A critical analysis of the prospects for the effective development of a regional approach to competition law in the ASEAN region

This thesis is an examination of the ASEAN’s prospects in establishing regional competition policy in the Southeast Asia region, a topic of contemporary relevance in light of the ASEAN’s recent foray into the economic integration field on 31 December 2015. It questions whether the current approach undertaken by the ASEAN could contribute to an effective regional competition policy under the regional market integration. In answering this question, the thesis first critically surveys the current terrain of regional competition laws and policies in order to determine the possible existence of an optimal template. It argues that although the EU model is oft used as a source of inspiration, each regional organisation conceives different configurations of the model in order to best adjust to the local regional contexts. The thesis makes an inquiry into the narratives of the ASEAN’s competition policy, as well as the ASEAN’s specific considerations in the development of competition policy, before comparing the findings to the actual approaches taken by the ASEAN in its pursuit of regional competition policy. This thesis reveals that the actual approach taken by the ASEAN demonstrates an important discrepancy from the economic integration goal. The ASEAN applies a soft harmonisation approach regarding substantive competition law while refraining from establishing a centralised institution or a representative institution. The sole organ with regards to competition policy at the regional level is an expert organ. The thesis also conducts an investigation into the reception of the ASEAN’s regional policy by the member states in order to ascertain the possibility of the achievement of the ASEAN’s aspiration of regional competition policy. The study reveals that despite some shared similarities in the broad principles of competition law amongst the member states, the various competition law regimes are not harmonised thus creating challenging obstacle to the ASEAN’s ambition. The thesis then concludes that the ASEAN’s approach to regional competition law is unlikely to be effective.

New Haitian social movements: Alternative modernities, (trans)local nationalisms, and solidarity economies

My dissertation is the first project on the Haitian Platform for Advocacy for an Alternative Development- PAPDA, a nation-building coalition founded by activists from varying sectors to coordinate one comprehensive nationalist movement against what they are calling an Occupation. My work not only provides information on this under-theorized popular movement but also situates it within the broader literature on the postcolonial nation-state as well as Latin American and Caribbean social movements. The dissertation analyzes the contentious relationship between local and global discourses and practices of citizenship. Furthermore, the research draws on transnational feminist theory to underline the scattered hegemonies that intersect to produce varied spaces and practices of sovereignty within the Haitian postcolonial nation-state. The dissertation highlights how race and class, gender and sexuality, education and language, and religion have been imagined and co-constituted by Haitian social movements in constructing ‘new’ collective identities that collapse the private and the public, the rural and the urban, the traditional and the modern. My project complements the scholarship on social movements and the postcolonial nation-state and pushes it forward by emphasizing its spatial dimensions. Moreover, the dissertation de-centers the state to underline the movement of capital, goods, resources, and populations that shape the postcolonial experience. I re-define the postcolonial nation-state as a network of local, regional, international, and transnational arrangements between different political agents, including social movement actors. To conduct this interdisciplinary research project, I employed ethnographic methods, discourse and textual analysis, as well as basic mapping and statistical descriptions in order to present a historically-rooted interpretation of individual and organizational negotiations for community-based autonomy and regional development. ^

Patterns in the space use of the Bearded Reedling, Panurus biarmicus, on the Tay Reedbeds, Scotland

