Academic literature on the topic 'Housing development Standards Australia'

In multicultural Australia, comprehensive and upto- date information on ethnicity and health is essential to guide policy and service development in the health sector. Data collected for purposes other than research are a potentially important source of information. This study explored the extent to which indicators of cultural and linguistic diversity are currently included in national health and welfare service data collections, and the data standards employed. We identified and reviewed 44 relevant bodies of work: 7 national data dictionaries, 15 national data sets, 10 national health data collections and 12 national surveys. Each of the large data dictionaries (health, community services and housing assistance) contained several ethnicity-related variables. Immigrant Australians were identified (usually by country of birth, sometimes by language, and occasionally by period of residence or year of arrival) in all the major national health and community data sets, health data collections and surveys. Australian Bureau of Statistics standards and classifications relating to cultural and linguistic diversity were widely used. Researchers, health policy makers and planners should fully exploit these secondary data sources, as well as undertaking or commissioning primary research.

Australia has long had a deeply speculative housing property market. Arguably this has been accentuated in recent years as successive governments have privileged private-sector investment in housing property as the key mechanism for delivering housing and a concurrent winding back of direct government support for housing. This has occurred through a period in which urban renewal and flexible planning regulation have become the key focus of urban planning policy to deliver on compact city ambitions in the name of sustainability. There has been a tendency to read many of the higher density housing outcomes as a relatively homogenous component of the housing market. There has been a comparative lack of critical engagement with differentiated spatial, physical and socio-economic outcomes within the higher density housing market. This paper will explore the interactions between flexible design-based planning policies, the local property market and physical outcomes. Different parts of the property development industry produced distinctive social and physical outcomes within the same regulatory space. Each response was infused with similar politics of exclusion and privilege in which capacity to pay regulated both access and standard of housing accessible, opening new socio-economic divisions within Australia’s housing landscape.

Abstract In the extreme climates of Australia, rural and remote locations have special site and dwelling requirements and therefore special design solutions. This can include construction constraints, bushfire risk, resource efficiency, comfort and respect for the surrounding environment and heritage. Existing regulations targeted at extreme weather impacts such as bushfire, flood, cyclones, and heatwaves often impact the design and material choices for rural and remote housing due to their exposed locations, including housing proposed for rebuild following damage resulting from an extreme weather event. These regulations also lead to increased costs and uncertainty about the suitability of rural land for construction, making it challenging for rebuilding communities in affected areas. Such well-intentioned regulations also create limitations on innovation through experimental / bespoke building design, such as; 1) novel solutions to extreme weather mitigation and resistance 2) material choices for construction; and 3) achievement of operational and embodied energy reductions. Experimental buildings provide significant innovation benefits to industry as is often seen in the development of sustainable and high-performance buildings. This research examines the academic and industry knowledge of current design regulations for extreme weather events and implications for experimental and innovative design, highlighting the challenges for buildings to achieve increasing standards of environmental performance whilst ensuring resilience in the face of increasing extreme weather events, with a specific focus on rural communities. Case study analysis is used to provide an understanding of the focus and strategies used by different groups in different locations to address the impacts of extreme weather.

Abstract A shortage of housing is a prominent issue across the globe. Traditional on-site construction methods seem too inefficient to meet the increasing housing demand. As a solution, many countries, including the United States, Germany, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong and Australia, have introduced off-site manufacturing methods to increase the housing supply. Different from the traditional way of on-site construction, off-site manufacturing is a technique that involves manufacturing building components in a controlled environment. Despite strong government support and industry attempts to increase off-site manufacturing, the current building consenting and inspection processes in New Zealand have significant quality-related issues. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the gaps in current quality assurance processes used in off-site manufacturing and recommend a framework in order to gain credibility and the acceptance of the construction market. The study collected qualitative data from industry experts (e.g., developers, architects, engineers, project managers, quantity surveyors, head contractors and council officers) who had significant experience in current quality assurance regimes in New Zealand prefabrication construction. The key themes for designing the proposed framework were generated using content analysis of the primary data collected from semi-structured interviews with industry experts. The study has found that standardisation in off-shore products regarding the New Zealand Building Code remains the biggest challenge in the consenting process. Quality assurance and inspection test plans are the developer’s responsibility and are typically provided by third-party inspectors. In this post-Covid-19 world-building, consent authorities rely heavily on third-party inspection companies that apply more rigorous auditing. Essentially, the most important parts of quality assurance are to have an experienced team and to adopt a holistic approach by engaging stakeholders early in the design stage. The stakeholders should consider recommendations for mandatory after-service insurance to ensure end-customer interests are protected. The findings of this study can contribute to the early engagement of different stakeholders to ensure overseas manufacturing of building components meets New Zealand quality standards. It is expected that the new quality assurance framework would help to promote off-site manufacturing for the New Zealand housing sector.

Around the world, dairy production continues to intensify, with farmers increasing stocking rates, feeding more supplements, and transitioning into fully housed systems. Dairy production in Victoria is no exception and farmers are starting a move towards intensive (i.e. permanently housed) dairy operations. Challenges associated with these transformations have included difficulties, or failure, to obtain planning approval and public concern around the effect of intensive developments on environmental degradation, animal welfare and industry image. We examined current land-use planning provisions, environmental requirements, animal-welfare regulations, industry guidelines and codes of practice for their applicability and suitability to the implementation of intensive dairy-production operations, particularly large-scale ones, in Victoria, Australia. Our aim was to clearly identify factors that have the potential to hinder the growth and expansion of existing dairy-production systems into intensive operations, and the establishment of new intensive dairy enterprises. The majority of legislation examined posed no obstacles to the development of large-scale intensive dairy operations. New definitions for intensive livestock production and the inclusion of an intensive dairy-farm category in the State planning provisions will reduce current confusion across and within planning departments. A standard methodology to determine separation distances is required and a code for intensive dairy farming would greatly assist with the planning-approval process. Many advisory publications fall short when applied to intensive dairy operations as they are currently written for pasture-based farms with limited infrastructure for regularly feeding or housing large herds of >700 cows.

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 202439, “Pushing Malaysia’s Drilling Industry Into a New Frontier: How a Distinctive Wellhead Design Enabled Implementation of a Fully Offline Well Cementing Resulting in a Significant Shift in Operational Efficiency,” by Fauzi Abbas and Azrynizam M. Nor, Vestigo, and Daryl Chang, Cameron, a Schlumberger Company, prepared for the 2020 SPE Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, originally scheduled to be held in Perth, Australia, 20–22 October. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Traditionally, rigs are positioned over a well from the moment the surface casing is drilled until the installation of the wellhead tree. This results in the loss of precious time as the rig idles during online cementing. However, in mature Field A offshore Terengganu, Malaysia, a new approach eliminated such inefficiency dramatically. Operational Planning With oil production in Field A initiated in October 2015, historical data on well lithology, formation pressure, and potential issues during drilling were available and were studied to ensure that wells would not experience lost circulation. This preplanning is crucial to ensure that the offline cementing activity meets the operator’s barrier requirements. Petronas Procedures and Guidelines for Upstream Activities (PPGUA 4.0) was used for the development of five subject wells in Field A. In this standard, two well barriers are required during all well activities, including for suspended wells, to prevent uncontrolled outflow from the well to the external environment. For Field A, two barrier types, mechanical and fluid, allowed by PPGUA 4.0 were selected to complement the field’s geological conditions. As defined in PPGUA 4.0, the fluid barrier is the hydrostatic column pressure, which exceeds the flow zone pore pressure, while the mechanical barrier is an element that achieves sealing in the wellbore, such as plugs. The fluid barrier was used because the wells in Field A were not known to have circulation losses. For the development of Field A, the selected rig featured a light-duty crane to assist with equipment spotting on the platform. Once barriers and rig selection are finalized, planning out the drill sequence for rig skidding is imperative. Space required by drillers, cementers, and equipment are among the considerations that affect rig-skid sequence, as well as the necessity of increased manpower. Offline Cementing Equipment and Application In Field A, the casing program was 9⅝×7×3½ in. with a slimhole well design. The wellhead used was a monobore wellhead system with quick connectors. The standard 11-in. nominal wellhead design was used for the wells with no modifications required. All three sections of the casing program were offline cemented. They were the 9⅝-in. surface casing, 7-in. production casing, and 3½-in. tubing. The 9⅝-in. surface casing is threaded to the wellhead housing and was run and landed with the last casing joint. Subsequent wellhead 7-in. casing hangers and a 3½-in. tubing hanger then were run and landed into the compact housing.

