-and-girls-228096

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Di Winkler, Adjunct Associate Professor, Living with Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University

Many Australians with disability feel on the edge of a precipice right now. Recommendations from the disability royal commission and the NDIS review were released late last year. Now a draft NDIS reform bill has been tabled. In this series, experts examine what new proposals could mean for people with disability.

Australia is failing some of our most vulnerable citizens. This week, a news report showed the vile and cruel behaviour of three workers in a group home for people with disability.

Lee-Anne Mackey’s family, desperate for answers to her distress, used hidden camera footage to show she was being bullied and physically abused by those meant to care for her. One worker had been employed to support Mackey for 17 years.

Disability housing in Australia is poor quality, expensive, and becoming more costly each year. Sadly, findings from the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability show Mackey’s experience is not isolated.

Some in the disability sector are worried that, despite some constructive recommendations, reform plans could deny people with disability the option to choose where they live and with whom.

Read more:
Choice and control: are whitegoods disability supports? Here’s what proposed NDIS reforms say

Too old and too costly

Suitable and safe housing is a basic human right. Most of the 40,867 National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants who need access to 24/7 support are living in old housing stock that is not fit for purpose. This housing does not foster independence or enable the efficient delivery of support.

Redesigning services and building contemporary models of disability housing and innovation will not only improve the lives of people like Mackey, but also the sustainability of the scheme.

The cost of support – A$9.9 billion each year provided to the 5% of NDIS participants living in disability housing – represents a quarter of total scheme payments. This cost is increasing each year by 9% per person.

Inconsistent funding decisions are also creating an unusual form of trauma for NDIS participants and families and unnecessary work for NDIS staff, therapists and lawyers.

What could the future look like?

Many people living in group homes before the introduction of the NDIS are still “captive” to the same providers.

Proposed NDIS legislation references the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for the first time. Hopefully this will translate to policy implementation that increases participant choice and control over housing and support.

Proposed legislation also aims to deliver fair, consistent and flexible funding so participants can make better use of NDIS resources. More flexible budgets and longer plan durations of up to five years will give participants more certainty, and the ability to adjust their support, save and rollover funds.

As seen in Western Australia before the NDIS and overseas, more flexible personalised budgets can unlock more value and tailored housing and living arrangements.

The NDIS review also includes some practical ways people with disability might realise the housing rights most people take for granted – such as choosing a home and housemates. Potential reforms include:

• specialist housing and living navigators so participants can explore different options, trial alternatives and exercise more choice and control
• shared support facilitators to help people living in disability housing have a say in how their support and household is organised. Co-designed cooperative structures can also do this
• ensuring separation between housing and support providers to dismantle “closed systems” where a single provider is both the landlord and the provider of intimate supports such as personal care.

New co-designed resources will help people living in disability housing to provide feedback and make complaints.

Read more:
Taken together, the NDIS review and the royal commission recommendations could transform disability housing

What about the risks?

The NDIS review states “living alone is not necessarily in line with community norms”. The review adds a 1:1 ratio of support worker to participants with 24/7 living supports can:

[…] foster dependency, increase risks of exploitation, reduce focus on capacity building and opportunities to increase social and economic participation.

Policymakers have wrongly assumed people with disability need to live together for there to be efficiencies in the system and their supports.

Some NDIS participants are not well suited to living with other people with disability. Forcing NDIS participants to share with others instead of allowing single-occupancy dwellings located together has the potential to drive up support costs and perpetuate violence and abuse.

Research indicates moving to co-located single occupant housing has a positive impact on wellbeing, community integration and independence. NDIS participants report more independence and autonomy.

To be in line with our human rights obligations, the next iteration of the NDIS should foster a range of living arrangements including living with a partner, children, friends with or without a disability, or alone.

One support worker to three participants

There are 40,867 NDIS participants who need access to 24/7 living supports. The NDIS review recommends they be funded on a 1:3 ratio – meaning on average, one support worker to three people needing support.

Some NDIS participants and their families are anxious this ratio will be used as a blunt instrument to reduce the cost of NDIS plans.

Some housing providers could interpret the 1:3 ratio as a signal to stop building single-occupancy dwellings. If they build only three-bedroom share houses, it will reduce choice.

It is clear the current regulatory system for disability housing is not working. However, regulation that is not carefully designed and proportionate has the potential to add another layer of cost and further restrict the lives of NDIS participants. Increased regulation tends to favour established business models and stifle innovation. This could extinguish the hope of achieving the radical change in quality and efficiency needed.

Better data on the housing and support needs and preferences of people who need access 24/7 support is needed to foster a user-driven market. And given the Australian government spends $1.29 billion each year providing 24/7 support to NDIS participants who need it, data about outcomes is warranted too.

Read more:
Choice and control: the NDIS was designed to give participants choice, but mandatory registration could threaten this

Crisis and opportunity

The current business model in disability housing sees providers delivering as much in-person support as possible with no reward for supporting people to become more independent. Future NDIS policy needs to incentivise new user-led services that leverage technology and the built environment to improve the quality, efficiency and outcomes for NDIS participants.

Di Winkler AM is an occupational therapist and is the CEO and founder of the Summer Foundation.

Jacinta Douglas does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Choice and control: will NDIS reforms mean people with disability don’t get to decide who they live with? – https://theconversation.com/choice-and-control-will-ndis-reforms-mean-people-with-disability-dont-get-to-decide-who-they-live-with-227580

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Salman Shooshtarian, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University

Asbestos has been found in mulch used for playgrounds, schools, parks and gardens across Sydney and Melbourne. Local communities naturally fear for the health of their loved ones. Exposure to asbestos is a serious health risk – depending on its intensity, frequency and duration – as it may lead to chronic lung diseases.

The source of contamination is believed to be timber waste from construction and demolition sites that was turned into mulch. So far, 60 locations in Sydney and 12 in Melbourne have been identified as contaminated with asbestos to various degrees. The numbers could increase as investigations continue.

Following the initial detection in New South Wales and Victoria, an investigation in Queensland detected asbestos in one compost and one mulch product.

The severity, spread and impact of the issue convince us to call it the largest scandal in the history of Australia’s circular economy. A circular economy recycles and reuses materials or products with the goal of being more sustainable.

Our research highlights the importance of making it mandatory to certify recycled products such as mulch to ensure their safety. We found none of the local, state or national policies on sustainable procurement practices recommend recycled product certification as a preventive strategy. We also found significant levels of ignorance and resistance to certification schemes in the recycling sector.

These obstacles must be overcome so we have certification of recycled products that ensures their quality, performance, environmental friendliness and safety.

Read more:
Building activity produces 18% of emissions and a shocking 40% of our landfill waste. We must move to a circular economy – here’s how

Scandal is damaging for the circular economy

The discovery in January of asbestos in mulch in NSW triggered a series of actions. These have involved the NSW and Victorian Environment Protection Authorities, local councils, Fire and Rescue NSW and a NSW taskforce, drawing from agencies such as SafeWork, Public Works and the Natural Resources Access Regulator. The actions include testing in identified areas, cordoning off and signposting affected garden beds, engaging licensed asbestos removalists, and sampling to determine disposal options.

Unfortunately, this contaminated mulch raises concerns about the reckless implementation of circular economy principles in Australia. This scandal could make users of recycled materials, particularly local councils, hesitate about procuring these resources, if not dissuade them altogether.

Understandably, the waste management and resource recovery sector is in a state of shock. More broadly, this scandal could undermine efforts to advance the circular economy in Australia.

It’s a reminder that the circular economy concept is based on a system-thinking approach, where all elements must work in harmony. A failure in one can result in the entire system collapsing.

Regulations don’t go far enough

Under NSW legislation, mulch must not contain asbestos, engineered wood products, preservative-treated or coated wood residues, or physical contaminants such as glass or plastics.

However, it isn’t mandatory for suppliers to test for contaminants in mulch. There are no specified procedures they must follow to ensure mulch doesn’t contain asbestos.

The fact is existing policies and regulations, such as the NSW Environment Protection Authority’s Mulch Order 2016, failed to prevent mulch contamination. It’s a reminder of the need for effective strategies to ensure a circular economy will not go wrong.

These strategies must integrate encouragement, education and enforcement. Otherwise, we risk facing unintended economic, environmental and social consequences.

Read more:
Buildings used iron from sunken ships centuries ago. The use of recycled materials should be business as usual by now

Why isn’t certification standard practice?

At RMIT University’s Construction Waste Lab (CWL), we have been researching and sharing key strategies with policymakers and industry. In 2022 and 2023, working with researchers from Griffith and Curtin universities and our industry partners, we explored the use of recycled product certification schemes.

In our research, supported by the Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre, we gathered insights from 16 industry professionals engaged in projects involving large quantities of recycled materials. We specifically asked for their views on certification schemes for these materials.

We found only nine of them were aware of such schemes in Australia. A similar number supported their use for construction projects. The main reasons for not supporting them are shown below.

David Baggs is chief executive and cofounder of Global GreenTag International, a recycled product certifier that operates nationally and internationally. He told us a major barrier to the uptake of these schemes is that they’re simply not a priority for many organisations. He added:

The cost of certification is a fraction of whatever their marketing budget might be in any single month, let alone a year. So, particularly for the bigger companies, it’s not about cost, it’s about priorities. If they can see that their certification becomes part of their marketing budget, then the cost of certification is a single-digit percentage of most marketing budgets.

Read more:
Turning the housing crisis around: how a circular economy can give us affordable, sustainable homes

What more can be done?

To encourage builders to use these schemes, the Green Building Council of Australia provides a list of endorsed certifiers. Our research identified seven major drivers for adopting certification schemes when procuring recycled materials, as shown below.

Read more:
Trash TV: streaming giants are failing to educate the young about waste recycling. Here’s why it matters

The CEO of the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia, Gayle Sloan, has highlighted the need for effective reforms of waste regulations.

In addition, we stress the importance of directories of approved recyclers to ensure end users have access to quality, uncontaminated recycled materials. An example is Sustainability Victoria’s Buy Recycled Directory.

These directories should require listed suppliers to provide certification for their recycled products. It will help distinguish reputable suppliers from rogue suppliers.

Salman Shooshtarian receives funding from the Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre Australia

Peter S.P. Wong, Professor – construction, RMIT University. He receives funding from Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre. He is affiliated with RMIT University, Australia.

Tayyab Maqsood receives funding from the Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre.

– ref. Asbestos in playground mulch: how to avoid a repeat of this circular economy scandal – https://theconversation.com/asbestos-in-playground-mulch-how-to-avoid-a-repeat-of-this-circular-economy-scandal-227766

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madeline Taylor, Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University

Right now, there’s a global race underway. The goal: bring back manufacturing and energy jobs as the energy transition speeds up.

In 2022, America launched its mammoth Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act. Japan followed suit the same year, while the EU launched its own effort in 2023, as did Canada. China, of course, moved first, and dominates the market for most clean energy products, from solar panels to wind turbines and batteries.

Now it’s Australia’s turn. Last week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans to introduce a Future Made in Australia Act, talking of the need to “break with old orthodoxies and pull new levers to advance the national interest”. The goal here is to reshore manufacturing, make use of our strengths in solar and wind resources and critical minerals, and create new industries.

Direct government funding of industries was previously often considered a thing of the past. But it’s precisely what China has done, with great success. Now the world’s other major economies are looking to follow suit.

For Australia, efforts to reshore manufacturing and stimulate new industries should focus on supporting and stimulating regions. Critical minerals and often the best renewable resources have the great benefit of being located outside the cities. If they becomes reality, these plans present a rare chance to make our regions into sustainable economic powerhouses.

Boosting the regions

Imagine a regional community with strong renewable resources. If a renewable developer builds a windfarm on a farmer’s land, bringing in workers from the cities and material from the port, it might benefit the developer and the farm but do little for the wider community. But it could be done differently. The developer could employ locals, and – if efforts to bring back manufacturing pay off – locally made components could be used wherever possible. Many renewable energy developers are already doing this.

This is why the proposed Future Made In Australia Act is a very real opportunity to deliver energy justice for our regions and rural communities.

Energy justice? It means making sure the energy transition works for communities and individuals rather than just manufacturers and businesses.

If the green transition is imposed on communities, rather than done with them, it could easily founder on local opposition, as the recent Dyer Review of community engagement makes clear.

Most of our green energy transition will take place in regional and rural communities inside the Renewable Energy Zones chosen for their good renewable resources and access to transmission.

To make sure these communities actually benefit, Australia needs to co-design clean energy projects with rural communities, just as projects often do in the European Union. Co-designing projects helps communities feel a sense of, and sometimes literal, ownership of projects, and makes it more likely they will benefit. It’s a key way to ensure a project has a sustained social license within communities.

Queensland might be a first mover here by legally defining social license and requiring renewable energy developers to engage with communities.

Read more:
Made in America: how Biden’s climate package is fuelling the global drive to net zero

Could Australian-made really work?

Some have described the government’s plans as a “new protectionism”, picturing a return to high tariffs and products of dubious quality propped up by subsidies.

There’s a low chance we will go directly head-to-head with green energy giants such as China. But Australia has existing advantages we can make more of.

For instance, we’re already one of the world’s top per capita users of solar, and our food exports are highly regarded. So why not combine them?

Agrivoltaics – combining solar panels with farming –  is forecast to become a A$14.4 billion market by 2031. America, the EU, Germany, France, and Italy all have policies aimed at boosting their agrivoltaics sectors supported by research, subsidies, and tariffs.

Australia has world-leading solar photovoltaic expertise, which we could tap into to create custom-designed agrivoltaics solutions, co-designed with farmers. These future farming systems could create a new export industry, with investment opportunities and potentially tax credits brought by the new legislation.

Similarly, our bioscience experts are highly regarded. We could find ways of creating industries spun off from organisations such as the Centre for Synthetic Biology, who have found novel ways to safely store carbon, or turn biological waste into biofuels.

The timing is good – the World Economic Forum earlier this year called for better financing and development of these types of technologies. Like agrivoltaics, these kinds of inventions offer double benefits – cut carbon emissions, boost farm productivity.

If the Made in Australia plans become law, we would likely see finance flow to other future-focussed industries, such as CSIRO’s goal of ultra-low cost solar, the potential for green hydrogen to substitute for fossil gas exports through to the recently announced Solar Sunshot program, aimed at localising more solar production.

We should use our comparative advantages

Much of the detail in the Future Made in Australia Act remains to be seen. But what is clear is it represents a real chance for our regional and rural communities to lead the energy transition.

We could combine our renewable energy and critical minerals riches with our top energy, biotech and agricultural researchers. And we can do it while uplifting the regional and rural communities which will play home to this transition.

Read more:
Could spending a billion dollars actually bring solar manufacturing back to Australia? It’s worth a shot

Madeline Taylor is a Clean Energy Council Chloe Munro Scholar, is a Fellow at the Climate Council, and is on the Board of REAlliance,

– ref. Could Albanese’s bet on homegrown green industries be the boost our regions deserve? – https://theconversation.com/could-albaneses-bet-on-homegrown-green-industries-be-the-boost-our-regions-deserve-227903

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University

There have been a lot of defence announcements recently about buying new equipment, building up Australia’s manufacturing capabilities, creating local jobs, new legislation to support AUKUS and even a new defence chief.

In many respects, these simply reflect that the Department of Defence is busy, regularly spending a lot of money on a lot of things, and that ministers like announcing good news. However, the latest news related to Australia’s National Defence Strategy this week is of a different kind.

What does the new strategy call for?

The title of the new National Defence Strategy draws attention to defence now being a matter for all Australians, not just the professionals of the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

It also takes the long view, well into the next decade. The strategy replaces the sporadic defence white papers and will be revised every two years to keep up with changes in the Indo-Pacific. It was accompanied this week by an Integrated Investment Program, which lays out where $330 billion will be spent over ten years.

Together, these two announcements chart the future course for a high-spending and sizeable Department of Defence at a time of major wars in Europe and the Middle East, a massive Chinese arms build-up, and growing uncertainty about how tensions over Taiwan and in the South China Sea might play out.

Read more:
Australia wants navy boats with lots of weapons, but no crew. Will they run afoul of international law?

These global risks underline the focus on the “strategy of denial” in the new national blueprint, which aims to deter and prevent hostile forces from attacking Australia.

More mundanely, both of these documents, together totalling almost 200 pages, are the government’s way of controlling the sprawling Department of Defence. More pointedly, they set out the Albanese government’s vision on defence policy in time for the next federal election.

As such, both the gravitas in the documents and the planned expenditures have near-term domestic purposes, as well as long-term geo-strategic ones.

The backbone of the strategy is perhaps unsurprisingly the nuclear submarine acquisition program under the AUKUS alliance with the US and UK. As time goes on, the submarine program is increasingly dominating defence in terms of ministerial interest, budget allotment, industry development and workforce allocation.

But there are five other “immediate priorities” tacked onto this one very big acquisition:

• buying and building long-range missiles

• building up northern defence base infrastructure

• improving workforce pay and conditions

• boosting innovation

• deepening Indo-Pacific partnerships.

The Integrated Investment Program will mostly be of interest to Australia’s defence industry as it tries to gain new multi-year goods and services contracts, as well as state governments keen to have that money spent locally on jobs.

Such a public spending document is a good idea. It was initially introduced by the Howard government, at least partly to try to keep defence projects on-time through public scrutiny.

Since then, these kinds of investment documents have provided increasingly less information. This may be intended to maintain security, but it also limits the publication’s usefulness and the possibility of external critique, somewhat diminishing the accountability for the very large sums of public money spent.

Read more:
The most significant defence review in 40 years positions Australia for complex threats in a changing region

Less urgency, more longer-term preparedness

Together, the strategy and investment program will restructure the ADF to be more focused on operations in the waters immediately to Australia’s north.

To fund this shift to a more maritime focus, the government has reduced the army’s heavier forces, cut a naval project for sea lift ships and delayed buying additional F-35 fighter aircraft. Nevertheless, over time, the future army will be more mobile and amphibious, the navy’s fleet will be modernised, the air force will get sophisticated long-range missiles and the nation’s cyber capabilities will be enhanced.

Such changes, though, take time. In ten years, Australia may have just received one second-hand former US navy nuclear submarine, but little else will have changed from now. This government and its predecessor made various rhetorical statements stressing the need for speed, given the increasing security concerns in the region. However, neither government took actions suggesting such urgency.

