Ecological attributes of strategic land acquisitions for addition to Victoria's public protected area estate : 2004-2005

The development of a comprehensive, adequate and representative reserve system is the key objective of the National Reserve System, and is supported by all Australian States and Territories. In Victoria, the purchase of private land for incorporation into the parks and reserves system assists in the protection of some of the State’s most endangered ecosystems. This article outlines the ecological attributes of private land purchased for addition to the Victorian public protected area system between 2004 and 2005.

The long and winding road : the development of a comprehensive, adequate and representative system of highly protected marine protected areas in Victoria, Australia

In 2002, the state of Victoria, Australia increased its “no-take” marine protected areas (MPAs) 100 fold to cover over 5% of its coastal waters in a comprehensive, adequate and representative system of marine national parks and sanctuaries. Given the ambitious targets set for MPA establishment globally in 2003 at the World Summit for Sustainable Development this apparently remarkable achievement could be an example to other nations and states attempting to establish substantial MPA systems.

This paper describes and discusses the factors that contributed to the establishment of the Victorian system and the relevance of these factors to other jurisdictions.

Investigating the distribution of acacia longifolia ssp. sophorae in south-west Victoria using satellite remote sensing and GIS

Mapping and analysis of the distribution of environmental weeds is an important component of strategic weed management. Such information is particularly important in managing 'native invaders', where invasion characteristics must be clearly understood prior to any management action being taken. This paper reports on an investigation of the current distribution of the native invader Acacia longifolia ssp. sophorae (Labill.) Court (coast wattle) in south-west Victoria, using remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Coast wattle was successfully mapped from Landsat ETM imagery using a supervised classification procedure, with 82%, of coast wattle shown on the map accurately depicting coast wattle on the ground. An estimated 11,448 ha were classified as supporting coast wattle, representing 12% of native vegetation in the study area. A more detailed GIS analysis in the Lower Glenelg National Park revealed coast wattle has invaded a limited number of vegetation types, and is more prevalent close to roads and within management zones associated with disturbance. The current regional extent of the species means widespread control is unlikely; hence the immediate focus should be on preventing further spread into areas where it is currently absent. Landsat imagery also proved to be a successful tool for mapping large scale coast wattle distribution, and could be used in long-term monitoring of the species.

Spatial and temporal changes in abundance of the infaunal bivalve Soletellina alba (Lamark, 1818) during a time of drought in the seasonally-closed Hopkins River Estuary, Victoria Australia

The infaunal bivalve Soletellina alba is susceptible to mass mortalities during annual winter flooding in the Hopkins River Estuary, southern Australia. Periods of low salinity (≤1) are the likely cause of these mass mortality events, which can occur in seasonally-closed estuaries when high winter flows are sufficient to flush all salt water from the estuary. Core samples of S. alba were collected from two water depths across four times and at three sites near the mouth of the estuary. Minimal to zero abundances of large S. alba (>1 mm) were expected to be sampled, particularly at the shallower water depth, during a typical winter flood event. However, the present study occurred during a period of drought, which led to the absence of winter flooding. This absence of winter flooding prevented the occurrence of lethal salinities (i.e. ≤1) in the estuary during this period and a greater number of living S. alba adults were sampled. Abundances of juvenile and adult S. alba were still variable, even in the absence of winter flooding, and reflected an interaction between date, site and water depth. However, no mass mortalities of adults were observed during the drought conditions in contrast to what occurs during typical winter flood events and provides support for the hypothesis that winter flooding is responsible for past mass mortalities.

Feeding the chooks in the country: a study of successful public relations media strategies in regional Victoria

"Media reporting on regional issues has tended to focus on the negative leaving many urban based Australians with a bleak portrait of rural Australia and it's fuure." (McNeill 2003) This paper looks at the two regional centres of Ballarat and Warrnambool. Through analysis of local papers and in conjunction with interviews with local journalists and public relations practitioners, it begins a dissection of the news production process in these locales. Content analysis reveals the nature of news coverage and the role of key sources, in particular public relations, determining the type of coverage in these centres.