There is a need to deliver more environmentally and socially sustainable housing if we are to achieve a transition to a low carbon future. There are examples of innovative and sustainable housing emerging around the world which challenge the deeper structures of the existing housing regime. This paper uses the analysis of socio-technical dimensions of eco-housing presented by Smith to explore the development of an emerging sustainable housing model known as Nightingale Housing in Australia within a sustainability transitions framing. While there were several similarities to Smith’s analysis (e.g., establishment of guiding principles, learning by doing), there were also some key differences, including the scaling up of sustainable housing while using tried and tested design principles, materials and technologies, and creating changes to user relations, policy, and culture. Smith’s dimensions remain a good framework for understanding sustainable housing development, but they must be located within a scaling up sustainable housing agenda. What is required now is to develop a better understanding of the processes and opportunities that such housing models offer policy makers, housing researchers, and building industry stakeholders to achieve a broader scale uptake of sustainable housing both in Australia and globally.

As a component of the regulatory structure controlling building construction and land development in Australia, the system of building regulation was reformed during a period of significant restructuring of the Australian economy. The microeconomic reforms aimed to find efficiencies in government and industry sectors, and with respect to the latter, facilitate the development of competitive trade structures across national and global markets. The research provides a critical narrative account of the development and outcomes of the microeconomic reform of building regulation between 1990 and 2003. The microeconomic reform process is examined in the context of the vastly differing approaches of two Australian states, Victoria and New South Wales, with respect to the national reform agenda which was initiated and led by the Commonwealth government in response to the increasing globalization of the national economy. An understanding of what happened and why and how t he states differed with respect to the national reform agenda enabled the outcomes of the reforms to be examined for their impact upon government, industry and the community. The regulation of building construction is a constitutional responsibility of the state governments and has traditionally been controlled by local government. However, control is increasingly being centralized at the national level, in response to international pressures to adopt performance-based regulations, standards and governance systems that accord to neoliberal ideology. This has resulted in a reduction of state and local government involvement in certain building control functions with a commensurate increased role for the private sector; an increase in the complexity and quantity of regulatory instruments; a reduction in government accountability for the standard of building construction; the development of structures to facilitate competitive intranational and international trade in construction-related goods and services and a reduction in the quality and standard of buildings. The principal benefits of the reforms have accrued to industry and to government and the least benefits have accrued to the community/consumer.

The built environment has evolved through a layering process of both human needs and aspirations. We as a society 'Worship' the remnants of these richly varied and complex environments. In the previous 100 years, however, our environment has become a battleground for survival on many levels: environmental health, societal boundaries and quality of life. The so-called haphazard mode of environmental development was proceeding so quickly that 'MAN', through organization and control, sought to harness rampant growth by providing a mechanism to, in essence, protect us from ourselves. This mechanism was development standardization. Zoning and subdivision standards initially had a very positive effect on residential districts. They achieved the desired objective of improving the health, safety and welfare of local citizens. To remain a successful regulatory mechanism, however, requires frequent review. (Generally government regulations are continually reviewed because of a need to respond to current reality - a typical example is tax reform laws). This is especially true for development regulation, which necessarily must respond to the rapidly changing and dynamic evolution of the North American city and its peoples. In the case of residential development standards, however, there has been a lack of policy review resulting in a back-water of no change to the standard. Development standards, that were a direct response to mass housing development in the early nineteen hundreds, in many instances are still in place in municipalities in the Greater Vancouver area and likely throughout many other North American cities as well. It is apparent that the very standards that were invoked to ensure residential quality are now preventing development from creating that quality. At the core of the issue of planning and design standards is the lack of understanding of these two disciplines - by each other and by the public. As a result, in many instances both planners and the public equate design with a simple problem solving process according to explicit rules - the standards. Herein lies the core of the problem. This misrepresentation of design and what it stands for in terms of environmental quality. This misunderstanding has greatly influenced the world we live in and this influence as of late is not of the positive nature. The thrust of this thesis is an exploration of the issue of design in the context of residential development standards. What are the standards which influence/impact residential development? What were the objectives for which these standards were originally implemented? How do the standards currently support the implementation of recognized design principles which lead to high quality environments? What kind of residential world is created by adherence to the standards and what opportunities are lost? It is evident from this study that while the mechanism and often the mathematical formula of development standardization have remained relatively constant during the past half century, the city and the city dweller have not. Most new neighbourhoods in today's North American city lack identity, character and quality environment due to a set of zoning and subdivision standards that are antiquated and often based on arbitrary numbers. The case study examples of Village Homes in California and Ashcroft subdivision in Richmond, illustrate that conventional development standards prevent adherence to established residential design principles and that the nature of development standards is such that they are unable to contend with important and often basic design issues that are not amenable to simple arithmetic formula and measurement. It is also clear that standards not only adversely effect the physical condition of the residential environment, but also the people involved in the process of designing, constructing and regulating residential development. The designer is disillusioned, the developer confused, and the planner misfocused. The result is poor design, poor development, and poor planning. The failure to adopt and implement consistent and up-to-date policies and objectives for residential development standards has lead to the creation of stale, un-inviting, un-interesting and characterless living environments. The lesson to be learned here is that planners must first become more in tune with the issues and principles of design and second they must not be afraid to question established planning mechanisms. We therefore must ensure that a) the best mechanism is being employed and b) that it is based on appropriate and current policies and objectives that are leading to a better residential environment.
Applied Science, Faculty of
Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of
Graduate

