Property law reforms in Queensland: Is the regulatory burden on land transactions reduced?

The reduction of unnecessary regulation was a clear policy objective of the Queensland government during 2014. In the area of property sales significant reforms were introduced from 1 December 2014. This article examines the key aspects of these reforms and whether there has been a reduction in red tape for sellers and buyers of land.

A workplace-based Participatory Action Research project to investigate the effectiveness of nutrition and physical activity interventions for truck drivers in six Queensland transport industry workplaces: 2012-2015

The Queensland Transport Industry Workplace Health Intervention project was a Participatory Action Research (PAR) project to investigate the effectiveness of workplace-based nutrition and physical activity health promotion interventions for truck drivers in transport industry workplaces in south-east Queensland. The project was conducted by a research team at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), and was funded by the Queensland Government under the Healthier.Happier.Workplaces initiative.

Catholic teachers’ postgraduate qualifications and students’ end of schooling outcomes: A large scale Queensland based comparative study

A key feature of the current era of Australian schooling is the dominance of publically available student, school and teacher performance data. Our paper examines the intersection of data on teachers’ postgraduate qualifications and students’ end of schooling outcomes in 26 Catholic Systemic Secondary Schools and 18 Catholic Independent Secondary Schools throughout the State of Queensland. We introduce and justify taking up a new socially-just measurement model of students’ end of schooling outcomes, called the ‘Tracking and Academic Management Index’, otherwise known as ‘TAMI’. Additional analysis is focused on the outcomes of top-end students vis-à-vis all students who are encouraged to remain in institutionalised education of one form or another for the two final years of senior secondary schooling. These findings of the correlations between Catholic teachers’ postgraduate qualifications and students’ end of schooling outcomes are also compared with teachers’ postgraduate qualifications and students’ end of schooling outcomes across 174 Queensland Government Secondary Schools and 58 Queensland Independent Secondary Schools from the same data collection period. The findings raise important questions about the transference of teachers’ postgraduate qualifications for progressing students’ end of schooling outcomes as well as the performance of Queensland Catholic Systemic Secondary Schools and Queensland Catholic Independent Secondary Schools during a particular era of education.

Groundwater balance research to improve the accuracy of drawdown predictions in the Surat Basin, Queensland

Groundwater modelling studies rely on an accurate determination of inputs and outputs that make up the water balance. Often there is large uncertainty associated with estimates of recharge and unmetered groundwater use. This can translate to equivalent uncertainty in the forecasting of sustainable yields, impacts of extraction, and susceptibility of groundwater dependent ecosystems. In the case of Coal Seam Gas, it is important to characterise the temporal and special distribution of depressurisation in the reservoir and how this may or may not extend to the adjacent aquifers. A regional groundwater flow model has been developed by the Queensland Government to predict drawdown impacts due to Coal Seam Gas activities in the Surat basin. This groundwater model is undergoing continued refinement and there is currently scope to address some of the key areas of uncertainty including better quantification of groundwater recharge and unmetered groundwater extractions. Research is currently underway to improve the accuracy of estimates of both of these components of the groundwater balance in order to reduce uncertainty in predicted groundwater drawdowns due to CSG activities.

‘The door creaked shut’: The new breach of bail offence for youth in Queensland

As part of the 2014 amendments to the Youth Justice Act 1992 (Qld) the previous Queensland government introduced a new breach of bail offence and a reverse onus provision in relation to the new offence. Also included in the raft of amendments was a provision removing the internationally accepted principle that, in relation to young offenders, detention should be used as ‘a last resort’. This article argues that these changes are likely to increase the entrenchment of young people within the criminal justice system.

Liver transplantation in children: Experience with the development of an Australian pilot programme. The Queensland Liver Transplantation Programme

Children with end-stage liver disease now form a major sub-group of patients considered suitable for liver transplantation (ltp), and enjoy better survival statistics after transplantation than do adults. Since June 1984, a paediatric ltp programme has been developed in Brisbane with an initial working relationship and ongoing close links with two USA centres (Pittsburgh, and the UCLA Medical Center). Fourteen children with end-stage liver disease have been referred to the Queensland Liver Transplantation Programme for formal assessment. Following frank, informed discussion with their parents, 10 of these children were offered the option of ltp. During the transition stage, two infants with biliary atresia were referred to UCLA at their parents' request and, subsequently, eight children aged from 9 months to 6 years have been placed on a transplant candidacy list in Brisbane. A donor procurement team with access to a Queensland Government jet has been available to cover all mainland States except Western Australia. Six of the children have now had orthotopic ltp (two children at the UCLA Medical Center; four children at the Royal Children's Hospital, Brisbane). One UCLA patient died with a non-functioning graft, and one Brisbane patient died 5 weeks post-transplant with rejection, hepatic artery thrombosis and sepsis. The other four children are alive and well, three with normal liver function and one with unexplained intrahepatic cholestasis, during the 1-20 month follow-up to date. Three further children have died of their liver disease without a donor of an appropriate blood group and size being found, and one patient still awaits a suitable donor. The experience of these authors suggests that ltp is a major advance in the treatment of paediatric liver disease, and that the procedure can be carried out successfully in Australia with initial results comparable with leading overseas centres. The procedure requires the full array of services of a major paediatric tertiary care facility, an intensive team effort with awareness of the special needs of children, and a widespread procurement capability. A major problem for Australia is the procurement of sufficient numbers of optimal paediatric donor livers.

Submission for the Inquiry into the Establishment of a Queensland Health Promotion Commission

This submission outlines eight evidence-based recommendations for consideration by the inquiry committee to achieve the goal of improved and sustained health and wellbeing among Queenslanders. For the Queensland Government to be effective in establishing a commission to improve and sustain health and wellbeing, we recommend the eight actions.

