Impact of the introduction of machine gaming in Queensland on minor and major bingo

Material for this paper comes from as report commissioned by the Department of Family Services, Aboriginal and Islander Affairs. The report is the result of a multi strategy research project designed to assess the impact of gaming machines on the fundraising capacity of charitable and community organisations in Queensland. The study was conducted during the 1993 calendar year. The first Queensland gaming machine was commissioned on the 11 February, 1992 at 11.30 am in Brisbane at the Kedron Wavell Services Club. Eighteen more clubs followed that week. Six months later there were gaming machines in 335 clubs, and 250 hotels and taverns, representing a state wide total of 7,974 machines in operation. The 10,000 gaming machine was commissioned on the 18 March, 1993 and the 1,000 operational gaming machine site was opened on 18th February, 1994.

Crimes against morality

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the relationship between crime and morality, with a specific focus on crimes against morality. While we argue that all crimes have a general moral basis, condemned as ‘wrong’ or ‘bad’ and proscribed by a society, there is a specific group of offences in modern democratic nations labelled crimes against morality. Included within this group are offences related to prostitution, pornography and homosexuality. What do these crimes have in common? Most clearly they tend to have a sexual basis and are often argued to do sexual harm, in both a moral and/or psychological sense, as well as physically. Conversely they are often argued to be victimless crimes, especially when the acts occur between consenting adults. Finally, they are considered essentially private acts but they often occur and, are regulated, in the public domain. Most importantly, each of these crimes against morality has only relatively recently (i.e. in the past 150 years) become identified and regulated by the state as a criminal offence. First, we discuss philosophically the issue of morality and its historical relationship to Christianity, especially with regard to the issue of prostitution. Second, we examine the relationship between public and private morality and how this distinction regulates licit and illicit sex in our society through the example of homosexuality. Finally we discuss the notion of the victimless crime through the example of pornography.

Crimes against morality

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the relationship between crime and morality, with a specific focus on crimes against morality. While we argue that all crimes have a general moral basis, condemned as ‘wrong’ or ‘bad’ and proscribed by a society, there is a specific group of offences in modern democratic nations labelled ‘crimes against morality’. Included within this group are offences related to prostitution, pornography and homosexuality. What do these crimes have in common? Most clearly they tend to have a sexual basis and are often argued to do sexual harm, in both a moral and/or psychological sense, as well as physically. Conversely in some cases they are argued to be victimless crimes, especially when the acts occur between consenting adults. Finally, they are considered essentially private acts but they often occur, and are regulated, in the public domain. Most importantly, each of these crimes against morality has only relatively recently (i.e. in the past 150 years) become identified and regulated by the state as a criminal offence. First, we discuss philosophically the nexus between sex, crime and morality, especially with regard to the issue of prostitution. Second, we examine the relationship between public and private morality and how this dis¬tinction regulates licit and illicit sex in our society through the example of homosexuality. Finally we discuss the notion of sex as harm through the example of pornography.

How should Australia regulate voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide?

