Industry superannuation funds: a new kind of mutual

At the time of the founding of the industry superannuation funds, the Australian retirement-savings market was dominated by insurance mutuals. In the early 1980s, less than half the workforce was covered by occupational superannuation and unions saw the insurance mutuals, created in the nineteenth century, as part of the problem in this widespread market failure. When establishing industry-wide schemes, union leaders largely eschewed the language associated with the "old" mutuals that had become key pillars of the established financial sector. In framing their appeal to members, the trustees and managers of the industry funds appealed instead to new expressions, such as "all profit to members." Industry funds also developed a model of 50/50 employer/employee trusteeship or "equal representation" not as an ideological prescription, but as a pragmatic way of dealing with opposition to the schemes by employers. The trustees and managers of industry superannuation funds contrasted rather than associated themselves with the "old mutuals" which, at the time, were not seen as reflecting the unions' ideal of an industrial partnership. However, with the decline and demutualisation of the largest old insurance mutuals in the 1990s, the industry funds began to appropriate the language of mutualism. This appropriation took place within the context of a perceived need to maintain a collective identity and purpose in the changing superannuation marketplace

Flanders builds new research vessel <i>Simon Stevin</i>

On 10 December 2007 Minister-President Kris Peeters and Minister Patricia Ceysens disclosed the plans of the Flemish Government to build a new research vessel to replace the current vessel RV Zeeleeuw. The Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) will be responsible for the scientific programme and management of the research equipment. DAB Vloot (MDK) will ensure the good operation of the new coastal vessel. The ship was named Simon Stevin after a Flemish intellectual jack-of-all-trades (°1548, Bruges) with numerous maritime and hydraulic achievements.By constructing this new research vessel Flanders not only undertakes to provide a successor for the oceanographic vessel RV Zeeleeuw but also wants to stress that it continues to invest in scientific and technological innovations as an engine for a sustainable society.Since 2001 marine researchers have been able to board the Zeeleeuw to carry out scientific samplings in the North Sea and the Scheldt Estuary. Constructed in 1977, the Zeeleeuw was converted from a pilot vessel into a research vessel for this purpose in 2000. In recent years it has become clear how this investment has resulted in better and more multidisciplinary marine scientific top research in our region and to training opportunities for marine scientists.A recent poll and feasibility study among the over 500 marine scientists in Flanders confirmed that there is a great need for logistic support of their research. Within this context priority needs to be given to a modern and well equipped vessel with a shallow draught and swift access to the shallow coastal waters of the southern bight of the North Sea and the adjacent river estuaries.By building this new vessel Minister Patricia Ceysens wants to continue along the path of innovation in the field of research and technology. The new ship will meet the established need to spend time on board within the scope of research of monitoring and will keep Flemish scientists in the European lead. The new research vessel will furthermore be able to actively contribute to international marine management obligations and to substantiating the Flemish policy on fishing and port accessibility. The ship will also be used for training and educational purposes and as a test platform for new maritime technologies.In its capacity as multifunctional shipowner on behalf of the Flemish Government the DAB Vloot (Agency for Maritime and Coastal Services) will use its nautical and technical expertise to ensure good operation of the vessel. The Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) will be responsible for the scientific programme of the voyages and the management of the research equipment. As a result of this major step in the support of marine scientific research the VLIZ will be able to fulfil its role as a facilitator of marine scientific knowledge development and as a marine focal point for the international community even better in the future.Minister Ceysens also announced the purchase of additional land-based facilities. These facilities are located within walking distance of the VLIZ and are part of the InnovOcean site, the central site for oceanographic initiatives on the east bank in Ostend. Minister-President Peeters has undertaken to ensure that the vessel is manned and maintained by DAB Vloot and leaves port daily for research purposes

Organisational resilience and emergency management

The concept of resilience figures prominently in discussions of disaster risk reduction, emergency management and community safety. Overwhelmingly, such discussions view resilience as a highly desirable characteristic of communities. Policies and practices of emergency services organisations imply that a major role of such organisations is to promote and foster community resilience. Yet there is little appreciation of the importance of resilience as a necessary characteristic of emergency services organisations. In this paper we argue that emergency services organisations need to address their own resilience issues in order to properly fulfil their community protection responsibilities. The concept of organisational resilience in relation to Australia&#039;s volunteer-based emergency services organisations is discussed and the importance of organisational climate and organisational culture in relation to organisational resilience is stressed