Deafblind communication: Building professional competencies . This project aims to improve the quality of interpreting/support services provided to deafblind Australians by analysing the communication strategies used by deafblind sign language users. Many deafblind people use a modified form of Auslan (Australian Sign Language) to communicate, yet little is known about how interpreters or support workers should adapt their signing when working with deafblind clients to ensure effective communica ....Deafblind communication: Building professional competencies . This project aims to improve the quality of interpreting/support services provided to deafblind Australians by analysing the communication strategies used by deafblind sign language users. Many deafblind people use a modified form of Auslan (Australian Sign Language) to communicate, yet little is known about how interpreters or support workers should adapt their signing when working with deafblind clients to ensure effective communication. This project would develop evidence-based training and resources for these professionals. This should provide significant benefits such as improved communication between deafblind clients and professionals, and enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of support service provision for deafblind people.Read moreRead less
A Case Study Into The Development Of OH&S Processes In The Pinctada Maxima Pearling Industry To Benchmark Worlds Best Industry Diving Practice
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$71,656.00
Summary
At various periods, the lack of detailed information on the development and application of the pearl industry dive protocols has resulted in criticism of the industry's occupation health and safety performance from Coroners, Unions, Government, Statutory Organisations and other parties.
The review of OH&S processes and finalisation of the drift dive research will present a cogent, defensive argument of the Industry's safe diving practices. This will place Industry in a better position ....At various periods, the lack of detailed information on the development and application of the pearl industry dive protocols has resulted in criticism of the industry's occupation health and safety performance from Coroners, Unions, Government, Statutory Organisations and other parties.
The review of OH&S processes and finalisation of the drift dive research will present a cogent, defensive argument of the Industry's safe diving practices. This will place Industry in a better position to negate the need for future legislative or Industrial Relations initiatives by responsible departments and bodies because they will be better informed regarding pearling industry occupational health & safety standards.
The diving systems and protocols developed by the pearling industry would be applicable to similar diving industries. Without a review and documentation of the process by which they were developed and the results, it could limit those industries ability to adopt and develop their own appropriate economic and efficient systems of safe diving.
This review will also constitute an element of the required documentation for Worksafe WA to consider, examine and gazette a Pearling Industry Code of Practice. This Review will also contribute to the consistency of OH&S across WA fisheries.
There is a crucial need for an objective, factual measure of the safety being achieved by the pearling industry. The drift dive database was the tool used for this measurment, however it has become dysfunctional and requires upgrading to supply this measure. (This component of the proposed review comes under the State IDU Programme 5 - 'Information Systems' and Strategy 5.2 - ' Maintain a database of relevant information, and access to similar databases.'
It will also be a benchmark document by which further studies and research on divers health can refer to and build from. Objectives: 1. Write a brief history of the pearling industry focusing on the reasons and 'drivers' for the development of the OH&S processes and programs within the industry. 2. Compile, from all previous reports to FRDC & Fisheries, the Final Research Report on the drift diving profile research and summarise in the review report the results and principles applied to establish their safety. This Final Report is for the FRDC project 'IMPROVED HARVESTING EFFICIENCY OF PEARL OYSTERS THROUGH MODIFICATION OF DIVE PROFILES' (94/098) 3. Document the development process and implimentation of the PPA Diving Code of Practice that was developed in conjuction with Fisheries WA and Worksafe WA. 4. Update the PPA drift dive database and draft a statistical report from the dive data base, which will have logged the total manhours of drift diving over the past 10 years and correlate the reduction in decompression illness (DCI) incidents to the adoption of the research results. 5. Collect and summarise the international presentation papers of pearling industry systems by Dr. R. Wong. Briefly describe the fishing industries worldwide that have adopted the principles that underpin the pearl diving system as conveyed by Dr. Wong at international hyperbaric medical conferences. 6. Document the work done by the PPA in support of hyperbaric medicine including the provision, training and support of the recompression chamber facilities in Broome. 7. In support of the above objectives, to collect all source documents regarding OH&S in the pearl diving industry since the inception of the PPA (1989). (Dive mortalities, Incidents, Coroners reports, CoP development, Chamber Purchase, International Conference papers etc.) Read moreRead less
Salty gas: the ecological risk of saline effluents from coal seam gas and other hydrocarbon resources. The objective of this project is to predict the effect of saline water produced from coal and coal seam gas extraction activities on freshwater systems. The findings will assist decisions on whether to permit discharge of such waste water, and if permitted under what conditions (e.g. water quality criteria) so as to prevent environment damage.