Thesis (MConsumerScience)--Stellenbosch University, 2003.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The provision of housing in South Africa is a national priority. As many aspirant homeowners are first-time homeowners, they are not necessarily informed about the pitfalls of home ownership. Although the Government has attempted short-term solutions aimed at equipping these housing consumers with the necessary knowledge and skills to make informed and responsible housing-related decisions, research pointed to the need for a sustainable longterm solution in the form of education and training of the housing consumer. There must be a concentrated effort to provide housing education to consumers, since everyone has a constitutional right of access to adequate housing. Unless consumers are equipped with adequate knowledge and information to make informed choices, this right will not be realised and the housing market shall not function effectively. The main objective of the research study was to determine the basic housing knowledge of the senior student teachers of the Esikhawini College of Education in KwaZulu Natal. The second objective was to develop an illustrative Unit Standard for teacher qualification programmes on the fifth level of the National Oualificationa Framework (NOF). The sixteen housing education and training core concepts identified by Serfontein (2001 :120) namely Basic Housing Technology, Community, Cultural Aspects of Housing, Environment, Financial Aspects of Housing, Housing Consumerism, Housing Design and Decoration, Housing Market, Housing Needs, Housing Policy, Legal Aspects of Housing, Resource Management, Role-players in Housing, Sources of Housing Information, Tenure Options and Types of Housing were used to compile a questionnaire which was administered to the senior students of Esikhawini College of Education. The aim was to determine the basic knowledge that respondents possessed. The data collected formed the background for the illustrative Unit Standard for Housing Education that was developed in this research study. The development of Unit Standards for Housing Education is very necessary and timely as the Department of Housing, who seeks to develop a systematic housing consumer education framework for South Africa, have recommended that Housing Education should be included in the formal education curriculum. If the recommendations of the Department of Housing are implemented and housing education is included in the school curriculum, well-qualified and trained teachers would be needed to facilitate the learning of the content. Therefore housing education should be included in student teacher training programmes. The illustrative Unit Standard for Housing Education developed in this research study is ideally suited for this purpose.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die beskikbaarstelling van behuising in Suid-Afrika is 'n nasionale prioriteit. Aangesien baie aspirant huiseienaars nog nie vantevore huise besit het nie, is hulle nie noodwendig ingelig oor die struikelblokke van huiseienaarskap nie. Alhoewel die regering korttermyn pogings aangewend het om behuisingverbruikers toe te rus met die nodige kennis en vaardighede om ingeligte en verantwoordelike behuisingsbesluite te kan neem, toon navorsing dat daar 'n behoefte is aan 'n langtermyn, standhoudende oplossing in die vorm van opvoeding en die opleiding van behuisingsverbruikers. Daar moet 'n doelgerigte strewe wees om behuisingsopvoeding aan verbruikers te verskaf aangesien almal die konstitusionele reg tot gepaste behuising het. Tensy verbruikers toegerus word met gepaste kennis en inligting om ingeligte besluite te kan neem, sal hierdie reg nie gerealiseer kan word nie, en sal die behuisingsmark nie effektief kan funksioneer nie. Die hoofdoelwit van die navorsingstudie was om die basiese behuisingskennis van senior onderwysstudente aan die Esikhawini College of Education in KwaZulu Natal te bepaal. Die tweede doelwit was om 'n Eenheidstandaard vir Behuisingsopvoeding vir onderwysprogramme op die vyfde vlak van die Nasionale Kwalifikasie Raamwerk (NKR) te ontwikkel. Die sestien Behuisingsopvoeding en -opleiding kernkonsepte wat deur Serfontein (2001: 120) geïdentifiseer is, naamlik Basiese Behuisingstegnologie, Gemeenskap, Kulturele Aspekte van Behuising, Omgewing, Finansiële Aspekte van Behuising, Behuisingsverbruik, Behuisingsontwerp en -versiering, Behuisingsmark, Behuisingsbehoeftes, Behuisingsbeleid, Regsaspekte van Behuising, Hulpbronbestuur, Rolspelers in Behuising, Bronne van behuisingsinformasie, Huisverblyfopsies en Tipes Behuising is gebruik om 'n vraelys op te stel wat ingevul is deur die senior onderwysstudente aan die Esikhawini College of Education. Die doel was om die basiese kennis van die respondente te bepaal. Die data wat ingesamel is, het die onderbou gevorm van die Behuising Eenheidstandaard wat in dié navorsingstudie ontwikkel is. Die ontwikkeling van Eenheidstandaarde vir Behuisingsopvoeding en Opleiding is noodsaaklik en tydig vir die Departement van Behuising, aangesien hulle poog om 'n sistematiese behuisingsverbruikers-opvoedingsraamwerk vir Suid-Afrika daar te stel. Die Departement het aanbeveel dat behuisingsopvoeding ingesluit moet word in die formele onderwyskurrikulum. As die aanbevelings van die Departement van Behuising geïmplementeer word, en behuisingsopvoeding in die skoolkurrikulum ingesluit word, sal goedgekwalifiseerde, opgeleide onderwysers benodig word om hierdie inligting aan die leerders voor te hou. Om hierdie rede moet behuisingsopvoeding ingesluit word in die opleidingsprogramme van onderwysstudente. Die Eenheidstandaard vir Behuising wat in hierdie studie ontwikkel is, sou optimaal aangewend kon word vir hierdie doel.

This thesis investigates the relevance and transferability of developer contributed affordable housing in the USA as an alternative method of funding and delivering affordable housing in Australia. Local Government, the vehicle for the delivery, is explored because of its central role in co-ordinating developer contributed affordable housing in the USA; and because its role in both counties as both the planning authority and a potential provider or facilitator of community housing. Additionally, the nature and role of community based housing providers in the USA is considered important in maintaining the purpose of developer contributed affordable housing and also expanding the size of the community housing sector. The thesis investigated developer contribution policies and programs in four Californian municipalities: San Francisco, Santa Monica, Los Angeles and San Diego. This State and these cities have established some of the most well developed programs of this type in the USA. The investigation included controls and incentives, both mutually reinforcing, used in these Californian programs as well as operational program factors which led to their success. These were contrasted with Australian conditions to determine the relevance and transferability of the US experience. A central conclusion was that the US developer contribution programs had limited relevance and transferability to Australia for a number of reasons. These reasons include the divergent roles, track records and legal powers of local government in the USA and Australia in planning and housing provision or facilitation; contrasting legislative frameworks and nature of housing developers between the two countries; and the lack of an imperative in Australia to develop alternatives to centrally provided public housing systems which is in contrast to the USA. Consequently, the value of the US experience was that their particularly successful and problematic aspects of developer contributed housing programs and community housing arrangements would develop a useful context for an Australian model.

This study originated from a professional interest of the researcher in competency standards and their implementation in the professions. The study was conducted with the aim of informing policy development and implementation in Namibia in this area by drawing lessons from the Australian experience. It set out to identify the factors that influenced the implementation of this policy in Australia, the importance of these factors and the strategies employed by implementors to enhance successful implementation. The study is grounded in policy implementation theory. Twenty professions have been involved in developing and implementing competency standards in Australia under the guidance and with the support of a national government organisation called the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR). The main objectives of the Australian government in implementing this policy were the improvement of migrant skills recognition and the achievement of recognition for professional qualifications across state and territory borders. Time and budgetary constraints would not allow the involvement of all the professional groups in this study, so four groups were selected based on their size and progress made in developing and implementing the standards. The groups ranged from a very large professional group (more than 250 000 members) to a very small professional group (approximately 3 500 members). Eleven respondents from NOOSR and the professional groups participated in the study. Data was gathered by structured interview, a rating schedule and document analysis. The study found that there were seventeen factors that influenced this process as perceived by the respondents. These factors were classified into five categories: technical, political, economic, administrative and political, and then placed on a matrix with the levels at which they exerted their greatest pressure: external, internal to the professional body, and on the steering group. This classification of factors gave indications of the types of strategies and the level of intervention which may address implementation problems best. The study compiled a list of the factors in order of importance as rated by the respondents. This ranking showed that leadership was the most important factor, followed by experience and expertise of the steering group and the need for and appropriateness of the standards for the professions. The study also found that the Australian government employed inducement, capacity building and facilitation strategies to enhance the successful vii implementation of the standards, while the professional bodies employed mainly staff development and training as strategies. The study concluded that Namibian policy makers and implementors can draw the following lessons from the Australian experience: 1. there is a need for a balance between pressure and support from government; 2. there is a role for a national implementation plan; 3. the main attraction of national competency standards is still the many uses it can be put to and the many purposes it serves for different organisations; 4. assessment strategies need to be considered from the beginning; 5. the methodology of using a representative steering group to lead standards development is one of the best features of the Australian approach; 6. Over time, the original objectives of the policy became low priority for NOOSR and the government; 7. the classification matrix can be used as a planning tool; and 8. the ranking of the factors indicates the importance of organisational, technical and economic factors.

Quality assurance (QA) has become a key factor to business success in the marketplace. Within Australia, companies normally approach QA by implementing formal systems which maintain the consistency of manufacturing processes, and hence, the quality of subsequent output. These systems have increasingly been based upon the international series of standards, ISO 9000.In the food industry, safety is a minimum requirement for food quality. As Governments and food authorities have endeavoured to reduce the incidence of foodborne illnesses, they have promoted the implementation of additional systems developed to a specific standard for food safety, namely Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP). However, the cost of developing and maintaining separate systems to ISO 9000 and HACCP is prohibitive to many food companies, particularly smaller operators. As a consequence, a number of alternative standards have been recently developed that are more relevant to the needs of these companies (e.g. SQF 2000, HACCP-9000). The purpose of this study was to develop a QA plan which could be successfully applied by a particular small food manufacturer (Westoz Brewing), This was achieved by adopting a technique used in a number of these alternative standards, i.e. application of HACCP to both safety and wider quality issues. Due to time constraints, the study focussed on applying HACCP only to quality issues rather than to both quality and safety issues. In particular, these issues were associated with lager-style products manufactured at one of the client's breweries. As a result of this research, the client was provided with a practical plan suitable for the application of a QA system to the production of a Westoz beer. In addition to reducing costs associated with maintaining an integrated system, further savings would be made due to the preventative nature of HACCP, i.e, minimisation of product reworking and waste by ensuring that more products are manufactured "right first time". The developed plan also represented an initial step towards certification to recognised quality standards such as SQF 2000.

