Progress on salt reduction in the Pacific Islands: from strategies to action

BACKGROUND: Most populations are consuming too much salt which is the main contributor of high blood pressure, a leading risk factor of cardiovascular disease and stroke. The South Pacific Office of the World Health Organization has been facilitating the development of salt reduction strategies in Pacific Island Countries and areas (PICs). The objective of this analysis was to review progress to date and identify regional actions needed to support PICs and ensure they achieve the global target to reduce population salt intake by 30% by 2025.
METHODS: Relevant available national food, health and non-communicable disease (NCD) plans from all 22 PICs were reviewed. NCD co-ordinators provided updates and relayed experiences through semi-structured interviews. All activities were systematically categorised according to an existing salt reduction framework for the development of salt reduction strategies.
RESULTS: Salt reduction consultations had been held in 14 countries and final strategies or action plans developed in nine of these, with drafts available in a further three. Three other countries had integrated salt reduction into NCD strategic plans. Baseline monitoring of salt intake had been undertaken in three countries, salt levels in foods in nine countries and salt knowledge, attitude and behaviour surveys in four countries. Most countries were at early stages of implementation and identified limited resources as a barrier to action. Planned salt reduction strategies included work with food industry or importers, implementing regional salt reduction targets, reducing salt levels in school and hospital meals, behaviour change campaigns, and monitoring and evaluation.
CONCLUSIONS: There had been good progress on salt reduction planning in PICs. The need for increased capacity to effectively implement agreed activities, supported by regional standards and the establishment of improved monitoring systems, were identified as important steps to ensure the potential cardiovascular health benefits of salt reduction could be fully realised in the region.

Reconnaissance limnology of Tasmania VI. Biogeographical significance of physicochemical features of coastal lagoons of the islands of Bass Strait

The physicochemical attributes of 66 coastal dune lakes (lagoons) on islands of Bass Strait have been investigated. The full data set is available electronically. Here, selected environmental variables with known ecological significance are presented and, by reference to known sites of floristic richness in Tasmania, the lagoons most likely to harbour endemic freshwater algae are identified, as biogeographical stepping stones between the Tasmanian and mainland Australian microfloras.

Observations on ponticocythereis tricristata (Brady, 1880) from the Admiralty Islands, Papua New Guinea and comments on quaternary ostracod evolution within the sw Pacific Ocean

The ostracod species originally described as Cythere tricristata Brady, 1880 from the Admiralty Islands, Papua New Guinea, appears to belong to the SW Pacific and Australasian genus Ponticocythereis McKenzie, 1967 (sensu Warne & Whatley 1996). This interpretation is based on the presence of some posterior pointing scale-like spines on the carapace surface of this species. SEM images of the type material for Ponticocythereis tricristara n. comb., which are presented here for the first time, enable the clear differentiation of this species from the very similar Ponticocythereis ichthyoderma (Brady, 1890), Ponticocythereis quadriserialis (Brady, 1890) and Ponticocythereis laingensis (Wouters, 1981). As a consequence of the subdued manifestation of scale-like or blade-like spines on adult specimens of P. tricristata, this species closely resembles juvenile rather than adult specimens of some other Ponticocythereis species. This ontogenetic/phylogenetic relationship suggests that paedomorphic processes were significant in the Quaternary evolutionary radiation of Ponticocythereis species within tropical SW Pacific and Australasian regions.

The breeding biology of the White-faced Storm Petrel (Pelagodroma marina) on Mud Islands, Port Phillip Bay, Victoria

The White-faced Storm Petrel (Pelagodroma marina) is restricted to three breeding colonies within Victoria: Mud Islands and South Channel Fort in Port Phillip Bay, and Tullaberga Island off Mallacoota. Numbers of these storm petrels breeding on Mud Islands have declined considerably since early last century. White-faced Storm Petrels were recorded on Mud Islands from early September 2002 until mid-March 2003 when the last chicks fledged. Eggs were laid from late October to early December, with chicks hatching in the later half of December. The mean incubation period was 51.7 days (± 3.2 days (s.d.), range = 38–53, n = 13), and may have been extended by periods of egg neglect. The mean nestling period was 54.8 days (± 4.4 days (s.d.), range 50–70, n = 21). Chick growth is described. Hatching success was 54% and fledging success was 77.8%, with overall breeding success being 42%. Burrow densities were found to be influenced by plant species, vegetation height and soil moisture. The position of the burrow within the colony was shown to influence breeding success, with those nearer the edge of the storm petrel colony, closer to the marsh, and further from a colony of Australian White (Threskiornis molucca) and Straw-necked (T. spinicollis) Ibis recording higher success.

Coastal state fisheries management : a review of Australian enforcement action in the Heard and McDonald Islands Australian Fishing Zone

In 1953 the Heard and McDonald Islands Act, which formalised the transfer of sovereignty over the two named sub-Antarctic islands from the United Kingdom, was passed by the Australian Government. For the ensuing 40 years, Australian management of the Islands was uneventful. The first subAntarctic scientific station was established at Atlas Cove, on Heard Island, in December 1947 following the initial indication by Britain of a willingness to transfer rights to the Islands. In 1987 the Islands, together with their 12 mile territorial sea, were proclaimed a wilderness reserve with a number of activities including fishing and mining prohibited. The same area was included on the WorId Heritage List in 1997. In 1979 a 200 nautical mile Australian Fishing Zone (AFZ) was proclaimed around all Australian territories. In 1994 new terminology was embraced and the Exclusive Economic Zone was declared.

