The challenges of addressing an Aboriginal responsibility for Country in land-use and national park planning: a South East Queensland case study

This paper presents research insights on the challenges that Australian Aboriginal communities living within the South East Queensland (SEQ) metropolitan region face in seeking to exercise their contemporary responsibilities to care for Country in land-use and national park planning. A case study design was adopted to analyse the incorporation of two Aboriginal communities connections to Country in state-based planning systems, and to explore the responsibilities Aboriginal communities ethically seek to adhere to in maintaining Country from their own understandings.
Country, from an Aboriginal understanding, involves a deep ecological, cultural, economic and social comprehension of ‘law’ guided by a responsibility for Country. Otherwise known as customary law and custom, Country is that which both Aboriginals and their communities are intrinsically connected to. Country is the moral value that guides Aboriginal obligation to care and this obligation could well conflict
with mainstream contemporary Western management policy and legislation.
This research draws on insights from Quandamooka Country (North Stradbroke Island) and Jagera Country (Brisbane City and Ipswich), located within the Brisbane metropolitan region in South East Queensland of Australia. During this research, it was concluded that, in both Quandamooka Country and Jagera Country, the respective Owners are operating within a sphere of increasingly complex challenges that impact upon their ability to conserve and have recognized the values of their obligations to Country care in planning. Common themes occurring on Country identified in this research included issues relating to a neglect of care to maintain Country by planners and government officials, and interactions that prevent Traditional Owners from having their obligation of caring for Country on their terms expressed through land-use planning legislation. Political agendas of the Queensland State that influences the interactions of planners and government with Traditional Owners were also concluded to be detrimental, and to damaging trust, ongoing discussions and understandings. These insights indicate that Aboriginal communities are facing an increasing conflicting range of perceptions and comprehensions that are hindering the expression and execution of their moral responsibility embodied in their deep ecological law to care for Country in Western planning legislative obligations. It illustrates that the responsibilities given to practicing planners and government officials to care for Country under Western law are commonly not adhered to It concludes with the suggestion that for some progress to recognize an Aboriginal responsibility to Country in planning, state-Traditional Owner relations and collaboration is now needed to help transcend the legislative challenges underpinning Western planning law.

Fast food restaurant locations according to socioeconomic disadvantage, urban-regional locality, and schools within Victoria, Australia

Features of the built environment provide opportunities to engage in both healthy and unhealthy behaviours. Access to a high number of fast food restaurants may encourage greater consumption of fast food products. The distribution of fast food restaurants at a state-level has not previously been reported in Australia. Using the location of 537 fast food restaurants from four major chains (McDonald[U+05F3]s, KFC, Hungry Jacks, and Red Rooster), this study examined fast food restaurant locations across the state of Victoria relative to area-level disadvantage, urban-regional locality (classified as Major Cities, Inner Regional, or Outer Regional), and around schools. Findings revealed greater locational access to fast food restaurants in more socioeconomically disadvantaged areas (compared to areas with lower levels of disadvantage), nearby to secondary schools (compared to primary schools), and nearby to primary and secondary schools within the most disadvantaged areas of the major city region (compared to primary and secondary schools in areas with lower levels of disadvantage). Adjusted models showed no significant difference in location according to urban-regional locality. Knowledge of the distribution of fast food restaurants in Australia will assist local authorities to target potential policy mechanisms, such as planning regulations, where they are most needed.

Is client-centred care planning for chronic disease sustainable? Experience from rural South Australia

This qualitative evaluation of a chronic disease self-management project in rural South Australia considers the sustainability of client-centred care planning under current organisational and funding arrangements. The study involved consultation with a range of five stakeholder types over two stages (40 in the beginning stage and 39 in the middle stage) about their satisfaction with the care planning and self-management approach used in the project. All stakeholder types valued the client-centred approach because they perceived that clients were better able to accept and deal with the long-term management of their condition. However, this required that care planning should deal with a wider range of issues than just medical management, and so it took longer, which raised its sustainability in general practice under the current funding through the national health insurance programme (Medicare). The study concludes that sustainability may be addressed through further research into the role of and funding for peer-led self-management groups and the employment of care planners in organisational settings that are conducive to a client-centred approach.

