Dissertations / Theses: 'Public Victoria'

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Sharam, Andrea, and n/a. "Market segementation and domestic electricity supply in Victoria." Swinburne University of Technology, 2005. http://adt.lib.swin.edu.au./public/adt-VSWT20061109.101315.

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If the observations of unregulated and recently deregulated essential services were to hold for electricity reform, we could expect to see market segmentation of household customers. This is a corporate strategy aimed at the acquisition of attractive customers and the avoidance of unattractive customers. It is a function of market relations and commodification. Some markets already segment and assign unattractive customers to 'residual' markets, 'sub-prime' markets or 'markets of last resort'. Residual markets tend to involve market abuse by suppliers because these customers lack market power. It is possible therefore to suggest that segmented markets are characterised by simultaneous competition and monopoly. The implications for the supply of essential services, such as electricity, are profound. This research sought to identify whether there is evidence of emerging segmentation of the domestic electricity market in Victoria. In practice, few essential services areas are completely deregulated. The history of segmentation in the US insurance and lending industries provides valuable insights into markets, market failure and social protections. Taking this history and the more recent experiences of reforms in the US, the UK and Australia, it has been possible to identify three models of social protection: 'universal service', a 'civil rights' model, and a 'market' model. The Victorian reforms reflect some elements of each of these. The social protections included in the reform package both encourage and present barriers to market segmentation. At the time of the research, some elements of the safety net arrangements and customer inertia (born out of negative attitudes to competition) have acted to inhibit segmentation. Customer inertia in its own right poses questions for the efficacy of competition policy. The key understanding that is gained from this research is that both civil rights and socioeconomic entitlements (social rights) are required to prevent markets in essential services acting upon and exacerbating inequality. This suggests that universal service, as a model of social protection, is most likely to ameliorate the impacts of inequality.

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Sharam, Andrea. "Market segmentation and domestic electricity supply in Victoria." Swinburne Research Bank, 2005. http://adt.lib.swin.edu.au/public/adt-VSWT20061109.101315.

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Thesis (PhD) - Institute for Social Research, Swinburne University of Technology, 2005.
Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Institute for Social Research, Swinburne University of Technology, 2005. Typescript. Bibliography: p. 188-207.

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Hayles, Kelly, and kellyhayles@iinet net au. "A Property Valuation Model for Rural Victoria." RMIT University. Mathematical and Geospatial Sciences, 2006. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20070221.150256.

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Licensed valuers in the State of Victoria, Australia currently appraise rural land using manual techniques. Manual techniques typically involve site visits to the property, liaison with property owners through interview, and require a valuer experienced in agricultural properties to determine a value. The use of manual techniques typically takes longer to determine a property value than for valuations performed using automated techniques, providing appropriate data are available. Manual methods of valuation can be subjective and lead to bias in valuation estimates, especially where valuers have varying levels of experience within a specific regional area. Automation may lend itself to more accurate valuation estimates by providing greater consistency between valuations. Automated techniques presently in use for valuation include artificial neural networks, expert systems, case based reasoning and multiple regression analysis. The latter technique appears mo st widely used for valuation. The research aimed to develop a conceptual rural property valuation model, and to develop and evaluate quantitative models for rural property valuation based on the variables identified in the conceptual model. The conceptual model was developed by examining peer research, Valuation Best Practice Standards, a standard in use throughout Victoria for rating valuations, and rural property valuation texts. Using data that are only available digitally and publicly, the research assessed this conceptualisation using properties from four LGAs in the Wellington and Wimmera Catchment Management Authority (CMAs) areas in Victoria. Cluster analysis was undertaken to assess if the use of sub-markets, that are determined statistically, can lead to models that are more accurate than sub-markets that have been determined using geographically defined areas. The research is divided into two phases; the 'available data phase' and the 'restricted data phase'. The 'available data phase' used publicly available digital data to build quantitative models to estimate the value of rural properties. The 'restricted data phase' used data that became available near the completion of the research. The research examined the effect of using statistically derived sub-markets as opposed to geographically derived ones for property valuation. Cluster analysis was used during both phases of model development and showed that one of the clusters developed in the available data phase was superior in its model prediction compared to the models produced using geographically derived regions. A number of limitations with the digital property data available for Victoria were found. Although GIS analysis can enable more property characteristics to be derived and measured from existing data, it is reliant on having access to suitable digital data. The research also identified limitations with the metadata elements in use in Victoria (ANZMETA DTD version 1). It is hypothesised that to further refine the models and achieve greater levels of price estimation, additional properties would need to be sourced and added to the current property database. It is suggested that additional research needs to address issues associated with sub-market identification. If results of additional modelling indicated significantly different levels of price estimation, then these models could be used with manual techniques to evaluate manually derived valuation estimates.

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O'Brien, Antony, and antony obrien@deakin edu au. "The 1859 election on the Ovens." Deakin University. School of Social and International Studies, 2004. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20080808.120248.

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The Victorian general election of 1859 occurred during a time of social transition and electoral reformation, which extended the vote to previously unrepresented adult males. Gold discoveries, including those on the Ovens, triggered the miners insistent demands for access to land and participation in the political process. The thesis identifies issues, which emerged during the election campaign on the Ovens goldfields, surrounding Beechworth. The struggle centred on the two Legislative Assembly seats for the Ovens and the one Legislative Council seat for the Murray District. Though the declared election issue was land reform, it concealed a range of underlying tensions, which divided the electorate along lines of nationality and religion. Complicating these tensions within the European community was the Chinese presence throughout the Ovens. The thesis suggests the historical memory of the French Revolution, the European Revolutions of 1848 and the Catholic versus Protestant revivals divided the Ovens goldfield community. The competing groups formed alliances; a Beechworth-centred grouping of traders, merchants and the Constitutions editor, ensured the existing conservative agenda triumphed over those perceived radicals who sought reform. In the process the land hungry miners did not gain any political representation in the Legislative Assembly, while a prominent Catholic squatter who advocated limited land reform was defeated for the Legislative Council seat. Two daily Beechworth papers, Ovens and Murray Advertiser and its fierce competitor, the Constitution and Ovens Mining Intelligencer are the major primary sources for the thesis.

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Watson, Dale, and dale watson@ecosec com au. "The Regional Distribution and Significance of Stream Turbidity in Victoria." RMIT University. Mathematical and Geospatial Sciences, 2006. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20070206.150045.

