Benchmarking regional planning arrangements for natural resource management 2004–05: Progress, constraints and future directions for regions

This report provides a benchmark of progress in regional planning for natural resource management in Queensland and the tropical savannas region of northern Australia during 2004. It is based on a review of regional plans and planning processes against a set of pre-defined criteria designed specifically to evaluate regional planning arrangements.

Modelling basin level allocation of water in the Murray-Darling Basin in a world of uncertainty, Murray-Darling Program Working Papers WPM05-1, Risk and Sustainable Management Group, 8 February 2005

Abstract: The Murray-Darling Basin comprises over 1 million km2; it lies within four states and one territory; and over 12, 800 GL of irrigation water is used to produce over 40% of the nation's gross value of agricultural production. This production is used by a diverse collection of some-times mutually exclusive commodities (e.g. pasture; stone fruit; grapes; cotton and field crops). The supply of water for irrigation is subject to climatic and policy uncertainty. Variable inflows mean that water property rights do not provide a guaranteed supply. With increasing public scrutiny and environmental issues facing irrigators, greater pressure is being placed on this finite resource. The uncertainty of the water supply, water quality (salinity), combined with where water is utilised, while attempting to maximising return for investment makes for an interesting research field. The utilisation and comparison of a GAMS and Excel based modelling approach has been used to ask: where should we allocate water?; amongst what commodities?; and how does this affect both the quantity of water and the quality of water along the Murray-Darling river system?

Feasibility of an evidence-based literature search service for general practitioners

Objective: To test the feasibility of an evidence-based clinical literature search service to help answer general practitioners' (GPs') clinical questions. Design: Two search services supplied GPs who submitted questions with the best available empirical evidence to answer these questions. The GPs provided feedback on the value of the service, and concordance of answers from the two search services was assessed. Setting: Two literature search services (Queensland and Victoria), operating for nine months from February 1999. Main outcome measures: Use of the service; time taken to locate answers; availability of evidence; value of the service to GPs; and consistency of answers from the two services. Results: 58 GPs asked 160 questions (29 asked one, 11 asked five or more). The questions concerned treatment (65%), aetiology (17%), prognosis (13%), and diagnosis (5%). Answering a question took a mean of 3 hours 32 minutes of personnel time (95% Cl, 2.67-3.97); nine questions took longer than 10 hours each to answer, the longest taking 23 hours 30 minutes. Evidence of suitable quality to provide a sound answer was available for 126 (79%) questions. Feedback data for 84 (53%) questions, provided by 42 GPs, showed that they appreciated the service, and asking the questions changed clinical care. There were many minor differences between the answers from the two centres, and substantial differences in the evidence found for 4/14 questions. However, conclusions reached were largely similar, with no or only minor differences for all questions. Conclusions: It is feasible to provide a literature search service, but further assessment is needed to establish its cost effectiveness.

Developing community-based watershed management in Greater Sao Paulo: the case of Santo Andre

This paper describes how watershed protection is being combined with settlement upgrading and land-use management within an area that serves as one of Greater Sao Paulo's main sources of fresh water. This is being undertaken in the municipality of San to Andre. Unlike previous watershed protection measures, which proved ineffective, it recognizes the need to combine the protection of water-sheds with the improvement of conditions in existing settlements and guiding, rather than prohibiting, further settlement. The paper describes how, the community-based watershed management involves the inhabitants of illegal settlements and other stakeholders in an adaptive planning framework that first seeks consensus on what is to be planned before developing the plan, its implementation and its operation, maintenance and monitoring.

Justice strategy options for increased customer satisfaction in a services recovery setting

This study investigates the influence of justice (procedural, interactional and distributive) on measures of customer satisfaction within a hotel setting. Specifically, the study investigates the levels of satisfaction associated with various combinations of procedural, interactional, and distributive justice related service recovery strategies. Using especially designed video vignettes of a hotel service breakdown, respondents rated their levels of satisfaction for the video vignettes that depicted varying levels of. (a) level of concern shown by the service provider, (b) whether policy was adhered to, (c) degree of 'voice' given to the customer, and (d) type of compensation. Between subject MANOVA analyses revealed a number of main effects and interactions. Results clearly show that satisfaction varied significantly depending on the various combinations of recovery measures. In particular, a two-way interaction between adherence to policy and type of compensation was found. Furthermore, it was found that respondents expressed higher satisfaction with the service when a 50% refund was given, and the provider was seen to be adhering to policy, rather than doing a special favor for the customer. In contrast, when a token measure of compensation is given (i.e. giving away a couple of drink vouchers), respondents expressed higher levels of satisfaction if the service provider was doing a special favor rather than merely adhering to company policy. Implications for managers and scholars are discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.