Only two weeks before releasing the new documents, Defence Minister Richard Marles quietly signalled that short-term defence improvements were now less needed. He asserted that this kind of focus “lacks wit”.

It misses the point that no middle power in the Indo-Pacific is solely capable of developing or deploying the scale or breadth of military forces that powers like China and the US can.

Australia’s challenge lies in the future beyond this. And here we must invest in the next-generation capabilities the ADF needs.

Shortcomings of the strategy

However, even if the overall defence direction appears logical in design and has supporting budgets laid out, there are still doubts over whether this newly focused ADF is achievable. Military forces are more than hardware. Well-trained people are essential to their effectiveness.

The strategy is pleasingly honest in noting a shortfall of around 4,400 ADF personnel, some 10% of its total workforce. This problem has been long known, but only marginal changes have been made.

Given ADF personnel take many years of training to reach a high standard of combat proficiency, it’s unlikely our forces will be back up to their full strength this decade. New equipment is arguably being bought that won’t be able to be used as there will be no crews.

The personnel shortfall issue inadvertently throws up another surprising shortcoming of the strategy and investment plan. These documents appear not to take into great account the operational innovations and rapid technology developments being demonstrated in the war in Ukraine.

These include attack, reconnaissance and electronic jamming drones, highly effective ground-based air defence systems and an artificial intelligence-enabled surveillance system that allows no one to hide.

There is a danger the National Defence Strategy and the Integrated Investment Program may create an ADF better suited to 2015 than 2025 – and will potentially be rather dated in 2035. The future is coming, but there is little indication of it in these plans.

Peter Layton does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Australia’s new defence strategy is big on ideas, but lacks one key ingredient: well-trained soldiers – https://theconversation.com/australias-new-defence-strategy-is-big-on-ideas-but-lacks-one-key-ingredient-well-trained-soldiers-228185

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney

Steve Smith, one of this generation’s finest batters, has conquered much of the cricketing world during his career, and he now has set his sights on a new frontier: the United States.

Yes, Smith has signed to play Twenty 20 (T20) cricket for the Washington Freedom, which happens to be coached by former Australian great Ricky Ponting.

Washington is one of six teams in Major League Cricket (MLC), which began in 2023. The Freedom finished third in the inaugural season, won by New York.

The 2024 season will begin in July before the US co-hosts the T20 World Cup with the West Indies.

A number of established cricket stars have already played in the US league, including Quinton de Kock of South Africa, Nicholas Pooran from the West Indies, Trent Boult from New Zealand and Australians Marcus Stoinis and Aaron Finch.

Looking ahead, T20 cricket has been included for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

So, why is cricket suddenly interested in the US – and does this interest go both ways?

Cricket in the US: what’s the go?

Cricket is slowly becoming better known in the US.

Firstly, it is because of the rising South Asian population who mostly love their cricket.

It is a growing and affluent professional community – the South Asian diaspora is growing at a rapid rate across North America to the point that when you fly into most large US cities, you can spot cricket pitches.

Many South Asian immigrants to the US (and Canada) are engineers, doctors and entrepreneurs with good educations and professional jobs – Indian-Americans are the most affluent group in America by median household income, while Sri Lankans and Pakistanis are two of the eight wealthiest segments.

In terms of education, 70% of Indian-Americans have at least a Bachelor’s degree, compared to the US average of 28%.

A lot of this affluence is ploughed into supporting local cricket leagues in the US and watching the MLC.

In terms of participation, cricket is still very much a niche sport in the US, with about 200,000 registered players. However, this has grown from around 30,000 registered players in 2006, with emigration from South Asia driving the lion’s share of growth.

Consuming cricket anytime, anywhere

Secondly, live streaming has taken off worldwide in recent years, allowing Indians in the US to watch India Premier League (IPL) games back home, and Indians in India to live stream MLC matches.

According to Chris Muldoon, chief strategy officer of Cricket NSW, there are more than 4 million subscribers to Willow TV’s cricket-only streaming service throughout North America.

This means it is easy for most cricket fans can consume what they want, when they want it.

The growth of cricket franchises

Thirdly, IPL franchises are launching clubs and leagues around the world – in South Africa, the UAE and the US – to grow the sport and to attract talent and revenue to their respective franchises.

There is a strong IPL presence across many of the domestic T20 competitions that have launched in recent years, including in MLS where four IPL franchises are involved with the foundation clubs in New York, Dallas, Los Angeles and Seattle.

This is a big shift in cricket governance, as it is not just the cricket boards of Australia, England & Wales and India calling the shots on schedules – it is now the IPL franchises too.

Read more:
‘That’s cricket, kid’: what Bluey can teach us about the spirit of the game

What does this mean for Australian cricket?

So, how does all of this affect elite cricket in Australia?

Australian cricketers have been competing in T20 competitions around the world for years now, with Cricket Australia occasionally having to step in to reduce the workloads of some of its best players.

Now the MLC will force governing bodies and players to react to another competition in a packed cricket calendar.

According to Muldoon, the opportunity in the US is too big to ignore. He says:

The US is the world’s most sophisticated and competitive sports and media market and Major League Cricket presents the most exciting and challenging opportunity in world cricket.

The proliferation of franchise T20 cricket around the globe, much of it driven by the commercial success of the IPL as well as changing preferences of consumers, is changing the way cricket is consumed. And it is bringing new revenue into the sport – which in turn is making it increasingly attractive to the world’s best players and coaches to be a part of these growing franchise leagues around the world on an almost full-time basis.

Read more:
Half-watched TV and part-heard radio: summer Test cricket is steeped in nostalgia, but these ‘traditions’ have short histories

Will cricket really take hold in the US?

So does Smith’s signing indicate a cricket revolution? Does the US aspire to be a cricket nation?

Probably not in terms of Test cricket, but in the US, the shortened format of T20 is possibly appealing.

This is largely driven by the South Asian diaspora who have migrated to North America, and T20 is the format that has the consumer appeal to attract eyeballs – and broadcast partners. The addition of cricket as an Olympic sport for Los Angeles in 2028 may also add to the sport’s exposure.

Tim Harcourt does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. What does Steve Smith’s Stateside signing mean for cricket in the US – and Australia? – https://theconversation.com/what-does-steve-smiths-stateside-signing-mean-for-cricket-in-the-us-and-australia-227895

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heidi Norman, Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, Convenor: Indigenous Land & Justice Research Group, UNSW Sydney

The Uluru Statement from the Heart set out the aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for “Voice, Treaty, Truth”, in that order, to reconfigure the relationship between First Peoples and the Australian nation. The defeat of the Voice referendum revealed significant gaps in understanding the past and how this continues to impact the present.

The referendum outcome also revealed lack of understanding of the workings of the Australian Constitution. Constitutional law expert Anne Twomey describes this as a “spiral of loss”, where unfamiliarity with the mechanisms of constitutional change, alongside growing wariness among Australian voters about supporting amendments, makes politicians reluctant to expend political capital on “futile” constitutional reform.

So where to now for the Uluru Statement from the Heart reform agenda? Allies of the “yes” campaign report still feeling the hurt of the referendum defeat but a renewed sense of determination to continue the fight for change.

Despite years of labour to restore a more balanced national history, truth-telling as a much-needed step in the path to recognition and reconciliation seems more vital than ever.

Our recent research explored attitudes towards, barriers to and enablers of truth-telling in Australia. Our findings highlighted that while truth-telling is an everyday activity for many First Nations people, non-Indigenous Australians are unsure about what their role in truth-telling might be.

The 2022 Australian Reconciliation Barometer identified that only 6% of non-Indigenous respondents had participated in a local truth-telling activity in the previous 12 months. This compared with 43% of First Nations respondents.

This indicates a gap between First Nations people’s call for truth-telling as an essential aspect of resetting the future relationship between them and non-Indigenous Australians, and non-Indigenous people’s knowledge about and interest in participating in truth-telling. It might also indicate a lack of opportunity to participate in truth-telling activities.

Read more:
‘Why didn’t we know?’ is no excuse. Non-Indigenous Australians must listen to the difficult historical truths told by First Nations people

Truth-telling

In our study, truth-telling was broadly defined as activities or processes that seek to recognise or engage with a fuller account of Australia’s history and its ongoing legacy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Three dominant understandings of truth-telling emerged from our research. We added a fourth category to this, capturing our research findings about the “how to” of truth-telling.

1. Truth-telling to achieve justice for First Nations people

This approach to truth-telling is usually undertaken on a larger scale. It is informed by human rights frameworks and aims to address systemic injustice at an institutional level. Examples include the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Bringing Them Home Report and the Yoorrook Justice Commission.

2. Truth-telling to promote reconciliation and healing

This form of truth-telling is most likely to occur at the local and community level, based on the understanding that relationships and dialogue can bring about change. It is also less likely to be tied to formal outcomes or reparations. Examples of this might include the work of the Healing Foundation, memorials, remembrance and reconciliation events.

3. Truth-telling to challenge and change historical understanding

This approach holds that greater understanding of the past will assist in coming to terms with its legacies and what that means to live in Australia today. While much of the work to restore Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander worlds omitted from the national story has been undertaken, First Nations histories extend beyond the 200-plus years of colonisation to many thousands of generations. They draw on a wide array of evidence to tell a richer story.

While acknowledging the interconnections between these categories, we believe this framework is useful to think about the wide range of initiatives and events taking place in Australia under the umbrella of “truth-telling”. It also helps to distinguish what cannot meaningfully be described as truth-telling.

4. Truth-telling practice

We see this as a vital step where more work is needed. The strong consensus emerging from our research participants was that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities must lead truth-telling in Australia. It should engage with First Nations perspectives; recognise the ongoing impacts of the past on First Nations people’s lives today; be ongoing, not a “one-off” event; and aim to achieve change, whether at an attitudinal, institutional or structural level.

Benefits of truth-telling

Both First Nations and non-Indigenous people agreed the main benefit that would emerge from truth-telling would be the development of a shared understanding of Australian history. Another is hope that truth-telling would deliver healing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and the potential of truth-telling to help improve relations between First Nations and non-Indigenous peoples.

All respondents agreed truth-telling should involve First Nations people’s perspectives on the past. A large majority agreed truth-telling should recognise the diversity of First Nations peoples.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were highly committed to truth-telling. However, they were less likely than non-Indigenous people to agree that truth-telling might lead to justice for First Nations peoples.

First Nations respondents identified a range of motivations for participating in truth-telling, beyond the education of non-Indigenous people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were more interested in truth-telling about their local community (87%) than non-Indigenous people (67%) and much more likely to be motivated to participate in truth-telling to share their own personal or family history or perspective (89% of First Nations respondents, compared to only 25% of non-Indigenous respondents).

Barriers to truth-telling

For First Nations people, the impact of trauma and the need for cultural safety in truth-telling were significant concerns. First Nations people were much more likely to express concerns that truth-telling might emphasise divisions and differences between First Nations and non-Indigenous Australians. They were also concerned that participants in truth-telling might question or challenge the accuracy of the perspectives being shared.

Although self-identifying as highly aware of and engaged with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and truth-telling, non-Indigenous people in our study still indicated significant uncertainty about how to participate in truth-telling. Over half of non-Indigenous respondents indicated this would either be a barrier to their participation (38%) or they were neutral or unsure (26%) about whether it might be. In contrast, only 12% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander respondents said a lack of knowledge about how to get involved might prevent their participation in truth-telling.

There was a degree of uncertainty among non-Indigenous people about what truth-telling involves. Others identified a lack of opportunity to participate in truth-telling.

These findings highlight that community-based truth-telling initiatives will need to include public education about what truth-telling encompasses, as well as practical information about where, when and how it will take place.

Read more:
First Nations people have made a plea for ‘truth-telling’. By reckoning with its past, Australia can finally help improve our future

Contested truths

Of course, truth-telling is not a universal panacea. As historian Mark McKenna commented in the wake of the Voice referendum, “telling the truth is one thing, hearing the truth and taking it in is something else entirely”.

Our research highlights the need for Australians to do more to enable meaningful participation in truth-telling. To be effective, truth-telling processes must be realistic about its benefits and limits, and recognise the diversity among and between First Nations and non-Indigenous participants. It must also acknowledge systemic disadvantages experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, address cultural safety concerns and provide clear protocols for participants.

Finally, it should build truth-telling and truth-listening capacity among both Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants, recognising that truth-telling may involve difficult emotions and the potential for conflict. Strategies must be in place to manage these issues and, perhaps most importantly, maintain hope for a better future.

Heidi Norman receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Research funded by Reconciliation Australia.

Anne Maree Payne receives funding from Reconciliation Australia.

– ref. How can we have truth-telling without the Voice? Our research shows a way forward – https://theconversation.com/how-can-we-have-truth-telling-without-the-voice-our-research-shows-a-way-forward-226511

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bronwyn E Wood, Associate Professor in Education, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

You don’t need to look hard right now to see concerns about Aotearoa New Zealand’s education system.

Declining performance in international testing has been noted in mathematics, reading and science. And nationally, more than 50% of year eight students are not at the expected level in maths, with only 65% of 15-year-olds at the expected literacy level.

Responding to such perceived failures in the education system, the National Party campaigned on a promise of having 80% of students at or above the expected level in reading, writing, maths and science.

Achieving such a goal will be challenging. But having a clearer idea of how New Zealand got to this point may help when formulating a plan for success.

Competencies versus knowledge

New Zealand made some key decisions about its educational priorities around the beginning of this century.

Firstly, it adopted an OECD-encouraged focus on “competencies” (broad skills such as problem solving and relating to others) rather than basic knowledge acquisition.

Read more:
Curriculum changes must tackle the lifelong consequences of NZ’s alarming literacy and numeracy declines

This was underpinned by the belief that students needed adaptable, flexible skills to meet the changing needs of the global economy.

In addition, attention turned to a new kind of digitally-savvy student. Due to their access to the internet, the “21st century learner” was believed to require less direct teaching on account of their having access to more knowledge, and therefore more personal agency, than students in previous eras.

While neither of these ideas was derived from research, they nonetheless gained widespread traction within the New Zealand education scene.

These shifts heavily influenced the 2007 New Zealand Curriculum, which was heralded for its focus on teaching students to “learn how to learn” rather than teaching them knowledge as such.

Read more:
National wants to change how NZ schools teach reading – but ‘structured literacy’ must be more than just a classroom checklist

The creation of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) in 2002, and its realignment with curriculum changes a decade later, further embedded this lack of prescription.

Students and teachers were now able to select from a broad suite of “achievement standards” in each subject, with few mandated requirements over which ones to choose. Some are exam-based and some internally assessed.

Teachers and students have high levels of autonomy in selecting topics and forms of assessment that suit their interests and preferences. The end result has been high levels of choice and a looseness around required knowledge and expectations.

New Zealand is not alone

Other countries that adopted open and loosely prescribed curricula have begun to question such an approach.

In Wales, for example, one recent report found the skills-based approach of the Welsh curriculum (partly based on the troubled Scottish Curriculum for Excellence) has contributed to steeper declines in student outcomes and greater inequalities than in countries with more prescription.

New Zealand-based research has also raised concerns about inequalities. For instance, the open-ended nature of the national curriculum and NCEA potentially leads to less challenging material being provided for students in lower socioeconomic areas, and for Māori and Pasifika learners.

The previous Labour government began to acknowledge these problems, recognising a need to prioritise “learning that can’t be left to chance”.

Read more:
Standardised testing could be compulsory in NZ primary schools – what can we learn from the past?

Avoiding another polarising pivot

The natural inclination at this point might be a radical policy swing away from the past 20 years. But it would be better to avoid the deep-seated tendency in education to address complex issues with polarising pivots.

Instead, a delicate balance is needed between the binaries that tend to shape educational policy shifts: knowledge versus skills, teacher-led versus student-led learning, national versus local curriculum.

New Zealand needs a broad bipartisan course – not an ideological one – providing students with greater opportunities to access learning that takes them further and reduces inequalities.

The scope of possible reform is vast. The top predictor of student outcomes remains poverty, so this must be a priority. But two education-specific areas deserve focus.

Read more:
Health and education are closely linked – NZ needs to integrate them more in primary schools

Teaching both knowledge and skills

There is increasing international consensus that the turn towards teaching skills over knowledge increased educational inequality.

But snapping back to mandating the learning of a dry set of facts is not the answer. Instead, curriculum reform must acknowledge the interrelated nature of knowledge and skills.

We know skills such as “critical thinking” cannot be built in isolation from specific knowledge. Put simply, a person will struggle to “think critically” about a topic they do not know enough about.

If we want students to become more skilled at critical thinking and problem solving, we need to equip them with a strong, broad knowledge base.

However, skills will not be achieved merely through the rote memorisation of such knowledge. Rather, students need engaging opportunities to apply knowledge via the use of skills in the classroom. In turn, this will help consolidate their knowledge.

In this way, knowledge and skills can reinforce each other. This all needs to be done with lively, culturally-responsive teaching strategies that ignite student imaginations.

Valuing and supporting teachers

No curriculum reform will succeed if teachers are not supported to implement it. What has been missing in New Zealand for many years is “meso” level support – the level between the “macro” of policy and the “micro” of the classroom.

This level of practical support and resourcing for teachers has not been part of the New Zealand education scene since research-led curriculum advisers (who supported and resourced teachers in schools) were disestablished in the early 2000s.

A national, research-led and cohesive programme of professional development for teachers is therefore required.

Above all, while change is needed, it can happen without overcompensating. Developing a clear, thoughtful curriculum and establishing adequate teacher support will give children the greatest chance of success.

Bronwyn E Wood has previously been involved in curriculum writing and providing advice for the Ministry of Education .

Taylor Hughson has previously been contracted to produce advice on the curriculum refresh for the Ministry of Education.

– ref. NZ education scores must improve – but another polarising ideological pivot isn’t the answer – https://theconversation.com/nz-education-scores-must-improve-but-another-polarising-ideological-pivot-isnt-the-answer-227661

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karin Hammarberg, Senior Research Fellow, Global and Women’s Health, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University

Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide are taking drugs like Ozempic to lose weight. But what do we actually know about them? This month, The Conversation’s experts explore their rise, impact and potential consequences.

We’ve heard a lot about the impacts of Ozempic recently, from rapid weight loss and lowered blood pressure, to persistent vomiting and “Ozempic face”.

Now we’re seeing a rise in stories about “Ozempic babies”, where women who use drugs like Ozempic (semaglutide) report unexpected pregnancies.

But does semaglutide (also sold as Wegovy) improve fertility? And if so, how? Here’s what we know so far.