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This thesis investigates the distribution and significance of stream turbidity in Victoria; specifically exploring the factors that may have influenced the pattern of regional variation in turbidity, and factors that give it significance in the regional, social, cultural and environmental context. The limits to water availability are set, not only by the quantity of water in storages or streams but, more fundamentally, by acceptable levels of water quality and catchment health. To make effective judgements of water availability managers of water resources need to know the significance of measured natural resource condition in the regional context. Stream turbidity can be considered by the agricultural community as a sign of soil erosion and a loss of agricultural potential, while from the ecological perspective it can be considered a sign of deteriorating river health. Fundamentally, levels of turbidity are closely bound with land use practice and, in the Australian context, turbidity can be considered a measure of the consequences of land management practices on soil erosion and run-off. Measured levels of turbidity in Victoria should be interpreted within the context of a unique history and geography. The spread of European colonisation and the introduction of massive land use change to the Victorian landscape have meant that over most of Victoria current levels of turbidity reflect the effects of over a hundred and fifty years of large scale intervention with its controlling factors. In Victoria current levels of turbidity are interpreted in a cultural context far different from that of early colonists or even of a few decades ago. The concept of Ecologically Sustainable Development which has dominated natural resource management in recent times brings new responsibilities to resource managers. Ecologically sustainable management means that resources must be considered in a more inclusive spatial and temporal context. In the early stage of Victoria's history sustainable management of water meant having enough water left from winter rains to supplement summer supply. However, in recent years, it has begun to have more complex associations; sustainable water use is now, almost universally considered to include maintenance of the environmental health of waterways, and by implication, the environmental health of the whole catchment. In this context, stream turbidity can be considered a useful indicator of catchment health, in particular, because levels of turbidity bear a direct physical relationship to catchment processes. New tools are needed to explore the relationship between land use and water quality at the regional scale. The results of this current research include a regional statistical model of stream turbidity, which is conceptually designed to offer useful predictions of stream turbidity and underpin sustainable resource management. The statistical model was used as input to the development of a unique map display using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The GIS is used to display the distribution of model predictions over a large region of south-eastern Australia. The practical advantage of this modelling approach is that it provides managers with the ability to identify locations in Victoria where measured water quality differs significantly from modelled water quality and flag them for further investigation. The major project outputs are a map of Victorian Water Quality Monitoring Network (VWQMN) catchments showing catchments in Victoria where measured turbidity differs from model predictions and a raster representation of the state of Victoria in which cell values indicate predicted stream turbidity. Important to this project was the novel use of GIS technology to process large national and regional scale digital data sets using tools developed for catchment scale hydrological models.

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Masters, Tristan Andrew, and tristan masters@acma gov au. "Supply and Demand of Creative Arts in Regional Victoria, Australia." RMIT University. Economics, Finance and Marketing, 2007. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20080507.152730.

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Creative arts can make vital contributions to both economies and communities. Moreover, these impacts can be keenly felt by smaller, regional communities, where shifts away from traditional rural industries are apparent, and in the context of the Inew economy' which emphasises the importance of knowledge industries and creative industries. This research investigates creative arts supply and demand in regional Victoria, Australia through the collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data in three target communities. Fundamentally, this thesis presents a detailed analysis of the current supply and demand environment, including the impacts of regional arts festivals, and determines the conditions, events and characteristics which could strengthen regional Victorian supply and demand of creative arts. This thesis analyses focus group data to investigate current levels of supply of creative arts in regional Victoria. Qualitative analysis of the data shows that the supply of creative arts in the target areas is limited by scarce resources, isolation, negative community attitudes towards creative arts, and a small audience or sales market and an over-reliance on volunteers. Small and micro-businesses in the regional Victorian arts sector are seen as having motivations for operating beyond making money, limited business acumen, and have difficulty in marketing themselves effectively. Best-practice strategies to strengthen the operations of small and micro-businesses include adopting a more entrepreneurial attitude towards arts business, using an agent to source new audiences or sales markets and to maximise the promotion of their product, creating art which is accessible to the local community, and to engage in skills development and business training. Using attitudes towards creative arts, participation in creative arts and expenditure on creative arts as a measure of current demand levels, this thesis applies a range of statistical and econometric tests to the data collected from the three target communities. Contrary to the view emergent from the supply data, this thesis shows that regional Victorians have strong levels of demand for creative arts. Results show higher than average levels of overall monthly arts expenditure, and strong demand for cinema, craft fairs or exhibitions, books, CDs and other music formats. Low levels of demand were noted for classical music, opera or ballet. Chi-Squared analysis and ordered probit results show that gender, age, festival attendance, education, and individual levels of overall arts expenditure are all determinants of creative arts demand. Analysis regarding impacts and key aspects of two regional arts festivals found that regional festival patrons are more likely to be female, local to the host region, have a middle income, and hold a high school or equivalent qualification. An econometric model, including two versions of an Ordinary Least Squares regression in addition to Tobit and probit estimations, was used to more accurately estimate individual expenditure characteristics, notably accounting for the zero-expenditure of attendees who are local to the host region. This thesis provides valuable contributions to knowledge regarding the supply and demand of creative arts in regional areas. It also provides practical insights for policy makers, festival organisers, and the regional arts industry.

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Ebrall, Phillip Stuart, and Phillip ebrall@rmit edu au. "Chiropractic and male adolescent low back pain: a Victoria perspective." RMIT University. Health Sciences, 1999. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20081212.145143.