The purpose of this paper is to provide a basis from which to start an informed and rational dialogue in Australia about voluntary euthanasia (VE) and assisted suicide (AS). It does this by seeking to chart the broad landscape of issues that can be raised as relevant to how this conduct should be regulated by the law. It is not our purpose to persuade. Rather, we have attempted to address the issues as neutrally as possible and to canvass both sides of the argument in an even-handed manner. We hope that this exercise places the reader in a position to consider the question posed by this paper: How should Australia regulate voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide? In line with the approach taken in the paper, this question does not take sides in the debate. It simply asks how VE and AS should be regulated, acknowledging that both prohibition and legalisation of such conduct involve regulation. We begin by considering the wider legal framework that governs end of life decision-making. Decisions to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment that result in a person’s death can be lawful. This could be because, for example, a competent adult refuses such treatment. Alternatively, stopping or not providing treatment can be lawful when it is no longer in a person’s best interests to receive it. The law also recognises that appropriate palliative care should not attract criminal responsibility. By contrast, VE and AS are unlawful in Australia and could lead to prosecution for crimes such as murder, manslaughter or aiding and abetting suicide. But this is not to say that such conduct does not occur in practice. Indeed, there is a body of evidence that VE and AS occur in Australia, despite them being unlawful. There have been repeated efforts to change the law in this country, mainly by the minor political parties. However, apart from a brief period when VE and AS was lawful in the Northern Territory, these attempts to reform the law have been unsuccessful. The position is different in a small but increasing number of jurisdictions overseas where such conduct is lawful. The most well known is the Netherlands but there are also statutory regimes that regulate VE and/or AS in Belgium and Luxembourg in Europe, and Oregon and Washington in the United States. A feature of these legislative models is that they incorporate review or oversight processes that enable the collection of data about how the law is being used. As a result, there is a significant body of evidence that is available for consideration to assess the operation of the law in these jurisdictions and some of this is considered briefly here. Assisting a suicide, if done for selfless motives, is also legal in Switzerland, and this has resulted in what has been referred to as ‘euthanasia tourism’. This model is also considered. The paper also identifies the major arguments in favour of, and against, legalisation of VE and AS. Arguments often advanced in favour of law reform include respect for autonomy, that public opinion favours reform, and that the current law is incoherent and discriminatory. Key arguments against legalising VE and AS point to the sanctity of life, concerns about the adequacy and effectiveness of safeguards, and a ‘slippery slope’ that will allow euthanasia to occur for minors or for adults where it is not voluntary. We have also attempted to step beyond these well trodden and often rehearsed cases ‘for and against’. To this end, we have identified some ethical values that might span both sides of the debate and perhaps be the subject of wider consensus. We then outline a framework for considering the issue of how Australia should regulate VE and AS. We begin by asking whether such conduct should be criminal acts (as they presently are). If VE and AS should continue to attract criminal responsibility, the next step is to enquire whether the law should punish such conduct more or less than is presently the case, or whether the law should stay the same. If a change is favoured as to how the criminal law punishes VE and AS, options considered include sentencing reform, creating context-specific offences or developing prosecutorial guidelines for how the criminal justice system deals with these issues. If VE and AS should not be criminal acts, then questions arise as to how and when they should be permitted and regulated. Possible elements of any reform model include: ensuring decision-making is competent and voluntary; ascertaining a person’s eligibility to utilise the regime, for example, whether it depends on him or her having a terminal illness or experiencing pain and suffering; and setting out processes for how any decision must be made and evidenced. Options to bring about decriminalisation include challenging the validity of laws that make VE and AS unlawful, recognising a defence to criminal prosecution, or creating a statutory framework to regulate the practice. We conclude the paper where we started: with a call for rational and informed consideration of a difficult and sensitive issue. How should Australia regulate voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide?

Insights into the role and function of L2, the minor capsid protein of papillomaviruses

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are responsible for the most common human sexually transmitted viral infections, and high-risk types are responsible for causing cervical and other cancers. The minor capsid protein L2 of HPV plays important roles in virus entry into cells, localisation of viral components to the nucleus, in DNA binding, capsid formation and stability. It also elicits antibodies that are more cross-reactive between HPV types than does the major capsid protein L1, making it an attractive potential target for new-generation, more broadly protective subunit vaccines against HPV infections. However, its low abundance in natural capsids-12-72 molecules per 360 copies of L1-limits its immunogenicity. This review will explore the biological roles of the protein, and prospects for its use in new vaccines. © 2009 Springer-Verlag.

Air crimes and atmospheric justice

This chapter explores the political economy of air pollution. It draws on discourses of power, harm and violence to analyse air pollution within emerging frameworks of 'eco-crime' and atmospheric justice' (see Vanderheiden 2008; Walters 2010). In doing so, it identifies how green criminology continues to push new boundaries by engaging with issues of both global and local concern.

Minor head trauma – induced sporadic hemiplegic migraine coma

Familial hemiplegic migraine is a severe, rare subtype of migraine. Gene mutations on chromosome 19 have been identified in the calcium channel, voltage-dependent, P/Q type, alpha-1A subunit gene (chromosome 19p13) for familial hemiplegic migraine. Recently a gene mutation (Serine-218-Leucine) for a dramatic syndrome associated with familial hemiplegic migraine, commonly named “migraine coma”, has implicated exon 5 of this gene. The occurrence of trivial head trauma, in such familial hemiplegic migraine patients, may also be complicated by severe, sometimes even fatal, cerebral edema and coma occurring after a lucid interval. Sporadic hemiplegic migraine shares a similar spectrum of clinical presentation and genetic heterogeneity. The case report presented in this article implicates the involvement of the Serine-218-Leucine mutation in the extremely rare disorder of minor head trauma–induced migraine coma. We conclude that the Serine-218-Leucine mutation in the calcium channel, voltage-dependent, P/Q type, alpha-1A subunit gene is involved in sporadic hemiplegic migraine, delayed cerebral edema and coma after minor head trauma.

