Anglicare Australia rental affordability snapshot 2015

This report surveys private rental housing available across Australia; and tests its suitability – the cost and size – for different low income household types: couples, single parents and children, young people, pensioners, job seekers and people on the minimum wage. This time members of the Anglicare Australia network surveyed over 65,600 properties on a weekend in early April, and once again there were almost no dwellings that were affordable for people on the lowest incomes, such as Newstart and Youth Allowance, as the attached media release and report testify. The report itself also provides a breakdown of regional and metropolitan totals and a number of location based mini-reports, which are prepared by participating Anglicare network members. The survey also includes an analysis of the impact of housing unaffordability, the consequences of living with housing stress, and Anglicare Australia’s key recommendations to resolve the problem. In essence, we are calling for secure and affordable housing for people living on low incomes being made a priority. It requires a national plan that involves governments, industry and the community sector working together

Foodborne disease outbreaks in Australia 2001-2009

BACKGROUND: Analysis of surveillance data from foodborne disease outbreaks can help identify high-risk aetiological agents, food vehicles and settings. This information may help prevent future illness by informing the development of public health policy

University research: policy considerations to drive Australia’s competitiveness

Universities are integral to Australia’s research effort and provide the foundation of skills and knowledge required for the nation’s long-term success. Research and innovation have been consistently identified as essential ingredients for improving productivity and quality of life. If Australia is to continue to compete internationally, we must critically look at our performance and identify ways of strengthening all elements of the system. Australia’s research performance compares well internationally, both in productivity and research excellence. In terms of academic impact, there are clear areas of strength across the breadth of disciplines and Australia’s researchers are highly regarded. There is, however, room for improvement, especially relative to the best-performing nations. Knowledge exchange and the ease of translation of research into the broader economy and community are Australia’s main areas requiring substantial attention. An examination of the countries chosen for comparison—Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, the United Kingdom and Canada—brings to light several similarities in their approaches that should be considered for Australia’s future approach: Long-term strategies and plans have been implemented, including targets and priority areas, accompanied by significant and ongoing support. The strategies focus on areas of national interest and comparative advantage and take into account the country’s industrial structure and location. The unique role of universities is recognised, as is the need to support a balance of investigator-led and mission-led research. If we are to improve Australia’s performance and achieve the broader aims for research, a range of matters needs to be considered by the university sector and government: Australia needs a long-term plan that outlines national priority areas and secures ongoing and reliable support for the fundamentals of the research system. Reward and recognition mechanisms at the researcher and university levels should be critically examined. We need to support a balance of basic and applied and investigator-led and mission-led research, maintaining the strong focus on research excellence. Australia must increase its efforts in both domestic and international collaboration, especially in the priority areas identified. The career path for researchers in all sectors must be improved. We must ensure our best and brightest can move freely between industry and academia. Holistic, ongoing funding for national research infrastructure is imperative. A transactional view of university–industry collaboration will not deliver the deep and productive relationships required to improve the translation of research. In view of accelerating investment in research and innovation by our Asian neighbours and traditional competitors, Australia could be close to the proverbial ‘tipping point’, whereby we are not able to achieve our goal of a high-wage, high-growth economy. A national strategy that addresses all facets of the system, targets both supply and demand, and includes long-term financial commitments is needed in order to bring about cultural change and improve Australia’s research and innovation performance. Universities Australia has prepared this paper to inform current and future debate about university research and its role in driving Australia’s competitiveness

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer framework 2015

Overview The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cancer Framework (the Framework) provides high-level guidance and direction for the many individuals, communities, organisations and governments whose combined efforts are required to address disparities and improve cancer outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This Framework is designed to complement and enhance national, jurisdictional, regional and local efforts to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer outcomes, including cancer plans and related policies, frameworks and action plans. It sets out priority areas for action, and allows the flexibility for jurisdictions, communities and organisations to address those priorities in ways that suit their local context and local needs. This Framework encompasses the full continuum of cancer control, including cancer prevention, screening and early detection, diagnosis and treatment, palliative care and survivorship; and the policy, systems, research and infrastructure that surround these service areas

The national standards for volunteer involvement: 2015

Volunteering Australia’s new national standards for volunteer involvement update standards produced in 1998 and 2001 and provide a sound framework for supporting the volunteer sector in Australia. Introduction Volunteer involvement is a critical part of Australian society. It contributes to civil society and active participation in building strong, inclusive, and resilient communities. It underlies innovation and social change, our responses to community need and community challenges, and it brings together and supports the local strengths and assets of communities. There are important benefits to both organisations and to volunteers when volunteers become involved in organisations. Volunteer involvement can contribute to, and extend the capacity of, organisations to meet aims and goals. Volunteers can provide the time, skills, expertise and points of view that enable an organisation to pursue programs and activities that benefit the community. For individuals, volunteering provides an opportunity to be involved in activities reflecting their interests and using their skills. Meaningful activity in turn promotes a sense of belonging and general wellbeing. Volunteering can also be a way to develop skills, potential pathways to employment, or a way to contribute existing skills for the common good. Volunteer involvement is a two-way relationship, providing an opportunity for organisations to achieve their goals by involving volunteers in their activities, and for volunteers to make meaningful use of their time and skills, contributing to social and community outcomes. The National Standards allow organisations to make use of simple, practical criteria across a broad range of volunteering situations. There are 8 standards addressing the key areas of volunteer involvement: 1. Leadership and management 2. Commitment to volunteer involvement 3. Volunteer roles 4. Recruitment and selection 5. Support and development 6. Workplace safety and wellbeing 7. Volunteer recognition 8. Quality management and continuous improvemen