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This thesis was initiated by an awareness of the impact of low back pain in Western society in general and Australian society in particular. The studies and experiments in this thesis contribute towards an understanding of chiropractic as a professional entity in Victoria and the nature of its clinical practice. The issue of male adolescent LBP has been explored and in addition to an epidemiological description of this clinical entity, its anthropometric dimensions have been documented. The qualitative review of the literature provides ample justification for the management of patients with LBP by chiropractors, using manual or manipulative techniques. The observational study of the Victorian context in which chiropractors are educated, registered, and entitled to practice, demonstrates that Victorian chiropractors are appropriate providers of manipulative health care. They perform the role of primary contact, primary health care providers with diagnostic, treatment and management skills focussed mainly on musculoskeletal conditions, but with a small proportion of practice based in the health or preventive context, and are well placed to provide the manual and manipulative services required in the management of LBP patients. The profession is shown to have strategies in place to ensure continued legal and community acceptance. The strategies include those at entry level to the profession, such as the legislative provisions of government and the competencies required for registration as instilled during the professional education process, and those which are more of the nature to maintain the integrity of professional practice, such as the " standards of practice" concept. These are important characteristics given it is shown that the Victorian chiropractic profession is not homogenous with respect to educational standards, has a disparate gender balance, the presence of a few non-registered 'chiropractors', and a disparity in utilisation patterns with a significant tail to the right. However the chiropractic profession is shown to hold a position of strength and leadership in the Australian context with respect to the provision of manipulative health care. Indeed, it could be said that chiropractors are at the leading edge of the quality process with respect to the provision of manipulative health care in Australia. The description of chiropractic practice shows a patient base of all ages, including adolescents, presenting with a range of possible diagnoses, often funded by a third party, and with a high proportion of return visits suggestive of patient compliance and satisfaction. It is convincingly demonstrated that persons with work-related LBP attend to chiropractors in Victoria and are effectively managed with the aim being the restoration of optimal spinal function and, in the case of work-injured patients, an early return to work. This thesis includes utilisation data which suggest only a minority of Victorian chiropractors practice outside the responsible parameters described above. The case-mix data and patient profiles presented in this thesis are congruent and complement each other, suggesting a high level of patient satisfaction indicated by the high proportion of return visits by regular patients and a faster, return-to-work by work-injured claimants. The point and sample prevalence of LBP in a population of suburban male adolescents is described and shown to be similar to those found in comparable Western societies. The data for a sample of traditional Australian male adolescents describes the LBP experience for the first time in such a population and emphasises the wide variance between societies which is now being identified in the literature. The LBP experience of a typical suburban Australian male adolescent is identified and described in terms of chronicity, frequency and episode duration. Typically the male adolescent with LBP has a chronic (> 90 d) problem with frequent episodes of pain (from 2 or 3 times a month to 2 or 3 times week) which last a few hours. The pain is a little limiting but allows the performance of the Activities of Daily Living. While some limitation of general sporting activity due to pain is experienced, school attendance is generally not compromised. A particular clinical instrument, the Metrecom computerised electro-goniometer, is studied and found to be appropriate for use in gathering anthropometric dimensions to test hypotheses relating to an association between anthropometric dimensions and LBP in a male adolescent population. The applied level of uncertainty of the instrument is within acceptable limits for these dimensions. The anthropometric study tests the broad null hypothesis that the mean of specific anthropometric dimensions would be equal among samples of male adolescents drawn from the Australian population. The actual groups are a Melbourne 'Pain' group, a Melbourne 'No Pain' group, and a 'Traditional No Pain' group. The pain group reported either current LBP or a positive history of LBP, while the 'no pain' groups denied either current or historical LBP. The alternate hypothesis will be shown to be proven for the dimensions 'sitting height', 'upper body' length, 'pelvic height', and the ratio of the 'upper:lower' body segment in a population of male adolescents with idiopathic or mechanical LBP. This thesis meets its objectives of describing the chiropractic profession and its practise in the Victorian context, demonstrates the prevalence of LBP in a male adolescent population, and identifies particular anthropometric dimensions associated with those who report a LBP experience. The fact that a number of anthropometric dimensions are detectable in adolescence may allow the development of appropriate screening programs which in turn may lead to the design and introduction of suitable prophylactic interventional programs for persons found to be potentially prone to idiopathic or mechanical LBP, at the least reducing the severity and at most reducing the onset of this expensive problem in adulthood. The ratio of the upper body segment to the lower body segment would appear to be most appropriate indicator; it is robust in that it is a prime dimension, easily accessible, and with a low level of measurement uncertainty. Most importantly it would appear to hold validity throughout adolescence as it does not have a linear relationship with age.

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Baxter, James Stanley, and james baxter@rmit edu au. "Rural Land Use and Value In Northern Victoria 1880 - 1960." RMIT University. Property, Construction & Project Management, 2001. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20091008.135904.

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This thesis examines rural development processes, and in particular the impact over time of infrastructure investment on locational value in a farming community in northern Victoria, Australia. Correlation between infrastructure investment and land values was found to change over time, with the full cost of infrastructure provision not reflected in increased land values. Its impact depended on the type of infrastructure, and was linked to technological changes in agricultural production that led to different demands. The study also revealed the complexity of land ownership and use during the development of typical northern Victorian farmland, and the patterns of land value that emerged. As an historical study of land development it provides a deeper understanding of rural valuation methodology and sales analysis. It also contributes to the theory of land development, and in particular rural land-use and value.

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Deegan, Johanna Christine, and j. deegan@latrobe edu au. "NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING NURSES MOVING TOWARDS CONTEXTUAL COMPETENCE IN VICTORIA." La Trobe University. School of Educational Studies, 2007. http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au./thesis/public/adt-LTU20091123.101606.

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The purpose of this study was to obtain an in-depth understanding of the perceptions of overseas-qualified nurses from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB) in relation to their educational and socialisation experience whilst enrolled in a Competency Based Assessment Program (CBAP). The study was conducted using a modified grounded theory approach. There were a total of seventeen participants; fourteen NESB nurses, and three teachers who were directly involved with their education in the CBAP. The NESB nurses who participated fell into three main groups in terms of their previous professional experience. These were: � Specialist � Experienced generalist � Inexperienced generalist However, the level of skill and experience that the nurses brought to the educational and practice encounter made no difference to their experience of prejudice and lack of support, particularly in the clinical environment. The education and clinical experience they received challenged feelings of competency as much as they expanded feelings of competency. The NESB nurses� experiences of diversity also challenged their feelings of competence. In addition, the level of previous experience did not reduce the concern expressed by NESB nurses regarding the possibility of finding appropriate employment following registration. The implications of this for the profession and the health care system are that even the most experienced specialist and generalist nurses are not having their level of skill appropriately recognised and utilised in a timely way despite the current shortage of generalist and specialist nurses in Victoria. The outcome of the study led to the development of a model that has the potential to lead to a culture change in the clinical environment with a view to improving educational opportunities and experiences for NESB nurses who are enrolled in CBAP. In addition, the model has the potential to be useful in terms of providing local nurses with an opportunity to express their own thoughts and ideas in relation to the education of NESB nurses in the clinical environment. The model is based upon the theoretical perspectives of �productive diversity� and �clinical governance and organisational learning�.

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Mangano, Maria. "Frontier methods for comparing public hospital efficiency." Thesis, Curtin University, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/2109.