This dissertation profiles the children's television industry in Australia; examines the relationship between government cultural policy objectives and television industry production practices; and explores the complexities of regulating and producing cultural content for child audiences. The research conducted between 1997 and 2002 confirms that children's television is a highly competitive business dependent on government regulatory mechanisms and support for its existence. For example, the Australian Broadcasting Authority's retaining of mandatory program standards for children's programs to date, is evidence of the government's continued recognition of the conflict between broadcasters' commercial imperatives and the public-interest. As a consequence, the industry is on the one hand insistent on the government continuing to play a role in ensuring and sustaining CTV - however, on the other hand, CTV producers resent the restrictions on creativity and innovation they believe result from the use of regulatory instruments such as the Children's Television Standards (CTS). In fact, as this dissertation details, the ABA's intended policy outcomes are inevitably coupled with unintended outcomes and little new or innovative policy development has occurred. The dissertation begins with an investigation into the social, cultural and ideological construction of childhood within an historical and institutional context. I do this in order to explore how children have been defined, constructed and managed as a cultural group and television audience. From this investigation, I then map the development of children television policy and provide examples of how 'the child' is a consistent and controversial site of tension within policy debate. I then introduce and analyse a selection of established, establishing and aspiring CTV production companies and producers. Drawing on interviews conducted, production companies profiled and policy documents analysed, I conclude by identit~'ing ten key issues that have impacted, and continue to impact, on the production of children's television programming in Australia. In addressing issues of industry development, the question this dissertation confronts is not whether to continue to regulate or not, but rather, how best to regulate. That is, it explores the complexities of supporting, sustaining and developing the CTV industry in ways which also allows innovative and creative programming. This exploration is done within the context of a broadcasting industry currently in transition from analogue to digital. As communications and broadcasting technologies converge, instruments of regulation - such as quotas designed around the characteristics of analogue systems of broadcasting - are being compromised. The ways in which children use television, and the ways in which the CTV producers create content, are being transformed. The ten key issues identified in this dissertation, I propose, are crucial to industry development and policy debate about the future of children's television in Australia. In integrating the study of policy with the study of production, I have given prominence to the opinions and experiences of those working in the industry. In doing so, this dissertation contributes to the growing body of work in Australia which incorporates industry with cultural analysis, and which includes the voices of the content providers.

The purpose of this bachelor thesis is to present a comparison of housing standards between Sweden and China, in terms of the development of design codes and regulations during the last fifteen years. The study focuses mainly on dwelling sizes and accessibility. The Swedish Building Regulations, BBR7:1999 and BBR18:2011-2013, and the Chinese code Design Code for Residential buildings GB1999:2003 and GB2011 were used as a reference frame. It showed that China has improved its regulations on accessibility greatly, whereas standards on dwelling sizes decreased during the last fifteen years. The study also shows Sweden has reached a sufficient level in terms of dwelling size and accessibility, as only minor difference are found between the codes during the last fifteen years. The comparison between Sweden and China shows that Sweden’s regulations are more developed and user-friendly for the disabled. Sweden can be used as an example for China, in the purpose of carry on improving their requirements covering accessibility. On the other hand, Sweden can improve the accessibility by considering certain measures taken in China, e.g. the design of ramps.

This thesis advances the understanding of the impact of developer infrastructure charges on housing affordability in Brisbane, Australia through the development of an econometric model and empirical analysis. The results indicate substantial on-passing of these government charges to purchasers of both new and existing homes, thus negatively impacting housing affordability across the whole community. The results of this thesis will inform policy makers and assist in the development of evidence based policy related to housing affordability and funding of urban infrastructure. Being generic, the econometric model is expected to be a tool that is suitable for estimating similar house price effects in other housing markets.

Continuous improvement of engineering education is achieved through curriculum development, program evaluation, and program accreditation processes. This chapter is based on the view that one of the criteria for design of these should be alignment with the competencies required by engineers in the workplace. The chapter provides an 11-factor competency model developed in Australia to help achieve this alignment. The model describes the generic engineering competencies required by engineers graduating in Australia. The competencies embed inter-related technical and non-technical components. An advantage of this model over others is the concise and relatively distinct nature of the 11 factors due to the statistical rather than conceptual method of grouping the competencies. The chapter outlines the theoretical framework, the model, and its development. The research methods employed to develop the model include a literature review, a panel session, two large-scale surveys of engineers, and a focus group. Implications for curriculum design, accreditation, and program evaluation are discussed.

This chapter draws attention to Australia's very rich tradition of family budget research, which was associated with the Social Policy Research Centre. It explains that the idea of a basic living standard enshrined in wage laws became a reality in Australia at the start of the 20th century. It also charts the history of budget standards research in Australia, focusing on the four major studies that were coordinated during the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. The chapter looks at the latest work that relates to the budget for healthy living and combines public health knowledge and focus group deliberations. It concludes that budget standards only provide a rough-and-ready adequacy benchmark, which should be used with care and in conjunction with other measurement approaches to living standards whenever possible.

One of the policy goals of sustainable development is the delivery of adequate housing for Countries in the global south. This is because in many countries of the global south housing is delivered more through private mechanisms, consequently this poses challenges to adequate housing delivery for most countries of the global south and the Nigeria populace. Some of the challenges faced in providing decent and adequate housing for the people include problems of unskilled workmen, unachievable westernized building standards, housing finance, high level of urbanization, poor policy programmes, and contravention of building standards in addition to poor building materials. This chapter explores housing challenges in Nigeria. In this chapter problems of housing in Nigeria will be explored; the trajectory of the history of national housing delivery and housing policies will be presented. Also, various challenges bedeviling adequate housing delivery in Nigeria is explored and explains how the quality and quantity of housing delivered in Nigeria has affected by these challenges.

This chapter turns to general needs housing in UK/England; the dwellings of most older people focusing on this mainstream housing where housing type, tenure, standards, and markets embed individual housing histories. Discussion of housing development during the 20^th century contextualises environments of ageing identified through the English Housing Survey examining tenure and balance between owner-occupation and renting; housing satisfaction; cultural diversity and access to liminal spaces. From this profile the built environment and housing policy are considered – from ‘lifetime homes’ to HAPPI principles – looking at how building and planning regulations affect housing design that may make settings more or less inclusive. Finally, focus turns to the changing nature of housing including: the need and capacity for home adaptation; SMART homes; homes as a place of care, and co-designing housing alternatives.

Analysis of the Australian policy and professional approach to migrating social workers shows how recognition of qualifications across borders both enables, and is constitutive of, internationalised social work practice, with processes governing recognition also serving to define what is acknowledged as social work practice. Enfolded in procedural requirements are standards and practice modalities that comprise the Australian understanding of what ‘legitimate’ social work looks like, and against which migrant social workers’ experience and knowledge are compared. Recognition by receiving countries of the capabilities of transnational social workers is a key dimension of the development of internationalised practice and a process that has significant ethical import. Policy and practice challenges arising from the current processes are identified.

