Community preferences for digital futures: regional perspectives

The purpose of the study was to understand community preferences for digital futures in the Southern Downs Region in Queensland, Australia. This study examined the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the digital future in the regional context. The methodology applied in this study included three focus group discussions (FGDs) along with a structured questionnaire survey for the participants. Some key suggestions which evolved from the FGDs are that digital services need to be cost-effective and people from low socio-economic backgrounds may require specific supportive measures. A consensus emerged that the provision of this vital digital education needs to be at low or subsidised cost at remote areas. It is therefore important to have a comprehensive understanding of community needs, demands and barriers to adoption to come up with a digital economy strategy for the future. While the FGDs provide an avenue for basic understanding of the broad range of issues at the community level, further micro-level analyses that shed light on the adoption and effects of digital technology on households and businesses are clearly warranted

Changes in energy efficiency in Australia: A decomposition of aggregate energy intensity using Logarithmic Mean Divisia approach

This paper provides an empirical estimation of energy efficiency and other proximate factors that explain energy intensity in Australia for the period 1978-2009. The analysis is performed by decomposing the changes in energy intensity by means of energy efficiency, fuel mix and structural changes both at sectoral and sub-sectoral levels of the economy. Results show that the driving forces behind the decrease in energy intensity in Australia are efficiency effect and sectoral composition effect, where the former is found to be more prominent than the latter. Moreover, the favourable impact of the composition effect has been consistently slowed down in the recent past. A perfect positive association characterizes the relationship between energy intensity and carbon intensity in Australia. Given the trends in decomposition factors, it is necessary to boost energy efficiency further to reduce Australia’s overall contribution to energy intensity and carbon emissions in the future.Energy intensity; Energy efficiency; Index decomposition analysis

A reassessment of energy and GDP relationship: A case of Australia

This paper investigates the long-run and short-run relationships between energy consumption and economic growth in Australia using the bound testing and the ARDL approach. For the first time in the literature we employ both production and demand side models and a unified model comprising both production and demand side variables for a single set of data. The relationships are investigated at aggregate as well as several disaggregated energy categories, such as coal, oil, gas and electricity. The possibilities of one or more structural break(s) in the data series are examined by applying the recent advances in techniques. We find that the results of the cointegration tests could be affected by the structural break(s) in the data. It is, therefore, crucial to incorporate the information on structural break(s) in the subsequent modelling and inferences. Moreover, neither the production side nor the demand side framework alone can provide sufficient information to draw an ultimate conclusion on the cointegration and causal direction between energy and output. When alternative frameworks and structural break(s) in time-series are explored properly, strong evidence of a bidirectional relationship between energy and output can be observed. The finding is true both at aggregate and disaggregate levels of energy consumption.Energy consumption; Economic growth; Cointegration; Causality

Information and communications technology and Australia’s regional economic competitiveness

This study ascertained that there is a need for more research at the regional level to assess critically how local economies are faring with national and global digital business environments. Policy efforts in this direction will unveil the potential that regional towns and cities have for inducing growth and change. As regional towns and cities contribute significantly to industrial activities whose output has a great impact on the national economy, future research exploring how ICT can impact on innovation and productivity within local economies is needed urgently. Added to this, the roles that ICT are assigned in the knowledge economy at the national and regional levels have given rise to the need to assess critically the technological readiness of regions and how ICT can enhance their competitiveness in the national and international marketplaces. Such cutting-edge research can guide regional policy makers in developing policies and strategies that can help build local capacities towards the effective use of digital technologies – the next step towards regional competitiveness in the digital future

Turning around the least liveability: a cost–benefit framework for Dhaka

The aim of this study is to seek smart solutions to key socio-economic, environmental, and infrastructural issues facing Dhaka city, the capital of Bangladesh. Specifically, a cost–benefit analysis (CBA) is employed to assess the suitability of selected intervention strategies for a liveable Dhaka city from the perspective of the society. This study investigates the following key research questions: (i) How can Dhaka, a rapidly growing city, become liveable (interventions)?; (ii) How much is the liveability worth (costs)?; (iii) What are the socio-economic, health, and environmental benefits of interventions (benefits)?; and (iv) Are the interventions worth undertaking (net benefit)? The report findings are based on two focus group discussions and a number of key informant interviews in the study area, as well as on an extensive review of published documents. Economic analysis revealed that the benefit–cost ratio at 10% discount rate and internal rate of return of the project are 1.92 and 42%, respectively, which indicate the project is attractive, both financially and economically. However, this leaves policymakers, planners, development partners, and concerned citizens to make value judgment calls when interpreting these numbers. The results, which should be interpreted alongside the social and political imperatives of a rapidly growing megacity, suggest an immediate intervention to avoid any further deterioration of the environment and social structure. The CBA findings are also used to assess the sensitivity of outcomes to identified risks and uncertainties. This sensitivity analysis will give policymakers an idea of the degree of uncertainty surrounding the intervention strategies and the significance of that uncertainty. CBA should be considered as an aid to the debate on whether to invest in the improvement of environmental quality and public utility services, and the decision on whether the investment is in the public’s interest, not a decision itself. Socio-political imperatives and citizens’ willingness as well as readiness to participate in the intervention actions are a significant consideration in this research