Remind me, what is Ozempic?

Ozempic and related drugs (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists or GLP-1-RAs) were developed to help control blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

But the reason for Ozempic’s huge popularity worldwide is that it promotes weight loss by slowing stomach emptying and reducing appetite.

Ozempic is prescribed in Australia as a diabetes treatment. It’s not currently approved to treat obesity but some doctors prescribe it “off label” to help people lose weight. Wegovy (a higher dose of semaglutide) is approved for use in Australia to treat obesity but it’s not yet available.

Read more:
Ozempic isn’t approved for weight loss in Australia. So how are people accessing it?

How does obesity affect fertility?

Obesity affects the fine-tuned hormonal balance that regulates the menstrual cycle.

Women with a body mass index (BMI) above 27 are three times more likely than women in the normal weight range to be unable to conceive because they are less likely to ovulate.

The metabolic conditions of type 2 diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are both linked to obesity and fertility difficulties.

Women with type 2 diabetes are more likely than other women to have obesity and to experience fertility difficulties and miscarriage.

Similarly, women with PCOS are more likely to have obesity and trouble conceiving than other women because of hormonal imbalances that cause irregular menstrual cycles.

Read more:
I have PCOS and I want to have a baby, what do I need to know?

In men, obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome (a cluster of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease and stroke) have negative effects on fertility.

Low testosterone levels caused by obesity or type 2 diabetes can affect the quality of sperm.

So how might Ozempic affect fertility?

Weight loss is recommended for people with obesity to reduce the risk of health problems. As weight loss can improve menstrual irregularities, it may also increase the chance of pregnancy in women with obesity.

This is why weight loss and metabolic improvement are the most likely reasons why women who use Ozempic report unexpected pregnancies.

But unexpected pregnancies have also been reported by women who use Ozempic and the contraceptive pill. This has led some experts to suggest that some GLP-1-RAs might affect the absorption of the pill and make it less effective. However, it’s uncertain whether there is a connection between Ozempic and contraceptive failure.

In men with type 2 diabetes, obesity and low testosterone, drugs like Ozempic have shown promising results for weight loss and increasing testosterone levels.

Avoid Ozempic if you’re trying to conceive

It’s unclear if semaglutide can be harmful in pregnancy. But data from animal studies suggest it should not be used in pregnancy due to potential risks of fetal abnormalities.

That’s why the Therapeutic Goods Administration recommends women of childbearing potential use contraception when taking semaglutide.

Similarly, PCOS guidelines state health professionals should ensure women with PCOS who use Ozempic have effective contraception.

Guidelines recommended stopping semaglutide at least two months before planning pregnancy.

For women who use Ozempic to manage diabetes, it’s important to seek advice on other options to control blood glucose levels when trying for pregnancy.

What if you get pregnant while taking Ozempic?

For those who conceive while using Ozempic, deciding what to do can be difficult. This decision may be even more complicated considering the unknown potential effects of the drug on the fetus.

While there is little scientific data available, the findings of an observational study of pregnant women with type 2 diabetes who were on diabetes medication, including GLP-1-RAs, are reassuring. This study did not indicate a large increased risk of major congenital malformations in the babies born.

Women considering or currently using semaglutide before, during, or after pregnancy should consult with a health provider about how to best manage their condition.

When pregnancies are planned, women can take steps to improve their baby’s health, such as taking folic acid before conception to reduce the risk of neural tube defects, and stopping smoking and consuming alcohol.

While unexpected pregnancies and “Ozempic babies” may be welcomed, their mothers have not had the opportunity to take these steps and give them the best start in life.

Read the other articles in The Conversation’s Ozempic series here.

Karin Hammarberg works part-time for the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority.

Robert Norman receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council

– ref. What are ‘Ozempic babies’? Can the drug really increase your chance of pregnancy? – https://theconversation.com/what-are-ozempic-babies-can-the-drug-really-increase-your-chance-of-pregnancy-227561

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Diana Kuchinke, Lecturer in Ecology, Federation University Australia

Once, while teaching a class of environmental science students in China’s Hebei University of Science and Technology, I asked who knew what a laughing kookaburra was. There were many blank faces. Then I tilted my head, much like a kookaburra does, and opened my mouth: “kok-kak-KAK-KAK-KAK-KOK-KAK-KOK-kook-kook-kok, kok, kok”. I became the “bushman’s alarm clock”.

Students burst out laughing. Hands waved in the air. They knew. They all knew. The call of the kookaburra is known worldwide.

Why do kookaburras “laugh”? It’s a declaration of territory. “I am here. This is my space.”

How long has it been part of the Australian landscape? Indigenous Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay and Wiradjuri people named the “guuguubarra”, so for at least 65,000 years.

Genetic analysis suggests its ancestors can be traced back roughly 16.3 million years. So we can be sure kookaburras have been laughing for a very, very long time.

It is shocking, then, that the laughing kookaburra is now in trouble. A combination of human-driven factors – climate change, bushfires and land clearing – is rapidly driving down numbers of this iconic kingfisher species across its range along Australia’s east coast.

Read more:
Citizen scientists count nearly 2 million birds and reveal a possible kookaburra decline

Why are kookaburra numbers falling?

In 2003, the New Atlas of Australian Birds listed the laughing kookaburra as abundant. By 2015, The State of Australia’s Birds report noted them as being in major decline.

What changed? Recent research shows worsening fires are adding to the woes of kookaburras, on top of land clearing, removal of old trees with nesting hollows, state permits to control local numbers and being regarded as an exotic species in Western Australia and Tasmania, where they were introduced more than a century ago.

The tree hollows kookaburras need to breed can take a hundred years to develop. Every forest patch felled means hollows are lost.

Over the past 200 years, nearly 50% of our forest cover has been felled. Urban development all along Australia’s east coast has continued.

Read more:
Dozens of woodland bird species are threatened, and we still don’t know what works best to bring them back

Fire is a growing threat

Increasing fire frequency and severity due to climate change are having damaging impacts on kookaburras across south-eastern Australia. Megafires – those that burn more than 10,000 hectares – used to occur about once a decade. Now they are happening more often.

The 2019-2020 “Black Summer” fires were not confined to one state or season. From September 2019 through to March 2020 they burnt more than ten million hectares of native vegetation. The impacts on wildlife were huge.

In the years after fire, the dense regrowth of vegetation gives many birds a flush of abundant resources for food, nesting, cues for breeding and protection from predators.

However, dense new ground growth could hinder the kookaburra’s hunting by making it harder to spot prey. This species sits high in a tree from where it pounces on its prey, which is mostly taken on the ground.

Research has also shown dense post-fire vegetation has less prey, such as basking lizards, a vital part of the kookaburra’s diet.

Research shows laughing kookaburras leave areas of dense post-fire growth. They prefer areas that haven’t burnt for decades.

Kookaburras also compete for prey with other birds, such as the currawong. A currawong forages both on the ground and in the canopy. In denser vegetation, this gives it a competitive advantage over the kookaburra.

If trees with hollows are burnt down, kookaburras also cannot nest. Kookaburras forced to move to new unburnt or uncleared areas must compete for hollows with other highly territorial kookaburras and species such as parrots, owls and possums.

Read more:
200 experts dissected the Black Summer bushfires in unprecedented detail. Here are 6 lessons to heed

State policies aren’t helping

The Victorian government has issued permits to remove kookaburras from their territories in certain areas. These included three “Authorities to Control Wildlife” by lethal means in 2022 and another in 2023.

The government website says these permits can be issued when wildlife causes damage to property, poses a risk to human health and safety, or is harmful for biodiversity. It is hard to imagine which of these categories justifies permits to kill kookaburras in their native habitat.

The maximum number for lethal control across 2022 was four, and three in 2023. However, kookaburras are highly social birds. They live in family groups of about a dozen individuals with a dominant pair, juvenile helpers and young. If the dominant pair has been dealt with “by lethal means”, it’s devastating for the group.

Two Australian states, Tasmania and Western Australia, treat the laughing kookaburra as an introduced species. In Tasmania (but not WA), the species is unprotected because of its status as an exotic species.

Anecdotal evidence suggests the “first pair” to breed successfully was taken to Tasmania around 1906. But this assumes kookaburras, which are found on other Bass Strait islands, were not already there and could not fly across Bass Strait.

In Tasmania, kookaburras are much maligned and it’s legal to kill them – despite this being the one state where the species isn’t in trouble. One concern is that, as a carnivorous bird, its impact on small reptiles and birds is immense. But other birds, such as the two species of currawong on the island, hunt the same prey as kookaburras.

Read more:
We rely on expert predictions to guide conservation. But even experts have biases and blind spots

We can no longer take common species for granted

As climate change results in more bushfires and we continue to clear-fell old habitat trees, the fate of the laughing kookaburra – our icon of the ages – could be sealed. That once-ubiquitous call will be heard no more.

While considerable resources necessarily go to threatened species programs, it is imperative, too, to give more resources and attention to species we have long thought of as common. If species such as kookaburras and koalas are disappearing, then the threatened species have no hope.

Diana Kuchinke does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Why the kookaburra’s iconic laugh is at risk of being silenced – https://theconversation.com/why-the-kookaburras-iconic-laugh-is-at-risk-of-being-silenced-208181

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claire Breen, Professor of Law, University of Waikato

School truancy has been a concern across the political spectrum for years. But proposed solutions have largely failed to address the core reasons for unexplained school absences.

Despite the apparent difficulty in solving the truancy problem, education is a fundamental human right. Governments need to ensure children don’t face unnecessary hurdles when trying to get to and stay in school.

Legally, a truant is a student who is frequently late, misses a class, or misses entire days or weeks of schooling.

A downward trend in regular attendance (the percentage of students attending school 90% of a school term, based on the total enrolments in schools that provided attendance data electronically) has been apparent for a few years.

Absence from school may be justified or unjustified. The latter encompasses absences where no information or a trivial reason is provided (truancy).

In term 2 of 2015, regular attendance was 69.5% (with unjustified absences at 3.4%), before reaching a concerning low of 39.9% in term 2 of 2022 (during the COVID-19 pandemic), when truancy rates were 3.3%.

In term 2 of 2023, regular attendance was 47%, and truancy rates were 2.5%. By term 4 of 2023, regular attendance was 53.6%, with truancy rates at 1.7%.

Prioritising data collection

The coalition government recently announced its Attendance Action Plan in the latest effort to address the issue.

In the short term, the plan includes publishing weekly attendance data, improving awareness of the importance of school attendance, updating public health advice for parents to help them decide whether to send their child to school, and clarifying expectations for school boards.

Longer-term proposals include mandatory daily reporting of attendance data and a traffic light system to respond to different levels of school attendance.

This is underpinned by clear obligations for children, parents and schools, making attendance a strategic priority for school boards, and establishing improved data and analysis to determine the drivers for non-attendance.

It’s clear the coalition government’s current focus is on data collection, which is important for setting benchmarks. It allows the Ministry of Education to monitor and respond to truancy patterns, and can also be used to examine the correlation between student attendance and NCEA achievement.

But the data must be interpreted adequately and appropriately. Otherwise it may cause more harm than good, if the reasons for absences are masked and a one-size-fits-all approach is adopted.

Truancy as a global phenomenon

Changing attitudes to school attendance in New Zealand mirror overseas experiences.

While recognising the importance of going to school for wellbeing and educational achievement, a recent study from the Education Review Office suggests many New Zealand parents attach less importance to regular school attendance. This is similar to what parents have reported in the United Kingdom.

But persistent absences can have a cumulative effect, particularly if they occur from an early age.

Read more:
Why a ban on cellphones in schools might be more of a distraction than the problem it’s trying to fix

Since the end of the global pandemic, truancy rates overseas have been improving. New Zealand’s are too – but at a slower pace.

New Zealand’s poverty rate and cost-of-living crisis, as well as housing shortages, bullying and a youth mental health crisis appear to be having an effect on truancy rates.

Need for cross-party solutions

The 2022 Workforce and Education Select Committee Report on school attendance made a series of recommendations.

Some aspects of that report are reflected in the government’s school attendance plan – including the emphasis on engaging with parents, teachers and schools to improve attendance.

But the select committee’s report also recognised there are societal causes of non-attendance. It recommended the continuing provision of free school lunches and free period products, accompanied by an analysis of the effectiveness of both initiatives.

The coalition government has committed nearly NZ$3 million for period products. But moves to remove or reduce school lunches go against international research which has found free school meals beneficial for student achievement.

The select committee did not believe prosecutions and sanctions to be an appropriate response to chronic absenteeism. This echoes the British findings that sanctions were seen as irrelevant to improving school attendance.

Education as a human right

The right to education has featured consistently in the international legal framework since the end of the second world war. Education must be physically and economically accessible to everyone, and it must be flexible to respond to the needs of students within diverse and changing societies.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 requires countries to encourage regular attendance at school and reduce dropout rates. This also means countries must make every reasonable effort, using available resources, to address the deeper structural reasons for children dropping out of school.

The government’s attendance plan is an important step towards achieving those goals, which are a key element of ensuring their right to education.

Read more:
Being excluded or truant from school leads to mental health problems – and vice versa

Recent research shows young New Zealanders do value education. But they also want to be heard and valued. The support of whānau and friends, as well as the respect and understanding of their teachers, are important factors in keeping them engaged with school.

Improving school attendance and educational outcomes requires an action plan that addresses the structural issues that interfere with attendance and undermine the child’s right to education.

The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has stated that education is one of the best financial investments a state can make, not only for social and economic reasons, but because “a well-educated, enlightened and active mind is one of the joys and rewards of human existence”.

Getting to our children to school, then, is only the beginning of this journey.

Claire Breen does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. The government is basing its school truancy response on data – but by-the-numbers solutions aren’t enough – https://theconversation.com/the-government-is-basing-its-school-truancy-response-on-data-but-by-the-numbers-solutions-arent-enough-227886

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Melissa Cain, Senior Lecturer in Inclusive Education and Arts Education, Australian Catholic University

About 90% of Australian students with disability attend mainstream schools. Equitable access and participation in education is a fundamental human right.

But as last year’s disability royal commission found, this does not mean students with disability are fully included in their classrooms, school activities and playgrounds.

Over the past seven years, we have have surveyed and interviewed more than 100 students with disability, as well as parents, carers and teachers, as part of our research on students with disability in mainstream schools.

The students we talked to were aged between eight and 18. Here are ten things these students, their families and carers want teachers to know.

Read more:
70% of Australian students with a disability are excluded at school – the next round of education reforms can fix this

1. I can tell you what works (and what doesn’t)

Students with disability have a lot of experience overcoming barriers. They are experts about their needs and goals. But we found they are often not consulted by their teachers about what helps them at school.

As a high school student with low vision told us:

In primary school […] I had a teacher who wanted me to get a scribe or wanted me to write with a pen. She thought she knew best. It wasn’t the best. So, I think listening to the student is the most important part.

A parent of a high school student also explained:

Listen to and ask questions of the students. Don’t come with a preconceived idea of what a vision impairment is. Come willing to learn and to hear from the student how things impact them. It’s all about the [teacher] attitude and asking the kid ‘look if you can’t access anything you just make sure you let me know’.

2. Have high expectations

All students need to take risks to be able to discover, learn and grow. This is known as the “dignity of risk”.

Our research told us students with disability have the same goals for further learning and employment as their peers. So they need to take part in the same activities as their classmates and develop skills necessary for an independent future.

A parent of a Year 11 student said:

Students with disability are going to be working in a competitive job market so they need to be prepared for a level of productivity that is the same or better than their peers.

3. I am more than my disability

For some students, their disability is primary to their identity. For others, it is one of many aspects that makes them unique. Either way, students want their teachers to know them as a student with interests, skills, and goals, not just a “student with disability”.

As one parent explained, a delicate balance is required:

you want to normalise [the impairment], but not normalise it too much, because it’s not nothing. But it’s something that can be managed.

4. I don’t want to stand out

All students like to fit in and do what their peers do. So sometimes students with disability probably won’t tell their teacher if they need help.

One student who lost central vision when he was nine explained how his feelings about his disability can change.

[I] go back and forth with acceptance and then depression, anger and denial. I’m never, never, fully okay with it. So, I think depending on how mentally strong I feel, I’m much more open to things. And if I’m, like, really upset, I just don’t want anything to do with any of it.

He also explained how he arranged via email with his teacher to sit at the back of the class so other students would not notice how much he had to zoom in on his screen.

I’m self-conscious of how much I have to zoom in. And I don’t really want people seeing that because people say stuff and I don’t need that in my day.

5. My parents may need to advocate for me

Until students are old enough, parents are their main advocate. Parents and carers have a huge wealth of information about their child’s abilities and impairment, and want to help.

As one parent of a child in high school with low vision told us:

I suppose you are always advocating. It’s part and parcel when you’ve got a child with a disability, probably more so than for your other children.

6. Talk to the people who help me

Students and their families told us it was important for teachers to work out what is needed and how to solve potential issues at the very start of the year. In other words: be proactive and don’t wait for things to go wrong.

One student told us how an advisory teacher who specialises in helping students with disability gave their regular teacher tips on how to help them in maths.

Instead of writing equations on the board my teacher [now] adds them to OneNote [a note-taking app] so it is accessible to me. Then all the other students have access to it as well.

7. I may miss school sometimes

Some students with disability see a variety of medical professionals and therapists. Appointments are made well in advance and are difficult to change.
Sometimes health needs mean students are away from school for extended periods. This means schools need to be patient with absences and help students catch up.
As one parent told us:

Earlier this year my son was away from school for six weeks. The teachers were amazing in organising extensions, liaising with the hospital school, and sent work to him at home when he was feeling better.

8. I need to be included in all aspects of school

Inclusion in the full school curriculum means involvement physically, academically, socially and emotionally. But students with disability are often excluded from things such as physical activity. Teachers may be worried about students getting hurt or be unsure about how to adapt activities.

As one student told us:

I really struggle with sport, like when we play dodgeball and I can’t see the ball. So, I had to hold on to someone’s hand and jump over the ball. It was fun, but I think things should be made more accessible.

Like everyone else, not being able to participate effectively leads to boredom and frustration. This can see some students act out. As one student told us:

At the end of the term the class watches movies and there is no audio description, and I’m just sitting there. Sometimes I sneak my phone out because I’m just so bored.