With the recent trends towards knowledge-based urban development and networked society, information and communications technologies have increasingly played important roles in the daily lives of people for social interaction, learning, information and recreation. This research is an exploratory study on how information and communications technologies have been adopted in master planned communities of South East Queensland, Australia. It examines the four roles of information and communications technologies in the master planned communities: (1) teleworking; (2) creating a sense of community; (3) promoting integrated office and businesses; and (4) developing learning communities. More recent master planned communities in South East Queensland such as Varsity Lakes, North Lakes and Greater Springfield have integrated information and communications technologies for activities such as community internet portals, local business development, and for use in community learning centers and education facilities. There is a potential to attract knowledge workers in master planned communities through the inclusion of cultural amenities, information and communications technologies and learning infrastructure. It is important that information and communications technologies and learning infrastructure not only benefit the housing estate but also the surrounding region thus putting a foundation for a knowledge-based urban region.

The mountain areas have seen a growing ecocultural and tourist appreciation in the face of natural and cultural resources and housing due to the perception of integrity and authenticity associated with them. However, in Portugal, specific territorial policy interventions as well as guidelines for concerted development of tourism have stayed away from the mountains. It appears that the practises of recreation and leisure are becoming wider, which implies new forms of tourism and environmental planning. These perceptual changes, and even occupation, mean that these areas, previously isolated and hostile due to natural constraints, today have a distinct ownership as a result of awareness and their opening to the outside. Increased accessibility, use of resources, dissemination of ecocultural values, the extension of recreation and leisure activities, and the increase of visitor flows have contributed to their revival as a space for production and consumption, associated with quality and integrity standards.

The creation of a digital archive database system for the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara people in Central Australia has been a challenging information technology (IT) project requiring unique thinking about database design, implementation and deployment. What might seem like sound, standards-based IT practice in a typical urban or academic location becomes unworkable in the physical realities of remote Australia and in the context of indigenous Australian cultural sensitivities. Based on the experience of the Ara Irititja Project, this chapter outlines the central issues facing the development of archive databases for indigenous peoples in remote Australia and points towards the need for a new approach to IT best practices in this context.

The creation of a digital archive database system for the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara people in Central Australia has been a challenging information technology (IT) project requiring unique thinking about database design, implementation and deployment. What might seem like sound, standards-based IT practice in a typical urban or academic location becomes unworkable in the physical realities of remote Australia and in the context of indigenous Australian cultural sensitivities. Based on the experience of the Ara Irititja Project, this chapter outlines the central issues facing the development of archive databases for indigenous peoples in remote Australia and points towards the need for a new approach to IT best practices in this context.

The article presents the idea of low-intensity residential development with the use of single-story T-plan apartments with a built-up area of 70 - 80 m2, combined into multi-family layouts, containing up to several dozen apartments individually accessible from the ground level. Housing estates can be formed both regularly and freely, because the various and unusual layouts possible to arrange result from the idea of the house plan itself, which can be connected with each other on four sides. The idea is presented against the background of the standards that apply in the planning of social housing and refugee settlements using the method of comparative analysis. Due to the production technology of repetitive dwelling units that can be combined into elaborate individual arrangements, T-plan housing estates are a solution in which, in addition to economic parameters, important issues of aesthetics, ergonomics, sustainability, individualization and psychological aspects of living are taken into account while meeting the demands of sustainable development. These solutions may also become an alternative to monotonous regular terraced housing, commonly used nowadays.

The major crisis in the evolving urban form of Australian cities came in a single development: when work patterns and separation from the central activities’ districts outran walking distance. The key enabler was commuter transport, first with horse-drawn omnibuses and then with trams and suburban trains. At this point the average area of suburban lots exploded, the ‘worker’ cottage’ was eclipsed as the most numerous housing type, house sizes increased, house footprints became almost sprawling in celebration, and suburban shopping centres began to break from the long lines of shops and municipal buildings lining major road arteries to the central cities. This centripetal tendency had all manner of typological and developmental results, and Melbourne is taken as an initial example in a wider Australian study. Houses entered a newly diagonal composition and connection to their streets; new neighbourhood relations focussed on garden displays and broader individual expression in specific house designs. An equally major change, though, came as railways and a series of new tram routes dragged newer shopping and municipal precincts away from simply lining arteries to the city, setting up nodal suburban centres with new, ‘hub’ plan forms that either cut across arterial roads at right angles or clear obliques, or developed away from existing arteries altogether. Each node ‘commanded’ between three to five surrounding suburbs. Suburban nodes became both service referents and impetus-centres or sources for suburban growth, and, significantly, new centres of regional dentification and loyalty. With Federation comes a waning of central city significance, observed long ago in Graeme Davison’s Marvellous Melbourne, a suburbanism generated by and inflecting on nodes. This challenges the long-accepted picture of Australian cities having a small, towering central business district and encircled by a huge, undifferentiated suburban sprawl. This study also looks at what a nodal suburb generally comprises- its critical mass.

Originated from New Village Ideal in Japan, New Village was introduced to China in the early 1920s and became a byword for social reform program. Many residential designs or projects whose name includes the term “Village” or “New Village” had been completed in China since that time. This paper uses the Textual Criticism method to sort out the introduction and translation of New Village Ideal theory in China, and to compare the physical space, life organization and concepts of the New Village practices in ROC with in early PRC of Tianjin. It is found that the term “New Village” continued to be used across several historical periods, showing very similar spatial images. But the construction and usage of New Village and the meaning of collective life changed somewhat under different political positions and social circumstances: New Village gradually became an urban collective residential area which only bore the living function since it was introduced into modern China. The goal of its practice changed from building an equal autonomy to building a new field of power operation, a new discourse of social improvement and a new way for profit-seeking capital. With the change of state regime, the construction had entered a climax stage. New Village then became the symbol of the rising political and social status of the working class, and the link between the change of urban nature and spatial development. Socialism collective life and the temporal and spatial separation or combination between production and live constructed the collective conscience and identity of residents. The above findings highlight the independence of architecture history from general history, help to examine the complexity of China’s localization New Village practice and the uniqueness of Tianjin’s urban history, and provide new ideas for the study of China’s modern urban housing development from the perspective of changes in daily life organization.

For handheld electronic applications such as cell phones and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), drop/impact could result in considerable flexure of the printed circuit board (PCB) mounted inside the cell phone housing. The mechanical stresses may cause electrical failure of the components, with typical failure mechanisms of board trace cracking, solder joint fatigue, and solder pad cracking. A standardized test needs to be developed to assess reliability of handheld components subjected to impacts. The test should facilitate high volume testing, maximize margin for safety factors, and capture the failure mechanisms in the field environment. To develop the reliability test using use conditions based reliability methodology, comprehensive characterization of the mechanical field stresses during end use conditions is particularly essential. This paper discusses complete cell phone drop characterization along with the shock test developed to test the components subjected to such drops. Novel fixtures have been designed to simulate free fall of the cell phone in specific orientations. After the complete characterization of cell phone use conditions, board level shock test has been selected to assess component reliability. Test repeatability, number of components on the test board, and layout of the components are some of the factors considered during the board level shock test development. Several parameters like screw and washer designs, torque have been studied to yield excellent test repeatability. Nonlinear Dynamic Finite Element Simulation has been performed to provide more insight into the interaction of the bending modes and its impact on the solder joint failures. This paper demonstrates the process of understanding use conditions, developing reliability tests, validating test results and driving industry standards.