Liveable Yarra - planning for the city's future using a deliberative process

Community engagement on planning processes is traditionally adversarial,with residents reacting to a development proposal or local amenity impacts.With the significant increase in inner-urban medium-high density developments andsubsequent pressure on physical and social infrastructure, the City of Yarra embarked on anew approach to the rewrite of its Planning Scheme. This paper describes the process by whichthe City of Yarra involved the community to help address some of the dilemmas and trade-offswhich are necessarily part of planning in an inner-urban area.To hear from a broad range of voices and receive informed recommendations, a deliberativeprocess, the Liveable Yarra project was formed. It aimed to have an in-depth two-wayconversation with the community about how Yarra can adapt to the challenges andopportunities brought about by growth and change.A 60 member People’s Panel, comprising a cross section of Yarra’s community, came togetherto learn, debate and provide recommendations to Council on the topics of housing, transport,built form and the local economy. The Panel was supplemented by feedback from a householdbaseline survey, Council’s Advisory Committees and targeted workshops with hard-to-reachcommunities.This was the first time a deliberative approach has been undertaken for a topic as multifacetedand far-reaching as rewriting a Local Government Planning Scheme. It allowed participantsto gain an understanding of the complexity of planning issues and the challenges this presentsto Council decision making. It’s expected that the revised Planning Scheme will moreaccurately reflect community expectations, improve liveability and enhance communityunderstanding of the complex issues faced by Council in planning the city’s future.Furthermore, in describing this approach, along with reflections from those Councillors,planners and community members involved, we hope to provide a model which other councilscould embrace to enhance their existing planning processes.

Analysis of trade-offs between biodiversity, carbon farming and agricultural development in northern Australia reveals the benefits of strategic planning

Australia's northern savannas are one of the few remaining large and mostly intact natural areas on Earth. However, their biodiversity and ecosystem values could be threatened if proposed agricultural development proceeds. Through land-use change scenarios, we explored trade-offs and synergies among biodiversity conservation, carbon farming and agriculture production in northern Australia. We found that if all suitable soils were converted to agriculture, habitat at unique recorded locations of three species would disappear and 40 species and vegetation communities could lose more than 50% of their current distributions. Yet, strategically considering agriculture and biodiversity outcomes leads to zoning options that could yield >56,000 km2 of agricultural development with a significantly lower impact on biodiversity values and carbon farming. Our analysis provides a template for policy-makers and planners to identify areas of conflict between competing land-uses, places to protect in advance of impacts, and planning options that balance agricultural and conservation needs.

Dasyurid dilemmas: problems and solutions for conserving Australia's small carnivorous marsupials

Dasyurid marsupials are distributed throughout the major terrestrial environments of Australia but since European settlement have suffered local and regional extinctions, range reductions and population declines. In this paper we examine the conservation status of small dasyurids (<500 g) and the threats they face. We also evaluate recovery procedures for threatened taxa and assess their success. Twenty-four percent of smaller dasyurids are classified as vulnerable, endangered or data deficient. Large body size and occupancy of one or two habitat types are correlated strongly with  endangerment species currently considered as 'low risk, near threatened' group closely with vulnerable and endangered species, indicating a risk of further declines. The processes contributing most to declines include habitat loss and fragmentation, altered fire regimes and predation. As of April 200 I, no Recovery Plans had been adopted by the Commonwealth Govemment for any small dasyund species. There is much information on the reproduction and development of smaller dasyurids, making them suitable for captive breeding. However, captive breeding programs have been limited. the  dibbler Paranrechinus apicalis being the only species bred systematically for reintroductions. There is a need for integration between captive breeding programs and recovery planning. as well as for more information on the population viability and metapopulation structures of small dasyurids genetic diversity of populations and inbreeding depression. We suggest a program of survey. research. management and education to Improve conservation outcomes for all small dasyurids.