Cleanup of the Buriganga River: Integrating the environment into decision making

This research attempts to fill in some specific gaps in the area of economic valuation of non-market goods and services with respect to development projects, and the integration of those values in the policy decision-making process. The concept and theory of non-market valuation and project appraisal are examined. In a developing country context, the conventional contingent valuation method is extended to include respondents' contribution in terms of time, irrespective of their decision to contribute money. This extension of the conventional contingent valuation method allows the inclusion of economic activities that are non-monetized and transactions in the form of 'barter exchange', which are typical for developing countries such as Bangladesh. The values generated by this new approach are integrated into an extended cost-benefit analysis, which reveals that the cleanup of dying rivers is not only an environmental imperative, but is also socially and economically justifiable. Apart from the theoretical investigation, another important dimension of this research is to contribute to the policy decision-making process with regard to public sector investment in developing countries. The Buriganga River, which passes through Dhaka City, the capital of Bangladesh, has been selected as the case study for this research. Although considered to be the lifeline of the capital, the city part of the Buriganga River has become biologically and hydrologically dead because of the indiscriminate dumping of domestic and industrial wastes, encroachment by unscrupulous people, and negligence on the part of the authority to enforce rules and regulations pertaining to the ecological health of the river. A cleanup programme has been designed for the Buriganga River to restore its water quality and develop new facilities in and around the river. This hypothetical cleanup programme is used: (i) to estimate the non-market benefits of an environmentally healthy waterway; (ii) to measure the total benefits; and (iii) to examine the desirability of public funding for the cleanup programme. An extended contingent valuation (ECV) survey of 400 households was carried out in Dhaka City in 2001. It reveals that not only are a significant proportion of the respondents willing to contribute direct cash for the environmental improvement of the river, they are also willing to contribute their time. When the contribution in terms of time is monetized, it is estimated to represent about 60 percent of the total contribution (the remaining 40 percent being cash payment). The total non-market benefits from the Buriganga River cleanup programme are estimated at Tk 388 million (US$6.80 million) in the first year, rising to Tk 1805 million (US$ 31.66 million) by the 10th year of the programme. The public decision making process in Bangladesh does not consider such benefits. Failures to do so lead to gross under-estimation of the potential for, and contribution of, undertaking environmental improvement activities. The total benefits of the cleanup programme are estimated within the framework of total economic value: the non-market benefits are estimated using the ECV survey inputs, and the market benefits are measured using secondary information, market methods and a benefit transfer approach. The cost estimate of the cleanup programme is made using market and secondary information with appropriate adjustments. The extended cost-benefit analysis (ECBA), which integrates the non-market benefits of the cleanup programme, shows that such public funding is worth undertaking. The study also reveals that a significant portion (68 percent) of this investable funding can be generated from the community. The need for a cleanup programme of the Buriganga River is not an isolated case in Bangladesh. Many rivers in that country, and also throughout the developed and developing world are under threat of becoming biologically and hydrologically dead. This study provides a framework for addressing such environmental problems. It demonstrates that the ECV survey is a useful tool in estimating economic values of resources even in extremely poor economies. The modification of the contingent valuation method takes into account the local context, including cultural, economic, social and political settings. The extended cost-benefit analysis, which integrates better resource values could provide important information for the policy decision-making process. This is particularly useful for countries where the democratic system is not fully developed and there is limited experience in integrating the environment into the decision making

Emerging cancer incidence, mortality, hospitalisation and associated burden among Australian cancer patients, 1982 - 2014: an incidence-based approach in terms of trends, determinants and inequality

Objective Cancer is a leading killer worldwide, including Australia. Cancer diagnosis leads to a substantial burden on the individual, their family and society. The main aim of this study is to understand the trends, determinants and inequalities associated with cancer incidence, hospitalisation, mortality and its burden over the period 1982 to 2014 in Australia. Settings The study was conducted in Australia. Study design An incidence-based study design was used. Methods Data came from the publicly accessible Australian Institute of Health and Welfare database. This contained 2 784 148 registered cancer cases over the study period for all types of cancer. Erreygers' concentration index was used to examine the magnitude of socioeconomic inequality with regards to cancer outcomes. Furthermore, a generalised linear model was constructed to identify the influential factors on the overall burden of cancer. Results The results showed that cancer incidence (annual average percentage change, AAPC=1.33%), hospitalisation (AAPC=1.27%), cancer-related mortality (AAPC=0.76%) and burden of cancer (AAPC=0.84%) all increased significantly over the period. The same-day (AAPC=1.35%) and overnight (AAPC=1.19%) hospitalisation rates also showed an increasing trend. Further, the ratio (least-most advantaged economic resources ratio, LMR of mortality (M) and LMR of incidence (I)) was especially high for cervix (M/I=1.802), prostate (M/I=1.514), melanoma (M/I=1.325), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (M/I=1.325) and breast (M/I=1.318), suggesting that survival inequality was most pronounced for these cancers. Socioeconomically disadvantaged people were more likely to bear an increasing cancer burden in terms of incidence, mortality and death. Conclusions Significant differences in the burden of cancer persist across socioeconomic strata in Australia. Policymakers should therefore introduce appropriate cancer policies to provide universal cancer care, which could reduce this burden by ensuring curable and preventive cancer care services are made available to all people

Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationThree major catastrophic failures in photovoltaic (PV) arrays are ground-faults, line-to-line faults, and arc faults. Although the number of such failures is few, recent fire events on April 5, 2009, in Bakersfield, California, and April 16, 2011, in Mount Holly, North Carolina suggest the need for improvements in present fault detection and mitigation techniques, as well as amendments to existing codes and standards to avoid such accidents. A fault prediction and detection technique for PV arrays based on spread spectrum time domain reflectometry (SSTDR) has been proposed and was successfully implemented. Unlike other conventional techniques, SSTDR does not depend on the amplitude of the fault-current. Therefore, SSTDR can be used in the absence of solar irradiation as well. However, wide variation in impedance throughout different materials and interconnections makes fault locating more challenging than prediction/detection of faults. Another application of SSTDR in PV systems is the measurement of characteristic impedance of power components for condition monitoring purposes. Any characteristic variations in one component will simultaneously alter the operating conditions of other components in a closed-loop system, resulting in a shift in overall reliability profile. This interdependence makes the reliability of a converter a complex function of time and operating conditions. Details of this failure mode, mechanism, and effect analysis (FMMEA) have been developed. By knowing the present state of health and the remaining useful life (RUL) of a power converter, it is possible to reduce the maintenance cost for expensive high-power converters by facilitating a reliability centered maintenance (RCM) scheme. This research is a step forward toward power converter reliability analysis since the cumulative effect of multiple degraded components has been considered here for the first time in order to estimate reliability of a power converter

The detection of adhesive wear on cylinder liners for slow speed diesel engine through tribology, temperature, eddy current and acoustic emission measurement and analysis

PhD ThesisThe research concerns the condition monitoring of cylinder liner of large bore diesel engines using various methodologies to identify the onset of scuffing. The reasons of scuffing, improved designs and operational processes to prevent its occurrence were discussed. The research focused on modeling the normal condition of the cylinder liner with sufficient lubrication and detecting the precursor of scuffing by reducing the lubrication. The four detection systems used on the test facilities and field tests of the cylinder liners used tribology, temperature sensor, eddy current sensor and acoustic emission sensor. Experimental assessment of eddy current sensor was conducted for insufficient lubricating oil conditions for different cylinder liner wall pressures using a specially designed test facility. Field tests of temperature sensor and eddy current sensor were carried out on a 800mm bore worn cylinder liner of a container ship in service. Field test of acoustic emission sensor was carried out on a high speed automobile engine. Scuffing detection by temperature sensing should be considered as the last safety barrier, as it registers the after effect of scuffing and solely depends on the localized condition and the material’s thermal status. Mounting eddy current sensors are considered intrusive. Four sensors per cylinder are needed, which are prone to damage by the rings when the liner wears out. Additionally, the sensors measure only small section of the rings and their lubrication condition. Acoustic emission analysis effectively detects onset of scuffing on the cylinder liners and the rings. Initial findings from the lab and the field test on a four stroke engine confirmed this. However, more field tests under various loading condition on a slow speed engine is needed to understand the various event alignment and the non-routine detection, such as scuffing. They can be coupled with thermocouples to serve as a secondary protection

The digital divide and social inclusion among refugee migrants: a case in regional Australia

The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors which influence refugee migrants’ adoption of digital technology and its relevance to their social inclusion in Australia. This research developed a conceptual framework keeping the 'use' of digital technology as the centre-piece of the digital divide. The empirical data were derived from a series of focus group discussions with refugee migrants in an Australian regional city, Toowoomba in Queensland. There is a digital divide among refugee migrant groups and it is based on inequalities in physical access to and use of digital technology, the skills necessary to use the different technologies effectively and the ability to pay for the services. The opportunities to use digital technology could support the social inclusion of refugee migrant groups in the broader Australian community. Further research is required to examine whether this digital divide is unique in the regional context or common to Australian society and to confirm factors that might contribute significantly to refugee migrants’ social inclusion. This paper determined the role digital technology can play in building social capital and hence social inclusion among refugee migrant groups. Many of the factors identified as influencing refugee migrants’ use of digital technology can inform the Australian government and the information and communication technology industry in devising supportive policies and plans to reduce the risk of social exclusion, alienation and marginalisation among refugee migrant groups