Banking Fees in Australia

The Reserve Bank has conducted a survey on bank fees each year since 1997. In 2009 growth in fee income increased slightly from recent years though it was again slower than growth in banks’ balance sheets. Growth in fee income was higher for businesses than for households. Banks reacted to the financial crisis by competing more aggressively for deposit funding which resulted in total fee income from deposit accounts falling, and repricing loan products which contributed to an increase in fee income from lending.bank; fees; Australia; exception; deposits; loans

Banking Fees in Australia

The Reserve Bank has conducted a survey on bank fees each year since 1997. The results of the latest survey show that banks’ aggregate fee income was unchanged in 2010. Fee income from households declined as exception fee income and ATM revenue fell sharply, while fee income from businesses grew.banking, fees, fee income, exception, ATM, survey

Voluntary waste industry protocol for the handling of early collected carbon charges in the landfill sector

The landfill industry, through the Australian Landfill Owners Association and the Australian Local Government Association, has developed this voluntary protocol to ensure that the early collected carbon charges are returned for consumer benefit. Individual landfill owners will have the option to accept to be bound by the protocol. Those who accept shall be identified on the Department of the Environment’s website. The protocol will not override contractual arrangements between landfill operators and their customers. The Minister for the Environment has issued a statement supporting the protocol and calling for wide participation by the landfill industry and other groups in the protocol. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has also encouraged landfill industry participants to work with the Government to negotiate an appropriate solution for the handling of early collected carbon charges

2015 UDIA state of the land report

Providing enough new serviced land in our cities and towns is the key to successfully accommodating our growing population, and is a major challenge for policy makers at all levels of government. This is the seventh edition of the annual State of the Land Report prepared by the Urban Development Institute of Australia. Unlike in previous years, this years’ report has been undertaken in partnership with Charter Keck Cramer and Research4, which have provided land supply and market performance data from the National Land Survey Program (further details in the last section of this report). This ground breaking partnership allows data sourced from developers on the ground across the country to bring a new level of reliability, consistency and depth to the Report. The modest upswing in development industry activity that we saw emerging in 2013 continued to gather momentum throughout last year, and as a result, 2014 was a strong year for industry, and for new land supply. Nationally, the NLSP data sample indicates that 50,150 new greenfield lots were released over the 2014 calendar year, up 31% from 38,350 in 2013, and the highest level of new releases since the global financial crisis. Despite low interest rates and strong market demand, at the national level, new lot prices have remained largely in check across most cities, with the notable exceptions of Sydney and Perth. As noted in previous years’ State of the Land Reports, median lot sizes across most cities have continued their downward march, a reflection of changing market preferences, land constraints, and affordability pressures. 2015 is currently shaping up to be another good year for the development industry and for new land supply, with continued strong demand and high levels of market activity, with the exception of South Australia. However despite recent improvements, most cities across Australia still face major constraints when it comes to new land supply. Governments cannot afford to be complacent. They must undertake the necessary actions to improve planning systems, increase infrastructure investment, and reduce red tape, to ensure the availability of sufficient serviced land to deliver affordable housing, and to support jobs and economic activity in the development industry

Interprofessional education for first year psychology students: career plans, perceived relevance and attitudes

Undergraduate psychology students have been largely excluded from interprofessional education (IPE) initiatives. In contrast to many health professions, undergraduate psychology students do not engage in work placements as part of their degree, and many enter careers outside the health care context. However, the collaborative skills gained through an IPE experience may well be beneficial to students who work in this wider context. This research examines whether undergraduate psychology students’ views of IPE vary according to their planned career directions, and if so, whether the perceived relevance of IPE mediates the relationships. A sample of 188 Australian university undergraduate psychology students completed an online questionnaire following completion of a first-year IPE health sciences program. Path analysis indicated that psychology students’ attitudes towards IPE are associated with both professional identification and practitioner orientation, fully mediated through the perceived relevance of IPE to future career and study plans. Stronger professional identification and practitioner orientation were associated with greater perceived relevance and more positive and less negative attitudes towards IPE. Placing a stronger emphasis on the generalizability of IP skills taught may increase students’ awareness of the relevance outside of the health context, reducing disengagement of students planning alternative careers