Designing world-class venture capital programs to support commercialisation of Australian research during and beyond an economic crisis. Government support of venture capital investment is vital for Australia’s economic prosperity. This project examines how foreign governments have tackled the effect of the financial crisis on such investment and provides policy options for ensuring Australia maintains internationally competitive programs in challenging economic times.
Regulating Food Labels: The Case of Free Range Food Products in Australia. The food label has become an important site of contestation and controversy with respect to a range of health, safety, environmental and ethical issues across the food system. This project aims to examine the regulation of food labelling in Australia through a focus on free range labelled eggs and animal products. It aims to shed light on the dynamics of how a network of food producers, retailers, private certification or ....Regulating Food Labels: The Case of Free Range Food Products in Australia. The food label has become an important site of contestation and controversy with respect to a range of health, safety, environmental and ethical issues across the food system. This project aims to examine the regulation of food labelling in Australia through a focus on free range labelled eggs and animal products. It aims to shed light on the dynamics of how a network of food producers, retailers, private certification organisations and regulatory agencies are responding to changing demands for ethical and quality foods. The project is expected to develop new strategies for a more effective, legitimate and stakeholder-inclusive approach to regulating food labels.Read moreRead less
A National infrastructure to manage land information. Australia is one of about 30 countries in the world capable of managing land transactions in reliable land registers. The administrative framework however is 150 years old, built according to a 19th century statutory model appropriate to a less complicated and slower land market. Now land information, and particularly the digital land parcel map, is Australia's most valuable but underutilised asset. The project will translate popular spatial ....A National infrastructure to manage land information. Australia is one of about 30 countries in the world capable of managing land transactions in reliable land registers. The administrative framework however is 150 years old, built according to a 19th century statutory model appropriate to a less complicated and slower land market. Now land information, and particularly the digital land parcel map, is Australia's most valuable but underutilised asset. The project will translate popular spatial technologies into national business tools to better manage land information for the government, community and private sectors.Read moreRead less
Drug Companies, their Patenting Strategies and High-Cost Pharmaceuticals: An Empirical Investigation. Pharmaceuticals are a vital part of clinical services that maintain and improve Australia's health; they are also costly, absorbing a substantial proportion of the national health expenditures. By conferring market protections, the patent system helps the manufacturers of pharmaceuticals to recoup the high costs of research associated with developing new products. Abuses of the patent system by ....Drug Companies, their Patenting Strategies and High-Cost Pharmaceuticals: An Empirical Investigation. Pharmaceuticals are a vital part of clinical services that maintain and improve Australia's health; they are also costly, absorbing a substantial proportion of the national health expenditures. By conferring market protections, the patent system helps the manufacturers of pharmaceuticals to recoup the high costs of research associated with developing new products. Abuses of the patent system by pharmaceutical manufacturers have the potential to stifle competition and inappropriately raise the costs of pharmaceuticals to society. This innovative, cross-disciplinary, research will investigate the existence of abusive patents and, if necessary, propose reforms that will prevent further abuse and reduce the size of the health budget. Read moreRead less
...and by opposing, end them: A Comparative Examination of Opposition Processes in Patent Law. Patent law is central to the key Australian economic aim of encouraging an innovative culture. One aspect of patent law, the opposition process, is directly linked to two important issues currently facing our patent system: improving patent quality, and minimising predatory behaviour by powerful firms. This project will assess the operation of the opposition process here, and the practice of equivalent .......and by opposing, end them: A Comparative Examination of Opposition Processes in Patent Law. Patent law is central to the key Australian economic aim of encouraging an innovative culture. One aspect of patent law, the opposition process, is directly linked to two important issues currently facing our patent system: improving patent quality, and minimising predatory behaviour by powerful firms. This project will assess the operation of the opposition process here, and the practice of equivalent international procedures in other jurisdictions, in order to inform Australian policy in current and ongoing negotiations towards global harmonisation. Material from this project will lead directly to proposals for improving the Australian patent system, and ensuring that it promotes, and does not retard, innovation. Read moreRead less
Prospects for quality work and gender equality in frontline care work. Despite policy concerns about unmet demand for paid care, frontline care workers generally have poorer conditions than workers in other feminised sectors. This project will investigate the regulatory options to improve the quality of care work to build Australian expertise and knowledge about the links between job quality and quality of care services.
