Identifying Malingered Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Biological Markers for Legal Assessment. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most common psychiatric disorder that is claimed in compensation claims in Australia. There are currently no reliable means to distinguish malingered from genuine PTSD. This project aims to develop the most accurate means of identifying malingered PTSD by using the most recent technology to index biological responses, including fMRI, in participants with PT ....Identifying Malingered Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Biological Markers for Legal Assessment. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most common psychiatric disorder that is claimed in compensation claims in Australia. There are currently no reliable means to distinguish malingered from genuine PTSD. This project aims to develop the most accurate means of identifying malingered PTSD by using the most recent technology to index biological responses, including fMRI, in participants with PTSD, without PTSD, and malingered PTSD. This study will lead to a biological assessment that can objectively index PTSD and be resistant to intentional feigning. These data will significantly enhance legal assessments of PTSD and facilitate compensation resolution.Read moreRead less
Cyber bullying: An evidence-based approach to the application and reform of law, policy and practice in schools. In better understanding the issue of cyber bullying and emerging jurisprudence, this study will guide schools on policies and practices that will assist and protect victims, educate all students and families towards electronic discourse and help schools avoid liability and keep them out of court. Outcomes could also inform teacher education programs and professional development progra ....Cyber bullying: An evidence-based approach to the application and reform of law, policy and practice in schools. In better understanding the issue of cyber bullying and emerging jurisprudence, this study will guide schools on policies and practices that will assist and protect victims, educate all students and families towards electronic discourse and help schools avoid liability and keep them out of court. Outcomes could also inform teacher education programs and professional development programs at the university level for educators. These understandings will inform the development of intervention and prevention strategies and potential reform of the existing laws and policies. The study will support the development of safe, ethical educational environments, both physical and virtual, where all students are free to learn.Read moreRead less
Establishing Guidelines for Coronial Best Practice Use of Internal Autopsy. Last year in Queensland 2700 Coronial internal autopsies were conducted at a cost of $5.3 million. In addition to the economic cost, other relevant concerns include few qualified personnel, public health risks, and cultural and religious sensitivities associated with internal autopsy. Anecdotal evidence suggests that for a number of these deaths, the internal autopsy was not necessary to establish cause or circumstance ....Establishing Guidelines for Coronial Best Practice Use of Internal Autopsy. Last year in Queensland 2700 Coronial internal autopsies were conducted at a cost of $5.3 million. In addition to the economic cost, other relevant concerns include few qualified personnel, public health risks, and cultural and religious sensitivities associated with internal autopsy. Anecdotal evidence suggests that for a number of these deaths, the internal autopsy was not necessary to establish cause or circumstance of death. The purpose of this research is to create guidelines to enable coroners to weight all sources of evidence before ordering internal autopsies The purpose is to decrease the number (and associated costs, risks and distress to families) of unnecessary internal autopsies being performed without compromising the finding as to cause and circumstance of death.Read moreRead less
Unlocking IP - Expanding public rights and the public domain in Australian copyright. This research investigates how Australia's digital commons, comprising both the public domain and public rights created by open content and open software licensing, can be expanded and protected. It focuses on 'self help' actions within the existing statutory context, in Australia's distinct legal and cultural context, and on comprehensiveness. Its significance is that healthy commons-based production of inform ....Unlocking IP - Expanding public rights and the public domain in Australian copyright. This research investigates how Australia's digital commons, comprising both the public domain and public rights created by open content and open software licensing, can be expanded and protected. It focuses on 'self help' actions within the existing statutory context, in Australia's distinct legal and cultural context, and on comprehensiveness. Its significance is that healthy commons-based production of information is essential to Australia as an innovative country and a democracy. The principal outcomes will be better understood and more efficient public rights licences, incentives to copyright owners to create them, and technical aids to allow users to find commons content.Read moreRead less
Auditing the Victorian Charter: Australian and international perspectives on applied human rights. This project is a detailed legal, government and policy case study of the most important human rights initiative in recent Australian history. It will provide research and new knowledge in key areas of human rights: the operation of human rights Bills, links between human rights and social disadvantage, education and community attitudes, and strategic government implementation. The project will d ....Auditing the Victorian Charter: Australian and international perspectives on applied human rights. This project is a detailed legal, government and policy case study of the most important human rights initiative in recent Australian history. It will provide research and new knowledge in key areas of human rights: the operation of human rights Bills, links between human rights and social disadvantage, education and community attitudes, and strategic government implementation. The project will develop a new policy tool (a national Audit) to monitor, plan and strengthen human rights in government and the community, and contribute to better social wellbeing and stronger democracy in Australia.Read moreRead less
Withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining treatment from adults lacking capacity: Enhancing medical decision-making through doctors' compliance with the law. This project will enhance medical decision-making about the provision of life-sustaining treatment to adults without decision-making capacity through improved compliance with the law. This will advance patients' autonomy and dignity, protect vulnerable adults whose lives may be wrongly ended because of inappropriate treatment decisions a ....Withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining treatment from adults lacking capacity: Enhancing medical decision-making through doctors' compliance with the law. This project will enhance medical decision-making about the provision of life-sustaining treatment to adults without decision-making capacity through improved compliance with the law. This will advance patients' autonomy and dignity, protect vulnerable adults whose lives may be wrongly ended because of inappropriate treatment decisions and avoid litigation for doctors and hospitals. The project also aims to improve the quality of the law by resolving legal ambiguity and proposing reforms. This will further enhance the quality of decision-making, and will reduce defensive medicine and the cost of complying with the law, leading to savings in health expenditure.Read moreRead less
Dilemmas in Non-Citizen Detention and Removal: An International Comparative Study. The project will generate policy proposals to obviate costly legal challenges, damaging ethical controversies, and the erosion of confidence and morale in the administration of Australian immigration practices. By developing new safeguards for the integrity of Australia's immigration, the project will assist in protecting Australian citizens from the dangers of terrorism and crime. Proposals generated will seek to ....Dilemmas in Non-Citizen Detention and Removal: An International Comparative Study. The project will generate policy proposals to obviate costly legal challenges, damaging ethical controversies, and the erosion of confidence and morale in the administration of Australian immigration practices. By developing new safeguards for the integrity of Australia's immigration, the project will assist in protecting Australian citizens from the dangers of terrorism and crime. Proposals generated will seek to respect the human rights of non-citizens, whilst increasing confidence in the integrity of the immigration system and reducing public fears concerning security.Read moreRead less
People with Mental Health Disorders and Cognitive Disabilities in the Criminal Justice System. Over 40 000 people are imprisoned in Australia each year, almost half of them in NSW. 40% males and 60% females involved in the NSW CJS have a MHD or CD with many having a dual diagnosis. The appropriateness of the arrest and imprisonment of many people with MHDCD is currently of serious public, social and professional concern. Interventions are hampered by lack of an overall and longitudinal appreciat ....People with Mental Health Disorders and Cognitive Disabilities in the Criminal Justice System. Over 40 000 people are imprisoned in Australia each year, almost half of them in NSW. 40% males and 60% females involved in the NSW CJS have a MHD or CD with many having a dual diagnosis. The appropriateness of the arrest and imprisonment of many people with MHDCD is currently of serious public, social and professional concern. Interventions are hampered by lack of an overall and longitudinal appreciation of the CJS's impact upon and interaction with such people.This study will provide integrated information for the first time in Australia and give CJS and human service agencies a coherent picture of the involvement of people with MHDCD in the CJS, which will assist development of new interventions to address duty of care and human rights.Read moreRead less
Judicially Speaking: An Oral History of the High Court of Australia. This project will leave a basic research legacy by creating a history of the High Court in the words of those closest to it. The Court is among our most under-researched national institutions. By deepening understanding of how the High Court has operated in the past, including in response to social and political change, the project will enrich debate about how it should function in the future. It will provide new insights into ....Judicially Speaking: An Oral History of the High Court of Australia. This project will leave a basic research legacy by creating a history of the High Court in the words of those closest to it. The Court is among our most under-researched national institutions. By deepening understanding of how the High Court has operated in the past, including in response to social and political change, the project will enrich debate about how it should function in the future. It will provide new insights into the evolution of Australian law to meet the challenges of tomorrow and will preserve vital national heritage in the form of the recollections of prominent national figures.Read moreRead less
Australia's Response to Trafficking in Women: Towards A Model for the Regulation of Forced Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region. The problem of trafficking in persons and issues of forced migration in the Asia-Pacific region are matters of national concern as they involve the security of the nation and the prevention of organised transnational crime. This project will contribute to the safeguarding of Australia by improving our understanding of the nature of the problem and what legal responses ....Australia's Response to Trafficking in Women: Towards A Model for the Regulation of Forced Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region. The problem of trafficking in persons and issues of forced migration in the Asia-Pacific region are matters of national concern as they involve the security of the nation and the prevention of organised transnational crime. This project will contribute to the safeguarding of Australia by improving our understanding of the nature of the problem and what legal responses work best in combating trafficking. By specifically focussing on the gaps in the existing law, practice and policy, the project will enable Australia to be a major international leader in this important field.Read moreRead less