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This research examines the impact, if any, of the introduction of casemix funding on public hospitals in Victoria. The results reported here show that in Victoria, during the period under observation, rural hospitals showed a significantly greater preponderance, relative to metropolitan hospitals, to either amalgamate or close down. Since 1 July 1993 public hospitals in Victoria have been compared for efficiency in the delivery of their services. The casemix funding arrangements were installed, among other reasons, to improve efficiency in the delivery of hospital services. Duckett, 1999, p 107 states that under casemix funding 'The hospital therefore becomes more clearly accountable for variation in the efficiency of the services it provides'. Also, 'Generally, case-mix funding is seen as being able to yield efficiency improvements more rapidly than negotiated funding'. Hospital comparisons provide State bodies with information on how to allocate funding between hospitals by means of annual capped budgets. Budgets are capped because funding is restricted to a given number of patients that can be treated in any given year. Thus, casemix funding relies heavily on cost comparisons between hospitals, and the way that hospital output is measured relies on the use of diagnosis related groups (DRGs).

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Frost, Ken, and mikewood@deakin edu au. "Soldier settlement after world war one in south western Victoria." Deakin University. School of Social and International Studies, 2002. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20051125.102701.

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This thesis addresses the physical aspects of farming on soldier settlement blocks in south west Victoria. The undeveloped land, high establishment costs, stock losses through animal diseases and lack of managerial skills all contributed to the settlers' inability to meet their financial commitments. These factors are analysed, as are the effects of declining rural commodities prices during the 1920s and 1930s. In addition, the relationship between the settlers and the successive administrative agencies is examined. The scheme was administered by the Closer Settlement Board from its inception until 1932 and much of the discussion during this period concerns the interaction between settler and inspector. Soldier settlement after World War One represented one of the last attempts to create a large body of 'yeoman' farmers. From the early 1920s there was an increasing dichotomy between the 'yeoman' and the 'managerial' ideologies. This dichotomy placed additional pressure on soldier settlers who were expected to be 'efficient' without adequate finances. In the post C.S.B. era, the focus shifts to the attempts by the Closer Settlement Commission to salvage the scheme and its greater understanding of the problems faced by the settlers. While this part of the thesis necessarily becomes more political, the physical and financial environment in which the soldier settlers worked was still an important factor in their success or failure. Unlike the C.S.B. which tended to blame soldier settlers for their situation, the Commission acknowledged that settlers' ability to succeed was often constrained by circumstances beyond their control. Under the latter administration, instalments were written off, additional land was allocated and finally the blocks were revalued to guarantee the men at least some equity in their farms. Those settlers who had survived until these changes were instituted received a 'successful outcome of their life's work'.

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Swedosh, Philip, and mikewood@deakin edu au. "An Investigation into the skill levels achieved by mathematics students in the V.C.E. and the H.S.C. mathematics courses." Deakin University, 1994. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20051017.153947.

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This study examines whether recent changes to the mathematics courses offered in the final year of secondary school (Year 12) in the state of Victoria, Australia have affected the learning outcomes of students in terms of then: skill levels in algebra, calculus and problem solving; and in terms of their preparation for a tertiary mathematics unit. The impact of these changes on the transition from secondary to tertiary mathematics is also considered. A comparison is made between students who attempted a first year mathematics unit at the University of Melbourne (U. of M.) having completed the new V.C.E. (Victorian Certificate of Education) mathematics courses and mathematics courses from the previous H.S.C. (Higher School Certificate) system. The comparison involves the use of tests administered upon entrance to a tertiary mathematics unit at the U. of M., and questionnaires. In 1991, V.C.E, students and H.S.C. students attempted the same mathematics test at the U. of M. and their results were compared. In 1992, the tests were attempted by V.C.E. students only. To compare new V.C.E. students and H.S.C. students, questions on the 1991 test were matched with similar questions on the 1992 tests and a panel of experts determined what the H.S.C. students who attempted the 1991 test would have been expected to average on these matched questions on the 1992 tests had they attempted them. These expected average scores were then compared with the actual scores of the new V.C.E. students. The scores of the groups were scaled when necessary. Questionnaires were administered to 1991 U. of M, mathematics students who were part of the V.C.E. pilot group in 1990, secondary mathematics educators, tertiary mathematics educators, and 1991 V.C.E. (1992 U. of M.) students. The mathematical misconceptions exhibited by new V.C.E. students are discussed and their frequencies stated. The research indicates that the new V.C.E. mathematics courses have provided the V.C.E. mathematics students in this study with significantly lower skill levels and a significantly poorer preparation for a tertiary mathematics unit than those which were previously provided by the H.S.C. mathematics courses.

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Whitefield, Despina, and Despina Whitefield@vu edu au. "Personal and interpersonal skills development in an accounting degree : a case study of accounting education." Swinburne University of Technology, 2003. http://adt.lib.swin.edu.au./public/adt-VSWT20050502.170936.

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This thesis examines the perceptions of lecturers, graduates and employers of personal and interpersonal skills development in an accounting degree at Victoria University. The development of personal and interpersonal skills in students in higher education has been the focus of discussion amongst accounting educators, accounting practitioners and the accounting profession for many years. There is a general consensus on what skills are necessarily sought to ensure success within the accountancy profession but very few previous studies on how those personal and interpersonal skills are being developed. This research study presents a research framework which emphasises the complex interrelationships between an accounting curriculum, accounting lecturers, accounting graduates and employers of graduate accountants and their perceptions of how personal and interpersonal skills are developed. A case study approach, combining archival, qualitative and quantitative methods, is used to investigate how a Bachelor of Business Accounting degree in one Australian university facilitates personal and interpersonal skills development. The case study results indicate that the curriculum, as the vector for skills development, has both explicit and implicit references to skills outcomes. Graduates� perceptions of many of the personal and interpersonal skills considered in this study are closely related to the curriculum findings. However, there appears to be a lack of convergence between lecturers� perceptions, the curriculum and graduates� perceptions. Employers generally agree that graduates display most of the personal and interpersonal skills, albeit at a low level, in the workplace. There are curriculum implications arising from the results of this research for accounting academics who design and develop accounting programs where the value of graduates� personal and interpersonal skills are acknowledged. As a first step, academics need to improve accounting curricula by explicitly integrating personal and interpersonal skills in their subjects. Communicating to students the explicit nature of personal and interpersonal skills development and making them aware is the next step.

