Extending the Workers' Compensation Act 1987 (N.S.W.) to include independent contractors and to allow more highly paid workers to insure fully their income, with particular reference to engineers

In mid-1987, the existing workers’ compensation system in New South Wales was replaced by a new Scheme, called ‘WorkCover’. While WorkCover solved a number of the financial problems that had plagued its predecessor, its enactment created other issues. Furthermore, WorkCover has failed to deal with a number of gaps in providing compensation for occupational injuries, most notably those suffered by independent contractors. By combining a study of aspects of industrial law and industrial relations, this thesis will examine some of those problems and gaps, in particular: (a) Should WorkCover be amended to enable independent contractors to come within its ambit? (b) Should there be additional insurance cover available (known as ‘top-up’ insurance) to insure those parts of workers’ wages presently left unprotected by WorkCover? (c) Should workers be permitted to take out another form of ‘top-up’ insurance to increase the quantum of death cover presently provided by the Scheme? (d) Should independent contractors who arc permitted to enter WorkCover also be permitted to obtain the extended cover set out in (b) and (c) above? Where appropriate, the thesis compares WorkCover to the workers’ compensation schemes in other Australian jurisdictions. It develops each of the matters referred to above by referring to the results of the writer’s survey of members of the Institution of Engineers (NSW Branch) which was conducted in May and June 1991.

Employer matters in 2006

If 2005 was a watershed year with the passing of the Work Choices legislation, then 2006 may well be considered year zero, symbolizing the beginning of a new era of Australian industrial relations under the employer friendly legislative regime. Employer groups were actively engaged in lobbying the Federal Government for further industrial relations reform, particularly in relation to the award rationalization process, and in pressuring the government for codification of the definition of `independent contractors', as a means of immunizing them from many of the rigours currently imposed by employment and labour law. Key employer groups made significant submissions to the newly formed Australian Fair Pay Commission in the lead up to its inaugural minimum wages decision, and though generally urging caution in raising minimum wages, there were nevertheless some differences of emphasis and approach apparent between a number of them. Despite an absence of widespread industrial disputation, the year witnessed a number of employers exercising their newfound powers — including some enhanced legal options — to either by-pass unions or to constrain union activity.

Fasting activates the gene expression of UCP3 independent of genes necessary for lipid transport and oxidation in skeletal muscle

Fasting triggers a complex array of adaptive metabolic and hormonal responses including an augmentation in the capacity for mitochondrial fatty acid (FA) oxidation in skeletal muscle. This study hypothesized that this adaptive response is mediated by increased mRNA of key genes central to the regulation of fat oxidation in human skeletal muscle. Fasting dramatically increased UCP3 gene expression, by 5-fold at 15 h and 10-fold at 40 h. However the expression of key genes responsible for the uptake, transport, oxidation, and re-esterification of FA remained unchanged following 15 and 40 h of fasting. Likewise there was no change in the mRNA abundance of transcription factors. This suggests a unique role for UCP3 in the regulation of FA homeostasis during fasting as adaptation to 40 h of fasting does not require alterations in the expression of other genes necessary for lipid metabolism.

Adaptive behaviour in Australia : what items are essential for assessing independent living?

Adaptive behaviour is important in the assessment of eligibility for intellectual disability services. However, there is some question about which behaviours should be assessed. The purpose of the present study was to clarify which everyday behaviours are considered essential for independent functioning by young adults in the Australian community. Parents, disability workers, and young adults judged the importance of 130 everyday behaviours. Items that assessed safety, health, self-care, functional literacy and numeracy, respecting others' rights, and day-to-day decisionmaking were most frequently rated as essential for independent functioning. Our findings raise important questions about the assessment of adaptive behaviour in Australia, and point to the need for a more valid approach to the measurement of adaptive behaviour for the purpose of eligibility assessment. The research provides a first step towards providing such a scale for use in the Australian context.