Kokusaika and Internationalisation: Australian and Japanese sister city type relationships

Sister city type relationships at local government level form an important part of Australian-Japanese relations. The original concept of sister cities was to increase international understanding and peace at local level. Over the years, that concept has changed and there is now a robust debate over the inclusion of commercial exchanges into sister city type relationships. This article describes the context of this debate by analysing the different perceptions of sister city type relationships in Australia and Japan. It begins with a discussion of the public policy contexts of sister cities in both Australia and Japan. The second section deals with an analysis of the results of surveys in Australia and Japan. Finally, case studies of two important issues related to SCTRs are discussed: economic and business relations and community involvement. The article concludes by suggesting that sister city type relationships between Australia and Japan are dependent upon the over-arching public policy contexts and sometimes lead to mismatched expectations between the two countries.

The importance of Sino-Australian sister city type relationships in regional development

Using the Jiangsu-Victoria and Greater Green Triangle-Yangzhou relationships as case studies this paper provides an initial analysis of the origins, objectives, achievements, and limitations of SinoAustralian Sister City Type Relationships. Based on research to date, we suggest that certain factors, including the development of inappropriate SCTRs have seriously limited the capacity of these relationships to achieve their stated and unstated regional development objectives. After reviewing the recent history and perceived effectiveness of Sino Australian SCTRs. the paper concludes by commenting on the potential of such relationships to contribute to economic and cultural development in regional Australia.

Relationship between body mass index and the use of healthcare services in Australia

Objective: To examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and the use of medical and preventive health services. Research Methods and Procedures: This study involved secondary analysis of weighted data from the Australian 1995 National Health Survey. The study was a population survey designed to obtain national benchmark information about a range of health-related issues. Data were available from 17,033 men and 17,174 women, 20 years or age. BMI, based on self-reported weight and height, was analyzed in relation to the use of medical services and preventive health services. Results: A positive relationship was found between BMI and medical service use, such as medication use, visits to hospital accident and emergency departments (for women only); doctor visits, visits to a hospital outpatient clinics; and visits to other health professionals (for women only). A negative relationship was found in women between BMI and preventive health services. Underweight women were found to be significantly less likely to have Papanicolaou smear tests, breast examinations, and mammograms. Discussion: This research shows that people who fall outside the healthy weight range are more likely to use a range of medical services. Given that the BMI of industrialized populations appears to be increasing, this has important ramifications for health service planning and reinforces the need for obesity prevention strategies at a population level.

Integrated natural resource management in Australia: the opportunity offered by a national coastal policy

Under the Australian Constitution the management (and planning) of Crown Land is a State and Territory Government responsibility. When this is considered in conjunction with the Offshore Constitutional Settlement, which affirmed that coastal waters out to three nautical miles (in general) offshore were also the responsibility of State and Territory Governments, then clearly coastal management in Australia is largely a State/Territory responsibility.

Beyond three nautical miles it is a different story. Under the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention (UNCLOS), which Australia ratified in October 1994, Australia claims jurisdiction out to 200 nautical miles and beyond (Wescott, 2000). These waters cover an area including the Antarctic claim of over 15 million square kilometres or twice the land area of Australia.

Hence in marine and coastal terms we have the national (Commonwealth) Government managing the oceans and seven State and Territory governments largely in charge of coastal management (coastal land and coastal waters). Heading "up river", State and Territory Governments plan and manage catchments.

Given the uncoordinated relationships between Australian coastal management policy and both catchment management policy and Australia's Ocean Policy (Commonwealth of Australia, 1998a and b), the Commonwealth Government's commitment to a "National Coastal Policy" presents an opportunity to progress the integration of natural resources management for the first time in decades.