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Ross, Pierre-Simon, and n/a. "Volcanology of the Mawson Formation at Coombs and Allan Hills, South Victoria Land, Antarctica." University of Otago. Department of Geology, 2005. http://adt.otago.ac.nz./public/adt-NZDU20070418.151642.

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The Jurassic Ferrar large igneous province of Antarctica contains significant mafic volcaniclastic deposits, underlying the Kirkpatrick flood basalts. In South Victoria Land, the mafic volcaniclastics are referred to as the Mawson Formation. At Coombs Hills, the Mawson is interpreted as filling a large vent complex, which was re-examined in detail to better understand vent-forming processes. Two contrasting types of cross-cutting volcaniclastic bodies were found in the complex, both of which are interpreted to have been forcefully emplaced from below into existing, non-consolidated debris. The first type consists of country rock-rich lapilli-tuff pipes. These are interpreted as fossilized remnants of subterranean debris jets which originated when phreatomagmatic explosions occurred near the walls or floor of the vent complex, causing fragmentation of both magma and country rock. The second type of cross-cutting body consists of basalt-rich tuff-breccias and lapilli-tuffs, some of which could have been generated by explosions taking place within pre-existing basalt-bearing debris, well away from the vent walls. Other basalt-rich zones, accompanied by domains of in situ peperite and coherent basalt, are inferred to have originated by less violent processes. At nearby Allan Hills, the Mawson can be divided into two informal members, m₁ and m₂. Member m₁ is exposed only at central Allan Hills, consists essentially of sedimentary material from the underlying Beacon Supergroup, and is interpreted as a [less than or equal to]180 m-thick debris avalanche deposit. Most megablocks in m₁ were derived from the late Triassic Lashly Formation, parts of which were probably only weakly consolidated in the Jurassic. Sandstone breccias dominate volumetrically over megablocks within the deposits. This indicates pervasive and relatively uniform fragmentation of the moving mass, and probably reflects the weak and relatively homogeneous nature of the material involved. The avalanche flowed into a pre-existing topographic depression carved into the Beacon sequence, and flow indicators reveal a northeastward movement. Sparse globular basaltic megablocks suggest that Ferrar intrusions played a role in triggering the avalanche. Member m₂, which is exposed at both central and southern Allan Hills, consists predominantly of metre-thick basaltic volcaniclastic layers that fall into three broad categories: (1) poorly sorted, coarse lapilli-tuff and tuff-breccia; (2) block-rich layers; (3) tuff and fine lapilli-tuff. The former type is interpreted as the deposits of high-concentration pyroclastic density currents (PDCs), probably formed during the collapse of phreatomagmatic eruption plumes. Occasional block-rich layers probably were formed by both ballistic fall from local vents and pyroclastic flows, and the finer-grained layers were probably deposited by dilute PDCs. Dilute, moist turbulent currents were also likely responsible for the generation and deposition of large ([less than or equal to]4.5 cm) rim-type accretionary lapilli. The thick layers are locally underlain by or interbedded with thin tuff ring-style volcaniclastic layers, and all the layers are underlain and invaded by basalt-rich tuff-breccias and lapilli-tuffs. COMPLETE REFERENCE: Ross, P.-S. (2005) Volcanology of the Mawson Formation at Coombs and Allan Hills, South Victoria Land, Antarctica. PhD Thesis, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, 400 pages, 46 tables, 162 figures, plus appendices.

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Faulkner, Michael, and mikewood@deakin edu au. "Vision and rationalisation : A study of the school psychology profession within the Victorian Government school system." Deakin University. School of Education, 1992. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20050719.083810.

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Since its origins in the 19th century, modern schooling has been a continuously contested domain within nation states. Underlying this contestation dynamic lie competing value systems about the social purpose of education; competing values around which are generated different discourses, and which in turn generate inherently contradictory social and organisational structures. As reflected in other areas of society, the 20th century expansion of state-provided schooling has essentially developed around variations of a bureaucratic model Thus, organisational cultures based around bureaucratic values have come to permeate the enterprise of schooling on a world wide scale. Concomitantly, the value for education to be fundamentally associated with human emancipation from psychological, social, political, or economic states of being, persists as a recurring theme in modern schooling. Premised on these understandings, the thesis argues that the development of the practices of school psychology as a profession, like education in general, and special education in particular, has similarly been influenced by tensions between different and competing constellations of values. It is argued that throughout the 20th century, the pervasiveness of formal schooling systems suggest that schooling may be understood as a modernist cultural archetype. As a socially constructed reality, the phenomenon of schooling has become unproblematic the apparent cultural inevitability of formal schooling in the modern era can also be understood as a premise of a systemised way of looking at the world; that of bureaucratic consciousness. Dialectically, bureaucratic consciousness persists in influencing every manifestation of schooling; structurally through its organisational forms, and epistemologically through the institutionalization of teaching and learning. A particular illustration of the dialectical relationship between bureaucratic consciousness and the social forms and social practices of schooling is the school psychology profession which has developed as a part of school systems. The thesis argues that the epistemic archeology of psychology as a knowledge discipline can be traced through an earlier European intellectual and cultural tradition, but in the 20th century, has come to develop a symbiotic yet contradictory relationship with compulsory schooling in the modern nation state. The research study employs historical and fieldwork methods in a study of the development of the school psychology services within the Victorian Education Department, particularly between 1947 and 1987. The thesis also draws upon several usually distinct literatures; the philosophical and theoretical discourse of modernity and post modernity, the history and development of modern schooling, the ethnography of schooling, the international comparative literature on the school psychology profession, and the literature on action research in education practice and curriculum development, As a case study of Victorian school psychology, the research eschews a quantitative statistical approach in favour of qualitative investigatory genres, which have in turn been guided by the values of action research in education, as well as those of critical theory. The important focus of the thesis is its investigation of some aspects of the development and transformations within the Victorian state education bureaucracy, and the dialectical relationship that has persisted between the evolution of change processes and the shifting conceptions of school psychology practices in the 20th century. A history of the organisational development of school psychology services in Victoria constitutes an important part of the thesis. This is complemented by specific illustrations of how some school psychologists have been influenced by and have contributed towards paradigm shifts within the profession, shifts relating to how the changing nature of their work practices have come to be understood and valued by teachers and by school administrators. The work of J. R. MacLeod from the 1950s is noted in this regard. Particular attention is also drawn to the dialectical relationship between bureaucratic consciousness and school psychology's professional orientation in the 1980s. As a means of providing field data to explore this relationship, ethnographic case studies with two school communities are included as part of the fieldwork of the thesis, and are based upon the author's own work in the mid 1980s. These case studies provide a basis for conceptually refraining the school psychologist's professional experience within schooling systems, and an opportunity to examine how competing value systems impact upon the work of the school psychologist. The thesis concludes with some observations about bureaucratic transformations within educational organisations, and about the future relationship of the school psychology profession with schooling systems, as framed by the theoretical parameters of the modernist /post modernist debate. The issue of competing value systems within the administration of public education is re-examined as is the value of promoting human empowerment in the ongoing work of the school psychologist. Finally, some scenario building with reference to the future of school psychology in Victoria in is undertaken.