10. I may need special equipment

Students with disability may need special technology or devices such as screen readers, word prediction software or communication boards. These are essential for equitable access and should not be denied because other students do not need them.
A one parent told us:

The school refused to provide a braille machine. I wanted to take it to the Department of Education, but couldn’t, because I worked at the school. That’s why we ended up buying one. The whole time the [school] said ‘no, it’s too expensive, we’re not buying it. We’ve only got one kid who needs it’.

Another parent agreed:

We need a bit more conversation around how different things are [for our children]. Not that they can’t do things. They can do just about everything, but not the way other children do.

Read more:
We don’t need a hydrotherapy pool in every school, but we do need quality public education for all kids

Students with disability want their teachers to know that just like every student, they have needs, goals and aspirations. They also have insight and experience that can support their access and participation in mainstream contexts. We just need to listen.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. ‘Listening is the most important part’: 10 things students with disability and their families want teachers to know – https://theconversation.com/listening-is-the-most-important-part-10-things-students-with-disability-and-their-families-want-teachers-to-know-215702

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flavio Macau, Associate Dean – School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University

Tensions in the Middle East have escalated following Iran’s weekend missile and drone attacks on Israel, heightening concerns of a wider conflict.

As with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, further conflict has the potential to destabilise oil prices and disrupt supply chains.

In Australia, already grappling with a cost-of-living crisis, the ripple effects could soon be felt.

Rising oil prices lead to increased inflation, first affecting fuel prices at petrol stations, advancing to to the prices of fresh produce and groceries delivered by truck, and finally spreading to most transactions in a connected economy.

But how concerned should we be?

The United States Energy Information Administration says Iran is responsible for about only 2% to global oil supplies, none of them coming to Australia.

Higher prices would hurt, wherever our fuel comes from

Malaysia is Australia’s major supplier of oil and Singapore and South Korea supply most of our petrol and diesel. The Middle East seems too distant to matter.

But oil prices are set globally, and a small group of countries have a large impact on it.

Founded in the 1960s, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) originally included Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, which between them controlled the majority of global oil exports.

This meant conflicts involving OPEC members used to squeeze supplies, causing big spikes in inflation of the kind seen in the 1970s and 1980s.

Not so much today. According to the World Economic Forum, the now 13 members of OPEC produce about 40% of the world’s oil, accounting for about 60% of the petroleum traded globally.

There are more alternatives. Among the non-OPEC producers are countries like Mexico, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Malaysia. In 2022 these non-OPEC producers exported respectable 16.5 million barrels a day compared to OPEC’s 28.7 million.

Iran is not the major player it used to be, especially for Western countries.

In 2019 the US and the EU imposed sanctions on Iran in response to its nuclear program and human rights violations.

Iran has employed strategies to circumvent restrictions by rebranding the country of origin of its oil, conducting tanker-to-tanker transfers and engaging getting its oil refined and resold from obscure locations. But its importance to global supply chains diminished.

China is now Iran’s primary buyer, reportedly receiving a 15% discount on oil it agrees to take as Western sanctions are enforced.

Therefore, a buoyant US economy and a recovery in Chinese markets have a larger impact on oil prices than the current escalation of the Middle East conflict. To a point.

Iranian support of Houthi militants in Yemen leading to attacks on merchant ships late last year reduced shipping traffic in the Suez Canal by about 50%, according to the International Monetary Fund. Most of the remaining traffic involves oil tankers.

If Israel hits back at Iran’s weekend drone and missile attack and Iran retaliates by disrupting the Strait of Hormuz – a narrow waterway nearby through which a quarter of global maritime oil trade flows – global oil markets will face a major choke point.

This could be mitigated by exporters using more time consuming routes, but the damage to oil prices could be significant and long-standing. There are not many alternative routes from main production sites to Western countries.

If logistics are affected, consumers may face shortages once again. And Australia is not in a great position to weather that.

Despite being a member of the International Energy Agency, Australia does not maintain oil stocks equivalent to at least 90 days of consumption, as required.

According to Australia Petroleum Statistics, current diesel stocks are estimated to last only about 26 days, with petrol stocks close behind at 27 days.

Furthermore, refinery production on Australian soil has significantly decreased; from producing about 15.1 billion litres of gasoline in 2013 to only 5.7 in 2023, a drop by about two-thirds.

Read more:
Why Yemen’s Houthis are getting involved in the Israel-Hamas war and how it could disrupt global shipping

There is no need for alarm as long as Australia’s response to a major crisis is fast and effective.

To be prepared, the government should prioritise securing oil supplies from reliable, nearby partners, take measures to prevent panic buying, be ready to increase domestic production and encourage industry to develop robust business continuity plans.

With these initiatives in place, Australia will be well prepared to handle any potential crises that may arise.

Read more:
Rising oil prices, surging inflation: The Arab embargo 50 years ago weaponized oil to inflict economic trauma

Flavio Macau is affiliated with the Australasian Supply Chain Institute (ASCI) and the Project Management Institute (PMI). He occasionally owns oil company shares as part of his investment portfolio.

– ref. Will global oil supply be at risk if Iran and Israel pull the Middle East into war? – https://theconversation.com/will-global-oil-supply-be-at-risk-if-iran-and-israel-pull-the-middle-east-into-war-228009

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edith Jennifer Hill, Associate Lecturer, Learning & Teaching Innovation, Flinders University

Have you ever wondered if your partner really loves you? Well apparently so have thousands of TikTok users, who are testing their theories for the world to see.

In the past year we’ve seen a rise in TikTok trends that purport to “test” a partner’s loyalty or the strength of a couple’s relationship. These tests vary in severity, from telling your partner you saw a cool bird and hoping they respond with equal enthusiasm, to asking an influencer to flirt with them to see if they’ll cheat.

If this sound stressful or potentially problematic to you, that’s because it is.

What are these tests?

Generally, TikTok relationship tests involve the tester acting a certain way in front of their partner, while making a video, and posting the results on TikTok for others to judge.

Several different tests have trended this year. One of the most popular is the orange peel “theory” (we use the word very lightly here), in which the tester tells their partner they feel like eating an orange.

Some partners simply acknowledge the comment, while others actually go and get an orange. But the “winners” are those who first retrieve the orange and then happily peel or cut it up for their significant other.

In another popular test, women TikTokers ask their partners to “name a woman”. If they respond with any name other than the tester’s, the woman pretends to act shocked, surprised or angry.

Why do we watch?

So why do millions of people watch and comment on these videos? There are two things we can point to here.

The first is the close resemblance these videos have to reality television, which research has shown we watch, in part, to feel better about ourselves.

Research has also found people are more likely to like, share and comment on stories when they feel a sense of moral outrage. It then comes with a pleasurable payoff once the source of the outrage seemingly gets what they deserve.

One emotion at play here is “schadenfreude”, which refers to taking pleasure from another’s pain. Whether we agree someone’s boyfriend deserves to be called out, or that the original poster “had it coming” with the response, we tend to feel satisfied by being part of the mob response.

Unfortunately, this motivates a hostile online environment. In such spaces, where we see others piling on the shame, we’re also more likely to do so ourselves.

Read more:
Think you might be dating a ‘vulnerable narcissist’? Look out for these red flags

Are the ‘tests’ legitimate in any way?

It’s safe to assume relationship TikTok tests aren’t even close to what would be recommended by relationship science. Currently in psychology research there is no single diagnostic test that can give us exact information about the validity or longevity of someone’s relationship.

Such psychological assessment is complex and can require multiple types of assessment. Moreover, these assessments are often done in various contexts and with feedback from multiple others. Even well-designed personality tests can give questionable, useless or misleading information when applied at an individual level.

Relationships benefit from all parties taking the time to understand one another – not from rushing to diagnose and assign labels.

How might the tests be harmful?

Sometimes we treat our partner as an object: a means to the end of our own desires, with no recognition of their desires.

These TikTok video are often driven by a desire for personal fame, reassurance about the security of one’s relationship, or wanting to feel like the “superior” partner. Of course this can backfire, especially if the person being unwittingly “tested” has their response shared online against their will.

People in relationships are interdependent. This means they influence each other and can choose to meet or deny each other’s needs.

When our needs aren’t met, communication is necessary to understand what matters to each person, and why a particular behaviour or pattern of behaviour is hurtful. It also requires a shared understanding of how to move forward together.

Working through what happened, taking time to recognise each other’s needs and agreeing on the shared values underpinning a conflict are important for repairing a relationship. Using a shame-based video to prove a point suggests the absence of healthy communication.

Beyond that, people tend to seek out information that confirms what they already think. This is called “confirmation bias”. If someone feels insecure about their partnership, they may subconsciously seek out information that confirms their insecurities, or interpret new information in this way.

Research has found if you act in a way that’s untrustworthy – such as setting up your partner to fail in a TikTok “test” – you are more likely to create insecurity in your relationship.

The line between humour and harm

Of course, some people posting these videos are just doing so to be playful or funny. Their partner may not mind, or may even be in on the gag. As long as a behaviour is an expression of a couple’s shared values, is done with consent (especially in terms of uploading the video online) and makes both parties feel respected, who are we to judge?

At the same time, many TikTok relationship tests presented as “jokes” will often portray women as being stereotypically jealous, needy or manipulative. And like all media that stereotype men and women, such content can further feed sexist attitudes and harm our relationships.

Lydia Woodyatt receives funding from The Australian Research Council and The Hospital Research Foundation.

Edith Jennifer Hill does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. No, getting your boyfriend to peel an orange won’t prove his loyalty. Why TikTok relationship ‘tests’ are useless – https://theconversation.com/no-getting-your-boyfriend-to-peel-an-orange-wont-prove-his-loyalty-why-tiktok-relationship-tests-are-useless-227229

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mathew Stewart, Research Fellow, Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, Griffith University

If you look from above, you can see thousands of stone structures dotting the landscape of the Arabian peninsula. On the ground, you can find a bounty of stone tools and ancient fireplaces scattered along the edges of ancient lakes, as well as rock art depicting hunting and herding scenes in the surrounding mountains.

Despite the visibility of these sites, only in the past decade or so have archaeologists taken a dedicated interest in them. Some of the structures have now been dated at up to 10,000 years old.

However, the arid climate, baking days and freezing nights, and intense wind erosion are not kind to some of the other relics archaeologists prize. To date, there has been little found in the way of fossils or the kind of deeply buried, layered deposits that can open a window onto the history of a place.

Until recently, no archaeologists had surveyed any of the hundreds of caves and lava tubes recorded across northern Arabia. In 2019, our team began to look in these subterranean locations – and in a new study published today in PLoS ONE, we report on the first documented occupation of a lava tube in the Arabian Peninsula.

The Umm Jirsan lava tube

The Umm Jirsan lava tube lies some 125 kilometres north of the city of Madinah, in the Harrat Khaybar lava field. The tube formed long ago by cooling lava. It winds an impressive 1.5 kilometres, and reaches 12 metres in height and 45 metres in width in some sections.

The first thing you notice when venturing into the tube’s dark and meandering tunnels is the sheer number of animal remains. The floor is strewn with piles of bones containing thousands – if not hundreds of thousands – of exceptionally preserved fossils.

These bone-piles are the work of striped hyenas, which drag bones underground to eat, stash away for times of food scarcity, or process and feed to cubs. This process, repeated over millennia, has produced some of the most incredible accumulations of fossils seen anywhere in the world.

But it’s not all just bones. When we surveyed the entrances of Umm Jirsan – essentially areas where the roof has collapsed, providing access to the lava tube – we uncovered hundreds of stone artefacts made from obsidian, chert and basalt.

Although exciting, these artefacts were all surface finds, making them extremely difficult to date. We needed to look deeper.

Digging in

We excavated in the mouth of the eastern passage, near a series of semi-circular stone structures of an unknown age or function. The excavation uncovered more stone artefacts – all made from fine-grained green obsidian – as well as animal bones and charcoal.

Most of the stone artefacts came from a discrete sediment layer roughly 75 centimetres beneath the surface. Radiocarbon dating of the charcoal, and dating of the sediments using a method known as optically stimulated luminescence dating, revealed this main occupation phase likely occurred between 7,000 and 10,000 years ago.

We also found some interesting objects in the surrounding landscape. These included more stone artefacts and circular structures, as well as a so-called “I-type” structure. These constructions are believed to date to around 7,000 years ago, based on their association with large rectangular structures known as mustatils, which we believe were used for ritual animal sacrifices.

Read more:
Enigmatic ruins across Arabia hosted ancient ritual sacrifices

We also found the first rock art discovered in the area. This includes depictions of herding scenes of cattle, sheep and goat, and even hunting scenes involving dogs. This art has similarities with other rock art in Arabia from the Neolithic and the later Bronze Age. It includes overlapping engravings, suggesting people visited the area repeatedly over thousands of years.

We also found human remains at Umm Jirsan, which we dated to the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods. By analysing the carbon and nitrogen in these remains, we found these people’s diets were consistently high in protein – though they ate more fruit and cereals over time.

Interestingly, this change in diet appears to coincide with the arrival of oasis agriculture in the region. This saw the emergence of sophisticated farming and water management techniques that enabled people to settle in the deserts more permanently and cultivate plants such as dates and figs.

We made another interesting finding after coming home from the dig. Studying maps of archaeological structures in the wider area, we noticed Umm Jirsan sits along a “funerary avenue” connecting two major oases.

Read more:
Ancient humans may have paused in Arabia for 30,000 years on their way out of Africa

These funerary avenues, which consist of chains of tombs stretching hundreds of kilometres, are believed to have been routes used by Bronze Age pastoralists as they transported their herds between water sources.

We think Umm Jirsan may have been a stopping-off point for pastoralists, a place that offered shelter and water in an otherwise dry and harsh environment.

Archaeologists have made remarkable finds in Arabia in recent years, in settings such as ancient lakebeds. Our finds at Umm Jirsan add another important element to the story of Arabian societies over time, and how they interacted with this dramatic landscape.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. First evidence of ancient human occupation found in giant lava tube cave in Saudi Arabia – https://theconversation.com/first-evidence-of-ancient-human-occupation-found-in-giant-lava-tube-cave-in-saudi-arabia-227769

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

After the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel in an Assyrian Orthodox Church in Wakeley on Monday, and the killings in Bondi Junction shopping centre just two days earlier, many people in Sydney and in Australia more widely are tense.

With constant protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza and fears about a wider Middle East conflict, social harmony among religions and cultures in Australia is straining.

Dai Le is the independent member for the seat of Fowler, where the church incident took place. Hers is one of the most diverse electorates in the country.

On how the local community is feeling, Dai Le stresses:

The community is currently feeling on edge and there is tension in the community, since the attack.

As you can appreciate, people are on tenterhooks at the moment […] This just follows on from the Bondi killings that happened as well. So it’s just one day after another.

Talking about the alleged attacker, who is a teenager, she highlights some of the struggles facing young people:

Our young people are often very much feeling cut off from society. And I think that they are struggling with mental health issues. They’re struggling with the cost of living. They’re struggling with finding their identity and where they belong in today’s society, where it’s so fast paced, where there’s lots of expectations.

I can’t speak around this young man because I don’t know much about his history.

I do know is that young people need a lot of support, and need a lot to feel that they belong, that they are valued. And how do we do that? What can we create to make sure that they are valued members of our community?

Dai Le still remains hopeful and proud of Australia’s role as a multicultural society:

I still believe, though, that we are still a wonderful multicultural community. I believe that we have that great uniqueness. And Australia has always been welcoming, and I hope that Australia will continue to maintain our wonderful cohesiveness and harmony. If everybody, all the leaders, we work together to ensure the message is out there, that people are welcomed, that people have the right to practice their faith, that people feel that they belong in the community.

Finally, on her hopes for the budget, Dai Le focuses on the kitchen table issues:

I’ve asked the Prime Minister before to extend that excise fuel tax cut, because that will obviously bring down the petrol prices, which is above $2.10 and sometimes up to $2.50, for people because our community travels a lot for work. The grocery food prices that is kind of really just beyond anybody’s imagination how much it costs nowadays to do your grocery shopping.

Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Politics with Michelle Grattan: Independent MP Dai Le on the church attack in her electorate – https://theconversation.com/politics-with-michelle-grattan-independent-mp-dai-le-on-the-church-attack-in-her-electorate-228101

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University

We’ve long known Australia’s main environmental protection laws aren’t doing their job, and we know Australians want better laws. Labor was elected promising to fix them.

But yesterday, the government walked back its commitments, deferring the necessary reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act indefinitely in the face of pressure from the state Labor government in Western Australia and the mining and resources industries.

Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek was on the front foot yesterday, promising the new national agency Environment Protection Australia and Environmental Information Australia will still go ahead.

But decisions by the planned agency can be overruled by the minister via expansive “call in” powers. And because Labor has backed away from rolling out essential legally enforceable national environmental standards this term, it’s hard to see how the agency can actually be the “tough cop on the beat” we were promised.

Labor promised substantive change that would prevent further species extinctions. But yesterday’s announcement was basically the continuation of business as usual.

Environmental organisations such as the Australian Conservation Foundation – which backed many of Labor’s proposed reforms – are now “deeply disappointed”.

What just happened?

Yesterday’s announcement effectively defers substantive change until after the next federal election.

Rather than a full package, the government has split its planned reforms into three parts, under the umbrella name of the Nature Positive Plan.

Read more:
5 things we need to see in Australia’s new nature laws

The first is the nature repair market, which many stakeholders – conservationists and business leaders alike – have been sceptical of. It was legislated in December, but nature repair projects can’t start until the market governance and methods are established.

The second will create the federal Environmental Protection Australia agency and Environment Information Australia body. The agency will be responsible for development assessments, decisions and compliance and enforcement, with staff drawn from existing divisions within the department, while the information agency will support decision-making with data, as well as report on progress against environmental targets.

But the third is the crucial bit – the reformed environment protection and biodiversity laws, and the legally enforceable national environmental standards underpinning them.

We need these standards and laws to properly address longstanding deficiencies such as lack of clear policy objectives and “no go” zones for development, failure to account for climate change impacts, ongoing native vegetation clearing and habitat destruction that drives extinction, and a lack of alignment with other laws.

But these vital elements have been deferred to “an unspecified date”. Despite the urgency of our extinction crisis, we have a cart but no horse in sight.

How did we get here?

In 2020, Graeme Samuel released his scathing report detailing the many failings of the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. The laws, he wrote, were “ineffective” and needed fundamental reform. Labor came to office pledging to end extinctions, tackle climate change, and repair nature.