This thesis presents research into the space use of a specialist reedbed Passerine, the Bearded Reedling, or Bearded Tit, Panurus biarmicus, with a view to inform the conservation of this species and reedbeds as a whole. How a species uses space, and how space use changes between individuals or over time, can influence: the ability to forage and hunt effectively, breeding success, susceptibility to predation, genetic health, disease spread, robustness against environmental change and ultimately, colonisation or extinction. Thus, understanding the space use of animals can provide critical insight into ecological systems. Birds offer interesting models when studying animal space use, as, by being intrinsically mobile, many bird species can occupy multiple spatial scales. As a consequence of being completely dependent on patchy and ephemeral reedbed habitats, the Bearded Reedling, has a clustered, inhomogeneous distribution throughout its range. This drives the existence of distinct spatial scales upon which space use studies should be characterised. Distribution and movement within a single reedbed can be considered local-scale, while spatial processes between reedbeds can be considered wide-scale. Temporal processes may act upon both of these scales. For example, changing interactions with predators may influence nest positioning at a local-scale, while seasonal changes in resource requirements might drive processes such as migration at a wide-scale. The Bearded Reedling has a wide temperate breeding range, extending over much of Eurasia. On the IUCN’s red list, it is listed as ‘of least concern’, with an estimated European population between 240,000-480,000 breeding pairs. Despite its relatively favourable conservation status, its dependence on reedbed habitats drives a fragmented distribution, with populations being concentrated in small, isolated, stands. Over the last century reedbed wetlands have suffered rapid declines caused by drainage schemes undertaken to improve land for development or agriculture. Additionally, many remaining reed stands are subject to extensive commercial management to produce thatch or biofuel. Conversely, in other areas, management is driven by conservation motives which recognise the present threats to reedbeds, and aim to encourage the diversity of species associated with these habitats. As the Bearded Reedling is fundamentally linked to the quality and structure of a reed stand, understanding the space use of this species will offer information for the direct conservation of this specialist species, and for the effects of reedbed management as a whole. This thesis first presents studies of space use at a local-scale. All local-scale research is conducted at the Tay Reedbeds in eastern Scotland. Mist netting and bird ringing data are used within capture recapture models, which include an explicit spatial component, to gain insight into the abundance of the Bearded Reedling on the Tay. This abundance estimation approach suggests the Tay reedbeds are a stronghold for this species on the British Isles, and that, as a high latitude site, the Tay may have importance for range expansion. A combination of transect surveys and radio-tracking data are then used to establish the local-scale space use of this species during the breeding and autumnal seasons. These data are related to changes in the structure of reed caused by local management in the form of mosaic winter reed cutting. Results suggest that birds exploit young and cut patches of reed as foraging resources when they are available, and that old, unmanaged reed is critical for nesting and winter foraging. Further local-scale studies concern the spatial patterns in the nesting habits of this species. Mosaic reed cutting creates clear edges in a reedbed. Artificial nests placed in the Tay Reedbeds demonstrate increased nest predation rates closer to the edges of cut patches. Additionally, high predation rates become reduced as the cut reed re-grows, suggesting that reed cutting may increase accessibility of the stand to predators. As Bearded Reedling nests are uncommon and difficult to locate, the timing, site selection and structure of a sample of real nests from the Tay is then detailed. These demonstrate an early, and relatively rigid breeding onset in this species, the importance of dense, compacted reeds as nesting sites and a degree of flexibility in nest structure. Conservation efforts will also benefit from studies into wide-scale spatial processes. These may be important when establishing how colonisation events occur and when predicting the effects of climatic change. The Bearded Reedling has been traditionally considered a resident species which only occasionally undertakes wide-scale, between-reedbed, movements. Indeed, the ecology of this species suggests strict year round local residency to reedbeds, with distinct seasonal changes in diet allowing occupation of these habitats year round. The European ringing recoveries of this species, since the 1970s are investigated to better characterise the wider movements of specialist resident. These suggest residency in southern populations, but higher instances of movement than expected in more northerly regions. In these regions wide-scale movement patterns resemble those of partial regular migratory species. An understanding of local and wide-scale spatial processes can offer a strong foundation on which to build conservation strategies. This thesis aims to use studies of space use to provide this foundation for the Bearded Reedling and offer further insight into the ecology of reedbed habitats as a whole. The thesis concludes by proposing an effective strategy for the conservation management of reedbeds that will especially benefit the Bearded Reedling.

GEOGRAFIA, PRODUÇÃO E VALORIZAÇÃO DO ESPAÇO NO PLANEJAMENTO DO TERRITÓRIO REGIONAL

O espaço pode ser compreendido como a categoria do conhecimento geográfico mais geral que inclui as categorias território e região como concretizações do espaço geográfico. Para se estudar a região e seu território, considera-se a realidade sócio-espacial do lugar como território configurado na regionalização do espaço, o qual deverá ser objeto do planejamento territorial e regional. O objetivo deste trabalho é discutir a contribuição da geografia na atividade do planejamento territorial e participativo, apontando que para o ordenamento do território, faz-se importante o procedimento de gestão pública compartilhada, devido aos vários interesses e necessidades dos diferentes agentes e sujeitos sociais que usam e ocupam o território e, portanto, produzem e valorizam o espaço em sentidos diversos. A partir de uma reflexão teórico-metodológica materialista histórica e dialética diante da simbologia sócio-espacial, pretende-se sugerir possibilidades para se repensar novas estratégias e ações do planejamento e gestão do território local-regional, considerando como a valorização do espaço, em determinada realidade territorial, envolve um conjunto de diferentes relações de produção e poder, que se materializam no território, sejam elas voltadas para interesses econômicos, políticos ou sócio-culturais