Populism, law and order and the crimes of the 1%

The article examines the evidence of endemic financial crime in the global financial crisis (GFC), the legal impunity surrounding these crimes and the popular revolt against these abuses in the financial, political and legal systems. This is set against a consideration of the development since the 1970s of a conservative politics championing de-regulation, unfettered markets, welfare cuts and harsh law and order policies. On the one hand, this led to massively increased inequality and concentrations of wealth and political power in the hands of the super-rich, effectively placing them above the law, as the GFC revealed. On the other, a greatly enlarged, more punitive criminal justice system was directed at poor and minority communities. Explanations in terms of the rise of penal populism are helpful in explaining these developments, but it is argued they adopt a limited and reductionist view of populism, failing to see the prospects for a progressive populist politics to re-direct political attention to issues of inequality and corporate and white collar criminality.

Toxic state–corporate crimes, Neo-liberalism and green criminology : the hazards and legacies of the oil, chemical and mineral industries

This paper uses examples from the history and practices of multi-national and large companies in the oil, chemical and asbestos industries to examine their legal and illegal despoiling and destruction of the environment and impact on human and non-human life. The discussion draws on the literature on green criminology and state-corporate crime and considers measures and arrangements that might mitigate or prevent such damaging acts. This paper is part of ongoing work on green criminology and crimes of the economy. It places these actions and crimes in the context of a global neo-liberal economic system and considers and critiques the distorting impact of the GDP model of ‘economic health’ and its consequences for the environment.

Safety management in repair, maintenance, minor alteration, and addition works : knowledge management perspective

Safety of repair, maintenance, alteration, and addition (RMAA) works have long been neglected because RMAAworks are often minute and only last for a short period of time. With rising importance of the RMAA sector in many developed societies, safety of RMAA works has begun to draw attention. Many RMAA contracting companies are small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that do not have comprehensive safety management systems. Existing safety legislation and regulations for new construction sites are not fully applicable to RMAAworks. Instead of relying on explicit and well-established safety systems, tacit safety knowledge plays an extremely important role in RMAA projects. To improve safety of RMAAworks, safety knowledge should be better managed. However, safety knowledge is difficult to capture in RMAA works. This study aims to examine safety management practices of RMAA contracting companies to see how safety knowledge of RMAA projects is managed. Findings show that RMAA contracting companies undertaking large-scale RMAA projects have more initiatives of safety management. Safety management of small-scale RMAA works relies heavily on the motivation of site supervisors and self-regulation of workers. Better tacit knowledge management improves safety performance. To enhance safety capability of RMAA contracting companies, a knowledge sharing culture should be cultivated. The government should provide assistance to SMEs to implement proper safety management practices in small-sized projects. Potentials of applying computer software technology in RMAA projects to capture, store, and retrieve safety information should be explored. Employees should be motivated to share safety knowledge by giving proper recognition to those who are willing to share.

Safety climate and injury occurrence of repair, maintenance, minor alteration and addition works : a comparison of workers, supervisors and managers

Purpose The repair, maintenance, minor alteration and addition (RMAA) sector has been expanding in many developed cities. Safety problems of the RMAA sector have attracted the attention of many governments. This study has the objectives of comparing the level of safety climate of workers, supervisors and managers in the RMAA sector; and explaining/ predicting the impact of safety climate on injury occurrence of workers, supervisors and managers. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was administered to RMAA contracting companies in Hong Kong. Findings When comparing the safety climate perception of workers, supervisors and managers in the RMAA sector, the supervisors group had the lowest mean safety climate score. Results showed that a positive workforce safety attitude and acceptance of safety rules and regulations reduced the workers’ likelihood of having injuries. A reasonable production schedule led to a lower probability of supervisors being injured. Management commitment and effective safety management reduced the probability of managers being injured. Originality/value This study revealed variations of safety climate at the different levels in the organizational hierarchy and their varying influence on safety performance of the RMAA sector. Safety of RMAA works could be improved by promulgating specific safety measures at the different hierarchy levels.