In Australia (and the UK), pipeline operating companies have a regulatory obligation to ensure that their assets are designed, constructed, operated and maintained so that risk to people and the environment is as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP). In many routine cases, demonstration that risk is ALARP is a matter of compliance with relevant technical standards. There are some cases, however, that are more complex. If a pipeline has been subject to significant urban encroachment and does not conform to current design standards for this service, how does a pipeline operator decide whether risk controls are sufficient? In Australia, rather than either ‘grandfathering’ requirements or mandating retrospective compliance with new standards, operators are required to ensure pipelines are safe and that risk levels are acceptable. The answer in cases such as this is a matter of judgment and we have legal, moral and reputational responsibilities to get decisions such as this right. There is currently no formal requirement in the US for pipeline risks to be ALARP, although the concept is gradually being introduced to US industry safety law. Examples include US offshore well control rules, California refinery safety regulations and the nuclear sector concept of ‘as low as reasonably achievable’. In this paper, we demonstrate application of the ALARP process to a case study pipeline built in the 1960s that has been heavily encroached by urban development. The Australian risk-based approach required formal ALARP assessment including consideration of options to reduce pressure, relocate or replace the pipeline, or increase the level of physical or procedural protection. Current and predicted operating conditions on this existing pipeline allowed reduction in operating pressure in some of the encroached segments, sufficient to achieve the equivalent of current Australian requirements for ‘No Rupture’ in high consequence areas for new pipelines. In other areas this was not achievable and a lesser degree of pressure reduction was instigated, in combination with physical barrier protection. The physical barrier slabbing comprised over 7 km of 20 mm thick high-density polyethylene (HDPE) slabs, buried above the pipeline. This approach was new in Australia and required field trials to confirm effectiveness against tiger tooth excavators and rotary augers. These upgrades to the case study pipeline have significantly decreased the risk of pipeline failure, by reducing both likelihood and consequences of accidental impact. In combination with rigorous procedural controls such as patrol surveillance and community liaison, real risk reduction has been achieved and ALARP has been demonstrated.

Abstract With the recognition of demographic change and impacts on the workforce, there is an increased focus on competency management within the pipeline industry. The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA) is a voluntary, non-profit industry association representing major Canadian transmission pipeline companies that has been particularly active in this area. With recent publication of CEPA’s guidance document on competency management, CEPA member companies identified a need for a companion set of competency standards for technical staff. As such, the Pipeline Integrity Community of Practice (CoP) within CEPA formed a task group to identify and better understand potential solutions to address this need. The challenge in maturing competency management within the Canadian pipeline industry, as identified by the task group, is two fold: 1. First, the competency system needs to be flexible to address a broad range of topics, operation types as well as a progression of proficiencies (e.g., engineers in training through to senior level subject matter experts). 2. Second, there is a need for a system that is practical and can be developed / adopted in a relatively short time frame. In undertaking an assessment of the options available in industry, the adoption of the system that has been developed by the Australian Pipeline and Gas Association (APGA) was selected as the optimal path forward. The APGA Pipeline Engineer Competency System (APGA PECS) provides a mechanism for understanding competency as well as a means of assessing and documenting competency for pipeline engineers. Specifically, industry expert panels were used to develop the competency standards which were then published for broad consultation prior to finalizing. Within Australia, the system is now the responsibility of the APGA’s Pipeline Engineering Competency System (PECS) Committee for ongoing development, review and maintenance to ensure the system remains current and fit for purpose. One of the key characteristics of the APGA competency standards is the consistency of elements and a standard format for requirements in every stream of pipeline engineering. Further, the APGA System has been demonstrated to be practical and sustainable through use within Australia. The APGA System is now being customized for use in the Canadian Pipeline industry under an agreement announced in October 2019. This paper will provide insights into key aspects of competency system, the approach taken to assess viable options as well as the experience of customizing the APGA system for Canadian use. The system is anticipated to be available for Canadian companies in 2020 and provides a pathway to meeting the two main challenges identified for managing competency in the Canadian industry.

A single, integrated database to store inputs from multiple, and multidisciplinary wayside systems is a pre-requisite for cross-correlation of data, and the development of intelligent algorithms to determine alarm levels and automate decision making. Australian rail operators run on three track gauges, operate a mix of American, European and uniquely Australian rolling stock, and lack a unified set of interchange standards, making the development of operational and condition monitoring rules a complex task. Over the years, Wayside Equipment vendors have adopted different database architectures and data structures for their proprietary systems. Recognizing the need for an industry-wide standard, Pacific National and Track Owners in Australia have initiated a project to develop the architecture for an integrated, open database to capture and store data feeds from multiple wayside systems, from different suppliers. This paper describes the objectives, constraints, challenges and projected benefits of the project for the track owner and the rail operator, and the planned implementation of an integrated condition monitoring database in the Australian rail environment.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the most important long-lived anthropogenic greenhouse gases. Ocean, land and biosphere contribute to take up CO2 emissions, but approximately half of fossil fuel CO2 accumulates in the atmosphere. The study of isotopic composition of CO2 can give useful information for assessing and quantifying the uptake of CO2 in the environmental compartments, as well as for distinguishing natural from anthropogenic carbon in the atmosphere. In this work, an activity for the development of a Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) based method for δ13C-CO2 determination in CO2 in air mixtures is presented. The FTIR can be calibrated by a classical approach based on primary calibration gas standards, but an alternative calibration can be based on the generation of synthetic spectra, by means of radiative transfer calculation codes such as the Multiple Atmospheric Layer Transmission (MALT University of Wollongong, Australia). Another software (B-FOS) developed at the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM) allows to interface MALT and the FTIR management software. This calibration approach is fast and reliable and can be used when the classical calibration based on reference gas mixtures might be demanding. The uncertainty obtained for δ13C-CO2 measurements is around 0.1 ‰, at a nominal CO2 mole fraction of 400 μmol mol-1 in air.

Though home energy use should be considered in every residential project, it is particularly critical for low-wealth individuals and families. While higher-budget projects can rely on a return on investment for energy-saving features, “affordable” housing projects built by not-for-profit organizations frequently rely on reductions in construction costs to keep purchasing prices low for homeowners. However, this can result in higher maintenance and operations costs over the useful life of the home. Could linking home performance to the mortgage carry of an individual homeowner provide opportunities to create a housing stock of homes that consider the total cost of homeownership? This paper describes a research initiative designed to seek the balance point between up-front investments in improved energy performance and home affordability in support of a pilot, systems-based approach to more affordable homeownership. In a design-build studio format, the authors and their students have revised and constructed multiple versions of the same small, two-bedroom prototype home developed for the context of a mixed-humid climate: one built to the Passive House Institute U.S. (PHIUS) standard and the other to the Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) standard. By constructing two prototype homes on the same street and with similar orientation, but with differing energy-related details, the authors are able to evaluate the initial cost of construction associated with achieving these two performance standards while simultaneously comparing the monthly energy savings afforded by each approach. Each home underwent a rigorous process of modeling, testing, and monitoring. Computational energy modeling during the design phase were used to to test various envelope assemblies. At key points in construction, blower door tests and thermal imaging were utilized to assess the specific efficacy of alternative approaches construction detailing and to verify systems and envelope airtightness. Long-term monitoring is used to evaluate actual post-occupancy energy use against that which was predicted in the initial design phase. Furthermore, post-occupancy engagement with the homeowner allows for a deeper understanding of the design of end-user education programs that empower families to leverage the high-performance potential of their homes. Ultimately, these findings provide an invaluable contribution to the authors’ broader research and development where, in partnership with federal agencies as well as mortgage and insurance providers, the team continues to explore mechanisms to better integrate both the policies and products necessary to support a new paradigm of truly affordable homeownership to families in the rural South.