Hemiplegic shoulder pain: defining the problem and its management

Purpose: Hemiplegic shoulder pain can affect up to 70% of stroke patients and can have an adverse impact on rehabilitation outcomes. This article aims to review the literature on the suggested causes of hemiplegic shoulder pain and the therapeutic techniques that can be used to prevent or treat it. On the basis of this review, the components of an optimal management programme for hemiplegic shoulder pain are explored. Method: English language articles in the CINAHL and MEDLINE databases between 1990 and 2000 were reviewed. These were supplemented by citation tracking and manual searches. Results: A management programme for hemiplegic shoulder pain could comprise the following components: provision of an external support for the affected upper limb when the patient is seated, careful positioning in bed, daily static positional stretches, motor retraining and strapping of the scapula to maintain postural tone and symmetry. Conclusions: Research is required to evaluate the effectiveness of the components of the proposed management programme for the prevention and treatment of hemiplegic shoulder pain and to determine in what combination they achieve the best outcomes.

Teledermatology: a review

Teledermatology holds great potential for revolutionizing the delivery of dermatology services, providing equitable service to remote areas and allowing primary care physicians to refer patients to dermatology centres of excellence at a distance. However, before its routine application asa service tool, its reliability, accuracy and cost-effectiveness need to be verified by rigorous evaluation. Teledermatology can be applied in one of two ways: it may be conducted in real-time, utilizing videoconferencing equipment, or by store-and-forward methods, when transmitted digital images or photographs are submitted with a clinical history. While there is a considerable range of reported accuracy and reliability, evidence suggests that teledermatology will become increasingly utilized and incorporated into more conventional dermatology service delivery systems. Studies to date have generally found that real-time dermatology is likely to allow greater clinical information to be obtained from the patient. This may result in fewer patients requiring conventional consultations, but it is generally more time-consuming and costly to the health service provider It is often favoured by the patient because of the instantaneous nature of the diagnosis and management regimen for the condition, and it has educational value to the primary care physician. Store-and-forward systems of teledermatology often give high levels of diagnostic accuracy, and are cheaper and more convenient for the health care provider, but lack the immediacy of patient contact with the dermatologist, and involve a delay in obtaining the diagnosis and advice on management. It is increasingly likely that teledermatology will prove to be a significant tool in the provision of dermatology services in the future. These services will probably be provided by store-and-forward digital image systems, with real-time videoconferencing being used for case conferences and education. However, much more research is needed into the outcomes and Limitations of such a service and its effect on waiting lists, as well as possible cost benefits for patients, primary health care professionals and dermatology departments.

Curriculum development for professional ethics in Australian human service university programmes

Australian academics and practitioners in the human services are particularly susceptible to social, political and economic influences in respect of their relevance, viability and operations. In fact, it can be argued that the impact of these influences has placed human service practitioners and academics in a perpetual state of vulnerability. Australian universities have been challenged to make their programmes more relevant and viable to the community at large, and practitioners face increasing workloads with limited resources based on restricted fiscal allocation, and the changing relationship between government and service providers. Drawing on interview data from twenty-one (n = 21) practitioners, this article highlights their identified problems regarding the notion of professionalism in the human services with a particular focus on ethical dilemmas in human service practice. Gleaning these details will be a basis for recommending necessary professionalethics curricula content in human services programmes offered in Australian universities. Moreover, while the research data is Australian based, the authors contend that the universal theories and principles underpinning human service practice justify the significance and value of the data as an important source for international consideration in curriculum development of human service academic programmes.

Genotype-by-management interactions for grain yield and grain protein concentration of wheat