E-Government and the digital divide

Many governments world wide are attempting to increase accountability, transparency, and the quality of services by adopting information and communications technologies (ICTs) to modernize and change the way their administrations work. Meanwhile e-government is becoming a significant decision-making and service tool at local, regional and national government levels. The vast majority of users of these government online services see significant benefits from being able to access services online. The rapid pace of technological development has created increasingly more powerful ICTs that are capable of radically transforming public institutions and private organizations alike. These technologies have proven to be extraordinarily useful instruments in enabling governments to enhance the quality, speed of delivery and reliability of services to citizens and to business (VanderMeer & VanWinden, 2003). However, just because the technology is available does not mean it is accessible to all. The term digital divide has been used since the 1990s to describe patterns of unequal access to ICTs—primarily computers and the Internet—based on income, ethnicity, geography, age, and other factors. Over time it has evolved to more broadly define disparities in technology usage, resulting from a lack of access, skills, or interest in using technology. This article provides an overview of recent literature on e-government and the digital divide, and includes a discussion on the potential of e-government in addressing the digital divide.

A secure architecture for Australia’s index based e-health environment

This paper proposes a security architecture for the basic cross indexing systems emerging as foundational structures in current health information systems. In these systems unique identifiers are issued to healthcare providers and consumers. In most cases, such numbering schemes are national in scope and must therefore necessarily be used via an indexing system to identify records contained in pre-existing local, regional or national health information systems. Most large scale electronic health record systems envisage that such correlation between national healthcare identifiers and pre-existing identifiers will be performed by some centrally administered cross referencing, or index system. This paper is concerned with the security architecture for such indexing servers and the manner in which they interface with pre-existing health systems (including both workstations and servers). The paper proposes two required structures to achieve the goal of a national scale, and secure exchange of electronic health information, including: (a) the employment of high trust computer systems to perform an indexing function, and (b) the development and deployment of an appropriate high trust interface module, a Healthcare Interface Processor (HIP), to be integrated into the connected workstations or servers of healthcare service providers. This proposed architecture is specifically oriented toward requirements identified in the Connectivity Architecture for Australia’s e-health scheme as outlined by NEHTA and the national e-health strategy released by the Australian Health Ministers.

Diffracting the practices of research supervision

There are ever increasing demands and expectations in the research world, related to the quality of research supervision. It can be difficult for an individual research supervisor to recognize their own quality of research supervision. On top of this are the added challenges of trying to improve that quality of research supervision. Reflective practice is consistently identified as a way for developing professional practice in research supervision. This chapter offers a number of frameworks to facilitate reflective practice about research supervision. It does not propose to solve the problem of quality research supervision but to provide ways in which a research supervisor can reflect on this aspect of their professional academic practice and begin to plan ways in which their practice can improve.

E-Government and the digital divide

Many governments world wide are attempting to increase accountability, transparency, and the quality of services by adopting information and communications technologies (ICTs) to modernize and change the way their administrations work. Meanwhile e-government is becoming a significant decision-making and service tool at local, regional and national government levels. The vast majority of users of these government online services see significant benefits from being able to access services online. The rapid pace of technological development has created increasingly more powerful ICTs that are capable of radically transforming public institutions and private organizations alike. These technologies have proven to be extraordinarily useful instruments in enabling governments to enhance the quality, speed of delivery and reliability of services to citizens and to business (VanderMeer & VanWinden, 2003). However, just because the technology is available does not mean it is accessible to all. The term digital divide has been used since the 1990s to describe patterns of unequal access to ICTs—primarily computers and the Internet—based on income, ethnicity, geography, age, and other factors. Over time it has evolved to more broadly define disparities in technology usage, resulting from a lack of access, skills, or interest in using technology. This article provides an overview of recent literature on e-government and the digital divide, and includes a discussion on the potential of e-government in addressing the digital divide.