Factors affecting patch occupancy by the white-browed treecreeper Climacteris Affinis in an agricultural landscape in north-west Victoria, Australia

The survival of habitat-dependent fauna within agricultural mosaics depends on their ability to occupy remnant habitat patches and move through the modified landscape. In north-west Victoria, Australia, less than 10% of the pre-European extent of Selah Casuarina pauper woodland remains intact due to agricultural development. The White-browed Treecreeper Climacteris affinis, is a small, insectivorous passerine that, in this region, preferentially inhabits Selah woodland. To assess the ability of C. affinis to persist in an agricultural landscape, 30 woodland sites in the Millewa landscape (34°30'S, 141°30'E) were surveyed, and patterns of patch occupancy used to examine the influence of spatial characteristics, landscape context and grazing by stock on the suitability of remnants as C. affinis habitat. Sites occupied by C. affinis were larger and less likely to be grazed by stock than vacant patches. The area-dependency of patch occupancy represents a step-threshold: C. affinis were not detected in remnants with less than 18.5 ha of Selah woodland but above this threshold, density was not correlated with patch area. Measures of patch isolation, the existence of linking linear "corridors" and tree density were not reliable indicators of patch occupancy. The presence of the species in remnants entirely surrounded by agricultural land suggests they are capable of crossing up to 450 m of cultivated land to prospect for habitat. The extensive network of linear vegetation and the numerous small remnants and scattered trees appear to facilitate movements of C. affinis in this landscape. Increasing the size of existing remnants, creating new habitat to expand the area of occupancy and maintaining landscape connectivity are priorities for the long-term management of this threatened species.

Obesity and undernutrition in sub-Saharan African immigrant and refugee children in Victoria, Australia

The study assessed the anthropometric status of 337 sub-Saharan African children aged between 3-12 years who migrated to Australia. These children were selected using a snowball sampling method stratified by age, gender and region of origin. The prevalence rates for overweight and obesity were 18.4% (95%CI: 14 - 23%) and 8.6% (95%CI: 6% -12%) respectively. The prevalence rates for the indicators of undernutrition were: wasting 4.3% (95%CI: 1.6%-9.1%), underweight 1.2% (95%CI: 0.3%-3.0%), and stunting 0.3 (95%CI: 0.0%-1.6%). Higher prevalence of overweight/obesity was associated with lower household income level, fewer siblings, lower birth weight, western African background, and single parent households (after controlling for demographic and socio-economic factors). Higher prevalence rates for underweight and wasting were associated with lower household income and shorter lengths of stay in Australia respectively. No effect was found for child's age, gender, parental education and occupation for both obesity and undernutrition indices. In conclusion, obesity and overweight are very prevalent in SSA migrant children and undernutrition, especially wasting, was also not uncommon in this target group.

An exploration of issues of management and intention to stay : allied health professionals in south west Victoria, Australia

Management of allied health staff and services often has implications for staff stability and retention. A survey of allied health staff in South West Victoria was conducted in 2003 to explore issues relating to recruitment and retention. Findings relating to management and retention of staff in their current job are addressed in this report. A total of 138 staff returned their questionnaires. Results were related to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, level of belonging, with professional needs identified as feeling supported, orientation to the position, clear job description, and able to recommend the position to others. Qualitative data showed that recommending the position was associated with job satisfaction, autonomy, flexibility, and variety of work. The immediate management structure was significantly related to retention. Reasons given for intending to leave were related to management categories. These were management structure, lack of career structure, and lack of professional support. Reasons given by respondents for not recommending their current position were as follows: not for long-term career, risk of deskilling if staying too long, and financially unrewarding. These reasons were also related to management. Positive reasons for staying, which were related to management, included flexible work conditions, variety of clinical and management experience, good working environment, good support, and autonomy. Recommendations are given for organizational development and training for managers.

Community governance in rural Victoria: Rethinking grassroots democracy?

The development of local community associations in small rural towns in Victoria has engendered a sense of local self-governing that can be described as a shift from government to governance. This ‘more flexible’ approach extends beyond government, and the place of its agencies, to a greater sharing of power between the state, the market and civil society via new network and partnership structures. The question arises whether  community networks and partnerships bring with them a new sense of  democracy as well. The paper begins with a discussion of governance, its  relationship to two democratic frameworks - liberal minimalism (or representative governance) and associationalism - and the implications for democracy in community governance. Focusing on three internal factors (accountability of the leadership, inclusiveness and the scope of  responsibility), and two external factors (relationships to the state and types of relationships with other groups), the paper then explores the ways that community governance has been adopted in rural Victoria using in-depth interviews and a survey of community groups in 35 small rural towns. The ensuing discussion argues that while these community associations may be involved in forms of associational democracy, there is still some doubt about the inclusiveness of their membership and the extent to which their advocacy represents all sections of their communities. The paper then  concludes by suggesting that representative and associational forms of democracy need not be seen as opposites but as a more enhanced form of local governance.

