A Just Climate Transition. Australia's climate transition will have to drastically cut our national emissions. Yet our transition also needs to be fair. This project will develop a social justice framework for the implementation of a zero net emissions climate transition for rural Victoria. This will be the first comprehensive incorporation of social justice framework with detailed mitigation strategies for rural Australia. The research will combine insights from leading Australian and internat ....A Just Climate Transition. Australia's climate transition will have to drastically cut our national emissions. Yet our transition also needs to be fair. This project will develop a social justice framework for the implementation of a zero net emissions climate transition for rural Victoria. This will be the first comprehensive incorporation of social justice framework with detailed mitigation strategies for rural Australia. The research will combine insights from leading Australian and international energy groups and current research to produce valuable inputs into a national just transitions strategy and provide benefits to Industry partners and the sector. The project will significantly contribute to our understanding of a just climate transition.Read moreRead less
Disability, Welfare and Work. The proposed project will offer significant insights into the experiences of people with a disability in the context of welfare-to-work policies. The project will be able to gauge the extent to which the significant amount of public funds invested in the new welfare-to-work measures is effective. In 2002/03 the Australian Government invested over 300 million dollars in Open Employment assistance. The applied research into conceptual questions such as the correct mod ....Disability, Welfare and Work. The proposed project will offer significant insights into the experiences of people with a disability in the context of welfare-to-work policies. The project will be able to gauge the extent to which the significant amount of public funds invested in the new welfare-to-work measures is effective. In 2002/03 the Australian Government invested over 300 million dollars in Open Employment assistance. The applied research into conceptual questions such as the correct model of disability, the relation of obligation to our understanding of citizenship and associated ethical issues will assist in maintaining Australia at the cutting edge of applied philosophical and sociological research.Read moreRead less
Conceiving and Implementing National Integrity Systems Assessments (NISA). Integrity and corruption are conceptually linked opposites. Integrity systems (or 'ethics regimes') are the most powerful tools for dealing with corruption. They involve a range of institutions, law, procedures, practices and attitudes which encourage integrity and discourage/sanction its absence among public servants and those who might wish to corrupt them. This project will examine the way Australian government and bus ....Conceiving and Implementing National Integrity Systems Assessments (NISA). Integrity and corruption are conceptually linked opposites. Integrity systems (or 'ethics regimes') are the most powerful tools for dealing with corruption. They involve a range of institutions, law, procedures, practices and attitudes which encourage integrity and discourage/sanction its absence among public servants and those who might wish to corrupt them. This project will examine the way Australian government and business integrity systems (some of which have received international praise for their design and conception) function in order to improve their operation in Australia and to provide examples for other countries.Read moreRead less
The Ethics of Socially Responsible Investment (SRI). This project investigates the ethical credentials of ethical investment - also known as Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) - in Australia. It will examine problems with SRI operations (such as screening, application of decision-making criteria and compliance monitoring) from the perspective of ethical theory; issues of shareholder advocacy; and the clash of ethical and fiduciary responsibility. It aims to make SRI more effective in connec ....The Ethics of Socially Responsible Investment (SRI). This project investigates the ethical credentials of ethical investment - also known as Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) - in Australia. It will examine problems with SRI operations (such as screening, application of decision-making criteria and compliance monitoring) from the perspective of ethical theory; issues of shareholder advocacy; and the clash of ethical and fiduciary responsibility. It aims to make SRI more effective in connecting investors? values to their investments by developing tools for SRI fund managers to exercise more sophisticated forms of ethical reasoning and decision making. This project opens up possibilities of significant transformation of capital markets within Australia.Read moreRead less
The Future of Financial Regulation: Enhancing integrity through design. The global financial crisis and the attendant collapse of major financial institutions have called into question the efficacy of financial regulation and the standards of conduct of the key actors in the financial services sectors and financial markets. Ethical conduct is fundamental to the integrity of Australia's financial services sector and financial markets. This project will make a valuable and innovative contribution ....The Future of Financial Regulation: Enhancing integrity through design. The global financial crisis and the attendant collapse of major financial institutions have called into question the efficacy of financial regulation and the standards of conduct of the key actors in the financial services sectors and financial markets. Ethical conduct is fundamental to the integrity of Australia's financial services sector and financial markets. This project will make a valuable and innovative contribution to the national priority goal of strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric by assisting market actors fulfil their professional roles in an ethical manner. By so doing it accords with the national priority goals of promoting an innovation culture and economy, and safeguarding Australia.Read moreRead less