Nicotine treatment decreases food intake and body weight via a leptin-independent pathway in Psammomys obesus

It has been reported previously that leptin may be involved in nicotine's ability to reduce body weight. Our aim was to investigate whether the anorexic action of nicotine is related to the actions of leptin by utilizing lean leptin-sensitive and obese leptin-resistant Psammomys obesus. Lean and obese P. obesus were assigned to receive nicotine sulphate at 6, 9 or 12 mg/day or saline (control) for 9 days (n = 6-10 in each group), administered using mini-osmotic pumps. Food intake, body weight, plasma leptin concentrations, plasma insulin and blood glucose were measured at baseline and throughout the study period. Nicotine treatment reduced food intake by up to 40% in lean and obese P. obesus. Plasma leptin levels fell significantly only in lean nicotine-treated animals, whereas no changes were observed in obese nicotine-treated animals. However, both lean and obese nicotine-treated animals had similar reductions in body weight. Our results show that nicotine has dramatic effects on food intake and body weight, however, these changes appear to be independent of the leptin signalling pathway.

A token-based independent update protocol for managing replicated objects

This paper presents the design and evaluation of a token-based protocol supporting independent updates of replicated objects. The paper makes three major contributions. Firstly, a token is used to simplify the control of update propagation and ordering. Secondly a partial commit state is introduced to support independent updates and to enhance the efficiency of transaction processing. Thirdly, a data partition methodology based on priorities is adopted to reduce update conflicts. We evaluate our protocol in comparison of two existing replication-control protocols in terms of transaction processing efficiency.

An analysis of the transition between strain dependent and independent softening in austenite

The post-deformation softening behaviour of austenite has been studied for various compositions and deformation conditions. The strain at which the transition from strain dependent to strain independent post-deformation softening behaviour occurs (ε*) has been found to coincide closely with the strain to the peak stress (εp) under certain conditions but not under others. It has been proposed that the relationship between ε* and εp may be described geometrically using the initial grain size and the dynamically recrystallised grain size.

Labour hire employment and independent contracting in Australia: two inquiries, how much change?

In the past 18 months, two inquiries into labour hire employment have been held in Australia. The first was conducted by the Victorian Parliament's Economic Development Committee, and reported in June 2005. The second, the Federal Government's House of Representatives Standing Committee Inquiry into Independent Contracting and Labour Hire Arrangements, reported in August 2005. This review outlines the findings of those inquiries, and questions the extent to which they have contributed to improving protection for vulnerable workers. It commences with the Victorian inquiry, then turns to the Federal inquiry. Common themes are drawn together in the concluding discussion.

Teacher attitudes and perceptions of primary school music education at independent schools in South Africa

As South Africa enters the new millennium and is currently in its second term of democracy, the question remains: is outcomes-based education preliminary the way forward for learners in South Africa. The new education system recognises the importance of arts education and specifically music education at the primary school level. This article focuses on music education at independent schools in Gauteng, South Africa. The reporting of this article is based on the author's doctoral thesis entitled "Outcomes-based music education in the foundation phase at independent schools in Gauteng, South Africa". The principal form of research was a questionnaire sent to music teachers at primary schools registered with the Independent Schools Council (ISC). The purpose of the questionnaires was to contribute to a study on teachers' perceptions, attitudes and opinions regarding music education and outcomes-based education. The questionnaire was divided into three main sections, namely: personal and professional details, outcomes-based education and general information. Both open and closed types of questions were employed. The questionnaire yielded both ambivalent views about the change of the education system as well as the inclusion of music as an area of learning within "Arts and Culture". It also identified current teaching trends and exposed areas of weakness that call for attention.

Sustained weight loss in obese subjects has benefits that are independent of attained weight

Objective: To explore the hypothesis that sustained weight loss in severely obese patients may have benefits that are independent of their attained BMI. Research Methods and Procedures: We conducted a comparison of two weight-stable groups with BMI in the 30 to 35 kg/m2 range. Subjects (n = 79) were selected obese patients 3 years after laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery, and controls (n = 79) were obese patients seeking weight loss therapy. Subjects were selected in a de-identified manner from our database to best match the control group. A range of clinical, biochemical, and questionnaire measures were obtained to assess obesity-related health status Results: Subjects maintained a mean weight loss of 32.8 plusminus 18 kg after surgery. The weight loss subjects had significantly lower fasting plasma glucose, insulin, and triglyceride concentrations, along with higher high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels and better indirect measures of insulin sensitivity when compared with controls (p < 0.05 for all). In addition, aminotransferase levels, neutrophil counts, and globulin levels were also significantly lower in weight loss subjects. All differences in laboratory variables remained significant after controlling for BMI. The subjects also reported better health-related quality of life, fewer symptoms of depression, and greater satisfaction with their appearance than controls. Discussion: These findings suggest that the post-weight loss state conveys benefits that are greater than predicted by the attained BMI. These findings may have important implications regarding the expectations of weight loss therapy, and mechanisms for this effect should be carefully sought.

