Defence science and innovation: an affordable strategic advantage

Overview: Australia’s neighbours in the Asia–Pacific are building high-quality science, technology, engineering and mathematics research capacities and infrastructure. As a consequence, Australia’s technological advantage in the defence domain is eroding. To recover that advantage, our policy should be to make the most of the knowledge, capability and capacity in Australia’s civilian science and innovation sector.  This special report analyses current and prospective Australian science, industry and defence science and innovation policy

Alcohol taxes’ contribution to prices in high and middle-income countries : data from the International Alcohol Control Study

The paper draws on data from six participating countries of the International Alcohol Control Study to examine and evaluate their comparative prices and tax regimes. Both ad valorem and specific per unit of alcohol taxation systems are represented among the six countries. The prices differ widely between countries even though presented in terms of Purchasing Power Parity. The percentage of tax in the final price also varies widely but is much lower than the 75% goal set by the World Health Organization. There is a higher proportion of abstainers in middle-income countries and men drink much more alcohol than women

Phoneix Park concerts July 2012. Summary report.

Report from the Garda Commissioner to the Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality about the pre-event management activities and policing arrangements for concerts at the Phoneix Park in July 2012

Stakeholders' perceptions of the management of groundwater contamination in Altona, Melbourne: is there a problem?

The problem of chemical groundwater contamination in Altona has been well documented since 1962 (State Development Committee, 1962). A basalt hosted, upper most aquifer, approximately ten meters from the surface, has been the focus of investigation by the Altona Chemical Complex since the late 1980s. Currently, a contamination plume, containing known carcinogens and mutagens, extends from the Altona Chemical Complex approximately two kilometers to beneath wetlands and residents' homes (GTA, 1996). The existence of such toxic compounds, potentially in contact with biological receptors, warrants investigation into the adequacy of the current management of groundwater contamination in Altona. Interviews were conducted to analyse the perceptions of twenty eight representatives from Altona residents; the petroleum and chemical companies of Altona; the Environment Protection Authority of Victoria; City West Water (water supply company); the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment; environmental assessment and remediation consultancies; environmental pressure groups; Federal, State and local political representatives; academia; banking; and real estate agent stakeholders. Based upon the perceptions of these stakeholders and with reference to supporting literature, this thesis examines the processes of the current management of groundwater contamination with respect to, management effectiveness, management motives, adherence to the precautionary principle, intergenerational equity and compliance to ecologically sustainable development. Analysis of the interviews determined that the management of the groundwater contamination issue was effectively in the hands of the Altona Chemical Complex, with the EPA, albeit with limited resources, facilitating and reviewing works being carried out. The existence of unregistered domestic bores and a lack hydrogeological knowledge indicated that the risk to public health and the ecological environment had not been adequately defined, despite Altona Chemical Complex claims to the contrary (EVS, 1996). In addition, the current management system was found to favour chemical industry management interests as they are the most influential stakeholder. These uncertainties and conflicting motives render the current management strategy inadequate as the precautionary principle was not utilised, intergenerational equity was not safeguarded and ecologically sustainable development was not being practiced. The ramification of the current management of groundwater contamination in Altona is that while action now may appear to be cost effective, the longer term consequences for the Altona Chemical Complex, public health and the ecological environment may not be affordable. ii

Paper 7 _ Drug and Alcohol Review

Associations between socio-economic disadvantage and heavier drinking vary depending on country-level income. These findings highlight the value of exploring cross-country differences in heavier drinking, and the importance of including country-level measurements to better elucidate relationships. Individual-level measures of disadvantage, lower education, and living in poverty, were associated with heavier drinking, consuming 8+ drinks on a typical occasion or drinking at the higher risk level, when all countries were considered together. Drinkers in the middle-income countries had a higher probability of consuming 8+ drinks on a typical occasion relative to drinkers in the high-income countries

GLOWORM-FL:A simulation model of the effects of climate and climate change on the free-living stages of gastro-intestinal nematode parasites of ruminants

Gastrointestinal nematodes are important parasites of livestock and wildlife worldwide, causing mortality and morbidity, regulating host populations and threatening food security through reduced productivity of ruminant livestock. A significant part of the life-cycle of most GINs is completed outside of the host. GINs are therefore susceptible to changes in climate, and evidence of climate-driven changes in the phenology of GINs and the seasonal incidence of disease already exists. A modelling framework, GLOWORM-FL was developed to predict changes in the seasonal dynamics of the free-living stages of trichostrongylid GINs on pasture as a first step towards evaluating potential mitigation strategies. The general model framework was parameterised and validated for three GIN species that infect a range of ruminants worldwide: Haemonchus contortus, Teladorsagia circumcincta and Ostertagia ostertagi. The model builds significantly on previous models of GIN population dynamics by incorporating the behaviour of nematodes in response to climate variability, facilitated by recent advances in our understanding of the ecology of GINs. Simulations using historical and predicted future climatic data for a temperate region reveal the potential for an increase in annual infection pressure of H. contortus and T. circumcincta in small ruminants as increasing temperatures accelerate development and remove constraints on the development of H. contortus during the winter months. In contrast, a significant decrease in annual infection pressure is predicted for O. ostertagi in cattle due to accelerated development being offset by rapid mortality at higher temperatures. A similar trade-off is predicted during the summer months for H. contortus and T. circumcincta resulting in complex seasonal dynamics of the availability of infective stages on pasture. These changes could have significant impacts on the seasonal incidence and pathology of infection by GINs. GLOWORM-FL therefore provides an important tool to predict the seasonal risk of transmission of GINs and will aid in the design of climate-driven, risk-based GIN control strategies