To Develop A National Marine Safety Extension Resource Toolkit And To Trial With All Fisheries Jurisdictions
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$350,000.00
Summary
There have been significant resources (financial and physical) allocated to workplace health and safety (including mental health, training and systems for data collection) over the last 15 years in the commercial fishing industry .However the majority have been “stand alone" and there has been limited extension for the wider industry to adopt. Although there have been some positive moves in the area of health and safety such as the SRL Clean Green program and the Spencer Gulf Prawn fishery, ther ....There have been significant resources (financial and physical) allocated to workplace health and safety (including mental health, training and systems for data collection) over the last 15 years in the commercial fishing industry .However the majority have been “stand alone" and there has been limited extension for the wider industry to adopt. Although there have been some positive moves in the area of health and safety such as the SRL Clean Green program and the Spencer Gulf Prawn fishery, there has largely been a “silo” approach to the various initiatives across the commercial fishing industry and a real lack of coordination that can lead to a lack of communication, adoption and the lack of visibility of tools to those that need it. This is due in part to the nature of the industry that tends (overall) not to have the willingness to adopt something that another fishery has implemented, fragmentation of industry in some states and within a fishery. Additionally, the absence of a peak national body until June 2017 also created a gap for driving nationwide issues including workplace safety and health initiatives. Through the building of these networks and the establishment of on the ground champion in each state to influence industry including the building of capacity/ resources within the peak bodies to embrace workplace health and safety on behalf of their members, improved awareness and adoption of safety programs should occur. To do this State peak bodies require support to enable them to add value for their members and therefore utilise existing and currently funded research and develop extension processes.It is unknown to what level industry uptake of the current AMSA requirements for a safety management system (SMS) has occurred. It is not well understood by industry that the existence of a SMS to meet AMSA requirements only goes half way for legal compliance. Each states Worksafe body also has legislation that requires compliance with safe work practices. It is desirable to produce a SMS that meets both sets of legislation and develop a tool that can be used to assess the uptake of the initiatives through the peak bodies as well as developing a robust set of statistics to benchmark the performance. Objectives: 1. To build capability in each jurisdiction industry council for the development of a safety management system toolkit based on gear type/fishery type for implementation across industry 2. To develop processes to ensure existing and future projects including LMS ( 2017-194) and Barriers to Adoption ( 2017-046) are integrated into objective 1 above 4. To develop a national “champions” network for workplace/ marine safety to assist jurisdictional bodies communicate and champion the safety message 5. To ensure current and previous marine safety RD&E projects are linked and collaborate effectively to achieve increased levels of extension 6. To develop a tool and estimate wild catch fisheries accident statistics ( historical) and to provide a system and a benchmark to measure future performance of accident statistics Read moreRead less
Access to justice in interpreted proceedings: the role of Judicial Officers. This project aims to examine the ways judicial officers can improve courtroom communication and prevent miscommunication and error, particularly in criminal cases where speakers of the 'new and emerging' and Aboriginal languages are involved, and where interpreters receive limited or no specialised training. Using an innovative interdisciplinary approach, the project aims to generate new knowledge in examining the varia ....Access to justice in interpreted proceedings: the role of Judicial Officers. This project aims to examine the ways judicial officers can improve courtroom communication and prevent miscommunication and error, particularly in criminal cases where speakers of the 'new and emerging' and Aboriginal languages are involved, and where interpreters receive limited or no specialised training. Using an innovative interdisciplinary approach, the project aims to generate new knowledge in examining the variations in judicial officers communications practice when working with interpreters, and their impact on the effective transmission of information in the courtroom. Expected outcomes of this project will include improved outcomes of interpreted communication and a better access to justice for non-English speaking participants.Read moreRead less
Sharing the Wealth: Tax and Justice in The Slow Growth Era. This project aims to address fundamental problems of injustice in taxation emerging in the transition to a slow growth economy in Australia and globally. The project applies interdisciplinary approaches to generate new knowledge that aims to update frameworks for justice in taxation, refreshing out-dated 20th century ethical and legal approaches. Collaborative legal and philosophy analysis by leading scholars in Australia and the United ....Sharing the Wealth: Tax and Justice in The Slow Growth Era. This project aims to address fundamental problems of injustice in taxation emerging in the transition to a slow growth economy in Australia and globally. The project applies interdisciplinary approaches to generate new knowledge that aims to update frameworks for justice in taxation, refreshing out-dated 20th century ethical and legal approaches. Collaborative legal and philosophy analysis by leading scholars in Australia and the United States will respond to contemporary conditions of slow growth, wage stagnation, wealth inequality, population aging and longevity. Project outcomes will include tax reform proposals to benefit policy makers and enrich public debate on tax justice for 21st century economic and fiscal conditions.Read moreRead less
Development Of Fish Health Indicators For The Gladstone Harbour Report Card
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$156,370.69
Summary
This application answers a request for Expressions of Interest for an FRDC and GHHP project to develop a fish sampling program and fish health indicators for the Gladstone Harbour Report Card. The project will review and test approaches, drawing on earlier work commissioned by GHHP (Cowled, 2016; Kroon et al., 2016).