Constructing Building Integrity: Raising standards through professionalism. This project aims to investigate the role of professions in rebuilding trust in residential building construction in Australia. In the wake of expensive and life-threatening building defects, this project expects to generate new knowledge about the functioning of individual professionals, professionals employed in multi-profession organisations, and professionals’ interaction with their institutional environment. Expecte ....Constructing Building Integrity: Raising standards through professionalism. This project aims to investigate the role of professions in rebuilding trust in residential building construction in Australia. In the wake of expensive and life-threatening building defects, this project expects to generate new knowledge about the functioning of individual professionals, professionals employed in multi-profession organisations, and professionals’ interaction with their institutional environment. Expected outcomes include practical recommendations for improved professional standards, a rigorous building integrity system and a means for measuring change. Anticipated benefits include greater awareness by professions, trades and regulators of their role in in delivering the public goods of a trustworthy construction industry.Read moreRead less
The limits of disclosure: private rights, public duties and the search for accountable governance. A reliance on technical considerations such as enhanced disclosure, literacy programs and attempts to bifurcate between sophisticated and unsophisticated investors has each proved sub-optimal in the search for greater, or more accurately, effective accountability both here in Australia and internationally. The acceptance by the corporate sector to process risk allocation, develop a mutually endors ....The limits of disclosure: private rights, public duties and the search for accountable governance. A reliance on technical considerations such as enhanced disclosure, literacy programs and attempts to bifurcate between sophisticated and unsophisticated investors has each proved sub-optimal in the search for greater, or more accurately, effective accountability both here in Australia and internationally. The acceptance by the corporate sector to process risk allocation, develop a mutually endorsed formal and informal regulatory framework, and agree on clear and transparent roles and responsibilities marks a significant step forward. It is both significant and innovative that the design and implementation of the proposed strategic plan will derive from an extended exercise in deliberative democracy.Read moreRead less
Improved monitoring of aquatic pollutants in national water resources. Clean water is predicted to become the world’s most valuable asset during this century, necessitating the improved monitoring of Australia’s limited water resources. Using a new and integrated monitoring approach, this project expects to develop and implement novel passive sampling technologies to monitor a range of water pollutants, specifically toxic ionised organic chemicals of emerging concern. The outcomes of this projec ....Improved monitoring of aquatic pollutants in national water resources. Clean water is predicted to become the world’s most valuable asset during this century, necessitating the improved monitoring of Australia’s limited water resources. Using a new and integrated monitoring approach, this project expects to develop and implement novel passive sampling technologies to monitor a range of water pollutants, specifically toxic ionised organic chemicals of emerging concern. The outcomes of this project will create cost-effective tools to advance the detection of emerging chemicals in drinking, ground, surface and waste waters. The technology will benefit millions of Australians by safeguarding essential water resources.Read moreRead less
Professions, Professional Standards and Capital Markets in the 21st Century: Regulatory Engagement, Design and Strategies. This project aims to advance academic knowledge of professional obligation within capital markets. The objective is to develop practical mechanisms to test and validate oversight programs designed to advance professional standards within the established professions of law and audit and those who aspire to that status (financial advisers and broker/dealers). The research uses ....Professions, Professional Standards and Capital Markets in the 21st Century: Regulatory Engagement, Design and Strategies. This project aims to advance academic knowledge of professional obligation within capital markets. The objective is to develop practical mechanisms to test and validate oversight programs designed to advance professional standards within the established professions of law and audit and those who aspire to that status (financial advisers and broker/dealers). The research uses an innovative conceptual framework that delineates rights, duties and responsibilities and measures capacity to deliver stated commitment to market integrity, thereby attending to the specific and pressing problems faced by the partner organisations. The project aims to provide warranted trust in the commitment of the professions to higher standards, thereby restoring market confidence.Read moreRead less
Optimal management of corrosion and odour problems in sewer systems. Pollutants in wastewater undergo complex changes in sewers, leading to the production and release of odorous and corrosive compounds. Despite major efforts and expenditure by water utilities to mitigate these problems, odorous emissions from sewers are still commonly occurring in urban areas. Furthermore, the value of public assets is significantly diminished due to sewer corrosion, costing hundreds of millions of dollars a yea ....Optimal management of corrosion and odour problems in sewer systems. Pollutants in wastewater undergo complex changes in sewers, leading to the production and release of odorous and corrosive compounds. Despite major efforts and expenditure by water utilities to mitigate these problems, odorous emissions from sewers are still commonly occurring in urban areas. Furthermore, the value of public assets is significantly diminished due to sewer corrosion, costing hundreds of millions of dollars a year in Australia alone. This project is a major joint effort by the Australian water industry and world-leading scientists to generate advanced knowledge and develop effective technologies for optimal odour and corrosion management in sewers, delivering large social, environmental and economic benefits.Read moreRead less