An examination of how the military, the conservative press and ministerialist politicians generated support within Queensland for the war in South Africa in 1899 and 1900

This thesis examines the role of conservative newspaper proprietors and editors to generate support for war against the Boers in South Africa. The thesis utilises Rune Ottosen's theoretical model concerning newspapers creating a pro-war mentality, and S.E. Finer's theory on the influences of the military on civilian Government. The pivotal supportive roles of Governor Lamington and Premiers Dickson and Philp and the oppositional role of Premier Dawson are also examined.

Winning the phishing war : a strategy for Australia

Phishing, a form of on-line identity theft, is a major problem worldwide, accounting for more than $7.5 Billion in losses in the US alone between 2005 and 2008. Australia was the first country to be targeted by Internet bank phishing in 2003 and continues to have a significant problem in this area. The major cyber crime groups responsible for phishing are based in Eastern Europe. They operate with a large degree of freedom due to the inherent difficulties in cross border law enforcement and the current situation in Eastern Europe, particularly in Russia and the Ukraine. They employ highly sophisticated and efficient technical tools to compromise victims and subvert bank authentication systems. However because it is difficult for them to repatriate the fraudulently obtained funds directly they employ Internet money mules in Australia to transfer the money via Western Union or Money gram. It is proposed a strategy, which firstly places more focus by Australian law enforcement upon transactions via Western Union and Money gram to detect this money laundering, would significantly impact the success of the Phishing attack model. This combined with a technical monitoring of Trojan technology and education of potential Internet money mules to avoid being duped would provide a winning strategy for the war on phishing for Australia.

Clean energy with Mr Kaan Ozgun [Radio interview : Turkish]

Interview with Mr Kaan Ozgun, PhD Candidate at Queensland University of Technology, about clean energy in Australia.

Security and the War on Terror

The terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 marked a turning point in international politics, representing a new type of threat that could not easily be anticipated or prevented through state-based structures of security alone. Opening up interdisciplinary conversations between strategic, economic, ethical and legal approaches to global terrorism, this edited book recognises a fundamental issue: while major crises initially tend to reinforce old thinking and behavioural patterns, they also allow societies to challenge and overcome entrenched habits, thereby creating the foundations for a new and perhaps more peaceful future. This volume addresses the issues that are at stake in this dual process of political closure, and therefore rethinks how states can respond to terrorist threats. The contributors range from leading conceptual theorists to policy-oriented analysts, from senior academics to junior researchers. The book explores how terrorism has had a profound impact on how security is being understood and implemented, and uses a range of hitherto neglected sources of insight, such as those between political, economic, legal and ethical factors, to examine the nature and meaning of security in a rapidly changing world.

When the five giants of post war reconstruction meet the four pillars of welfare reform-young people lose out, again

This paper discusses proposed changes to the Australian welfare state in the Welfare Review chaired by Patrick McClure and launched by Kevin Andrews, Minister for Social Services in the Abbott government, in a recent address to the Sydney Institute. Andrews cited the Beveridge Report of 1942, referring to Lord William Beveridge as the “godfather of the British post-war welfare state”, commending him for putting forward a plan for a welfare state providing a minimal level of support, constituting a bare safety net, rather than “stifling civil society and personal responsibility” through generous provision. In line with a key TASA conference theme of challenging institutions and identifying social and political change at local and global levels, this paper examines both the Beveridge Report and the McClure Report, identifying key issues and themes of relevance to current times in Australia.

Tomorrow, When the War Began

Synopsis and review of the Australian feature film Tomorrow, When the War Began directed by Stuart Beattie.

Imaginging the good Indigenous citizen : race war and the pathology of partiarchal white sovereignty

In June 2007, the Australian federal government sent military and policy into Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory on the premise that sexual abuse of children was rampant and a national crisis. This article draws on Foucault’s work on sovereignty and rights to argue that patriarchal white sovereignty as a regime of power deploys a discourse of pathology in the exercising of sovereign right to subjugate and discipline Indigenous people as good citizens.

Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the spine functional index

Background The Spine Functional Index (SFI) is a patient reported outcome measure with sound clinimetric properties and clinical viability for the determination of whole-spine impairment. To date, no validated Turkish version is available. The purpose of this study is to cross-culturally adapted the SFI for Turkish-speaking patients (SFI-Tk) and determine the psychometric properties of reliability, validity and factor structure in a Turkish population with spine musculoskeletal disorders. Methods The SFI English version was culturally adapted and translated into Turkish using a double forward and backward method according to established guidelines. Patients (n = 285, cervical = l29, lumbar = 151, cervical and lumbar region = 5, 73% female, age 45 ± 1) with spine musculoskeletal disorders completed the SFI-Tk at baseline and after a seven day period for test-retest reliability. For criterion validity the Turkish version of the Functional Rating Index (FRI) was used plus the Neck Disability Index (NDI) for cervical patients and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) for back patients. Additional psychometric properties were determined for internal consistency (Chronbach’s α), criterion validity and factor structure. Results There was a high degree of internal consistency (α = 0.85, item range 0.80-0.88) and test-retest reliability (r = 0.93, item range = 0.75-0.95). The factor analysis demonstrated a one-factor solution explaining 24.2% of total variance. Criterion validity with the ODI was high (r = 0.71, p < 0.001) while the FRI and NDI were fair (r = 0.52 and r = 0.58, respectively). The SFI-Tk showed no missing responses with the ‘half-mark’ option used in 11.75% of total responses by 77.9% of participants. Measurement error from SEM and MDC90 were respectively 2.96% and 7.12%. Conclusions The SFI-Tk demonstrated a one-factor solution and is a reliable and valid instrument. The SFI-Tk consists of simple and easily understood wording and may be used to assess spine region musculoskeletal disorders in Turkish speaking patients.

Trade war in the Pacific: ASEAN and the Trans-Pacific Partnership

Australian politicians are keen to project our participation in two major international trade talks - the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) - as unproblematic.

The political decisions and policy leading to the Royal Australian Air Force having no fighters or interceptors for the coming war against Japan

The thesis provides an understanding of the ignored need for a modern air defence system for the Australian air force to meet the growing threat from Japan in the 1930s and early 1940s. The quality of advice provided to, and accepted by, Australian politicians was misleading and eliminated the need for fighters and interceptors despite glaring evidence to the contrary. Based on primary source material, including official documents, Allied and Axis pilot memoirs, popular aviation literature and newspaper and magazine articles and interviews, the thesis highlights the inability of Australian politicians to face the reality of the international situation.