Recolonisation of lagoon of islands, Tasmania, by Baumea Arthrophylla: the first step in regeneration of a unique ecosystem?

Lagoon of Islands was a unique ecosystem. Damming the lagoon in 1964 caused the decline of the ecosystem, destroying the original vegetation and, eventually, rendering the lagoon eutrophic. While this took place the lagoon was colonised by a macrophyte not previously noticed in the lagoon. In an effort to restore acceptable water quality, restoration of macrophyte cover was encouraged by hydrological manipulation. Recent investigations have revealed that one of the original dominant macrophyte species is recolonising the lagoon, creating an alternative management option for the lagoon.

Food insecurity, malnutrition and mortality in Maewo and Ambae islands, Vanuatu

Context: This paper reports on findings from the ex-post evaluation of the Maewo Capacity Building project in Maewo Island, Vanuatu, which was funded by World Vision Australia.
Objectives: To examine the extent to which the infrastructure and systems left behind by the project contributed to the improvement of household food security and health and nutritional outcomes in Maewo Island, using Ambae Island as a comparator.
Setting: Two-stage cluster survey conducted from 6 to 20 July 2004, which included anthropometric measures and 4.5-year retrospective mortality data collection.
Participants: A total of 406 households in Maewo comprising 1623 people and 411 households in Ambae comprising 1799 people.
Main outcome measures: Household food insecurity, crude mortality rate (CMR), under-five mortality rate (U5MR) and malnutrition prevalence among children.
Results: The prevalence of food insecurity without hunger was estimated at 15.3%
(95% confidence interval (CI): 12.1, 19.2%) in Maewo versus 38.2% (95% CI: 33.6, 43.0%) in Ambae, while food insecurity with hunger in children did not vary by location. After controlling for the child’s age and gender, children in Maewo had higher weight-for-age and height-for-age Z-scores than children of the same age in Ambae. The CMR was lower in Maewo (CMR ¼ 0.47/10 000 per day, 95% CI: 0.39, 0.55) than in Ambae (CMR ¼ 0.59/10 000 per day, 95% CI: 0.51, 0.67) but no difference existed in U5MR. The major causes of death were similar in both locations, with frequently reported causes being malaria, acute respiratory infection and
diarrhoeal disease.
Conclusions: Project initiatives in Maewo Island have reduced the risks of mortality and malnutrition. Using a cross-sectional ‘external control group’ design, this paper demonstrates that it is possible to draw conclusions about project effectiveness where baseline data are incomplete or absent. Shifting from donor-driven evaluations to impact evaluations has greater learning value for the organisation, and greater value when reporting back to the beneficiaries about project impact and transformational
development in their community. Public health nutritionists working in the field are well versed in the collection and interpretation of anthropometric data for evaluation of nutritional interventions such as emergency feeding programmes. These same skills can be used to conduct impact evaluations, even some time after project completion, and elucidate lessons to be learned and shared. These skills can also be applied more widely to projects which impact on the longer-term nutritional status of
communities and their food security.

Re-emerging conflict in the Solomon Islands? The underlying causes and triggers of the riots of April 2006

The recent tensions in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, in April 2006 provide a clear warning that despite the presence of the Regional Assistance Mission in the Solomon Islands, led by the Australian government, many of the issues that led to prolonged conflict in 1998 have not yet been adequately addressed. This piece of research examines the root causes of continued conflict as experienced by the people themselves, and the triggers for the sudden explosion of violence in April 2006. It offers insights into the successes and failures of the international presence in the Solomon Islands, as well as presenting local opinions on the likelihood of further conflict. Based on the findings some suggestions are made regarding the targeting of programs, and the adaptations that may need to be made in the approach adopted by the international community.

Exploring the oil price and real GDP nexus for a small island economy, the Fiji Islands

The goal of this paper is to examine the relationship between real GDP and oil prices using time series data for the period 1970–2005. Our main finding is that an increase in oil has a positive, albeit inelastic, impact on real GDP, inconsistent with the bulk of the literature. We argue that this is not a surprising result for the Fiji Islands. Our central argument focuses on two aspects of the Fijian economy: (1) the fact that actual output in Fiji has been around 50 per cent less than potential output; thus, Fiji's actual output has not reached a threshold level at which oil prices can negatively impact output; and (2) a rise in oil prices filters through to value added, which in turn is reflected in a larger actual output.

Flexible delivery in the Australian vocational education and training sector: Barrier to success identified in cases studies of four adult learners

Government policy in Australia is increasingly encouraging training organisations in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector to adopt flexible delivery approaches, but some researchers are sounding a note of caution. Evidence is emerging that Australian VET learners are not universally ready for flexible delivery, and this is reflected in high attrition rates and low pass rates. The literature on flexible delivery identifies a number of specific factors that can impact on the success of adult learners. However, there seems to be agreement that failure or dropout is not determined by a single factor, but by the interaction of a number of factors that build up over time. To understand these factors, we need to understand the learners - what their participation in education means to them, the context in which they are studying, and the numerous inter-connected factors that contribute to their failure to achieve a successful outcome. This paper discusses four case studies from a research project that followed up a small number of adult learners who enrolled in flexible delivery VET courses but did not achieve a successful outcome.