Validating a model of cooperative procurement in the construction industry

Project management in the construction industry involves coordination of many tasks and individuals, affected by complexity and uncertainty, which increases the need for efficient cooperation. Procurement is crucial since it sets the basis for cooperation between clients and contractors. This is true whether the project is local, regional or global in scope. Traditionally, procurement procedures are competitive, resulting in conflicts, adversarial relationships and less desirable project results. The purpose of this paper is to propose and empirically test an alternative procurement model based on cooperative procurement procedures that facilitates cooperation between clients and contractors in construction projects. The model is based on four multi-item constructs – incentive-based compensation, limited bidding options, partner selection and cooperation. Based on a sample of 87 client organisations, the model was empirically tested and exhibited strong support, including content, nomological, convergent and discriminant validity, as well as reliability. Our findings indicate that partner selection based on task related attributes mediates the relationship between two important pre-selection processes (incentive-based compensation and limited bid invitation) and preferred outcome of cooperation. The contribution of the paper is identifying valid and reliable measurement constructs and confirming a unique sequential order for achieving cooperation. Moreover, the findings are applicable for many types of construction projects because of the similarities in the construction industry worldwide.

Getting stuck in together : improving work integrated learning from an Australian institution and faculty perspective

According to a recent report Australian higher education is not in crisis. However, we could be doing it better. The report Mapping Australian Higher Education (Norton, 2012) highlights comparative weaknesses such as levels f student engagement; interactions between students and academic staff; and academic staff preferences for research over teaching. The report points out that despite these concerns most graduates continue to get good, well-paid jobs, student satisfaction is improving, and levels of public confidence in Australian higher education are high. It also stresses that ‘the promise of higher education is that it provides adaptable cognitive skills, not that it always provides the job specific skills graduates will need in their future employment’ (Norton, 2012, p.58). This is worth keeping in mind as we contribute to the significant growth in curriculum initiatives aimed at preparing graduates for the world of work. Work Integrated Learning (WIL) is not a new concept but there is increased pressure on higher education globally to address graduate employability skills. The sector is under pressure in an increasingly competitive environment to demonstrate the relevance of courses, accountability and effective use of public funds (Peach & Gamble, 2011). In the Australian context this also means responding to the skills shortage in areas such as engineering, health, construction and business (DEEWR, 2010). This paper provides a brief overview of collaborative efforts over several years to improve the activity of WIL at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). These efforts have resulted in changes to curriculum, pedagogy, systems and processes, and the initiation of local, regional, national, and international networks. The willingness of students, staff, and industry partners to ‘get stuck in’ and try new approaches in these different contexts can be understood as a form of boundary spanning. That is, the development of the capability to mediate between different forms of expertise and the demands of different contexts in order to nurture student learning and improve the outcomes of higher education through WIL (Peach, Cates, Ilg, Jones, Lechleiter, 2011).

A micro-level indexing model for assessing urban ecosystem sustainability

Purpose – As a consequence of rapid urbanisation and globalisation, cities have become the engines of population and economic growth. Hence, natural resources in and around the cities have been exposed to externalities of urban development processes. This paper introduces a new sustainability assessment approach that is tested in a pilot study. The paper aims to assist policy-makers and planners investigating the impacts of development on environmental systems, and produce effective policies for sustainable urban development. Design/methodology/approach – The paper introduces an indicator-based indexing model entitled “Indexing Model for the Assessment of Sustainable Urban Ecosystems” (ASSURE). The ASSURE indexing model produces a set of micro-level environmental sustainability indices that is aimed to be used in the evaluation and monitoring of the interaction between human activities and urban ecosystems. The model is an innovative approach designed to assess the resilience of ecosystems towards impacts of current development plans and the results serve as a guide for policymakers to take actions towards achieving sustainability. Findings – The indexing model has been tested in a pilot case study within the Gold Coast City, Queensland, Australia. This paper presents the methodology of the model and outlines the preliminary findings of the pilot study. The paper concludes with a discussion on the findings and recommendations put forward for future development and implementation of the model. Originality/value – Presently, there is a few sustainability indices developed to measure the sustainability at local, regional, national and international levels. However, due to challenges in data collection difficulties and availability of local data, there is no effective assessment model at the microlevel that the assessment of urban ecosystem sustainability accurately. The model introduced in this paper fills this gap by focusing on parcel-scale and benchmarking the environmental performance in micro-level.