But two years later, little solid progress has been made. In cases such as the controversial Lee Point development planned in Darwin, the government has appeared to put development ahead of considerations of threatened species and First Nations’ cultural values.

Samuel called for comprehensive amendments to the laws within 12 months, and for full reform by 2022. Instead, the government only began consulting in May 2023, undertook a “lockup” consultation with peak environment bodies in October, and ran public consultation in November. Now we hear these reforms have been pushed back indefinitely.

In the West Australian, Minister Plibersek describes the changes as:

a staged rollout of sensible reforms that better protect Australia’s natural wonders, while also supporting faster, more efficient decision making […] This package is a win for the environment and a win for business

Speaking on ABC radio, she denied there was any “unnecessary delay”:

there is a careful approach to make sure we get this right, because this is generational change […] I’m not going to go into the parliament with a flawed set of laws that we can’t get support for.

This is questionable. In 2022, Australia signed up to the ambitious global push to turn around the destruction of the natural world, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. We agreed to work to bring biodiversity loss almost to zero by 2030 and for native wild species to become more abundant and resilient by 2050. Deferring our main environment laws is not the way to do this.

Read more:
The historic COP15 outcome is an imperfect game-changer for saving nature. Here’s why Australia did us proud

Restoring nature isn’t possible without stronger environment laws

Preserving nature can only be done with substantive legislative reform, given Australia’s existing environmental laws do not effectively regulate and stop the ongoing destruction of nature.

As Samuel pointed out, our current laws are not keeping the environment in good shape. They focus on individual approvals for projects, not clear outcomes for the environment.

Read more:
‘Nature positive’ isn’t just planting a few trees – it’s actually stopping the damage we do

As it stands there will be no climate trigger – meaning no assessment of impact on climate change – despite the threat this poses to biodiversity. The Great Barrier Reef is suffering its worst recorded mass bleaching this year, the fifth in eight years.

Even so, fossil fuel production continues with many more projects awaiting approval.

Nature can’t afford further delays

Without the reformed environment protection laws, the strengthened Safeguard Mechanism – the government’s main plan to drive down emissions from large polluters – will not work properly. This is because environmental law needs to be amended so greenhouse gas emissions from new coal and gas developments are reported on and tracked.

In fact, without the national environmental standards – which the federal environment department dubs the “centrepiece of our reforms” – the whole package of reform seems toothless.

Labor’s failure so far to deliver on its promise puts their goals of “no new extinctions” and a “nature positive” future for Australia at risk.

Read more:
Get the basics right for National Environmental Standards to ensure truly sustainable development

Euan Ritchie receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action. Euan is a Councillor within the Biodiversity Council, and a member of the Ecological Society of Australia and the Australian Mammal Society.

Megan C Evans has received funding from various sources, including the Australian Research Council through a Discovery Early Career Research Award (2020-2023), the Australian Conservation Foundation, the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, WWF Australia, and the National Environmental Science Program’s Threatened Species Recovery Hub.

Yung En Chee receives funding from an Australian Research Council linkage grant. She also receives funding and research contracts from Melbourne Water through the Melbourne Waterway Research-Practice Partnership 2023-2028. Yung En is a member of the Society for Conservation Biology.

– ref. Australia’s long-sought stronger environmental laws just got indefinitely deferred. It’s back to business as usual – https://theconversation.com/australias-long-sought-stronger-environmental-laws-just-got-indefinitely-deferred-its-back-to-business-as-usual-228090

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chao Chen, Deputy Director, Enterprise AI and Data Analytics Hub, RMIT Univeristy, RMIT University

From asking our smart speakers for the weather to receiving personalised advice from smartwatches, devices powered by artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly streamlining our routines and decision making. The technology is seeping into our lives in subtle ways.

Manufacturers gather vast amounts of user data to ensure these smart devices are responsive and personalised. But this can put users at risk of exploitation by malicious agents, such as hackers looking to steal your data.

As AI becomes more ubiquitous, consumers will also need to become savvier. If you want to enjoy the benefits of a smart everyday device, you should be aware of the safeguards needed to protect you from cyberattacks.

A smarter internet of things

Once we started connecting physical everyday devices like fridges, vacuum cleaners and doorbell cameras to the internet, the Internet of Things (IoT) was born. It is now estimated there are some 17 billion IoT devices worldwide.

IoT devices that existed before AI generally have simpler, more static functionalities, resulting in lower data privacy and security risks. These devices could connect to the internet and perform specific tasks they were programmed to do, such as remotely turning off lights or setting a thermostat.

However, they couldn’t learn from user interactions or adapt their functionalities over time. Manufacturers integrate AI into IoT devices to help them “understand” and better cater to user needs and behaviours.

For example, a smart speaker might gather behavioural information by listening to conversations in its environment. This helps it to better understand user preferences and commands, adapt its responses and offer more relevant content or suggestions. Ultimately, this enhances the experience – it makes the device more useful to you.

However, it also makes it less secure. With AI now embedded into such devices, it actually opens a new collection of pathways (known as an “attack surface”) for cybercriminals. For example, hackers can use inputs that deliberately cause the AI in the device to malfunction. They can also “poison” the training data of AI models to make them behave in specific ways.

In addition, a malicious attacker can obtain the AI training data through a model inversion attack. If an AI model has been trained on private or sensitive data, replicating this model could potentially expose information that should remain confidential.

Manufacturers should do more

IoT devices have long been vulnerable to hackers due to lack of passwords, lack of encryption or outdated software. With this in mind, smart device manufacturers that prioritise security will implement strong encryption, provide regular software updates and ensure secure data management and transport.

However, users often aren’t aware of just how vulnerable their devices might be, or what kind of data they gather and where it goes.

There is a pressing need for industry standards that ensure all devices meet a minimum-security threshold before they come to market.

Manufacturers should provide detailed guidelines on how the collected data is processed, stored and protected. They should also explain any measures to prevent unauthorised access or data breaches.

Governments and industry have recognised the risks and invisible threats posed by AI. We have already seen the significant negative consequences when this is exploited. That is why laws on AI regulation are being drafted and implemented in Australia and around the world.

In the meantime, consumers must remain vigilant and take proactive measures – to ensure their digital lives bring about more benefit than harm.

How can I protect my devices from cyberattacks?

For a start, review all the devices in your home that connect to the internet. Try to identify AI-powered features, such as learning user behaviours or processing large datasets. These are common in smart speakers, home security systems and advanced wearable technology.

Secondly, explore the functionality of your devices and disable irrelevant or unnecessary AI features. This simple step could prevent AI from gathering personal information and its possible exposure.

Thirdly, when you purchase a device, examine the manufacturer’s security disclosure, often found on their website under titles like “Privacy”, “Security” or “Product Support”. It can also be found in user manuals and, sometimes, directly on the product packaging.

Make sure you understand what sort of AI technology the device uses and how data is collected, processed, stored and protected. What are the safeguards? Did the manufacturer use industry standards or subscribe to strong security guidelines like the European Union’s data protection regulation, GDPR?

Read more:
What does GDPR mean for me? An explainer

Security disclosures can vary greatly in terms of clarity. Technical details can be difficult to understand, but information from the Australian government’s Consumer Data Right guidelines can help guide your decision.

Asking these questions will help with the selection of devices. Sometimes it is best to pick a manufacturer with a strong track record on security, rather than be swayed by price point alone.

Finally, always keep your IoT devices up to date: when your device requests to install an update, do this promptly. This ensures any security loopholes identified by the manufacturer are properly implemented, closing the opportunity for cyberattacks.

These good habits will go a long way to ensuring your privacy is safeguarded.

Chao Chen receives funding from various organisations, including industry partners for industry-driven research projects and government funding from the ARC and CSIRO.

Kok-Leong Ong receives funding from various organisations, including industry partners for industry-driven research projects and government funding from the NHMRC, MRFF and CSIRO.

Lin Li does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. AI is making smart devices – watches, speakers, doorbells – easier to hack. Here’s how to stay safe – https://theconversation.com/ai-is-making-smart-devices-watches-speakers-doorbells-easier-to-hack-heres-how-to-stay-safe-223738

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Britta Schaffelke, Manager International Partnerships and Co-ordinator of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN), Australian Institute of Marine Science

The fourth global coral bleaching event, announced this week, is an urgent wake-up call to the world.

While the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s announcement is not unexpected, it’s the second global mass bleaching in the past decade. It heralds a new reality in which we can expect more frequent and severe bleaching events as ocean temperature records continue to be broken.

Cycles of decline and recovery are normal for coral reefs, but the windows for recovery are now shorter. Stress events such as marine heatwaves are coming faster, with less warning. These events are also more widespread.

The latest global sea surface temperatures remain above long-term averages.

As the southern hemisphere shifts into winter, the northern hemisphere’s tropical oceans enter summer. Heat will start to accumulate, this year from a higher base. Reefs are more likely to be under greater heat stress earlier than in previous years.

Read more:
The Great Barrier Reef’s latest bout of bleaching is the fifth in eight summers – the corals now have almost no reprieve

What happened last summer?

Widespread mass bleaching is new for coral reefs. The first global bleaching event was in 1998.

Global mass bleaching events are “called” when significant coral bleaching is confirmed in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans.

The current event is shaping up to be one of the most severe yet. It began as severe heat stress accumulated in the northern hemisphere summer of 2023. It continued into the southern hemisphere summer of 2023–24.

In the past, summer temperatures on the Great Barrier Reef peaked around February. Now, ocean temperatures are higher for longer. We see maximums above historic values well into April.

On the Great Barrier Reef, large areas were exposed to record-breaking heat stress over its summer (December to March). Prevalent bleaching was observed on three-quarters of surveyed coral reefs in shallow water.

The images below show the reef at North Keppel Island in the southern Great Barrier Reef before bleaching in May 2023 and during bleaching in March 2024. (Click on and drag the slider back and forth to see the difference.)

While it is too early to know the full impact, it is shaping up to be one of the most serious and extensive mass bleaching events recorded on the Great Barrier Reef.

Read more:
Is the Great Barrier Reef reviving – or dying? Here’s what’s happening beyond the headlines

Why are coral reefs so important?

Coral reefs are vital for ocean health. They also provide food, income and coastal protection from storms and floods for an estimated 500 million people. They cover less than 1% of the seafloor but support at least 25% of marine species.

Like the polar regions, coral reefs are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases are heating the oceans.

Read more:
Climate change is destroying reefs, but the effects are more than ecological – coral’s been woven into culture and spirituality for centuries

Can reefs recover from this event?

This current global event is still unfolding. Its full impacts will not be known for some time.

Some coral deaths are immediate. Some colonies recover, while others succumb after the ocean heat subsides. Complex local and species-specific differences are typical for the responses of corals to heat stress and their recovery after an event.

Bleaching occurs when corals under severe stress expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, causing them to turn completely white. Though not dead, corals are weakened by bleaching. Those that survive are more susceptible to diseases. Bleaching could also impair their capacity to reproduce.

More than 40 years of data analysed by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network show a downward trend in the amount of coral on reefs between 2009 and 2018. This coral loss reflects the cumulative impacts of previous coral bleaching events and local pressures such as pollution, destructive coastal development and overfishing.

After the devastating multiyear bleaching event of 2014–17, some reefs regained some of the lost coral cover during low disturbance periods. Most of the gains were by fast-growing “tabular” corals, which may change reefs’ species composition.

Read more:
Accelerated evolution and automated aquaculture could help coral weather the heat

An opportunity to learn more about saving reefs

Long-term monitoring identifies areas of coral reefs that recover naturally after a disturbance, and areas that don’t. This information helps reef managers and scientists know where to focus their efforts to assist reef protection and recovery.

At present, this information is often sparse. Monitoring the world’s reefs is challenging. The total global area of shallow-water coral reefs is estimated at 249,713 square kilometres. Many reefs are in remote locations.

Recent monitoring innovations will improve access to quality data in the medium term.

While devastating, mass coral bleaching events provide a unique opportunity for research to inform actions. In Australia and around the world, scientists are studying which corals are the most tolerant of heat, whether corals are adapting to marine heatwaves, why corals recover differently and how to use this knowledge for interventions that can improve reef resilience.

Science that enables actions that mirror the local conditions – both biophysical and socio-economic – will enable interventions to be more locally relevant.

Read more:
Sentinels of the sea: ancient boulder corals are key to reef survival in a warmer world

What can we do?

How fast the world acts to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions driving global warming will determine which reefs, marine species and ecosystem functions and services can be maintained.

A multi-pronged approach for protecting and restoring coral reefs has guided many management strategies, plans and calls to action around the world. These have been largely focused on local and regional actions and solutions. In Australia, there has been significant investment in water-quality management and in research and development of coral reef restoration techniques.

Science plays an important role here. Ideas are cheap but implementation is difficult and expensive. Effective global collaborations can find more cost-effective solutions to improve reef resilience.

Tackling local factors that affect the health of coral reefs remains important, as are innovations to protect and restore coral reefs. But, above all, urgent action to curb the effects of global climate change is vital for the health of our oceans and the people who depend on marine resources.

Britta Schaffelke works for the Australian Institute of Marine Science, a publicly funded research agency that receives funding from the Australian government, state government departments, foundations and private industry. She is the global co-ordinator of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network.

David Wachenfeld works for the Australian Institute of Marine Science, a publicly funded research organisation that receives funding from the Australian government, state government departments, foundations and private industry.

Selina Stead works for the Australian Institute of Marine Science, a publicly funded research organisation that receives funding from the Australian government, state government departments, foundations and private industry.

– ref. Global coral bleaching caused by global warming demands a global response – https://theconversation.com/global-coral-bleaching-caused-by-global-warming-demands-a-global-response-228022

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philip C. Almond, Emeritus Professor in the History of Religious Thought, The University of Queensland

Speculation about extraterrestrials is not all that new. There was a vibrant debate in 17th-century Europe about the existence of life on other planets.

This was the consequence of the transition from a Ptolemaic view, in which Earth was at the centre of the universe and everything revolved around it, to a Copernican view in which the Sun was at the centre and our planet, along with all the others, revolved around it.

It followed that if we were now more like other planets and moons close to us that revolved around the Sun, then they were more like Earth. And if other planets were like Earth, then they most likely also had inhabitants.

Robert Burton’s remarks in his The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621) were common:

If the Earth move, it is a Planet, and shines to them in the Moone, and to the other Planitary inhabitants, as the Moone and they doe to us upon the Earth.

Similarly, the Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens (1629–95) believed life on other planets was a consequence of the Sun-centred view of Copernicus. But his speculation on such matters proceeded from the doctrine of the “divine plenitude”. This was the belief that, in his all-powerfulness and goodness, having created matter in all parts of the universe, God would not have missed the opportunity to populate the whole universe with living beings.

In his The Celestial Worlds Discover’d (1698), Huygens suggested that, like us, the inhabitants of other planets would have hands, feet and an upward stance. However, in keeping with the greater size of other planets, particularly Jupiter and Saturn, they might be much larger than us. They would enjoy social lives, live in houses, make music, contemplate the works of God, and so on.

Others were much less confident in speculating on the nature of alien lives. Nevertheless, as Joseph Glanvill, a member of the Royal Society alongside Isaac Newton, suggested in 1676, even though details of life on other planets were unknown, this did not prejudice “the Hypothesis of the Moon’s being habitable; or the supposal of its being actually inhabited”.

God’s work

That other worlds were inhabited also seemed an appropriate conclusion to draw from early modern science focused, as it was, on God’s work in nature.

This was a theme developed at length by the most influential work on the plurality of worlds in the latter part of the 17th century, the Copernican Bernard Fontenelle’s Entretiens sur la pluralité des mondes (Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds, 1686).

To Fontenelle, there was an infinite number of planets and an infinite number of inhabited worlds. For him, this was the result of the analogy, as a consequence of Copernicanism, between the nature of our Earth and that of other worlds.

But it was also the result of the fecundity of the divine being from whom all things proceed. It is this idea “of the infinite Diversity that Nature ought to use in her Works” which governs his book, he declared.

Read more:
Chariots of the gods, ships in the sky: how unidentified aerial phenomena left their mark in ancient cultures

The seed of Adam

But there was a significant problem. If there were intelligent beings on the Moon or the planets, were they “men”? And, if they were, had they been redeemed by the work of Jesus Christ as people on Earth had been?

John Wilkins (1614–72), one of the founders of the new science, wrestled with the theological implications of the Copernican universe. He was convinced the Moon was inhabited. But he was quite uncertain whether the lunar residents were of “the seed of Adam”.

Wilkins’s simple solution was to deny their human status. The inhabitants of the Moon, he suggested in his The Discovery of a World in the Moone (1638), “are not men as wee are, but some other kinde of creatures which beare some proportion and likenesse to our natures”.

In the end, Fontenelle was also to adopt this solution. It would be “a great perplexing point in Theology,” he declared, should the Moon be inhabited by men not descended from Adam. He only wished to argue, he wrote, for inhabitants “which, perhaps, are not Men”.

The existence of aliens – human, just like us – threatened the credibility of the Christian story of the redemption of all humans through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This was intellectual space in which only the theologically brave – or foolish – dared to travel.

It was much easier to reject the humanity of the alien. Thus, our modern belief that aliens are not like us originated as the solution to a theological problem. They became “alien”, literally and metaphorically. And, therefore, threatening and to be feared.

A product of the divine?

We no longer live in a universe that is seen as the product of the divine plenitude. Nor one in which our planet can be viewed as the centre of the universe. As a result, ironically, we have become aliens to ourselves: modern “alienation” is that sense of being lost and forsaken in the vast spaces of a godless universe.

In the early modern period, aliens were not looked upon as threatening to us. They were, after all (even if they were not “men”), the product of divine goodness. But, in the modern world, they both personify and externalise the threat to our personal meaning, one that results from our being in a world without ultimate meaning or purpose.

As projections of our own alienation, they terrify us, even as they continue to fascinate us.

Read more:
For 600 years the Voynich manuscript has remained a mystery. Now we think it’s partly about sex

Philip C. Almond does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. The beginnings of modern science shaped how philosophers saw alien life – and how we understand it today – https://theconversation.com/the-beginnings-of-modern-science-shaped-how-philosophers-saw-alien-life-and-how-we-understand-it-today-213454

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amanda Cole, Lead, Mental Health, Edith Cowan University

In the aftermath of the tragic Bondi knife attack, Joel Cauchi’s parents have spoken about their son’s long history of mental illness, having been diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 17. They said they were “devastated and horrified” by their son’s actions. “To you he’s a monster,” said his father. “But to me he was a very sick boy.”