Fatalities of repair, maintenance, minor alteration, and addition works in Hong Kong

This study examines fatalities of repair, maintenance, minor alteration, and addition (RMAA) works which occurred in Hong Kong between January 2000 and October 2011. A total of 119 RMAA fatalities were recorded. Particular emphasis was placed on fall from height accidents as they accounted for the vast majority of RMAA fatal accidents for the period. A cluster analysis was conducted on fall from height fatal cases. The cluster analysis clearly identified three groups of fall from height fatalities: (1) bamboo scaffolders aged between 25 and 34 who fell from external wall/facade in the beginning of weekdays; (2) miscellaneous workers aged between 45 and 54 who fell from other/unknown places in the end of weekdays; and (3) manual labour aged between 35 and 44 who fell at floor level/from floor openings in weekends. Unsafe process and improper procedures were the main unsafe condition leading to fatalities whereas safety belt not properly used was the main unsafe action leading to fatalities. Specific safety interventions were recommended for each of these groups to help avoid these fatalities.

Relationships between safety climate and safety performance of building repair, maintenance, minor alteration, and addition (RMAA) works

The importance of repair, maintenance, minor alteration, and addition (RMAA) works is increasing in many built societies. When the volume of RMAA works increases, the occurrence of RMAA accidents also increases. Safety of RMAA works deserves more attention; however, research in this important topic remains limited. Safety climate is considered a key factor that influences safety performance. The present study aims to determine the relationships between safety climate and safety performance of RMAA works, thereby offering recommendations on improving RMAA safety. Questionnaires were dispatched to private property management companies, maintenance sections of quasi-government developers and their subcontractors, RMAA sections of general contractors, small RMAA contractors, building services contractors and trade unions in Hong Kong. In total, data from 396 questionnaires were collected from RMAA workers. The sample was divided into two equal-sized sub-samples. On the first sub-sample SEM was used to test the model, which was validated on the second sub-sample. The model revealed a significant negative relationship between RMAA safety climate and incidence of self-reported near misses and injuries, and significant positive relationships between RMAA safety climate and safety participation and safety compliance respectively. Higher RMAA safety climate was positively associated with a lower incidence of self-reported near misses and injuries and higher levels of safety participation and safety compliance.

Determining safety climate factors in the repair, maintenance, minor alteration, and addition sector of Hong Kong

The accident record of the repair, maintenance, minor alteration, and addition (RMAA) sector has been alarmingly high; however, research in the RMAA sector remains limited. Unsafe behavior is considered one of the key causes of accidents. Thus, the organizational factors that influence individual safety behavior at work continue to be the focus of many studies. The safety climate, which reflects the true priority of safety in an organization, has drawn much attention. Safety climate measurement helps to identify areas for safety improvement. The current study aims to identify safety climate factors in the RMAA sector. A questionnaire survey was conducted in the RMAA sector in Hong Kong. Data were randomly split into the calibration and the validation samples. The RMAA safety climate factors were determined by exploratory factor analysis on the calibration sample. Three safety climate factors of the RMAA works were identified: (1) management commitment to occupational health and safety (OHS) and employee involvement, (2) application of safety rules and work practices, and; (3) responsibility for health and safety. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was then conducted on the validation sample. The CFA model showed satisfactory goodness of fit, reliability, and validity. The suggested RMAA safety climate factors can be utilized by construction industry practitioners in developed economies to measure the safety climate of their RMAA projects, thereby enhancing the safety of RMAA works.

Strategies for improving safety performance of repair, maintenance, minor alteration and addition (RMAA) works

Purpose Managing and maintaining infrastructure assets are one of the indispensible tasks for many government agencies to preserve the nations' economic viability and social welfare. To reduce the expenditures over the life-cycle of an infrastructure asset and extend the period for which the asset performs effectively, proper repair and maintenance are essential. While repair, maintenance, minor alteration and addition (RMAA) sector is expanding in many developed cities, occurrences of fatalities and injuries in this sector are also soaring. The purposes of this paper are to identify and then evaluate the various strategies for improving the safety performance of RMAA works. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews and two rounds of Delphi survey were conducted for data collection. Findings Raising safety awareness of RMAA workers and selecting contractors with a good record of safety performance are the two most important strategies to improve the safety performance in this sector. Technology innovations and a pay-for-safety scheme are regarded as the two least important strategies. Originality/value The paper highlights possible ways to enhance safety of the rather under-explored RMAA sector in the construction industry.