The magnitude of genotype-by-management (G x M) interactions for grain yield and grain protein concentration was examined in a multi-environment trial (MET) involving a diverse set of 272 advanced breeding lines from the Queensland wheat breeding program. The MET was structured as a series of management-regimes imposed at 3 sites for 2 years. The management-regimes were generated at each site-year as separate trials in which planting time, N fertiliser application rate, cropping history, and irrigation were manipulated. irrigation was used to simulate different rainfall regimes. From the combined analysis of variance, the G x M interaction variance components were found to be the largest source of G x E interaction variation for both grain yield (0.117 +/- 0.005 t(2) ha(-2); 49% of total G x E 0.238 +/- 0.028 t(2) ha(-2)) and grain protein concentration (0.445 +/- 0.020%(2); 82% of total G x E 0.546 +/- 0.057%(2)), and in both cases this source of variation was larger than the genotypic variance component (grain yield 0.068 +/- 0.014 t(2) ha(-2) and grain protein 0.203 +/- 0.026%(2)). The genotypic correlation between the traits varied considerably with management-regime, ranging from -0.98 to -0.31, with an estimate of 0.0 for one trial. Pattern analysis identified advanced breeding lines with improved grain yield and grain protein concentration relative to the cultivars Hartog, Sunco and Meteor. It is likely that a large component of the previously documented G x E interactions for grain yield of wheat in the northern grains region are in part a result of G x M interactions. The implications of the strong influence of G x M interactions for the conduct of wheat breeding METs in the northern region are discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Credibility and staff conduct make or break bank customer service quality

Service quality is assessed by customers along the dimensions of staff conduct, credibility, communication, and access to teller services. Credibility and staff conduct emerge as the highest loading first-order factors. This highlights the significance of rectifying mistakes while keeping customers informed, and employing branch staff that are responsive and civilized in their conduct. Discovery of a valid second-order factor, namely, overall customer service quality, underscores the importance of providing quality service across all its dimensions. For example, if the bank fails to rectify mistakes and keep customers informed but excels in all other dimensions, its overall customer service quality can still be rated poorly.

Equity in regional service provision

Most transportation agencies stipulate that an important planning goal is to provide equitable and just public transport services. However, who is to be served and the type of service that should be provided has been ambiguous. This paper develops a methodology for examining equity in the provision of public transportation services. An approach for identifying areas in need of public transport is developed based upon the use of socio-demographic and economic information. Public transport need is then related to levels of access to service. This approach makes it possible to establish the degree to which public transport services may be considered equitable in relation to need and suitable access. A detailed analysis of the southeast Queensland region of Australia illustrates how this approach may be used to inform public transport decision making.

Telehealth and the diagnosis and management of cardiac disease

The financial and personal burden of chronic cardiac disease is high. Costs are likely to increase over the next few decades. Promising applications of telehealth have appeared in the diagnosis and management of cardiac disease and there are indications that telehealth services can improve the management of chronic cardiac disease as well as extend services to remote and rural populations. Telehealth has been applied to the capture of symptoms of cardiac disease with electrocardiography and echocardiography, to the management and rehabilitation of recently discharged patients, and in peer-to-peer consultation where remote expertise can facilitate diagnosis. Telehealth promises cost reductions in service delivery, although there is a need for properly controlled cost-effectiveness trials to underpin telehealth with a firm evidence base.

Sea turtles as a non-consumptive tourism resource especially in Australia

There is substantial economic potential for exploiting wildlife resources for non-consumptive wildlife-oriented recreation (NCWOR) tourism and this type of tourism if well managed, can result in the long-term conservation of wildlife resources. This is especially important in cases where wildlife resources are declining due to habitat destruction, poaching and other human threats, as is so for sea turtles. In this paper, relevant ecotourism literature outlining the economic values of NCWOR activities is reviewed to show that a significant potential exists for developing sea turtle-based tourism. Duffus and Dearden's (1990. Biological Conservation, 53, 213-231) conceptual framework for the development of wildlife tourism and its extension and application by Higham (1998. Tourism Management, 19 (6), 521-531) is analysed to see if it might be applied to sea turtle-based ecotourism in Australia at Mon Repos Conservation Park. Threats to sea turtle populations are growing especially as a result of human activities and these underline the importance of finding an economic rationale to conserve the remaining species. Economic benefits from turtle-based tourism can provide such a rationale. However, such tourism must be managed appropriately if it is to be sustained. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service has adopted management strategies at Mon Repos Conservation Park with this in mind and these strategies are outlined. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Role of Non-Market Valuation in Forest Management and Recreation Policy

Forests, and particularly those where native and mixed species are gown, provide a variety of non-wood values, important among which are recreation and environmental services. Substantial progress has been made in recent years in estimating economic values on these services. A considerable amount of research on forest values has been carried out recently in tropical and sub-tropical eastern Australia, some of which is reported in the following papers. The need for estimates of non-wood forest benefits is apparent, and it is clear that further development of techniques and a greater understanding of the way these values can be integrated into public-sector decision making is required.