Australian baby boomers switched to more environment friendly modes of transport during the global financial crisis

The global financial crisis (GFC) in 2008 rocked local, regional, and state economies throughout the world. Several intermediate outcomes of the GFC have been well documented in the literature including loss of jobs and reduced income. Relatively little research has, however, examined the impacts of the GFC on individual level travel behaviour change. To address this shortcoming, HABITAT panel data were employed to estimate a multinomial logit model to examine mode switching behaviour between 2007 (pre-GFC) and 2009 (post-GFC) of a baby boomers cohort in Brisbane, Australia—a city within a developed country that has been on many metrics the least affected by the GFC. In addition, a Poisson regression model was estimated to model the number of trips made by individuals in 2007, 2008, and 2009. The South East Queensland Travel Survey datasets were used to develop this model. Four linear regression models were estimated to assess the effects of the GFC on time allocated to travel during a day: one for each of the three travel modes including public transport, active transport, less environmentally friendly transport; and an overall travel time model irrespective of mode. The results reveal that individuals were more likely to switch to public transport who lost their job or whose income reduced between 2007 and 2009. Individuals also made significantly fewer trips in 2008 and 2009 compared to 2007. Individuals spent significantly less time using less environmentally friendly transport but more time using public transport in 2009. Baby boomers switched to more environmentally friendly travel modes during the GFC.

Investigative journalism in a socially networked world

This article explores how investigative journalists can join the network society by moving online, collaborating with other reporters and media outlets across regions and across national borders, yet publishing in newspapers which arguably remain the central stage of the public sphere (Carson, 2013). A better understanding of the potential of social media and web-based communications for undertaking journalistic investigations can lead to the adoption of a global perspective, enriching local, regional and national stories (Berglez, 2013). The research and collaboration for a transnational story published simultaneously in The Australian and collaboration in London in 2013 may provide insights into the potential for the use of social media platforms and web-based communications for finding stories, collaborating and following stories into the social media to find leads to follow-up stories. This article questions whether the synergies between mainstream media and social media platforms may yield potentially high impact stories for major masthead newspapers and thus contribute to their sustainability. Connectivity with news sources has always been an important resource for journalists. Online networks may have the potential to expand the range of voices that can be heard and the issues that can be covered.

Review: "Planning Asian cities : risks and resilience" edited by Stephen Hamnett and Dean Forbes, Planning, History and Environment Series, London, Routledge, 2011

Since the beginning of the agricultural revolution, cities have always been the cradle of civilisation, innovation and productivity, particularly as a result of the recent change factors affecting their (trans)formation, such as globalisation, the knowledge economy, technological advancements, climate change and so on. While in some parts of the world, cities are rapidly growing, in other parts, cities are shrinking, and their populations are aging. Even under the current pressure of constantly changing global conditions, the role of cities in influencing and partially shaping local, regional, national, supranational and even global level economy, society, environment and governance is undeniable. Global changes, while providing opportunities for cities and their administrations to reform and revisit existing planning and development processes and mechanisms, at the same time, challenge them by dealing with everincreasing risks and establishing resilience. At present, more than half of the world’s population...

Building the youth sector from the bottom up : case studies from the Queensland CPLAN Initiative 2012-2013

As part of YANQ's decentralisation across the state, YANQ have set up 10 Networks across Queensland, with Facilitators based in each of the regions. We encourage you to get in contact with your local Facilitator if you would like to have input on Workforce Development or youth policy issues. CPLANs aim to create an ongoing and sustainable structure across ten regions in Queensland to support a consistent focus on: ⋅ Policy issues relevant to young people; and ⋅ Workforce development strategies for the youth sector from a local, regional and state perspective. The ten CPLANs fall under the existing structure of YANQ and utlise and lever off the comprehensive network of youth inter-­‐agencies and networks across the state. The ten CPLANs are made up of representatives from the youth sector in each region who have an interest in contributing to policy development and workforce issues.