Globally, one out of every eight people report a mental illness. In Australia, one in five people experience a mental illness in their lifetime.

Mental illness and distress affects not only the person living with the condition, but family members and communities. As the prevalence of mental health problems grows, the flow-on effect to family members, including caregivers, and the impact on families as a unit, is also rising.

While every family is different, the words of the Cauchis draw attention to how families can experience distress, stress, fear, powerlessness, and still love, despite the challenges and trauma. How can they help a loved one? And who can they turn to for support?

Read more:
Bondi attacker had ‘mental health issues’ but most people with mental illness aren’t violent

The role of caregivers

Informal caregivers help others within the context of an existing relationship, such as a family member. The care they provide goes beyond the usual expectations or demands of such relationships.

Around 2.7 million Australians provide informal care. For almost a third of these the person’s primary medical diagnosis is psychological or psychiatric.

It has long been acknowledged that those supporting a family member with ongoing mental illness need support themselves.

In the 1980s, interest grew in caregiving dynamics within families of people grappling with mental health issues. Subsequent research recognised chronic health conditions not only affect the quality of life and wellbeing of the people experiencing them, but also impose burdens that reverberate within relationships, caregiving roles, and family dynamics over time.

Past studies have shown families of those diagnosed with chronic mental illness are increasingly forced to manage their own depression, experience elevated levels of emotional stress, negative states of mind and decreased overall mental health.

Conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia can severely impact daily functioning, relationships, and overall quality of life. Living with mental illness is often accompanied by a myriad of challenges. From stigma and discrimination to difficulty accessing adequate health care and support services. Patients and their families navigate a complex and often isolating journey.

Read more:
More than mental illness. How the NDIS review could help people with psychosocial disability

The family is a system

The concept of family health acknowledges the physical and psychological wellbeing of a person is significantly affected by the family.

Amid these challenges, family support emerges as a beacon of hope. Research consistently demonstrates strong familial relationships and support systems play a pivotal role in mitigating the adverse effects of mental illness. Families provide emotional support, practical assistance, and a sense of belonging that are vital for people struggling with mental illness.

My recent research highlights the profound impact of mental illness on family dynamics, emphasising the resilience and endurance shown by participants. Families struggling with mental illness often experience heightened emotional fluctuations, with extreme highs and lows. The enduring nature of family caregiving entails both stress and adaptation over an extended period. Stress associated with caregiving and the demands on personal resources and coping mechanisms builds and builds.

Yet families I’ve interviewed find ways to live “a good life”. They prepare for the peaks and troughs, and show endurance and persistence. They make space for mental illness in their daily lives, describing how it spurs adaptation, acceptance and inner strength within the family unit.

When treating a person with mental illness, health practitioners need to consider the entire family’s needs and engage with family members. By fostering open and early dialogue and providing comprehensive support, health-care professionals can empower families to navigate the complexities of mental illness while fostering resilience and hope for the future. Family members express stories of an inner struggle, isolation and exhaustion.

Read more:
‘We lose ourselves’: carers talk about the lonely, stressful work of looking after loved ones

Shifting the focus

There is a pressing need for a shift in research priorities, from illness-centered perspectives to a strengths-based focus when considering families “managing” mental illness.

There is transformative potential in harnessing strengths to respond to challenges posed by mental illnesses, while also supporting family members.

For people facing mental health challenges, having loved ones who listen without judgement and offer empathy can alleviate feelings of despair. Beyond emotional support, families often serve as crucial caregivers, assisting with daily tasks, medication management and navigating the health-care system.

As the Cauchi family so painfully articulated, providing support for a family member with mental illness is intensely challenging. Research shows caregiver burnout, financial strain and strained relationships are common.

Health-care professionals should prioritise support for family members at an early stage. In Australia, there are various support options available for families living with mental illness. Carer Gateway provides information, support and access to services. Headspace offers mental health services and supports to young people and their families.

Beyond these national services, GPs, nurses, nurse practitioners and local community health centres are key to early conversations. Mental health clinics and hospitals often target family involvement in treatment plans.

While Australia has made strides in recognising the importance of family support, challenges persist. Access to services can vary based on geographic location and demand, leaving some families under-served or facing long wait times. And the level of funding and resources allocated to family-oriented mental health support often does not align with the demand or complexity of need.

In the realm of mental illness, family support serves as a lifeline for people navigating the complexities of their conditions.

If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Dr Amanda Cole is affiliated with the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses – Chair, Education and Accrediation Committee

– ref. Families including someone with mental illness can experience deep despair. They need support – https://theconversation.com/families-including-someone-with-mental-illness-can-experience-deep-despair-they-need-support-228007

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Senior Lecturer of Urban Mobility, Public Safety & Disaster Risk, UNSW Sydney

The tragic Westfield attack in Sydney highlights the vulnerability of crowded public spaces. Six people were killed and many were injured by a knife-wielding attacker in a short period of time.

For people with malicious intent, crowded venues such as shopping centres, concerts, sporting events and public transport are often easy targets for maximising harm.

Traditionally, in response to mass casualty events, we depend on the actions of first responders, including police and ambulance services, who are the trained professionals. But there’s always a gap, however short, between when a crisis begins and when authorities arrive.

The actions of people at the scene are crucial in bridging this gap. The “zero responders” – bystanders who proactively assist – play a pivotal role in the immediate response. They can be key players in preventing, reporting and containing an incident.

Read more:
As Australia reels from the Bondi attack, such mass murder incidents remain rare

No, crowds don’t panic

An outdated and scientifically debunked theory about crowd behaviour in emergencies negatively characterises the role of the public. This theory, which incorrectly posits that crowds act irrationally and are driven by panic during life-threatening situations, is still widely believed.

In fact, this misconception has often led authorities to withhold information during emergencies to prevent panic.

However, empirical evidence tells a different story. Research on the 2005 London bombings, for example, reveals people often respond with rationality and altruism. Survivor accounts emphasise widespread acts of assistance and emotional support.

I have conducted experiments that simulate life-threatening scenarios to study crowd responses, including their flight and escape behaviours. These studies reveal that as the level of perceived urgency increases, people’s actions tend to become more constructive than irrational. Survival instinct is deeply entrenched within us and can be easily activated.

People can prevent harm

So, what do these insights say about responses to mass casualty events in crowded places? They suggest the public should be considered part of the emergency response team. I call them “zero responders” because these proactive individuals can save lives and minimise harm in the crucial initial moments before emergency services take control.

Zero responders can help prevent harm by reporting crises quickly. For instance, an analysis of 640 mass attacks in the United States from 1995 to 2020 highlights the crucial role of public awareness and swift reporting. More than half of these incidents were thwarted before anyone got hurt.

The US Department of Homeland Security’s If You See Something, Say Something campaign engages the public as key players in preventing terrorist attacks. This is a positive step toward including them in emergency preparedness and response. However, the initiative could extend beyond reporting to authorities. People can also act to minimise harm.

Read more:
Sydneysiders witnessed horrific scenes. How do you process and recover from such an event?

A prime example was observed during the recent tragic attack in Sydney, where active bystanders played a crucial role. Actions such as a samaritan confronting the attacker by using a bollard to create a barrier delayed the assailant’s progress.

This engagement impeded the attacker and bought precious seconds that may have saved lives. Therefore, referring to these individuals merely as “bystanders” does not do justice to their role. They acted as part of the emergency response, as immediate responders.

Zero responders’ role can also be significant in providing first aid to those who are injured. Since the September 11 terrorist attacks, there have been significant efforts in the United States to train the public in first aid CPR.

For those not positioned to intervene directly (those not near the source of danger or unable to assist), making efficient escape and evacuation decisions and encouraging others to do so is also vital in minimising harm.

My research, using computer simulations and controlled crowd experiments, has explored how simple behaviour changes, both in decision-making and physical actions, can make evacuations more effective.

Act swiftly and decisively

Many are familiar with the “run, hide, fight” protocol, which suggests people try to escape first, find a place to hide if they can’t leave, and confront the attacker as a last resort. While this is widely promoted in the US for active shooter situations, there are additional, more nuanced actions that can further enhance survival.

The misconception that people in a crisis typically panic can cause them to go out of their way not to appear scared. Consequently, some delay their response to assess the situation, worry about the embarrassment of reacting to a false alarm, or walk slowly away from the danger rather than run.

However, empirical evidence and my research consistently show these reactions are not the best. Being swift and decisive typically leads to more efficient evacuations, for the individual and the crowd as a whole.

The minimal risk of overreacting in the event of a false alarm is far outweighed by the potential benefits of immediate action. This, in fact, demonstrates vigilance and risk awareness, rather than overreaction.

Another key aspect is agility in decision-making. This includes the willingness to revise initial decisions, such as which exit to use, as the situation evolves.

The public as responders

Different cultures and countries have different attitudes to zero responders. For instance, Israel enacted the Good Samaritan Law in 1998 to protect active bystanders from civil liability. This law compels bystanders to assist people in serious danger and even provides compensation for any costs or health damages incurred during the rescue.

Statistically, the more zero responders present during an emergency, the higher the likelihood of survival. While it is unrealistic to expect the entire population can be educated or trained for such scenarios, as not everyone may be willing or able to participate, research indicates comprehensive training of the entire community isn’t necessary for the benefits to be substantial.

Anyone can be a zero responder. Whether it’s through actions that impede or prevent an attack, assist the injured, or facilitate an efficient evacuation or sheltering, everyone has a role to play.

We should not overlook the crucial role of the public during mass casualty incidents. Societies can enhance their own protection by supporting zero responders and training for the public.

Milad Haghani receives funding from The Australian Research Council.

– ref. You could help minimise harm in a public attack. Here’s what it means to be a ‘zero responder’ – https://theconversation.com/you-could-help-minimise-harm-in-a-public-attack-heres-what-it-means-to-be-a-zero-responder-227860

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giuliana Murfet, Casual Academic, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney

Not getting enough sleep is a common affliction in the modern age. If you don’t always get as many hours of shut-eye as you’d like, perhaps you were concerned by news of a recent study that found people who sleep less than six hours a night are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes.

So what can we make of these findings? It turns out the relationship between sleep and diabetes is complex.

The study

Researchers analysed data from the UK Biobank, a large biomedical database which serves as a global resource for health and medical research. They looked at information from 247,867 adults, following their health outcomes for more than a decade.

The researchers wanted to understand the associations between sleep duration and type 2 diabetes, and whether a healthy diet reduced the effects of short sleep on diabetes risk.

As part of their involvement in the UK Biobank, participants had been asked roughly how much sleep they get in 24 hours. Seven to eight hours was the average and considered normal sleep. Short sleep duration was broken up into three categories: mild (six hours), moderate (five hours) and extreme (three to four hours). The researchers analysed sleep data alongside information about people’s diets.

Some 3.2% of participants were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes during the follow-up period. Although healthy eating habits were associated with a lower overall risk of diabetes, when people ate healthily but slept less than six hours a day, their risk of type 2 diabetes increased compared to people in the normal sleep category.

The researchers found sleep duration of five hours was linked with a 16% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while the risk for people who slept three to four hours was 41% higher, compared to people who slept seven to eight hours.

Read more:
What’s insomnia like for most people who can’t sleep? You’d never know from the movies

One limitation is the study defined a healthy diet based on the number of servings of fruit, vegetables, red meat and fish a person consumed over a day or a week. In doing so, it didn’t consider how dietary patterns such as time-restricted eating or the Mediterranean diet may modify the risk of diabetes among those who slept less.

Also, information on participants’ sleep quantity and diet was only captured at recruitment and may have changed over the course of the study. The authors acknowledge these limitations.

Why might short sleep increase diabetes risk?

In people with type 2 diabetes, the body becomes resistant to the effects of a hormone called insulin, and slowly loses the capacity to produce enough of it in the pancreas. Insulin is important because it regulates glucose (sugar) in our blood that comes from the food we eat by helping move it to cells throughout the body.

We don’t know the precise reasons why people who sleep less may be at higher risk of type 2 diabetes. But previous research has shown sleep-deprived people often have increased inflammatory markers and free fatty acids in their blood, which impair insulin sensitivity, leading to insulin resistance. This means the body struggles to use insulin properly to regulate blood glucose levels, and therefore increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Further, people who don’t sleep enough, as well as people who sleep in irregular patterns (such as shift workers), experience disruptions to their body’s natural rhythm, known as the circadian rhythm.

This can interfere with the release of hormones like cortisol, glucagon and growth hormones. These hormones are released through the day to meet the body’s changing energy needs, and normally keep blood glucose levels nicely balanced. If they’re compromised, this may reduce the body’s ability to handle glucose as the day progresses.

These factors, and others, may contribute to the increased risk of type 2 diabetes seen among people sleeping less than six hours.

While this study primarily focused on people who sleep eight hours or less, it’s possible longer sleepers may also face an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Research has previously shown a U-shaped correlation between sleep duration and type 2 diabetes risk. A review of multiple studies found getting between seven to eight hours of sleep daily was associated with the lowest risk. When people got less than seven hours sleep, or more than eight hours, the risk began to increase.

The reason sleeping longer is associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes may be linked to weight gain, which is also correlated with longer sleep. Likewise, people who don’t sleep enough are more likely to be overweight or obese.

Good sleep, healthy diet

Getting enough sleep is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Based on this study and other evidence, it seems that when it comes to diabetes risk, seven to eight hours of sleep may be the sweet spot. However, other factors could influence the relationship between sleep duration and diabetes risk, such as individual differences in sleep quality and lifestyle.

While this study’s findings question whether a healthy diet can mitigate the effects of a lack of sleep on diabetes risk, a wide range of evidence points to the benefits of healthy eating for overall health.

Read more:
A disease that breeds disease: why is type 2 diabetes linked to increased risk of cancer and dementia?

The authors of the study acknowledge it’s not always possible to get enough sleep, and suggest doing high-intensity interval exercise during the day may offset some of the potential effects of short sleep on diabetes risk.

In fact, exercise at any intensity can improve blood glucose levels.

Giuliana Murfet receives funding from Diabetes Australia.
Giuliana Murfet is the Chair of the Medical Education and Scientific Advisory Council for Diabetes Australia.

ShanShan Lin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Could not getting enough sleep increase your risk of type 2 diabetes? – https://theconversation.com/could-not-getting-enough-sleep-increase-your-risk-of-type-2-diabetes-225179

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Dehm, Senior lecturer, international migration and refugee law, University of Technology Sydney

Starting today, the High Court will hear a case to decide if the government’s indefinite detention of a bisexual Iranian man is lawful, partly because he is unwilling to voluntarily assist with the government’s attempts to deport him.

While the case turns on a narrow question of Australian constitutional law, it also raises urgent concerns about the human consequences of a flawed and discriminatory “fast-track” legal process for determining the status of asylum seekers who arrive by boat.

The case is tied to widely criticised immigration reforms the Albanese government is attempting to push through parliament. The reforms seek to punish people who do not actively cooperate in their own deportation, even in cases where people have good reasons for not cooperating or when certain countries, like Iran, do not accept the forced return of their citizens.

This draft legislation was prompted by the release of some 150 detainees from immigration detention following another High Court decision last year.

Refugees and refugee advocates will be watching today’s case closely as it may result in further, important limits on the immigration minister’s power to keep people indefinitely in detention. It could also affect up to 200 people currently being detained.

What the case is about

The case has been brought by a man known by the pseudonym “ASF17”, who claims a genuine fear of serious harm if he is forcibly deported to Iran, a country where sexual activity between men is illegal and can be punished by death.

Even though ASF17 arrived by boat in July 2013, he was only permitted to apply for refugee status in August 2015. In 2017, a officer in the then-Department of Immigration and Border Protection rejected his refugee visa application.

While it seems that ASF17 did not explicitly mention his bisexuality to this official, he clearly stated he could not return to Iran because of “his problems”. He has refused to cooperate with efforts to deport him since 2018.

Read more:
The government is fighting a new High Court case on immigration detainees. What’s it about and what’s at stake?

Evidence shows there are many reasons why asylum seekers may not fully disclose the true extent of their fears of persecution at the initial stages of the asylum process. The reasons include trauma, shame, a lack of trust and uncertainty. The asylum process can also be especially stressful and re-traumatising for LGBTQI+ applicants.

ASF17 has consistently maintained his refusal to return to Iran, asking the government to send him “anywhere” but Iran. Despite this, the government has kept him in closed immigration detention since February 2014 and labelled him “non-compliant” for not voluntarily departing Australia.

Yet, this label of non-compliance fails to recognise that ASF17 may have compelling reasons for not complying with the efforts to deport him.

A flawed system for deciding asylum claims

Of specific concern is the fact ASF17 had his asylum claim determined by what is known as the “fast-track” process, a discriminatory and flawed legal process for determining – and, in practice, rejecting – refugee claims.

The “fast-track” system was intended to accelerate decision-making for the asylum claims of boat arrivals and limit their review options. It was introduced by the former Coalition government in 2014 and only applied to refugees who had arrived by boat between 2010–14. Concurrent policy changes also denied asylum seekers proper access to legal advice or translation services when preparing their claims.

The system resulted in a much higher rates of asylum claim rejection. Between 2015 and 2023, the Immigration Assessment Authority (IAA) – the body set up to review fast-track decisions – refused to find a person to be a refugee in 89% of cases.

Over the same period, success rates for Iranians before the IAA were just 16%, compared to 51% before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (the non-fast-track process).

As we have previously argued, this high rejection rate says more about an unfair legal process designed to punish refugees than about the quality of their claims.

When in opposition, Labor clearly stated the fast-track process did not provide a “fair, thorough and robust assessment process”. And last year, the government put forth legislation to completely abolish the fast-track system and create a new Administrative Review Tribunal.

If the High Court finds that ASF17’s fear of being returned to Iran is a “good reason” for his unwillingness to participate in his own deportation, this will be an implicit recognition of the abject failures of the fast-track process.

An inhumane system of criminalisation

Last month, the government attempted to rush through draconian new legislation that would give the immigration minister sweeping new powers to force people like ASF17 to assist in their own removal from Australia. For example, the minister could order a person to apply for a passport or other documents from the country they’re seeking to escape.

Shockingly, if a person does not comply with such a direction, they could receive between one and five years in prison and a hefty fine.

