Multiple visions or multiple aversions? Consumer representation, consultation and participation in maternity issues

This paper reviews the Commonwealth government's policy of 'purposeful reporting to consumers'. I argue that the notion of consumer participation is underdeveloped. Consumers' needs will not be fully met by confining consumer representation at the administrative level; that is, in assuming that consumer advocates may speak for other consumers of health care services. The partnership objective at the heart of 'purposeful reporting' may be addressed fully only when practitioners and providers recognise the reciprocal expertise of the consumer in defining their own health priorities. This would require a new model of knowledge, of ethics and of the clinical encounter. The problem is not one of information deficit but of contrasting views of knowledge.

Critical injuries ; collaborative Indigenous life writing and the ethics of criticism

The publication of collaborative Indigenous life writing places both the text and its production under public scrutiny. The same is true for the criticism of life writing. For each, publication has consequences. Taking as its starting point the recent critical concern for harm occasioned in life writing, this
article argues that in the reading of collaborative Indigenous life writing, injury may eventuate from critical commentary itself. The critical work of G Thomas Couser and his concern for vulnerable subjects, whose life narratives reach published form through the efforts or with the assistance of another, has its
parallel in the critical attention given to collaboratively produced Indigenous life writing in Australia and Canada. In some cases, however, such analysis is generated without consultation with the Indigenous producers of collaborative texts. Criticism directing its arguments toward the conditions
of editorial constraint by which the Indigenous subject is enclosed or silenced has the ironic and surely unintended consequence of removing the Indigenous participants of collaboration from the field of critical engagement. With particular regard to the collaborative texts Ingelba and the Five Black Matriarchs and Stolen Life: the journey of a Cree woman, this article argues that literary criticism can benefit from the practice of consultation with the Indigenous subjects whose representations it comments upon.

Ethics guidelines for international multi-centre research involving people with intellectual disabilities

This position statement endorsed by the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disabilities is designed to promote and facilitate research projects affecting and involving people with intellectual disabilities. The paucity of dedicated research infrastructure and expert ethical review processes to oversee research in this field, especially in developing countries, is asserted as a major issue to be addressed by both the scientific community and governments. International multicenter collaboration has been proposed as a means of addressing these problems. The statement draws on internationally recognized documents outlining the ethical considerations involved in human research activities. It interprets these documents in light of the particular needs and interests of people with intellectual disabilities and incorporates international consultation involving researchers from a variety of disciplines. It affirms the importance of ethical decision making in local communities. Specific recommendations are made concerning ethical review processes, research design considerations, consent processes and the conduct of research involving and affecting people with intellectual disabilities, their families and communities. Research proposals, especially those for international, multicenter projects, need to take into account cultural diversity among participants and differing legal requirements across jurisdictions, while at the same time maintaining the scientific rigor of the research protocol. Promoting partnerships between researchers and people with intellectual disability, together with their families, advocates and local communities are important considerations when developing research projects. Similarly, the development of strategies to both communicate findings to participants and their communities, and to promote their community's access to the benefits of these findings are all important ethical considerations.

Understanding virtue ethics

After presenting a broad overview of the history of virtue ethics, this work explores virtues in the context of contemporary moral theory to analyse how many intractable moral dilemmas might be overcome by responsible, virtuous agents.

The ethics of hacking and computer abuse: Australian case studies

Organisations spend large sums of money to ensure that they are protected
against the risks associated with external threats. The perceived threats
against organisations are well known, and the losses can be quantifiable.
The perceived threat considered here is that associated with hackers. Much
is known about hackers, their rationale, and their ethical views. However,
it is harder to quantify what computer abuse is and what the associated
losses are. This chapter focuses on hackers, computer abuse, and ethical
issues.

Overcoming principles: dialogue in business ethics

Basing itself upon a virtue-ethics approach, this paper questions the value of syllogistic or deductive approaches to teaching business ethics and to the modelling of the kinds of judgments that executives are asked to make in situations of moral complexity. It urges that the teaching of ethical theories, of ethical principles, and of logical methods of moral thinking, and the use of hypothetical or historical scenarios, be augmented by the method of `Real Case Dialogue' which more nearly models the eal and intense existential realities of ethical decision making. A brief description of such a dialogue is offered so aslo provide an example.