Enhancing quality in online learning : scaffolding planning and design through proactive evaluation

A major issue confronting educators is the extent to which they wish to conform to so-called paradigm shifts in teaching and learning. In the contemporary world of tertiary education these shifts embrace both pedagogy (from instructivist to constructivist) and technology (from classroom to online). As teachers and learners are faced with the potential of these new learning environments, the extent to which learning outcomes are achieved remains a high priority and subject to a wide range of evaluation strategies. Conventionally, evaluation has been positioned at the end of the instructional development cycle, to assess first whether or not the creative effort achieved the original product goals and second whether or not the desired learning outcomes were realized. In the context of online teaching and learning environments, however, the level of understanding teachers, learners and developers have of the medium can impact the ultimate effectiveness of the product. This paper articulates an additional dimension to post-development evaluation processes in proposing proactive evaluation, a framework that identifies critical online learning factors and influences that will better inform the planning, design and development of learning resources. This notion of proactive evaluation advocates resource development being undertaken where all planning activities are assessed against the evaluation criteria that would normally be applied during formative assessment. By performing these evaluation checks proactively, online learning resources will, in principle, work first time as all relevant factors and issues will have been considered and resolved. More importantly, for those participants who are new to online environments, proactive evaluation will perform a scaffolding and professional development role by enhancing online teaching or learning competencies.

Patterns and Characteristics of Ambulance Attendance at Heroin Overdose at a Local-Area Level in Melbourne, Australia: Implications for Service Provision

The monitoring of heroin use and related harms is undertaken in Australia with a view to inform policy responses. Some surveillance data on heroin-related harms is well suited to inform the planning and delivery of heroin-related services, such as needle and syringe provision. This article examines local-area variation in the characteristics of nonfatal heroin overdoses attended by ambulances in Melbourne over the period June 1998 to October 2000 to inform the delivery of services to the heroin-using population in Melbourne.

Merely the man in the street: community consultation in the planning of 1920s Melbourne

It is an accepted tenet of planning history that Australia's planning practice in the first half of the 20th century was dominated by experts delivering a package of international planning ideas. Is this story made more    complicated, however by the attitudes of the lay Australian to urban planning at this time? What role have the approaches of planners and planning  bodies played in advising the public of the best routes to take  towards comprehensive and appropriate planning? This paper discusses these  issues with use of examples of the general public's letters to  Melboume's Metropolitan Town Planning Commission (MTPC)( 1923-30) about planning issues in Melbourne; the MTPC's responses; and responsive propaganda generated by prominent Melbourne planner Saxil Tuxen (1885-1975).

Modelling habitat suitability of the swamp antechinus (Antechinus minimus maritimus) in the coastal heathlands of southern Victoria, Australia

In recent years, predictive habitat distribution models, derived by combining multivariate statistical analyses with Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, have been recognised for their utility in conservation planning. The size and spatial arrangement of suitable habitat can influence the long-term persistence of some faunal species. In southwestern Victoria, Australia, populations of the rare swamp antechinus (Antechinus minimus maritimus) are threatened by further fragmentation of suitable habitat. In the current study, a spatially explicit habitat suitability model was developed for A. minimus that incorporated a measure of vegetation structure. Models were generated using logistic regression with species presence or absence as the dependent variable and landscape variables, extracted from both GIS data layers and multi-spectral digital imagery, as the predictors. The most parsimonious model, based on the Akaike Information Criterion, was spatially extrapolated in the GIS. Probability of species presence was used as an index of habitat suitability. A negative association between A. minimus presence and both elevation and habitat complexity was evidenced, suggesting a preference for relatively low altitudes and a vegetation structure of low vertical complexity. The predictive performance of the selected model was shown to be high (91%), indicating a good fit of the model to the data. The proportion of the study area predicted as suitable habitat for A. minimus (Probability of occurrence greater-or-equal, slanted0.5) was 11.7%. Habitat suitability maps not only provide baseline information about the spatial arrangement of potentially suitable habitat for a species, but they also help to refine the search for other populations, making them an important conservation tool.