Zebrafish SPI-1 marks a site of myeloid development independent of primitive erythropoiesis: implications for axial patterning.

The mammalian transcription factor SPI-1 (synonyms: SPI1, PU.1, or Sfpi1) plays a critical role in myeloid development. To examine early myeloid commitment in the zebrafish embryo, we isolated a gene from zebrafish that is a SPI-1 orthologue on the basis of homology and phylogenetic considerations. The zebrafish spi1 (pu1) gene was first expressed at 12 h postfertilization in rostral lateral plate mesoderm (LPM), anatomically isolated from erythroid development in caudal lateral plate mesoderm. Fate-mapping traced rostral LPM cells from the region of initial spi1 expression to a myeloid fate. spi1 expression was lost in the bloodless mutant cloche, but rostral spi1 expression and myeloid development were preserved in the mutant spadetail, despite its complete erythropoietic failure. This dissociation of myeloid and erythroid development was further explored in studies of embryos overexpressing BMP-4, or chordin, in bmp-deficient swirl and snailhouse mutants, and chordin-deficient chordino mutants. These studies demonstrate that, in zebrafish, spi1 marks a rostral population of LPM cells committed to a myeloid fate anatomically separated from and developmentally independent of erythroid commitment in the caudal LPM. Such complete anatomical and developmental dissociation of two hematopoietic lineages adds an interesting complexity to the understanding of vertebrate hematopoietic development and presents significant implications for the mechanisms regulating axial patterning.

The subcellular fractionation properties and function of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) are independent of cytoskeletal integrity

Efficient insulin action requires spatial and temporal coordination of signaling cascades. The prototypical insulin receptor substrate, IRS-1 plays a central role in insulin signaling. By subcellular fractionation IRS-1 is enriched in a particulate fraction, termed the high speed pellet (HSP), and its redistribution from this fraction is associated with signal attenuation and insulin resistance. Anecdotal evidence suggests the cytoskeleton may underpin the localization of IRS-1 to the HSP. In the present study we have taken a systematic approach to examine whether the cytoskeleton contributes to the subcellular fractionation properties and function of IRS-1. By standard microscopy or immunoprecipitation we were unable to detect evidence to support a specific interaction between IRS-1 and the major cytoskeletal components actin (microfilaments), vimentin (intermediate filaments), and tubulin (microtubules) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes or in CHO.IR.IRS-1 cells. Pharmacological disruption of microfilaments and microtubules, individually or in combination, was without effect on the subcellular distribution of IRS-1 or insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation in either cell type. Phosphorylation of Akt was modestly reduced (20–35%) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes but not in CHO.IR.IRS-1 cells. In cells lacking intermediate filaments (Vim^−/−) IRS-1 expression, distribution and insulin-stimulated phosphorylation appeared normal. Even after depolymerisation of microfilaments and microtubules, insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of IRS-1 and Akt were maintained in Vim^−/− cells. Taken together these data indicate that the characteristic subcellular fractionation properties and function of IRS-1 are unlikely to be mediated by cytoskeletal networks and that proximal insulin signaling does not require an intact cytoskeleton.

The future of Victoria's greatest asset : the coast. An independent review of the Coastal Management Act 1995 after ten years of operation

This report is in essence a critique of the Victorian Coastal Management Act 1995 (VCMA), followed by recommendations for improving the Act and its implementation. The author recognises that of course the Coastal Management Act 1995 is far from the sole piece of legislation or element of governance for Victorian coastal planning and management (see Wescott, 1988.1990,1993,1995, Birrell,1994). But the Act is the leading element of Victorian coastal governance and hence an analysis and critique of its operation after ten years, and recommendations for improvements to the Act, should enhance future coastal planning and management.