Science and ethics : some issues for education

Ethical issues concerning pain and suffering of animals are necessarily a consideration when it comes to killing “pest” or “feral” species in Australia. Within a continent where there are no large predators, many introduced animal species such as rabbits, foxes, horses, donkeys, camels, goats, and mice have been able to thrive, competing with the interests of farmers and graziers, and livestock and food production. These species, thus, gain the label of “pest.” Many methods now exist to kill these species and, consequently, ethical issues arise concerning the possible pain and suffering caused as a direct result of these methods. Yet within government and scientific communities, ethical issues are reduced to a secondary consideration without serious debate or contention. Ethical issues appear to be at odds with scientific agendas. How can environmental ethics be incorporated as part of science-based decision making that appeals to objectivity and scientific evidence? Within educational institutions as well, the same dilemma exists: How can ethical issues be addressed within the science curriculum and in the classroom? A greater understanding of various perspectives on the subject of environmental ethics and the value positions advocated by proponents of these perspectives may help teachers consider ways of handling such issues in the science classroom.

Information warfare and ethics

This paper examines the ethics of the practice of information warfare at both the national and corporate levels. Initially examining the present and past actions of individual hackers, it moves to the more organised, future military and economic warfare scenarios. It examines the lack of legal or policy initiatives in this area.

A partnership model of corporate ethics

The stock market crash of 1987 had a profound effect on corporate Australia and the Australian community in general. The fall-out revealed that some of our most respected business figures had not been as ethical, or even as lawful, as we would have hoped. This impropriety produced in Australia an awakening to business ethics. Whilst many companies endeavoured to introduce ethical practices into their corporations, they perceived ethics as a way of minimising damage to the corporation and in some cases as a means of competitive advantage. What was lost was the reason that one should embark on business ethics; and that is to make the society and corporate Australia a more ethical place in which to exist.This paper proposes a model based on 2 factors: commitment and partnerships, as a means of enabling corporate Australia to refocus attention on the main purpose of being inherently ethical in all that we do. This ethical model requires a commitment to partnerships with all stakeholders both internal and external in an attempt to enhance the level of ethical business practices that are contemplated and pursued within corporate Australia. Whilst the research agenda and the information collected is Australian-based, it is hoped that the ideas contained within this paper will have a wider appeal to corporations in similar cultural settings.

Legal ethics is (just) normal ethics: towards a coherent system of legal ethics

The standards governing how lawyers ought to conduct themselves consist of a number disparate principles and rules, which are devoid of an overarching rationale. We argue that legal ethics is not a stand-alone social construct. Rather, it is the application of normal ethical principles so far as they relate to the law. Approached in this manner, legal ethics becomes a far more coherent and justifiable institution. In this paper we apply general moral theory to several key dilemmas facing lawyers. This results in outcomes which some may find counter-intuitive. We conclude that lawyers should not do pro bono work; that the first cab rank off the rank principle is unsound and that there is no relevant difference between expressly misleading the court and putting the other side to the proof of its case.

Communicating the ethos of codes of ethics in corporate Australia, 1995-2001: whose rights, whose responsibilities?

This paper considers the commitment to business ethics of the top 500 companies operating in the Australian private sector and communicates the results of a longitudinal study conducted from 1995 to 2001. Primary data was obtained (in 1995 and again in 2001) via a self-administered mail  questionnaire distributed to a census of these top 500 Australian  companies. This commitment of each company to their code of ethics was indicated and measured via a range of methods used by organizations to communicate the ethos of their codes to employees. Just as they were in  1995, it would appear that companies in 2001 still are good at ensuring that their rights are protected, but at the same time they do not seem to take on the responsibility to ensure that employees'' rights are just as well protected. This double standard leads to cynicism towards the current business ethics processes inherent in Australian companies.