Last week, a group of 22 refugee Tamil, Kurdish and Iranian women made a submission to a Senate committee now considering the legislation. The authors all sought protection over a decade ago and have built lives, families and communities in Australia. They wrote:

We are not ‘failed refugees’ – we have been failed by a broken visa system which never offered us a fair chance. Now, the government wants to punish us further.

As other refugee law experts have pointed out:

These are extraordinary provisions without precedent in Australia. Even in the context of terrorism offences, a failure to comply with a direction does not result in mandatory imprisonment.

Read more:
The consequences of the government’s new migration legislation could be dire – for individuals and for Australia

Future implications of ASF17’s case

ASF17’s case could have significant implications for other people who sought asylum in Australia and had their claims rejected by the fast-track process. This includes thousands of Iranians on precarious “final departure” visas who have been living in Australia for the last decade and others on stalled “removal pathways” in immigration detention.

The High Court case could also set a new precedent on when people must be released from immigration detention. At present, a person must be released if there is “no real prospect” of their deportation in the “reasonably foreseeable future”. But it is unclear what this means in a range of situations, including where a person is unwilling or unable to participate in their own deportation for good reasons such as ill health or a genuine fear of persecution.

To compel those who have been subjected to Australia’s punitive system of indefinite detention to participate in their own deportation and criminalise them for not doing so is unjust – and should remain unlawful.

Sara Dehm receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

Anthea Vogl receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care.

– ref. The High Court is hearing another high-stakes immigration case. Can people be forced to assist in their own deportation? – https://theconversation.com/the-high-court-is-hearing-another-high-stakes-immigration-case-can-people-be-forced-to-assist-in-their-own-deportation-228000

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Cairney, Head of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland

The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has proposed a new strategy to bolster the financial health of Olympic sports, ranging from minor sports such as table tennis to dominant codes such as basketball and swimming.

At the heart of this initiative is a plan to permit individual sports federations to independently market the iconic Olympic rings within Australia.

This marks a significant departure from the traditional approach of collective Olympic team sponsorships.

Spearheaded by AOC chief executive Matt Carroll, the move is designed to directly funnel sponsorship revenue into the sports themselves. This is particularly critical for sports that face significant financial challenges. As Carroll stated, “for a small sport, $50,000 is a lot of money.”

Carroll has underscored the precarious financial positions of these organisations, pointing out that even a modest influx of commercial funding could dramatically enhance their sustainability and growth.

The first hurdle to jump over

Despite the ambition of this strategy, the AOC faces an uphill battle in its implementation, with two primary obstacles standing in the way.

The first is the capability gap within smaller sports organisations.

Leveraging the Olympic brand effectively requires a sophisticated approach to marketing – many smaller federations are already stretched thin, lacking the resources, expertise, and person-power to mount successful marketing campaigns.

This capability gap raises questions about their ability to fully capitalise on the opportunity presented by the AOC’s new policy.

Fears of ‘obstruction and oblivion’

The second significant hurdle is rooted in the governance structure of Australian sports.

The federated system, while having its merits, poses considerable challenges to the cohesive and strategic application of the AOC’s initiative.

In a federated sport system, independent organisations oversee different levels (regional and state) of the sport under a central governing body (national), while maintaining autonomy in their respective jurisdictions.

This system tends to encourage siloed operations rather than unified, collaborative efforts.

Kieren Perkins, chief executive of the Australian Sports Commission, has criticised this model for leading to “obstruction and oblivion”.

Read more:
Does hosting the Olympics, the World Cup or other major sports events really pay off?

Money matters

The AOC’s plan is not merely a theoretical exercise – it is driven by financial imperative.

The committee has estimated an additional $2 billion is required) by 2032 to meet the needs of high-performance sports in Australia, with $1.5 billion of this earmarked specifically for enhancing athletes’ competitive capabilities.

This substantial figure underscores the critical need for innovative funding solutions, of which the AOC’s strategy represents a key component.

While the AOC’s initiative is interesting, it is but one of several potential pathways to addressing the funding shortfall faced by Olympic sports in Australia.

Other models and strategies have emerged globally, offering valuable lessons and alternatives.

For example, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has introduced access to their Team USA House in Paris as part of a hospitality package. This move underscores the potential for leveraging Olympic assets for direct funding, independent of government support.

Similarly, the concept of a national sports lottery has been floated within Australia. Such schemes have had a significant impact in other countries, notably Great Britain.

The British sports lottery, instrumental in the country’s Olympic success, especially post-2012 London Games, exemplifies how targeted funding mechanisms can transform a nation’s Olympic fortunes.

Another innovative approach to sports funding is the redirection of a portion of government taxes collected from sports betting.

Given the prevalence of sports betting in Australia, this represents a potentially untapped source of revenue that could provide a sustainable funding stream for sports organisations.

The recent decision by World Athletics to award cash prizes for medal performances introduces an additional dimension to the discussion of athlete and sport funding.

In Australia, gold, silver, and bronze medallists receive bonuses of $20,000, $15,000 and $10,000 respectively. This is likely to go up as Australia prepares to host the 2032 Games.

While such measures may benefit major sports with higher visibility, they also risk widening the financial gap between these and the smaller, less commercially attractive disciplines such as table tennis.

In other words, sports with bigger budgets can compensate their athletes while smaller sports can’t, so the gap may widen.

Looking ahead to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics

Looking ahead to 2032, it’s crucial for Australia to find strong, lasting ways to support sports.

This challenge goes beyond just helping elite athletes: it’s about enhancing the whole sports landscape to make it more inclusive and enjoyable for everyone.

Read more:
Recovering after a false start? What’s the state of play for Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic and Paralympic planning?

Initiatives such as Play Well, alongside Queensland’s investment in a new centre for Parasports at the University of Queensland, are steps towards improving access to sports for individuals regardless of their abilities.

These efforts highlight the need for cooperation across various sectors and the importance of innovative funding methods.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Why Australia’s Olympic funding changes might widen the gap between rich and poor sports – https://theconversation.com/why-australias-olympic-funding-changes-might-widen-the-gap-between-rich-and-poor-sports-227366

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Evans, Associate Professor, The University of Melbourne

Indigenous businesses generate about A$16 billion a year in revenue and employ more than 116,000 people – almost as many as the massive Coles retail group.

But the contribution of these businesses to the Australian economy has long been underestimated.

This is despite Indigenous businesses delivering, among other things, important culturally sensitive health and education assistance in remote areas, professional and technical services to the mining industry and cultural training to corporations and government.

While all this work creates income and promotes economic self-determination for business owners and their employees, much of it is done out of sight without being properly identified in government statistics.

Better integrating data

The Indigenous Business and Corporation Snapshot from the Dilin Duwa Centre for Indigenous Business Leadership at the University of Melbourne breaks new ground.

It is the most comprehensive longitudinal study of Indigenous entrepreneurial activity undertaken, examining 13,693 businesses operating in 2022, with the potential to capture data from more businesses in the future.

The snapshot integrates information from Indigenous business registries with the Australian Bureau of Statistics Business Longitudinal Analysis Data (BLADE) registry.

In this year’s 2022 snapshot, the third, we have for the first time included businesses that don’t identify as Indigenous by locating sole traders and partnerships with at least 50% Indigenous owners.

This is important because as sole traders and in partnerships often provide future Indigenous business leaders with their skills and trade.

Identifying as Indigenous seems to help

An analysis of COVID survival rates up to 2021-22 included in the snapshot found businesses that identified as Indigenous by registering on the Indigenous business registry were more likely to have survived than those that did not.

This seems to be because they were larger, more likely to be located in rural and remote areas less affected by lockdowns, and had better access to the JobKeeper and in some cases better access to procurement contracts.

Smaller sole traders, many of whom did not register as Indigenous, might have faced problems running a business during COVID while caring for family.

These findings point to the importance of providing support for sole traders and smaller partnerships with low incomes even if they are not registered as Indigenous.

More data needed

Still more work is needed to understand the Indigenous business sector. Our study provides only a partial representation because it still does not capture private and publicly-listed Indigenous companies that are not registered as Indigenous companies.

The Bureau of Statistics might be able to help by providing more data on the owners of these companies.

Without such information and a public profile, it is hard for Indigenous businesses to gain the recognition and trust needed to attract finance to enable growth.

If COVID has taught us anything, it is that complete and readily available data about businesses helps us understand what is happening on the ground and gives us feedback on the effectiveness of support.

Read more:
New research shows how Indigenous-owned businesses are creating better outcomes for their employees

Michelle Evans receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

Cain Polidano receives funding from Australian Research Council.

– ref. Indigenous businesses are worth billions but we don’t know enough about them – https://theconversation.com/indigenous-businesses-are-worth-billions-but-we-dont-know-enough-about-them-227677

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sean Pinder, Associate Professor, Finance , The University of Melbourne

During yesterday’s senate inquiry into supermarket pricing, Greens senator Nick McKim threatened to hold outgoing Woolworths chief executive Brad Banducci in contempt for refusing to directly answer questions about the company’s profitability.

McKim repeatedly asked Banducci for details about Woolworths’ return on equity, but the chief executive argued that another profitability metric – return on investment – was the better measure to focus on.

For Woolworths, the difference between these figures is significant. At the senate hearings, Banducci repeatedly said the company’s return on investment was about 10%. But analytics firm LSEG’s estimates put its return on equity at 26%.

So what’s the difference between these two measures? And in the highly charged setting of an inquiry into supermarket pricing, why might Woolworths prefer to focus on one over the other?

How do we judge profitability?

First, let’s consider what both measures are trying to capture – the company’s profitability.

Of course, we could dodge the “which ratio is better” issue altogether, by simply referring to the company’s actual reported profit last year. But this then raises another question. With a wide range to choose from, which profit figure should we look at? Before or after interest payments? Before or after tax?

As these answers change, the profitability of Woolworths varies significantly, ranging from about A$5.7 billion before interest and tax, to a more modest A$1.6 billion after interest and tax.

If we assume we’re interested in the company’s profitability after interest and tax, we still need to assess whether a profit of $1.6 billion is high, low or perfectly average for a firm like Woolworths.

Scaling and comparing profits

The way this is solved in markets, of course, is that profits are scaled. Scaling involves dividing a company’s profit by a measure that reflects the amount of investment required to generate it, enabling us to compare profitability among competing firms.

To do so, it is important to understand that firms raise capital – on which they earn a return – in two main ways: by raising equity (such as shares issued privately or on a stock exchange) and by taking on debt (funds borrowed from banks and other creditors).

Both return on equity and return on investment are scaled measures of profitability. But return on equity divides a company’s income by the total value of its equity, while return on investment divides it by the total value of all capital employed – both its equity and its debt.

As such, each measure gives a correct answer to a different question.

Return on investment is answering the question: what rate of return did your assets generate from each dollar of capital raised from both shareholders and debtholders?

Whereas return on equity answers: what rate of return did you generate for shareholders after accounting for the impact of your debt and taxes?

The income earned for shareholders by a firm holding debt is what’s left over after interest is paid on that debt. Provided the firm’s assets generate a higher rate of return than the interest rate paid on the firm’s debt, shareholder returns will be higher than if the company had not borrowed at all. This effect is significant for Woolworths shareholders, given the investment-grade rating it enjoys on its debt.

The disparity between return on investment and return on equity grows even larger as a company relies more heavily on borrowing – a practice long enjoyed by companies like Woolworths and Coles with such historically low risk.

Facing an increasingly hostile Senate Inquiry into his company’s profitability, it’s little surprise that Banducci pushed so enthusiastically for the adoption of his preferred measure.

Read more:
Supermarkets need to change the way they operate in Australia. But how do we get them to do this?

Sean Pinder does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Woolworths chief Brad Banducci couldn’t give senators his company’s ‘return on equity’. What exactly is this figure, and what can it tell us about a company’s profit? – https://theconversation.com/woolworths-chief-brad-banducci-couldnt-give-senators-his-companys-return-on-equity-what-exactly-is-this-figure-and-what-can-it-tell-us-about-a-companys-profit-228021

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Bennett, Disability Program Director, Grattan Institute

Many Australians with disability feel on the edge of a precipice right now. Recommendations from the disability royal commission and the NDIS review were released late last year. Now a draft NDIS reform bill has been tabled. In this series, experts examine what new proposals could mean for people with disability.

One of the main proposals of the review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is the mandatory registration of all service providers. It is also one of the most controversial. A taskforce investigating the idea, announced by NDIS Minister Bill Shorten, will report by the end of June.

At present, registration is voluntary, except for a few high-risk services such as those that use restrictive practices or provide specialist disability accommodation. About 16,000 providers are registered, but more than 150,000 are unregistered.

Many people in the disability community are distressed by the plan. They say it will reduce their ability to choose people they know and trust as their service providers if those providers remain unregistered.

Extending provider registration (including in shared accommodation) makes sense, but not in the way proposed.

The NDIS review wants to make people in the scheme safer, get them higher-quality services, and collect data to better track the market – including monitoring abusive providers and workers. But instead of lurching to mandatory registration for all, the government could take a more nuanced approach to balance safety with the “dignity of risk”.

The recommendations

The premise of registration reforms is that the riskier the service provided, the more stringent the registration process should be. The review calls this a “graduated risk-proportionate regulatory model”. For example, a local laundry service would need to “enrol” with the National Disability Insurance Agency (the NDIA, which administers the scheme). This would involve an online application, ABN, Digital ID, bank account and contact details. The online application would also enable NDIA payments.

Then there would be three tiers of registration: basic, general, and advanced. Basic registration would involve self-assessment and stated commitment to NDIS Practice Standards. General and advanced registration would involve an audit that providers arrange and pay for themselves. For many small businesses and contractors, this could prove onerous and expensive.

The review proposes using one dimension to determine risk: the kind of service being provided. But this does not give NDIS participants – the people receiving services – the ability to take on some of the risk of screening workers themselves if they so choose.

Read more:
Draft NDIS bill is the first step to reform – but some details have disability advocates worried

Some people with disability want more options, even if it involves risk

When the NDIS was designed more than a decade ago, it purposely enabled the use of unregistered providers by legislating different plan management options. This deliberate policy choice was to encourage competition and innovation.

Nearly a third of NDIS participants are self-managing. This means they manage their plan budget and can choose to screen their own workers and hire their own staff.

All providers, whether they register or not, have responsibilities to participants. All providers can have complaints raised against them through the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission and are held to the NDIS Code of Conduct. And who is allowed to self-manage is already subject to a risk assessment undertaken by the NDIA.

Deciding who supports them matters to people with disability, especially when support workers are in their homes and helping them with the most personal of care, such as getting in and out of bed, dressing or showering.

Trusted networks of workers may have been built up over many years. Yet, by categorising this kind of care as “high risk”, the proposal for mandatory registration means directly hired staff could have to undergo and pay for an audit and do extra training. Such requirements could make many established support arrangements unviable.

Australia doesn’t have to go this way. In England, under a comparable scheme, more than 69,000 people with disability directly employ more than 130,000 “personal assistants”. Direct employers are encouraged to invest in training for their staff, but it is not mandated through formal registration.

Read more:
States agreed to share foundational support costs. So why the backlash against NDIS reforms now?

Thin markets

Some people in the NDIS use unregistered providers not by choice, but by necessity. In areas where there are very few providers, termed “thin markets”, working with unregistered providers can be the difference between getting a service and receiving no services at all.

Unregistered providers tend to provide more short-term or one-off services, meaning the costs of registration might outweigh the benefits for some providers. For example, some providers who mainly work with non-disabled clients might choose to stop providing NDIS services rather than register, which would be a problem in markets with few or one provider.

Read more:
Unregistered NDIS providers are in the firing line – but lots of participants have good reasons for using them

A new payment system will help

A lot of the data the government needs to track down and strike off dodgy providers or workers will come through the enrolment process into the scheme’s new payment system once established. This will record providers’ business name, ABN or Digital ID, bank account details, location and contact details.

This information means authorities stand a much better chance of tracking spending and taking enforcement action when needed. It should help the government keep participants safer while cracking down on fraud – without necessarily requiring mandatory provider registration.

Where to from here

We need to see less heat and more light around the purpose of regulatory reform.

The focus on mandatory registration comes at the expense of deeper thinking about the problems good regulatory design needs to solve, like the shocking abuse Lee-Anne Mackey suffered from carers in her group home.

People with disability deserve a more nuanced approach to regulating disability services – one that retains choice while enhancing regulatory and other protections in the settings where it is most needed.

Grattan Institute’s Disability Program has support from the Summer Foundation.

– ref. Choice and control: the NDIS was designed to give participants choice, but mandatory registration could threaten this – https://theconversation.com/choice-and-control-the-ndis-was-designed-to-give-participants-choice-but-mandatory-registration-could-threaten-this-224505

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexa Scarlata, Research Fellow, Media & Communications, RMIT University

Do you find yourself endlessly scrolling through streaming channels, wondering what to watch among the hundreds (or thousands) of options? Do you worry about spending more money on yet another subscription just to watch the latest show everyone is talking about? Do you miss the days when we had just five channels to choose from – and someone else was making the choices about what was playing? Do you ever just wish you could watch Home and Away, 24 hours a day, every day?

Well, there is a channel for that.

On “FAST TV” – or, free ad-supported streaming TV – in Australia you can watch a channel entirely dedicated to Home and Away, or another that plays Border Security non-stop. You can watch Mythbusters on a loop, or hours and hours of Baywatch.

You can watch channels curated by genre, like “Cooking & Culture” or “Property Dreams”, or by sporting code. Some channels recreate those you might remember from your Foxtel days, like MTV Reality and Nick Toons, or The Movie Hub and “Throwback TV”.

FAST channels (or “FASTs”) resemble traditional broadcast or cable channels. They run on a linear schedule, interspersed with blocks of ads. But they are entirely free and delivered over the internet – and our recent audit of the market found there are more than 640 available in Australia.

Read more:
The government has announced plans to regulate smart TV home screens: what the new rules mean for you

Where can I find them?

FASTs are offered on most smart TVs, as well as on some local broadcasters’ video-on-demand services.

They first became available in Australia in 2020 when Samsung launched Samsung TV Plus. LG Channels, TCL Channels and VIDAAtv (on Hisense TVs) have since entered the market.

If you have one of these smart TVs, you might have access to FAST channels. These are normally displayed in the app-launcher row on the smart TV home screen and in the electronic program guide.

7Plus and 10Play offer more than 50 FAST channels each, and 9Now and SBS On Demand recently each added a couple of FAST channels. Plex, a free media player and video app you can download onto your smart TV, offers more than 200 FAST channels.