Abstract PT. Pertamina EP Asset 5 Tarakan Field (PEP Tarakan Field) is one of the upstream oil and gas companies that play an active role in improving the community's welfare around its operational area through social responsibility programs. Through renewable energy access, community empowerment was one of the activities carried out in Tepian Village, Sembakung District, Nunukan Regency, North Kalimantan Province. This activity aimed to provide an alternative energy source that is environmentally friendly and more cost-effective to help reduce the cost of living for the underprivileged communities in the village. The concept of implementing the social responsibility program adapted by Tarakan Field consists of 4 elements: Organizing Identity, Organizing Transactivity, Organizing System, and Organizing Accountability. The program implementation began with a social mapping that includes data on beneficiaries of the diesel generator conversion program into a Solar-cell Home System. Then, conducted a Focus Group Discussion with village officials and related agencies to listen to suggestions and input on this program. Approximately 30 housing units/140 people from the pre-prosperous group became the beneficiaries of this program. Several residents were also given training in maintenance skills of the Solar-cell Home System unit, following the standards and procedures implemented by the company. Periodically, monitoring is also carried out to see how far the beneficiaries feel the program's impact. In addition, the implementation of monitoring was also helpful to detect obstacles encountered in program implementation so that improvements could be made immediately. Evaluation is carried out every year and at the end of the program mentoring period to see how far the beneficiaries feel the program's impact. Monitoring and evaluation carried out by Tarakan Field also involved other agencies such as academics to involve various disciplines. After this program was implemented, there was a 50% living costs reduction of the underprivileged groups because they no longer needed to buy diesel to turn on the diesel generator as a source of electrical energy. In addition, there is a reduction in carbon emissions from diesel generators and a decrease in noise levels in the environment around the village. This social responsibility program also supported the government's third point in the Nawacita programs: to build Indonesia from the margins and support the program to achieve the seven sustainable development goals (SDGs), namely clean and affordable energy. In 2017, this program became a trigger for the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Republic of Indonesia assistance program in the form of a Solar-cell unit with a capacity of 75 kWp, which can accommodate the needs of the entire house network in Tepian Village.

Emergency Relief (ER) is a Department of Social Services (DSS) funded program, delivered by 197 community organisations (ER Providers) across Australia, to assist people facing a financial crisis with financial/material aid and referrals to other support programs. ER has been playing this important role in Australian communities since 1979. Without ER, more people living in Australia who experience a financial crisis might face further harm such as crippling debt or homelessness. The Emergency Relief National Coordination Group (NCG) was established in April 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to advise the Minister for Families and Social Services on the implementation of ER. To inform its advice to the Minister, the NCG partnered with the Institute for Governance at the University of Canberra to conduct research to understand the issues and challenges faced by ER Providers and Service Users in local contexts across Australia. The research involved a desktop review of the existing literature on ER service provision, a large survey which all Commonwealth ER Providers were invited to participate in (and 122 responses were received), interviews with a purposive sample of 18 ER Providers, and the development of a program logic and theory of change for the Commonwealth ER program to assess progress. The surveys and interviews focussed on ER Provider perceptions of the strengths, weaknesses, future challenges, and areas of improvement for current ER provision. The trend of increasing case complexity, the effectiveness of ER service delivery models in achieving outcomes for Service Users, and the significance of volunteering in the sector were investigated. Separately, an evaluation of the performance of the NCG was conducted and a summary of the evaluation is provided as an appendix to this report. Several themes emerged from the review of the existing literature such as service delivery shortcomings in dealing with case complexity, the effectiveness of case management, and repeat requests for service. Interviews with ER workers and Service Users found that an uplift in workforce capability was required to deal with increasing case complexity, leading to recommendations for more training and service standards. Several service evaluations found that ER delivered with case management led to high Service User satisfaction, played an integral role in transforming the lives of people with complex needs, and lowered repeat requests for service. A large longitudinal quantitative study revealed that more time spent with participants substantially decreased the number of repeat requests for service; and, given that repeat requests for service can be an indicator of entrenched poverty, not accessing further services is likely to suggest improvement. The interviews identified the main strengths of ER to be the rapid response and flexible use of funds to stabilise crisis situations and connect people to other supports through strong local networks. Service Users trusted the system because of these strengths, and ER was often an access point to holistic support. There were three main weaknesses identified. First, funding contracts were too short and did not cover the full costs of the program—in particular, case management for complex cases. Second, many Service Users were dependent on ER which was inconsistent with the definition and intent of the program. Third, there was inconsistency in the level of service received by Service Users in different geographic locations. These weaknesses can be improved upon with a joined-up approach featuring co-design and collaborative governance, leading to the successful commissioning of social services. The survey confirmed that volunteers were significant for ER, making up 92% of all workers and 51% of all hours worked in respondent ER programs. Of the 122 respondents, volunteers amounted to 554 full-time equivalents, a contribution valued at $39.4 million. In total there were 8,316 volunteers working in the 122 respondent ER programs. The sector can support and upskill these volunteers (and employees in addition) by developing scalable training solutions such as online training modules, updating ER service standards, and engaging in collaborative learning arrangements where large and small ER Providers share resources. More engagement with peak bodies such as Volunteering Australia might also assist the sector to improve the focus on volunteer engagement. Integrated services achieve better outcomes for complex ER cases—97% of survey respondents either agreed or strongly agreed this was the case. The research identified the dimensions of service integration most relevant to ER Providers to be case management, referrals, the breadth of services offered internally, co-location with interrelated service providers, an established network of support, workforce capability, and Service User engagement. Providers can individually focus on increasing the level of service integration for their ER program to improve their ability to deal with complex cases, which are clearly on the rise. At the system level, a more joined-up approach can also improve service integration across Australia. The key dimensions of this finding are discussed next in more detail. Case management is key for achieving Service User outcomes for complex cases—89% of survey respondents either agreed or strongly agreed this was the case. Interviewees most frequently said they would provide more case management if they could change their service model. Case management allows for more time spent with the Service User, follow up with referral partners, and a higher level of expertise in service delivery to support complex cases. Of course, it is a costly model and not currently funded for all Service Users through ER. Where case management is not available as part of ER, it might be available through a related service that is part of a network of support. Where possible, ER Providers should facilitate access to case management for Service Users who would benefit. At a system level, ER models with a greater component of case management could be implemented as test cases. Referral systems are also key for achieving Service User outcomes, which is reflected in the ER Program Logic presented on page 31. The survey and interview data show that referrals within an integrated service (internal) or in a service hub (co-located) are most effective. Where this is not possible, warm referrals within a trusted network of support are more effective than cold referrals leading to higher take-up and beneficial Service User outcomes. However, cold referrals are most common, pointing to a weakness in ER referral systems. This is because ER Providers do not operate or co-locate with interrelated services in many cases, nor do they have the case management capacity to provide warm referrals in many other cases. For mental illness support, which interviewees identified as one of the most difficult issues to deal with, ER Providers offer an integrated service only 23% of the time, warm referrals 34% of the time, and cold referrals 43% of the time. A focus on referral systems at the individual ER Provider level, and system level through a joined-up approach, might lead to better outcomes for Service Users. The program logic and theory of change for ER have been documented with input from the research findings and included in Section 4.3 on page 31. These show that ER helps people facing a financial crisis to meet their immediate needs, avoid further harm, and access a path to recovery. The research demonstrates that ER is fundamental to supporting vulnerable people in Australia and should therefore continue to be funded by government.