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Louwhoff, Simone Henrica J. J., and mikewood@deakin edu au. "The Lichen Flora of the Mount Donna Buang Scenic Reserve, Victoria." Deakin University, 1995. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20051111.114644.

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This report investigated the lichen flora of the Mt Donna Buang Scenic Reserve in Victoria, There were several aims: to describe the lichens of the region, to produce a pictorial key enabling field identification and to determine any distribution patterns. A floristic survey covering approximately 50 square km was undertaken to determine lichen diversity of the region generally. Lichens were sampled along roads, tracks, walking trails and in sections of bush, taking into account forest type and, particularly, areas that were lichen rich. Seventy-five lichen species in 43 genera and 27 families were identified and described from the region. An unknown, species H, also was described. Of the 76 lichen species, 22 were crastose and the remainder macrolichens. The best represented families were: Cladoniaceae (8 species), Hypogymniaceae (6), Lobariaceae (7), Lecideaceae (6), Pannariaceae (6) and Parmeliaccae (6). This study described 12 species (17%) which previously were not known for Victoria and which are a first record for the state. These include: Cladonia sarmentosa (J.D. Hook & Taylor) Dodge, Graphis librata Knight, Parmelinopsis neodamaziana (Elix & Johnston) Elix & Hale, Pertusaria novaezelandiae Szatala, Placopsis pardlina f. microphylla Lamb, Porina leptalea AX. Sm., Pseudocyphellaria ardesiaca Galloway, Trapeliopsis congregant (Zahlbr.) Brako, Menegazzia myriotrema (Mull. Arg.) P. James, Bunodophoron scrobiculatum (Church. Bab,) Wedin, Parmelia testacea Stirton and Menegazzia purpurascens S. Louwhoff sp. nov.. The last eight species are new to the mainland and, apart from Menegazzia purpurascens, previously were known only from Tasmania. Five main elements of distribution were identified for the lichen flora of the Mt Donna Buang Scenic Reserve: cosmopolitan, austral/australasian, paleotropical, pantropical and western pacific. The majority of species (68%) had austral/australasian distributions, eleven (16%) were endemic to Australia and nine (13%) occurred only in Tasmania , Victoria and New Zealand. A pictorial, dichotomous key was constructed for the lichen flora of the Mt Donna Buang Scenic Reserve. Previously, keys to the lichen flora of Tasmanian rainforests were suggested as appropriate to similar areas in Victoria, however, the Victorian forests include a significant sclerophyll element The key presented is specific for the study site but is appropriate to similar regions in Victoria and has been tested in a number of these areas. The key was designed to be user-friendly so that the experienced and inexperienced alike are able to use it. A more detailed investigation of the lichen flora of the Mt Donna Buang Scenic Reserve was carried out in order to determine distribution. A total of 50 quadrats, each 20m x 20m in size, were sampled. Within each, the dominant vegetation type was determined and individuals were identified and location noted. The cover abundance of each lichen species on each individual tree was estimated using a modified Braun-Blanquet scale. A total of 710 trees, representing 13 different species, were examined. Nothofagus cunninghamii (Hook.) Oerst, Eucalyptus regnans R Mull., Acacia dealbata Link, A. melanoxylon R. Br., Hedycarya angustifolia A. Cunn. and Atherosperma moschatum Labill. were the six most common tree species encountered at the study site. Nothofagus cunninghamii supported the greatest lichen diversity (39 species), although most species occurred on less than 10% of the trees. The majority of lichens occurring on N. cunninghamii A. melanoxylon, A. dealbata and H. angustifolia were foliose or crustose, those on £. regnans fruticose and foliose and those on A moschatum crustose. Bunodophoron australe was the only lichen species at the study site to occur on one host, Nothofagus cunninghamiL Many occurred on a number of different hosts, but were most common on one particular tree species. The distribution of lichens at the study site was analysed with a rnultivariate statistical package (PATN) which dealt with pattern analysis. The program SSH in PATN which uses the Bray-Curtis ordination technique, was used to create scatterplots displaying the degree of dissimilarity between quadrats in terms of presence/absence of lichen species. The program TWAY in PATN was used to construct a two way table to display which lichen species occurred in each vegetation type. The pattern analysis revealed that the lichens of the Mt Donna Buang Scenic Reserve were not restricted to any particular forest type, but particular lichens, or groups of lichens, tended to predominate in certain vegetation communities. This concurs with work done by others in Tasmanian forests. Quadrats which were situated in cool temperate rainforest were grouped more closely with each other than with quadrats in other vegetation types. These also supported the greatest number of lichen species. This was not surprising since N. cunninghamii the dominant tree species in cool temperate rainforest, supported the greatest lichen diversity.

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Duthie, Troy, and mikewood@deakin edu au. "Nutrients in Pirron Yallock Creek, southwestern Victoria : paleolimnological and management considerations." Deakin University. School of Ecology and Environment, 2000. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20060706.124148.

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The concentrations of various forms of nitrogen and phosphorus in the main stream and selected tributaries of Pirron Yallock Creek, southwestern Victoria were examined over a two-year period. Exceedingly high levels of both nutrients were found within a particular tributary, while generally high nutrient levels were observed throughout the catchment. The speciation results indicated that dairy effluent was the primary source of nutrients to Pirron Yallock Creek. A palaeolimnological study was undertaken to determine the impact of European settlement upon waterway nutrient concentrations within the region. The palaeolimnological study focused primarily on the diatom flora preserved within the sediments of nearby Lakes Corangamite and Bullen Merri. Lack of preservation of diatoms within the sediments of Lake Corangamite resulted in no water quality inferences for this lake. The preserved diatoms within Lake Bullen Merri suggested an increase in trophic status of this lake during the last 500 years. While a change in the diatom flora of Lake Bullen Merri was evident, it was not possible to differentiate the impact of European settlement upon nutrient status of this waterway from long-term trophic status change. In light of the particularly high nutrient concentrations observed in Pirron Yallock Creek, improved nutrient management strategies are proposed for the catchment. These strategies, which consider current nutrient management activities, are predominantly focussed on the dairy industry, which occupies the majority of the catchment.

