Australia's response to asylum seekers

Australia's asylum seeker policies are not widely understood. They are complex, and have changed many times, particularly since 2001. This chapter outlines Australia's policies towards asylum seekers and refugees. First, it highlights the fundamental tenets of the Refugee Convention, which forms the basis of Australia's obligations to refugees. It then explaines the different categories of intake, and the different procedures asylum seekers and refugees encounter to start a new life in Australia. We demonstrate that Australia's policies are based on a distinction between two groups of people needing protection: 'offshore' refugees and 'onshore' asylum seekers. The different reception of these two groups by the Australian government could not be greater. The result is a system of two classes of refugees - a distinction that contravenes our international obligations.

The utility of the Mood Disorders Questionnaire as a screening tool in a methadone maintenance treatment program

Objective. Comorbid mental illness amongst methadone maintenance therapy clients may be common and screening may be warranted. The Mood Disorders Questionnaire (MDQ) is a screening tool for bipolar disorder that has been validated in other treatment settings. Its utility for patients with substance use disorders is assessed in this study.

Methods. Clients of a methadone maintenance program were invited to complete the MDQ when they attended a public Drug and Alcohol Service for their regular scheduled appointments. Information about their history of substance use was also collected.

Results. Eighty clients (43 females, 37 males) aged 35 8.0 years (mean SD) participated in the study. Seventy-four clients completed the MDQ of which 36 (48.6%) obtained a positive screen. A check of client fi les suggested that only three of the 74 participants had a current working diagnosis of bipolar disorder. These three participants had screened positive on the MDQ.

Conclusions. There was a high prevalence of manic symptoms reported by participants, suggesting that screening for bipolar disorder in this population may be warranted. However, there is a risk of false positives with the MDQ, as it does not clearly differentiate between symptoms of mania and drug intoxication.

Life! in Australia : translating prevention research into a large-scale intervention

The increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes is of great public health concern. In the state of Victoria, Australia, a group-based lifestyle intervention programme, Life! – Taking Action on Diabetes, was developed for people over the age of 50 years who are at high risk of diabetes. It aims to reduce the risk of diabetes by providing practical skills, including goal setting and problem solving, to encourage participants to adopt a healthy diet and active lifestyle. The programme is delivered by specially trained facilitators who have undergone an accredited three-stage training programme. A quality assurance process is also in place to ensure that it is delivered to a consistently high standard. The Life! program
is a direct progression from the Finnish randomised controlled trial and the Greater Green Triangle Diabetes Prevention Project implementation trial. This paper describes how a diabetes prevention programme was implemented at a state-wide level and the training of facilitators to conduct the group sessions. Future studies are needed to examine the cost effectiveness and development of specific programmes for diverse population groups.

Patient perspective workshop : moving towards OMERACT guidelines for choosing or developing instruments to measure patient-reported outcomes

The workshop Choosing or Developing Instruments held at the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) 10 meeting was designed to help participants think about the underlying methods of instrument development. Conference pre-reading material and 3 brief introductory presentations elaborated the issues, and participants broke into discussion groups before reconvening to share insights, engage in a more general discussion of the issues, and vote on recommendations. Trade offs between using current imperfect measures and the long and complex process of developing new instruments were considered, together with the need for rigor in patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument development. The main considerations for PRO instrument development were listed and a research agenda for action produced. As part of the agenda for action, it is recommended that researchers and patient partners work together to tackle these issues, and that OMERACT bring forward proposals for acceptable instrument development protocols that would meet an enhanced “Truth” statement in the OMERACT Filter.

Fatal women in renaissance tragedy, 1550-1650

Drawing upon the femme fatale of film noir, this thesis examines the presence of a fatal woman on the Renaissance stage. The thesis analyses the representation of emotionally and sexually independent women as fatally attractive to, yet ultimately destructive of, the men they entrap and seduce.

Mobile texts and migrant audiences : rethinking literacy and assessment in a new media age

This article highlights the importance of rethinking literacy assessment in a digital and global world. Although pressures currently abound to narrow conceptions and practices of literacy, especially in an era of high stakes testing, digital multimodality and connectivity offer the potential for new ways of thinking, representing, and communicating, as well as new avenues for participating in relationships across social, geographic, and cultural difference. We explore the challenges of redesigning assessments so that they better take into account children's multiliterate capabilities. In so doing, we offer examples from our work in afterschool contexts that demonstrate how we have grappled with the complexities of assessment in new times.