Macroeconomic summary Several factors contributed to an increase in projected inflation on the forecast horizon, keeping it above the target rate. These included inflation in December that surpassed expectations (5.62%), indexation to higher inflation rates for various baskets in the consumer price index (CPI), a significant real increase in the legal minimum wage, persistent external and domestic inflationary supply shocks, and heightened exchange rate pressures. The CPI for foods was affected by the persistence of external and domestic supply shocks and was the most significant contributor to unexpectedly high inflation in the fourth quarter. Price adjustments for fuels and certain utilities can explain the acceleration in inflation for regulated items, which was more significant than anticipated. Prices in the CPI for goods excluding food and regulated items also rose more than expected. This was partly due to a smaller effect on prices from the national government’s VAT-free day than anticipated by the technical staff and more persistent external pressures, including via peso depreciation. By contrast, the CPI for services excluding food and regulated items accelerated less than expected, partly reflecting strong competition in the communications sector. This was the only major CPI basket for which prices increased below the target inflation rate. The technical staff revised its inflation forecast upward in response to certain external shocks (prices, costs, and depreciation) and domestic shocks (e.g., on meat products) that were stronger and more persistent than anticipated in the previous report. Observed inflation and a real increase in the legal minimum wage also exceeded expectations, which would boost inflation by affecting price indexation, labor costs, and inflation expectations. The technical staff now expects year-end headline inflation of 4.3% in 2022 and 3.4% in 2023; core inflation is projected to be 4.5% and 3.6%, respectively. These forecasts consider the lapse of certain price relief measures associated with the COVID-19 health emergency, which would contribute to temporarily keeping inflation above the target on the forecast horizon. It is important to note that these estimates continue to contain a significant degree of uncertainty, mainly related to the development of external and domestic supply shocks and their ultimate effects on prices. Other contributing factors include high price volatility and measurement uncertainty related to the extension of Colombia’s health emergency and tax relief measures (such as the VAT-free days) associated with the Social Investment Law (Ley de Inversión Social). The as-yet uncertain magnitude of the effects of a recent real increase in the legal minimum wage (that was high by historical standards) and high observed and expected inflation, are additional factors weighing on the overall uncertainty of the estimates in this report. The size of excess productive capacity remaining in the economy and the degree to which it is closing are also uncertain, as the evolution of the pandemic continues to represent a significant forecast risk. margin, could be less dynamic than expected. And the normalization of monetary policy in the United States could come more quickly than projected in this report, which could negatively affect international financing costs. Finally, there remains a significant degree of uncertainty related to the duration of supply chocks and the degree to which macroeconomic and political conditions could negatively affect the recovery in investment. The technical staff revised its GDP growth projection for 2022 from 4.7% to 4.3% (Graph 1.3). This revision accounts for the likelihood that a larger portion of the recent positive dynamic in private consumption would be transitory than previously expected. This estimate also contemplates less dynamic investment behavior than forecast in the previous report amid less favorable financial conditions and a highly uncertain investment environment. Third-quarter GDP growth (12.9%), which was similar to projections from the October report, and the fourth-quarter growth forecast (8.7%) reflect a positive consumption trend, which has been revised upward. This dynamic has been driven by both public and private spending. Investment growth, meanwhile, has been weaker than forecast. Available fourth-quarter data suggest that consumption spending for the period would have exceeded estimates from October, thanks to three consecutive months that included VAT-free days, a relatively low COVID-19 caseload, and mobility indicators similar to their pre-pandemic levels. By contrast, the most recently available figures on new housing developments and machinery and equipment imports suggest that investment, while continuing to rise, is growing at a slower rate than anticipated in the previous report. The trade deficit is expected to have widened, as imports would have grown at a high level and outpaced exports. Given the above, the technical staff now expects fourth-quarter economic growth of 8.7%, with overall growth for 2021 of 9.9%. Several factors should continue to contribute to output recovery in 2022, though some of these may be less significant than previously forecast. International financial conditions are expected to be less favorable, though external demand should continue to recover and terms of trade continue to increase amid higher projected oil prices. Lower unemployment rates and subsequent positive effects on household income, despite increased inflation, would also boost output recovery, as would progress in the national vaccination campaign. The technical staff expects that the conditions that have favored recent high levels of consumption would be, in large part, transitory. Consumption spending is expected to grow at a slower rate in 2022. Gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) would continue to recover, approaching its pre-pandemic level, though at a slower rate than anticipated in the previous report. This would be due to lower observed GFCF levels and the potential impact of political and fiscal uncertainty. Meanwhile, the policy interest rate would be less expansionary as the process of monetary policy normalization continues. Given the above, growth in 2022 is forecast to decelerate to 4.3% (previously 4.7%). In 2023, that figure (3.1%) is projected to converge to levels closer to the potential growth rate. In this case, excess productive capacity would be expected to tighten at a similar rate as projected in the previous report. The trade deficit would tighten more than previously projected on the forecast horizon, due to expectations of an improved export dynamic and moderation in imports. The growth forecast for 2022 considers a low basis of comparison from the first half of 2021. However, there remain significant downside risks to this forecast. The current projection does not, for example, account for any additional effects on economic activity resulting from further waves of COVID-19. High private consumption levels, which have already surpassed pre-pandemic levels by a large margin, could be less dynamic than expected. And the normalization of monetary policy in the United States could come more quickly than projected in this report, which could negatively affect international financing costs. Finally, there remains a significant degree of uncertainty related to the duration of supply chocks and the degree to which macroeconomic and political conditions could negatively affect the recovery in investment. External demand for Colombian goods and services should continue to recover amid significant global inflation pressures, high oil prices, and less favorable international financial conditions than those estimated in October. Economic activity among Colombia’s major trade partners recovered in 2021 amid countries reopening and ample international liquidity. However, that growth has been somewhat restricted by global supply chain disruptions and new outbreaks of COVID-19. The technical staff has revised its growth forecast for Colombia’s main trade partners from 6.3% to 6.9% for 2021, and from 3.4% to 3.3% for 2022; trade partner economies are expected to grow 2.6% in 2023. Colombia’s annual terms of trade increased in 2021, largely on higher oil, coffee, and coal prices. This improvement came despite increased prices for goods and services imports. The expected oil price trajectory has been revised upward, partly to supply restrictions and lagging investment in the sector that would offset reduced growth forecasts in some major economies. Elevated freight and raw materials costs and supply chain disruptions continue to affect global goods production, and have led to increases in global prices. Coupled with the recovery in global demand, this has put upward pressure on external inflation. Several emerging market economies have continued to normalize monetary policy in this context. Meanwhile, in the United States, the Federal Reserve has anticipated an end to its asset buying program. U.S. inflation in December (7.0%) was again surprisingly high and market average inflation forecasts for 2022 have increased. The Fed is expected to increase its policy rate during the first quarter of 2022, with quarterly increases anticipated over the rest of the year. For its part, Colombia’s sovereign risk premium has increased and is forecast to remain on a higher path, to levels above the 15-year-average, on the forecast horizon. This would be partly due to the effects of a less expansionary monetary policy in the United States and the accumulation of macroeconomic imbalances in Colombia. Given the above, international financial conditions are projected to be less favorable than anticipated in the October report. The increase in Colombia’s external financing costs could be more significant if upward pressures on inflation in the United States persist and monetary policy is normalized more quickly than contemplated in this report. As detailed in Section 2.3, uncertainty surrounding international financial conditions continues to be unusually high. Along with other considerations, recent concerns over the potential effects of new COVID-19 variants, the persistence of global supply chain disruptions, energy crises in certain countries, growing geopolitical tensions, and a more significant deceleration in China are all factors underlying this uncertainty. The changing macroeconomic environment toward greater inflation and unanchoring risks on inflation expectations imply a reduction in the space available for monetary policy stimulus. Recovery in domestic demand and a reduction in excess productive capacity have come in line with the technical staff’s expectations from the October report. Some upside risks to inflation have materialized, while medium-term inflation expectations have increased and are above the 3% target. Monetary policy remains expansionary. Significant global inflationary pressures and the unexpected increase in the CPI in December point to more persistent effects from recent supply shocks. Core inflation is trending upward, but remains below the 3% target. Headline and core inflation projections have increased on the forecast horizon and are above the target rate through the end of 2023. Meanwhile, the expected dynamism of domestic demand would be in line with low levels of excess productive capacity. An accumulation of macroeconomic imbalances in Colombia and the increased likelihood of a faster normalization of monetary policy in the United States would put upward pressure on sovereign risk perceptions in a more persistent manner, with implications for the exchange rate and the natural rate of interest. Persistent disruptions to international supply chains, a high real increase in the legal minimum wage, and the indexation of various baskets in the CPI to higher inflation rates could affect price expectations and push inflation above the target more persistently. These factors suggest that the space to maintain monetary stimulus has continued to diminish, though monetary policy remains expansionary. 1.2 Monetary policy decision Banco de la República’s board of directors (BDBR) in its meetings in December 2021 and January 2022 voted to continue normalizing monetary policy. The BDBR voted by a majority in these two meetings to increase the benchmark interest rate by 50 and 100 basis points, respectively, bringing the policy rate to 4.0%.