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18

Luk, Hing-pong Jimmy. "Sports Hall of fame : a sports and museum complex on Victoria Park /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1998. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B25956802.

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Thesis (M. Arch.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998.
Includes special report entitled: Lighting in sports museum : a question about when, where and how much. Includes bibliographical references (leaves.

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19

Gilbert, Peter James, and mikewood@deakin edu au. "Monitoring the marine environment adjacent to a petroleum refinery on Corio Bay, Victoria, Australia." Deakin University, 1994. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20050825.140927.

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The objective of the work reported in this thesis was to design and implement an ecological effects environmental monitoring program which would: 1) Collect baseline biological information on sessile epibiotic fouling communities from an area adjacent to a petroleum refinery located on Corio Bay, Victoria, to allow comparison with results of future monitoring for the assessment of long term temporal water quality trends. 2) Detect and if possible - estimate the magnitude of any influence on epibiotic fouling communities within the Corio Bay marine ecosystem attributable to operations at the Shell Petroleum Refinery. 3) Investigate the extent of thermal stratification and rate of dispersal of the petroleum refinery main cooling-water outfall plume (discharging up to 350,000 tonnes of warmed seawater per day), and its effect on epibiotic communities within the EPA-defined mixing zone. A major component of the work undertaken was the design and development of artificial-substrate biological sampling stations suitable for use under the conditions prevailing in Corio Bay, and the development of appropriate quantitative underwater photographic sampling techniques to fulfil the experimental criteria outlined above. Experimental and other constraints imposed on the design of the stations precluded the simple suspension of frames from jetties or pylons, a technique widely used in previous work of this type. Artificial substrate panels were deployed along three radial transects centred within and extending beyond the petroleum refinery main cooling-water mixing zone. Identical substrate panels were deployed at a number of control sites located throughout Corio Bay, each chosen for differences in their degree of exposure to such factors as water movement, depth, shipping traffic and/or comparable industrial activity. The rate of colonisation (space utilisation) and the development of epibiotic fouling communities on artificial substrate panels was monitored over two twelve-month sampling periods using quantitative underwater photographic sampling techniques. Sampling was conducted at 4-8 week intervals with the rate of panel colonisation and community structure determined via coverage measurements. Various species of marine algae, polychaete tubeworms, hydroids, barnacles, simple and colonial ascidians, sponges, bivalve molluscs and encrusting bryozoans were all detected growing on panels. Communities which established on panels within the cooling-water mixing-zone and those at control sites were compared using statistical procedures including agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis. A photographic sample archive has been established to allow comparison with similar future studies.

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Van, der Ree Rodney, and mikewood@deakin edu au. "Ecology of arboreal marsupials in a network of remnant linear habitats." Deakin University. School of Ecology and Environment, 2000. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20050804.104814.

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Linear strips of vegetation set within a less-hospitable matrix are common features of landscapes throughout the world. Depending on location, form and function, these linear landscape elements include hedgerows, fencerows, shelterbelts, roadside or streamside strips and wildlife corridors. In many anthropogenically-modified landscapes, linear strips are important components for conservation because they provide a large proportion of the remaining wooded or shrubby habitat for fauna. They may also function to provide connectivity across the landscape. In some districts, the linear strips form an interconnected network of habitat. The spatial configuration of remnant habitat (size, shape and arrangement) may influence habitat suitability, and hence survival, of many species of plant and animal in modified landscapes. Near Euroa in south-eastern Australia, the clearing and fragmentation of temperate woodlands for agriculture has been extensive and, at present, less than 5% tree cover remains, most of which (83%) occurs as linear strips along roads and streams. The remainder of the woodland occurs as relatively small patches and single isolated trees scattered across the landscape. As an assemblage, arboreal marsupials are woodland dependent and vary in their sensitivity to habitat loss and fragmentation. This thesis focusses on determining the conservation status of arboreal marsupials in the linear network and understanding how they utilise the landscape mosaic. Specifically, the topics examined in this thesis are: (1) the composition of the arboreal marsupial assemblage in linear and non-linear woodland remnants; (2) the status and habitat preferences of species of arboreal marsupial within linear remnants; and (3) the ecology of a population of the Squirrel Glider Petaurus norfolcensis in the linear network, focusing on population dynamics, spatial organisation, and use of den trees. The arboreal marsupial fauna in the linear network was diverse, and comprised seven out of eight species known to occur in the district. The species detected within the strips were P. norfolcensis, the Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps, Common Brushtail Possum Trichosums vulpecula, Common Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus, Brush-tailed Phascogale Phascogale tapoatafa, Koala Phascolarctos cinereus and Yellow-footed Antechinus Antechinus flavipes. The species not detected was the Feathertail Glider Acrabates pygmaeus. Survey sites in linear remnants (strips of woodland along roads and streams) supported a similar richness and density of arboreal mammals to sites in non-linear remnants (large patches or continuous tracts of woodland nearby). Furthermore, the combined abundance of all species of arboreal marsupials was significantly greater in sites in the linear remnants than in the non-linear remnants. This initial phase of the study provided no evidence that linear woodland remnants support a degraded or impoverished arboreal marsupial fauna in comparison with the nonlinear remnants surveyed. Intensive trapping of arboreal marsupials within a 15 km linear network between February 1997 and June 1998 showed that all species of arboreal marsupial (except A. pygmaeus) were present within the linear strips. Further analyses related trap-based abundance estimates to measures of habitat quality and landscape structure. Width of the linear habitat was significantly positively correlated with the combined abundance of all arboreal marsupials, as well as with the abundance of P. norfolcensis and T. vulpecula. The abundance of T. vulpecula was also significantly positively correlated with variation in overstorey species composition, Acacia density and the number of hollow-bearing trees. The abundance of P. norfolcensis was positively correlated with Acacia density and canopy width, and negatively correlated with distance to the nearest intersection with another linear remnant. No significant variables were identified to explain the abundance of P. tapoatafa, and there were insufficient captures of the remaining species to investigate habitat preferences. Petaurus norfolcensis were resident within the linear network and their density (0.95 -1.54 ha-1) was equal to the maximum densities recorded for this species in continuous forest elsewhere in south-eastern Australia. Rates of reproduction were also similar to those in continuous forest, with births occurring between May and December, a mean natality rate of 1.9, and a mean litter size of 1.7. Sex ratios never differed significantly from parity. Overall, the population dynamics of P. norfolcensis were comparable with published results for the species in contiguous forest, clearly suggesting that the linear remnants currently support a self-sustaining, viable population. Fifty-one P. norfolcensis were fitted with radio transmitters and tracked intermittently between December 1997 and November 1998. Home ranges were small (1.3 - 2.8 ha), narrow (20 - 40 m) and elongated (322 - 839 m). Home ranges were mostly confined to the linear remnants, although 80% of gliders also utilised small clumps of adjacent woodland within farm paddocks for foraging or denning. Home range size was significantly larger at intersections between two or more linear remnants than within straight sections of linear remnants. Intersections appeared to be important sites for social interaction because the overlap of home ranges of members of adjacent social groups was significantly greater at intersections than straight sections. Intersections provided the only opportunity for members of three or more social groups to interact, while still maintaining their territories. The 51 gliders were radiotracked to 143 different hollow-bearing trees on 2081 occasions. On average, gliders used 5.3 den trees during the study (range 1-15), and changed den trees every 4.9 days. The number of den trees used by each glider is likely to be conservative because the cumulative number of den trees continued to increase over the full duration of the study. When gliders shifted between den trees, the mean distance between consecutive den sites was 247 m. Den trees were located throughout a glider's home range, thereby reducing the need to return to a central den site and potentially minimising energy expenditure. Dens were usually located in large trees (mean diameter 88.5 cm) and were selected significantly more often than expected based on their occurrence within the landscape. The overall conclusion of this thesis is that the linear network I studied provides high quality habitat for resident populations of arboreal marsupials. Important factors influencing the suitability of the linear remnants appear to be the high level of network connectivity, the location on soils of high nutrient status, the high density of large trees and an acacia understorey. In highly fragmented landscapes, linear habitats as part of the remaining woodland mosaic have the potential to be an integral component in the conservation of woodland-dependent fauna. The habitat value of linear strips of vegetation should not be underestimated.