So why do they exist?

For TV manufacturers like Samsung and LG, FASTs add value to a customer’s initial purchase and manufacturers make money from advertising and the data they collect from users.

For Australian television stations, FASTs help their streaming catalogues look bigger and allow them to use the content they’ve licensed in a different way.

Arguably, the audience for shows like Home and Away and Border Security are used to linear TV (and the advertising that comes along with it), and they might enjoy a lean-back experience where they can binge these shows.

FAST channels are being promoted to audiences as the solution to streaming frustrations such as subscription fatigue, choice paralysis and increasing costs. With these channels you don’t have to choose what to watch next; instead, you can sit in front of whatever is on. A study by Samsung found ads within FAST environments are perceived as shorter and less disruptive than broadcast TV. And, of course, FASTs are free.

FASTs also provide content audiences might not be able to find anywhere else. They exist across several key niches (in our research, we found channels for gaming, yoga, poker, wrestling, fashion, cooking, spirituality and finance) and serve particular diasporic communities in Australia. For example, LG Channels offers a suite of South Korean channels.

Some of the 1,500 FAST channels in the United States have started making exclusive new content, but at the moment the FAST channels in Australia only offer existing content.

Read more:
Netflix and other streaming giants pay to get branded buttons on your remote control. Local TV services can’t afford to keep up

There are issues to iron out

The FAST channels of Australian television stations offer recognisable, high-quality titles, mostly exclusive to one platform.

But we found that the FAST channels offered by smart TV manufacturers in Australia have a long way to go to catch up with the quality of those from the broadcasters.

Manufacturers have opted for quantity over quality. As a result, their FAST channels can be quite obscure and erratic. We observed poor video quality and channels that are slow to load, glitchy or prone to malfunction. Programming is regularly labelled incorrectly or confusingly in the electronic program guide.

We also found a surprisingly high proportion of empty ad slots, even on the more premium manufacturer FAST channels. This means that you might be left sitting through a repetitive holding screen during designated “ad” breaks.

FASTs are a great way for Australians to supplement paid subscriptions with a range of free channels. There will no doubt be more investment in this market in the years ahead.

But our research suggests, so far, FASTs have largely flown under the radar of Australian audiences and it remains to be seen whether they can provide a satisfying substitute to streaming in practice.

A 24-hour Home and Away channel might not be a threat to Netflix just yet – but a channel dedicated to a new and exclusive show? That might be a different story.

Alexa Scarlata has been working on a project funded by the Australian Research Council (FT190100144) and SBS.

Ashleigh Dharmawardhana does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Is a 24-hour Home and Away channel the answer to subscription fatigue? – https://theconversation.com/is-a-24-hour-home-and-away-channel-the-answer-to-subscription-fatigue-226738

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathleen Laura Sterup, Postgraduate in Marine Biology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

In the early 20th century, canaries were used as early warning systems in coal mines to alert miners to rising levels of carbon monoxide.

A small unremarkable fish may fill a similar role in coastal ecosystems around Aotearoa New Zealand.

Triplefins, or kokopara, are common in a range of shallow coastal habitats across the country. They are a diverse group of fishes, with 26 endemic species living on our shores, and they make excellent “canaries” for the coastal marine environment, helping us to understand and possibly address pollution.

Research using triplefins has already shown increased consumption of microplastics by fish living closer to urban areas. Studies have also identified molecular responses to multiple chemical pollutants and described cognitive damage caused by loss of habitat complexity.

Noise pollution from small boats also has negative effects on coastal fish. And now, new research is investigating the surprising impact of light pollution on coastal ecosystems.

We are finding what is called “skyglow” affects triplefin growth patterns, with consequences for their ability to forage.

An underwater ‘canary’

Human activity around coastal waters is intense, about triple the rate of other areas, and it affects ecosystems such as beaches and wetlands.

Coastal urbanisation introduces a range of challenges for near-shore ecosystems, including pollutants, plastics, sound and light.

Light pollution is often recognised for the limitations it imposes on astronomers and stargazers, but a growing body of research has begun to document effects on the health of animals and ecosystems.

Scientists have found coastal fishes in tropical and temperate environments, including the common triplefin, reproduce and grow in a cyclical pattern which follows the monthly lunar cycle.

Patterns in nocturnal illumination (known as artificial light at night, or ALAN) of surface waters have a surprisingly large impact on these fish. The prevalence of light pollution from cities (in this case New Zealand’s capital Wellington) can potentially interfere with their breeding cycles.

Read more:
Night skies are getting 9.6% brighter every year as light pollution erases stars for everyone

Long-term trends in skyglow over the Wellington region have revealed elevated levels of nighttime illumination up to 60 kilometres from the city centre.

Analysis of triplefin samples from nearby waters has identified altered growth patterns, manifesting in different body shapes. The health consequences include decreased swimming and foraging ability and make life harder for fish developing in brighter waters.

Bright city lights

It may not seem that the effects of light on a tiny fish are a big deal, but triplefins are a clear indicator of what could be happening in other fish.

In marine ecosystems, small changes have a way of propagating further up the food chain. In the light pollution example, theory suggests small-scale, relatively short-term fluctuations in small prey species like the common triplefin are likely to appear later as long-term fluctuations in larger species at a greater spatial scale, with genuine implications for pelagic fisheries.

In an instance such as this, the triplefin is indeed acting as a canary for potential changes affecting the entire marine food web.

Read more:
Under the moonlight: a little light and shade helps larval fish to grow at night

We know what affects one fish species may not affect others. But equally, we can’t carry out experiments on every species. What the humble triplefin can tell us is that coastal ecosystems are in trouble, not just from water quality and pollution, but from the lights and sounds of our big cities.

Like the miners, we need to pay attention to the animals we use as indicators. The triplefins are asking us to embrace the dark and there are many ways in which our cities can do this.

Communities can choose LED lightbulbs and shaded fixtures for street lights, so they only point down. Sensible use of dimmers and timers will help turn off unnecessary lights. In fact, Aotearoa New Zealand hosts two of the world’s few dark sky reserves, in Aoraki-McKenzie and, more recently, in the Wairarapa, as well as two dark sky sanctuaries (Aotea/Great Barrier Island and Rakiura/Stewart Island).

New Zealand could be on track to become the second dark sky nation in the world (after Niue).

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Light pollution affects coastal ecosystems too – this underwater ‘canary’ is warning of the impacts – https://theconversation.com/light-pollution-affects-coastal-ecosystems-too-this-underwater-canary-is-warning-of-the-impacts-226599

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University

So weighed down have Americans become by student debt, and so potent a political issue has it become in the US, that President Biden plans to waive interest or write off money owing by 30 million of them.

He is doing it bit by bit, in the face of resistance from the US Supreme Court. He has already axed or wound back 4.3 million debts, and on Friday cancelled 277,000 more.

The benefits, as he keeps telling anyone who will listen in the lead up to the November election, are likely to be increased consumer spending, better mental health and credit scores for borrowers, and increased home ownership.

In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is under pressure to do something – anything – for Australians under the same sort of pressure.

Every June, the amount owed jumps

Every June the amount that someone who has borrowed under the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) jumps. Because the jump is linked to inflation, and because inflation has been low for decades, in most Junes the jump has been small, until last June.

On June 1 2023, Australians who had made no payments over the previous year faced a jump of 7.1%. Someone who had owned $25,000, suddenly owed $26,770, and so on.

A quarter of a million Australians have signed a petition asking for change.

The good news is there’s likely to be some change, and we are likely to hear about it soon, in the lead-up to the May budget.

The bad news for borrowers is it won’t be debt relief of the kind Biden is offering.

It’s worse in the US

While in both Australia and the US it’s the government that lends to pay student fees rather than private lenders (who don’t like the risks) in the US the loans are really onerous, requiring fixed monthly repayments over a set period of time,
regardless of the borrower’s circumstances.

In Australia and the United Kingdom and New Zealand and some other countries that have copied Australia’s system, the loans are income contingent, meaning they only need to be repaid when the borrower’s income rises to a certain level.

At the moment Australia’s repayment threshold is A$51,550 per year, meaning anyone who earns less than that doesn’t need to repay a cent, perhaps forever if their income never climbs that high.

Where payments are required, they are taken out in the same way as income tax is, each fortnight for pay-as-you-earn employees.

Buried within Biden’s announcement is a decision to move towards an Australian-style plan he has called SAVE, which stands for Saving on a Valuable Education.

If it becomes law, single Americans won’t have to repay until they earn US$32,800. For an American supporting a family of four the threshold will be US$67,500. It will be an Australian-style system.

Easy wins for Albo

While Australia’s system is much better than the one in the US and has been copied around the world, it is far from perfect.

A simple change, identified by the report of the Australian Universities Accord delivered to Education Minister Jason Clare, in February is to increase the amount owing each year by either the rate of increase in prices or the rate of increase in wages, whichever is lower.

Usually, prices increase by less than wages, which is why the system was set up in 1988 to index amounts owed to prices.

But last year, unusually, prices increased faster than wages. In those years it would be simple to lift the amount owed only in line with wages, as the report recommends.

The amount owed needs to increase in line with something, because otherwise its value would shrink rapidly as prices rose. The government doesn’t charge interest (which would hurt) so instead it lifts the amount owed in line with prices to ensure that compared to other things it remains little changed.

Make repayments more like tax

Although we repay student loans through the income tax system, we don’t do it like income tax.

Here’s how it works for tax: on our first $18,200 of income we pay nothing, then we pay 19 cents in the dollar for each extra dollar we earn up to the next threshold, and so on. The key words here are “for each extra dollar”. We continue to pay nothing on the first $18,200 we earn.

Higher education loans work differently. For them, we repay nothing until we earn $51,550, and then at that point, even if we earn just one dollar more, we pay one per cent of all our annaul income, the entire $51,550 (which amounts to $515).

It’s a repayment cliff that sends us backwards. It means earning an extra dollar costs us more than $500 in that year. It can mean an effective marginal tax rate of 500%.

The cliff matters. Each year, there’s an impressive cluster of taxpayers who happen to be earning just under the threshold. More likely to be women than men, they might be deciding not to work in order to keep their incomes below the threshold.

Make it easier to get home loans

Britain and other nations that copied Australia’s system don’t impose large repayments in one hit, and the economist who designed Australia’s system now says that part of the system was “an error, a mistake”.

That economist, Bruce Chapman, has suggested a redesign that would require collections only on extra rather than total incomes, a proposal the report to the government endorses.

And there’s something else Albanese can do. Right now Australia’s banking regulator requires banks to count student loans as debt for the purpose of determining who can get a housing loan, knocking some former students out.

Chapman says it would make more sense to treat the compulsory payments as tax, which is how they function. All they do is reduce after-tax income, and for low earners, they don’t even do that. It’d get more people into housing.

Now it’s over to Albo.

Read more:
How do we protect students from ballooning HELP debts? A fixed maximum indexation rate would help

Peter Martin is Economics Editor of The Conversation.

– ref. Biden is cancelling millions of student debts – here’s what to expect from Albanese – https://theconversation.com/biden-is-cancelling-millions-of-student-debts-heres-what-to-expect-from-albanese-227919

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

Two major critical minerals projects in Queensland and South Australia are to receive hundreds of millions of dollars in federal government loans as part of the Albanese government’s new Future Made in Australia policy.

New loans worth $400 million will go to the Australian company Alpha HPA to deliver Australia’s first high-purity alumina processing facility in the Queensland port city of Gladstone.

The project is expected to create about 490 jobs during construction and more than 200 when it is completed.

The company will use Australian-owned intellectual property and technologies to produce high purity alumina, which is a critical mineral used in LED lighting, semiconductors, lithium-ion batteries and other high- tech applications.

The loans will be provided by Export Finance Australia through the government’s $4 billion Critical Minerals Facility and Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility.

The government is also lending $185 million to Renascor Resources to fast track the first stage of its South Australian Siviour Graphite Project at Arno Bay on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsular.

An earlier loan for the project was approved in February 2022.

Stage One will deliver about 150 construction jobs and 125 ongoing jobs when the project is operational. Stage Two is expected to involve another 225 construction jobs and more than 120 jobs operational once operating in Bolivar near Port Adelaide.

Renascor Resources will deliver purified graphite for lithium-ion batteries needed for electric vehicles and renewable technologies.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the two projects would help bring “good and secure jobs in manufacturing, and clean, reliable energy”.

Resources Minister Madeleine King said Australia’s critical minerals and rare earths were “key to building renewable technologies such as solar panels, batteries and wind farms, as well as defence and medical technologies”.

Read more:
Anthony Albanese puts interventionist industry policy at the centre of his budget agenda

Queensland Premier Steven Miles – who faces an election this year – said the announcement by the Prime Minister showed “the confidence government and industry have in the great state of Queensland”.

Critical minerals are defined as metallic or non-metallic elements found in the earth that are both crucial for modern technologies or national security and face the risk of supply chain disruption.

Australia has identified 26 such minerals, and in Feburay added nickel to the list.

Albanese announced plans to introduce a Future Made in Australia Act last week, saying he wanted to “bring together in a comprehensive and co-ordinated way a whole package of new and existing initiatives to boost investment, create jobs and seize the opportunities of a future made in Australia”.

On Monday the government announced a Medical Science Co-investment Plan that identified priorities for government support including digital health, medical devices, innovative therapeutics and sustainability.

Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Critical minerals receive multi-million dollar support under Future Made in Australia policy – https://theconversation.com/critical-minerals-receive-multi-million-dollar-support-under-future-made-in-australia-policy-228015

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam James Loch, Associate Professor, University of Adelaide

Water is one of Australia’s most valuable commodities. Rights to take water from our nation’s largest river system, the Murray-Darling Basin, are worth almost A$100 billion. These rights can be bought and sold or leased, with trade exceeding A$2 billion a year. But water is also being stolen (no-one knows how much) and the thieves usually get away with it.

The federal Labor government came to power promising to crack down on water theft in the Murray-Darling Basin. The Productivity Commission has also expressed concerns about a lack of compliance and enforcement.

The Inspector General of Water Compliance, Troy Grant, has also described existing powers to deter theft as ineffective, and called for urgent action to address inconsistencies in the various state laws that penalise theft from the Murray-Darling Basin. That was almost a year ago.

In our new research, we identified the many relevant laws operating in the basin. We examined these laws and found maximum penalties range wildly. It is a dog’s breakfast. Surely we can do better.

How did we get into this mess?

The mishmash of water theft laws and penalties across the basin is unfortunate but not surprising.

Water in the Murray-Darling Basin is managed under a joint agreement between the federal government, the basin’s four states (Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia) and the Australian Capital Territory.

This agreement could be dissolved at any time, should any one state or territory decide to quit.

Murray-Darling Basin compliance is now managed by the Office of the Inspector General of Water Compliance, an independent group of public servants, typically former police officers.

As Inspector General, Grant has been given powers to reduce water theft, uphold compliance with Murray-Darling Basin rules, and restore confidence among those living and working in the basin.

But he was forced to drop 62 cases in February 2023 due to poor state legislative support, inconsistent approaches to water theft, and allowances for some irrigators to balance their accounts in arrears. Basically, Grant stated you had to be a moron to be caught.

Dropped cases lead to questions about water values, continued supply reliability, the extent of environmental harm, and the future security of water rights.

Read more:
The government’s Murray-Darling bill is a step forward, but still not enough

Drought heightens concern about theft

It’s almost 15 years since the most recent review of water theft legislation across state and federal boundaries, which highlighted clear inconsistencies in penalties and approaches to cases.

It’s also nearly ten years since the ABC Four Corners report into large-scale water theft, illustrating the dangers of environmental water harms and wanton disregard by some users for the rights of others.

In more recent droughts, such as the “Tinderbox Drought” of 2017–19, irrigators were more concerned about speculation and hoarding than theft.

But if the basin suffers another serious drought, as predicted by many researchers, it is likely theft will become a top concern for all involved, particularly regulators at state and federal levels.

What’s more, if predictions of climate impacts to water supply are right, available water will dramatically decline in the Murray-Darling Basin, possibly motivating more theft.

We tested this by combining rainfall and runoff data from the Bureau of Meteorology with climate projections from the CSIRO Climate Futures Model and the Garnaut Climate Change Review, to generate a model of future water flows into the southern Murray-Darling Basin up to 2100.

Our research shows we’re on track for a water runoff catastrophe by around 2060, and the eventual collapse of the river’s systems by around 2080. Less rain and higher evaporation rates means less water will runoff the land into streams, rivers and storages. Sobering stuff.

Read more:
Suicide rates increased after extreme drought in the Murray-Darling Basin – we have to do better as climate change intensifies

Finding common ground

Our research shows the Inspector General is right: a base comparison of the laws in each state show clear differences, along with the penalties that sit behind them. Calls for greater certainty and consistency are yet to resonate. The positive lessons to be drawn from successful processes are falling on deaf ears.

But we did find some consistent aspects worth noting, which could help us better understand and analyse the legal framework for penalising water theft in the Murray-Darling Basin. This is the “pyramid” approach to assessing cases and applying penalties, using a tiered framework of increasing severity that looks to be applied universally throughout the basin.

The pyramids are based on existing principles already in use for water management around the world.

Most Murray-Darling Basin states already follow this approach. Yet some states do it better than others.

Legal inconsistency also stems from some states being unwilling to “climb to the top” of the pyramid and initiate court proceedings against the most egregious offenders. This leads to lower penalties in most cases.

We also note New South Wales has adopted satellite technology to identify and track water theft. This is a good example for others to follow.

Towards consistent laws

Consistency in compliance and certainty across state jurisdictions will help restore confidence in the water market, and ultimately ensure the Murray-Darling’s water flows are protected from thieves.

We need certain and severe penalties for water theft across the Murray-Darling Basin and Australia as a whole. Such penalties may garner a wider appreciation of the value of the environment.

Addressing water theft issues consistently and with certainty offers opportunities for Australia to again lead the way in effective water governance and compliance reform globally.

But progress has been slow. This is deeply concerning, especially as water flows into the basin will dwindle as the climate changes.

Read more:
Consulting firms provided low-quality research on crucial water policies. It shows we have a deeper problem

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Water theft laws and penalties in the Murray-Darling Basin are a dog’s breakfast. Here’s how we can fix them – https://theconversation.com/water-theft-laws-and-penalties-in-the-murray-darling-basin-are-a-dogs-breakfast-heres-how-we-can-fix-them-227862