Fish are key biological indicators of environmental contamination, as they are continuously exposed, ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems, and play an important ecological rol ....This application answers a request for Expressions of Interest for an FRDC and GHHP project to develop a fish sampling program and fish health indicators for the Gladstone Harbour Report Card. The project will review and test approaches, drawing on earlier work commissioned by GHHP (Cowled, 2016; Kroon et al., 2016).
Fish are key biological indicators of environmental contamination, as they are continuously exposed, ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems, and play an important ecological role (van der Oost et al., 2003). When employing fish as indicators of ecosystem health, most Australian programs consider assemblages and community structure. This approach is well-tested and simple to deploy. Its limitations are that extensive sampling can be required to ensure the monitoring program is spatially and temporally representative, avoids sampling gear bias and guarantees sufficient statistical power to detect change. The alternative approach is to measure indicators of individual fish health, such as morphometry, gross pathology, histopathology (Mishra and Mohanty, 2009), fish parasite load and diversity (Sasal et al., 2007) or chromosomal mutations (Pak et al., 2012). Other measures, such as bioaccumulation of contaminants, do not necessarily indicate poor fish health but can be useful for assessing ecosystem condition. Fish health indicators range from relatively low cost to high cost and complexity.
For this project, the preference is for testing and development of low-medium categories of indicators such as external examination, morphometry, gross pathology, parasite count and application of the health assessment index (Cowled, 2016). We will review suitable fish monitoring methods, develop and test cost-effective data collection approaches for Gladstone Harbour using adaptive sampling, evaluate the potential to transfer methods and indicators to similar areas, and produce fish indicators for inclusion in the 2017-18 Gladstone Harbour Report Card.
Future monitoring costs for 2019 are estimated at $45,324 (ex GST), not included in the budget.
Objectives: 1. To review and identify suitable methods to monitor fish health in the Gladstone Harbour. 2. To develop and implement a data collection approach by the end of June 2018 to monitor fish health in the Gladstone Harbour that is both cost-effective and suitable for a fish health indicator. 3. To evaluate the potential to adapt and transfer the methods and indicators developed to monitor fish health in other estuaries and ports in Northern Australia. 4. To develop fish health indicator(s) based on the data collected and apply them to the 2017-18 Gladstone Harbour Report Card. Read moreRead less
Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: Development Of Molecular Diagnostic Expertise For The Mollusc Pathogen Bonamia Sp.
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$112,316.00
Summary
Australian edible mollusc production has increased by 22% in the last three years, reaching a total gross value of $70,000,000 in 2000/2001. The growing world-demand for aquaculture products opens export opportunities for Australia’s aquaculture sector (Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2001). However, translocation of live molluscs is often associated with pathogen spread with resulting disease outbreaks having detrimental effects on production, trade and the ability to open new overseas markets ....Australian edible mollusc production has increased by 22% in the last three years, reaching a total gross value of $70,000,000 in 2000/2001. The growing world-demand for aquaculture products opens export opportunities for Australia’s aquaculture sector (Australian Fisheries Statistics, 2001). However, translocation of live molluscs is often associated with pathogen spread with resulting disease outbreaks having detrimental effects on production, trade and the ability to open new overseas markets (Berthe and Boudry, 1999). A rapid and reliable diagnostic capability (expertise and molecular tools) for the detection and identification of important mollusc pathogens worldwide is not currently available in Australia. Such diagnostic capability is necessary to ascertain the presence or absence of Bonamia spp. a notifiable pathogen in domestically farmed oysters. It is essential to develop both expertise and modern molecular assays (e.g. PCR, gene sequencing (Berthe et al., 1999)) for identification and comparison of the Bonamia sp. present in Australia with overseas Bonamia spp. (Pichot et al., 1980; Campalas et al., 2000; Diggles et al., 2003). Without development of this expertise, including the required reagents and procedures, it will be difficult to establish a health certification and surveillance program for the mollusc aquaculture industry. Moreover, these resources are essential for development of strategies for disease management in Australia.