The Principles of Proprietary Remedies. Property rights are central to Australia's social fabric and critical to its economy. At this time of financial crisis, when personal bankruptcy and corporate insolvency are on the rise, it is essential to know exactly who owns what, when and why. Yet Australian law is unclear and often inconsistent as to when and why the law imposes property rights in favour of a plaintiff over assets held by a defendant and what those rights should be. This project will ....The Principles of Proprietary Remedies. Property rights are central to Australia's social fabric and critical to its economy. At this time of financial crisis, when personal bankruptcy and corporate insolvency are on the rise, it is essential to know exactly who owns what, when and why. Yet Australian law is unclear and often inconsistent as to when and why the law imposes property rights in favour of a plaintiff over assets held by a defendant and what those rights should be. This project will address this intolerable uncertainty by determining the proper criteria for the conferral of property rights by law.Read moreRead less
Coherent, independent and user-friendly? Participant perceptions of social security administrative review processes in Australia and Britain. The capacity to exercise rights associated with citizenship, and to participate meaningfully in community life, is significantly affected by access to financial security and by community confidence in the independence and fairness of systems of entitlement review. This research will examine recent developments in Australian social security review mechanism ....Coherent, independent and user-friendly? Participant perceptions of social security administrative review processes in Australia and Britain. The capacity to exercise rights associated with citizenship, and to participate meaningfully in community life, is significantly affected by access to financial security and by community confidence in the independence and fairness of systems of entitlement review. This research will examine recent developments in Australian social security review mechanisms, in both policy and practice. It is of national significance as it will demonstrate the extent to which statutory objectives of fairness, comprehensibility and accessibility are achieved, particularly from the perspectives of participants in appeals. The research has critical implications for legislation, policy and practice in administrative law and tribunal practice. Read moreRead less
Maritime Legal Practice and Policy in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific: Synergies and Challenges for Australian Trade and Security. Analysis of maritime legal practice in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific will bolster Australia's national maritime policy-making and regional capacity to address key maritime concerns, leading to enhanced sustainable management of the ocean environment and its resources, economic security, maritime enforcement and security for trade and shipping. This will d ....Maritime Legal Practice and Policy in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific: Synergies and Challenges for Australian Trade and Security. Analysis of maritime legal practice in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific will bolster Australia's national maritime policy-making and regional capacity to address key maritime concerns, leading to enhanced sustainable management of the ocean environment and its resources, economic security, maritime enforcement and security for trade and shipping. This will deliver profound political, economic and security benefits to the countries concerned. The research will help to safeguard Australia's vital maritime interests as well as those of our maritime neighbours and therefore impact directly on Australia's economic security and prosperity, the protection and preservation of the marine environment and thus the well being of its society.Read moreRead less
Managing Competing Claims to Land and Resources - Does Property Law Promote Sustainability ? A key factor in promoting environmental sustainability is the resolution of competing claims to land and water resources in rural Australia. This project would examine the effectiveness of property law as the major model for resolving conflicts and regulating land and resources. Through overseas and Australian comparative research the project would provide an analysis of alternative legal and instituti ....Managing Competing Claims to Land and Resources - Does Property Law Promote Sustainability ? A key factor in promoting environmental sustainability is the resolution of competing claims to land and water resources in rural Australia. This project would examine the effectiveness of property law as the major model for resolving conflicts and regulating land and resources. Through overseas and Australian comparative research the project would provide an analysis of alternative legal and institutional models of relevance to land and resource management authorities, industry and community groups. It would support the resolution of competing claims through an examination of legal models, which may more effectively promote environmental sustainability.Read moreRead less