An investigation of migration and possible stock structuring by the stout whiting, Sillago robusta, in southern Queensland waters, and its impact on managing the fishery. Final Report on the Pilot Program

A highly polymorphic genetic locus of Stout Whiting was examined for evidence of geographical subdivision amongst samples collected from three locales in southern Queensland waters. Statistical indicators of subdivision were not significantly different from zero, suggesting that it is unlikely that the Stout Whiting resource in southern Queensland is genetically subdivided into separate stocks. It is recommended that the full-scale genetic program not proceed and that the resource be managed as a single stock.

Turf for tough times - keeping grass cover with less water, Proceedings of a seminar held at Redlands Research Station, Cleveland, Queensland, 6 June 2007.

Suitable for gaining some insights into important questions about the management of turf in dry times. Improve your product quality and avoid unnecessary losses. Can varieties help? How important are soils in conserving moisture and how do I measure my soil's condition? How can I make the best use of available water? Can water retaining amendments assist in establishing turf? Is recycled water a good option? Contains research results from turfgrass trials conducted by Queensland Government scientists for Queensland conditions.

Construction timbers in Queensland. Book 1 and Book 2: Properties and specifications for satisfactory performance of construction timbers in Queensland. Class 1 and Class 10 buildings (houses, carports, garages, greenhouses and sheds). 2013 edition.

This publication lists the more important wood properties of commercial timbers used for construction in Queensland. It also provides requirements and conditions of use for these timbers to provide appropriate design service life in various construction applications. The correct specification of timber considers a range of timber properties including, but not limited to, stress grade; durability class; moisture content and insect resistance. For the specification of timber sizes and spans, relevant Australian Standards and design manuals should be consulted—e.g. Australian Standard AS 1684 series Residential timber—framed construction parts 2 and 3 (Standards Australia 2006a;b.) Book 1 explains the terms used; with reference to nomenclature; origin and timber properties presented under specific column headings in the schedules (Book 2). It also explains target design life; applications and decay hazard zones; presented in the Book 2 Schedules. Book 2 consists of reference tables; presented as schedules A; B and C: • Schedule A contains commercial mixtures of unidentified timbers and of some Australian and imported softwoods. Index numbers 1–10 • Schedule B contains Australian-grown timber species; including both natural forests and plantations. Index numbers 11–493 • Schedule C contains timbers imported into Australia from overseas. Index numbers 494–606 Each schedule has two parts presenting data in tables. • Part 1: Nomenclature, origin and properties of imported timber species • Part 2: Approved uses for commercial mixtures of imported timber species The recommendations made in this publication assume that good building practice will be carried out.

Who does nutrition prevention work in Queensland? An investigation of structural and political workforce reforms

- Aim This study aimed (i) to determine the change in the number of government-funded nutrition positions following structural and political reforms and (ii) to describe the remaining workforce available to do nutrition prevention work, including student placements, in Queensland. - Methods Positions funded by the Queensland government were counted using departmental human resource data and compared with data collected 4 years earlier. Positions not funded by the government were identified using formal professional networks and governance group lists. Both groups were sent an online survey that explored their position name, funding source, employer, qualifications, years of experience, work in prevention and ability to supervise students. - Results There was a 90% reduction in the number of nutrition prevention positions funded by the government between 2009 (137 full time equivalents (FTE)) and 2013 (14 FTE). In 2013, 313 specialist (n = 92) and generalist (n = 221) practitioners were identified as potentially working in nutrition prevention throughout Queensland. A total of 30 permanent FTEs indicated over 75% of their work focused on prevention. This included the 14 FTE funded by the Queensland government and an additional 16 FTE from other sectors. Generalists did not consider themselves part of the nutrition workforce. - Conclusions Queensland experienced an extreme reduction in its nutrition prevention workforce as a result of political and structural reforms. This disinvestment by the Queensland government was not compensated for by other sectors, and has left marked deficits in public health nutrition capacity, including student placements.

The Queensland Mango Genomics Initiative

Mango is an important industry for Queensland, Australia, with an annual value exceeding $80 million. The Kensington Pride cultivar, prized by consumers for desirable taste and colour characteristics, commands 60% of the domestic market though this market share has declined in recent years as new varieties, such as Calypso™, get established with consumers. In 2005, the Queensland Government's Department of Agriculture and Fisheries commenced the Mango Genomics Initiative. This project brought together multidisciplinary teams of breeders, pathologists, sensory scientists, flavour chemists and molecular biologists to develop a suite of tools and inter-related data sets to support the accelerated development of new commercial mango varieties. An overview of the Mango Genomics Initiative will be presented here culminating in the generation of a draft Kensington Pride mango genome sequence.

Commonwealth government agency libraries review: Literature review

Ongoing financial, administrative, and technological changes present significant challenges and opportunities for government libraries in delivering services to their clients. Determining how government library and information services might best confront these challenges and take advantage of new opportunities is crucial for the future of the sector. The Australian Government Libraries Information Network (AGLIN) has commissioned a review of service delivery models in Commonwealth Government libraries. As an initial step in the project, a literature review was undertaken in order to consider the issues which impact directly on government library service provision today. The literature review builds on and updates the review prepared for the Queensland Government Agency Libraries Review (QGALR) five years ago.

Queensland arts cuts: the real story

In the first part of an exclusive 3-part series, Ben Eltham exposes the machinations and implications of money and mates in Queensland's arts sector. Article investigates the behind-the-scenes policy decisions inside the Queensland government that resulted in significant funding cuts to small-to-medium cultural organsations in Queensland in late 2013.