References -Australian Fisheries Statistics. 2001. Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics. 64 pages. -Berthe, F. and Boudry, P. 1999. Pister les huitres et leurs pathogens. Biofutur, 195: 38-42. -Berthe, F., Burreson, E. and Hine, M. 1999. Use of molecular tools for mollusc disease diagnosis. Bull. Eur. Ass. Fish Pathol. 19(6): 277-278. -Campalans, M., Rojas, P. and Gonzalez, M. 2000. Haemocytic parasitosis in farmed oyster Tiostrea chilensis. Bull. Eur. Ass. Fish Pathol. 20(1): 31-33. -Diggles, B. K., Cochennec-Laureau, N., Hine, M. 2003. Comparison of diagnostic techniques for Bonamia exitiosus from flat oysters Ostreae chilensis in New Zeland. Aquaculture, 220(1-4):145-156. -Pichot, Y., Comps, M., Tige, G., Grizel, H. and Rabouin, M. A. 1980. Recherche sur Bonamia ostreae gen. n., parasite nouveau de l’huitre plate Ostrea edulis L.. Rev. Trav. Inst. Scient. Tech. Pech. Marit. 43: 131-140.
Objectives: 1. To develop and validate real-time TaqMan PCR assay for the detection of Bonamia species in mollusc tissues. 2. To develop strategies and primers for conventional PCR amplification and sequencing of DNA products (amplicons), that will allow the differentiation of the Australian Bonamia from the exotic Bonamia spp. 3. To establish the detection limit of the TaqMan PCR assay. 4. To establish a reference collection of material (mollusc tissues) infected with exotic Bonamia species. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE240100131
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$539,000.00
Summary
Federated Omniverse Facilities for Smart Digital Futures. A world-first trans-disciplinary, -domain, and -institutional smart 3D omniverse R&D ecosystem AuVerse will be built in NSW, affiliated with Queensland, and accessible to academia and industry. AuVerse will support cloud-based, reality-virtuality-fused, immersive, interactive and secure future-oriented digital design, development, training and society. In the new era of digital innovation and paradigm shift, AuVerse will substantially boo ....Federated Omniverse Facilities for Smart Digital Futures. A world-first trans-disciplinary, -domain, and -institutional smart 3D omniverse R&D ecosystem AuVerse will be built in NSW, affiliated with Queensland, and accessible to academia and industry. AuVerse will support cloud-based, reality-virtuality-fused, immersive, interactive and secure future-oriented digital design, development, training and society. In the new era of digital innovation and paradigm shift, AuVerse will substantially boost Australia’s pivotal research leadership and business competitiveness in nurturing new-generation, collaborative and transformative digital R&D and talent pipeline. It will enable large-scale strategic business innovation and transformation including smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0.Read moreRead less
Towards Generalisable and Unbiased Dynamic Recommender Systems. This project aims to develop the foundations, including models, methodology, and algorithms for building generalisable and unbiased dynamic recommender systems to facilitate intelligent decision-making, prompt contextualised and personalised strategic plans, and support context-aware action recourse. To ensure that fundamental principles, such as fairness and transparency, are respected, a set of algorithms and techniques are propos ....Towards Generalisable and Unbiased Dynamic Recommender Systems. This project aims to develop the foundations, including models, methodology, and algorithms for building generalisable and unbiased dynamic recommender systems to facilitate intelligent decision-making, prompt contextualised and personalised strategic plans, and support context-aware action recourse. To ensure that fundamental principles, such as fairness and transparency, are respected, a set of algorithms and techniques are proposed to develop recommender systems in a more responsible manner. The result of this project will not only maintain Australia's leadership in this frontier research area, but also serve as an excellent vehicle for the education and training of Australia's next generation of scholars and engineers.Read moreRead less