Estimates of Heterozostera tasmanica, Zostera muelleri and Ruppia megacarpa distribution and biomass in the Hopkins Estuary, western Victoria, by GIS

Knowledge of the spatial arrangement of the seagrass distribution and biomass within the Hopkins Estuary is an essential step towards gaining an understanding of the functioning of the estuarine ecosystem. This study marks the first attempt to map seagrass distribution and model seagrass biomass and epiphyte biomass along depth gradients by the use of global positioning system (GPS) and geographical information system (GIS) technologies in the estuary. For mapping seagrass in small estuaries, ground-surveying the entire system is feasible. Three species of seagrasses, Heterozostera tasmanica (Martens ex Aschers), Zostera muelleri (Irmisch ex Aschers) and Ruppia megacarpa (Mason), were identified in the Hopkins Estuary. All beds investigated contained a mixed species relationship. Three harvest techniques were trialed in a pilot study, with the 25 × 25-cm quadrat statistically most appropriate. Biomass of seagrasses and epiphytes was found to vary significantly with depth, but not between sites. The average estimate of biomass for total seagrasses and their epiphytes in the estuary in January 2000 was 222.7 g m^–2 (dry weight). Of the total biomass, 50.6% or 112.7 g m^–2 (dry weight) was contributed by seagrasses and 49.4% of the biomass (110.0 g m^–2) were epiphytes. Of the 50.6% of the total biomass represented by seagrasses, 39.3% (87.5 g m^–2) were leaves and 11.3% (25.2 g m^–2) were rhizomes. The total area of seagrasses present in the Hopkins Estuary was estimated to be 0.4 ± 0.005 km², with the total area of the estuary estimated to be 1.6 ± 0.02 km² (25% cover). The total standing crop of seagrasses and epiphytes in the Hopkins Estuary in January 2000 was estimated to be 102.3 ± 57 t in dry weight, 56% (56.9 ± 17 t, dry weight) seagrasses and 44% (45.4 ± 19 t, dry weight) epiphytes. Of the seagrass biomass, 39% (39.7 ± 13 t, dry weight) was contributed by leaves and 17% (17.3 ± 7 t, dry weight) by rhizomes.

Measuring Victoria

Efforts to integrate measures of well-being and sustainability have long existed within the literature. A recent approach is the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI). The GPI is a monetary-based index that has been designed to ascertain the impact of a growing economy on sustainable well-being. The GPI is comprised of a large number of individual items that account for these wide-ranging impacts of economic growth, including social and environmental benefits and costs as well as those of the standard economic variety. Within this paper, the methodology of the GPI is presented. The impact of economic growth on sustainable well-being is also briefly reviewed for Victoria. This analysis is conducted by estimating a GPI for Victoria over the period 1986-2003.

Access to breast prostheses via a government-funded service in Victoria, Australia

For many women, the only alternative to breast reconstruction following a mastectomy is to use external prostheses, which need replacing regularly at a cost of up to $395 per prosthesis. Commonwealth and state governments across Australia have responded to this need by providing subsidies to assist in the purchase of breast prostheses. However, current arrangements have been highly variable and sometimes difficult to access. As part of a larger review of breast pros-thesis services in Victoria, Australia, the aim of this research was to evaluate client satisfaction among Victorian women who accessed funds through the State Government's Aids and Equipment Program, compare the responses of the program service providers with the experiences of clients accessing funding, and identify opportunities to improve service provision.

Governance in rural communities: the case of Victoria

State and federal government policies for rural areas have encouraged local people and organizations to play a greater role in the provision of their local services. This emphasis on local participation has been described as a shift from ‘government’ to ‘governance’. However while there is an emerging research around small towns in Australia there is very little known about the processes of community governance. This paper focuses on local development groups in small towns in rural Victoria that have emerged or have been reconstituted with a broader community focus following municipal amalgamations. The basic aim of this paper is analyse to what degree these local community development groups can be regarded as constituting a form of community governance and the implications this has for democracy and accountability in small rural areas. The paper begins with a discussion of community governance as it represented in the literature. We then analyse ten case studies from across Victoria in the light of the changing political context.

Whither sporting heritage : reflections on debates in Victoria about Waverley Park and the Melbourne Cricket Ground

The successful nomination of Waverley Park to the Victorian Historic Register
proved as controversial as the stadium was during its thirty-year existence. The
nomination was accepted primarily on the grounds of the social historical value of the site, rather than its architectural or engineering qualities, but in fact a range of different social histories were in conflict during the registration process. Four of the social histories involved are outlined and their influence on the outcome assessed. Some of the implications for the evaluation of sporting heritage sites emerge therefrom (Hay, R., Lazenby, C., Lewis, N., Haig-Muir, M., Mewett, P., 2001).