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Mangano, Maria. "Frontier methods for comparing public hospital efficiency." Curtin University of Technology, School of Economics and Finance, 2004. http://espace.library.curtin.edu.au:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=17497.

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This research examines the impact, if any, of the introduction of casemix funding on public hospitals in Victoria. The results reported here show that in Victoria, during the period under observation, rural hospitals showed a significantly greater preponderance, relative to metropolitan hospitals, to either amalgamate or close down. Since 1 July 1993 public hospitals in Victoria have been compared for efficiency in the delivery of their services. The casemix funding arrangements were installed, among other reasons, to improve efficiency in the delivery of hospital services. Duckett, 1999, p 107 states that under casemix funding 'The hospital therefore becomes more clearly accountable for variation in the efficiency of the services it provides'. Also, 'Generally, case-mix funding is seen as being able to yield efficiency improvements more rapidly than negotiated funding'. Hospital comparisons provide State bodies with information on how to allocate funding between hospitals by means of annual capped budgets. Budgets are capped because funding is restricted to a given number of patients that can be treated in any given year. Thus, casemix funding relies heavily on cost comparisons between hospitals, and the way that hospital output is measured relies on the use of diagnosis related groups (DRGs).

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Marmion, Bob, and victorianvolunteers@hotmail com. "The Victorian Volunteer Force on the central Victorian Goldfields, 1858-1883." La Trobe University. School of Arts and Education, 2003. http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au./thesis/public/adt-LTU20050430.150445.

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During the 19th century, defence was a major issue in Victoria as indeed it was in other British colonies and the United Kingdom. To help defend themselves, self governing colonies throughout the Empire enlisted local citizens to serve as part time soldiers on a voluntary basis. The Victorian government in 1859 - 60 took a calculated risk in adopting a Volunteer Force to underpin the whole colonial defence scheme, particularly as the military effectiveness of the citizen soldiers was questionable due to the lack of any real discipline within the Force and the part time nature of the military service. Whilst the savings which resulted (from using Volunteers rather than expensive Imperial troops) were spent on building forts and purchasing ordnance to protect Port Phillip Bay, there were other advantages to be gained from the government decision. It harnessed the considerable groundswell of public patriotism and pride in the Empire to ensure the development of a colonial society with strong links to Britain. The Government also linked Volunteering, stability and patriotism together as part of a less obvious agenda for the goldfields. In a period of lingering unrest only a few short years after Eureka, the Volunteers provided a clear indication of government power and yet another sign (along with the judicial system, education, language) of the importance and expanse of British society. Should there be any civil unrest on the goldfields, the local Corps were ideally suited to the role of civil control. On a number of occasions, the Volunteer Corps were called out to maintain law and order. The thesis studies a major group of over 5,100 men on the goldfields over two decades, particularly with regard to their motives for joining the Volunteers and their demographics such as ages, occupations, addresses, activities and the networks between members. By addressing the Corps demographics it is possible to understand the role played by the Volunteers in the development of goldfields society.

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23

Montague, Alan John, and alan montague@rmit edu au. "Policy making and the Ministerial Review of Postcompulsory Education Pathways in Victoria 2000-2004." RMIT University. Education, 2006. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20061115.101745.

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In January 2000 the Victorian government established a 'Ministerial Review of Postcompulsory Education Pathways in Victoria'. This explores the work of this Ministerial Review using an organisational discourse approach to the policy-making process. The study examines how the initial problem was represented that required policy intervention. I ask what the Brack's Victorian State Government defined, understood and represented the 'problem' to be regarding young people's participation in post-compulsory education. The research then focuses on establishing how the Ministerial Review set out to validate the initial representation of the problem. The research then concentrates on how the Ministerial Review came to develop its policy recommendations to address the policy problems it had identified. This involves establishing what solutions to the 'problem' were proposed by the Ministerial Review panel and why they were recommended as policies. Finally this study evaluates the value of the Ministerial Review process.

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Whittaker, William Joshua, and joshua whittaker@rmit edu au. "Vulnerability to bushfires in south-eastern Australia: a case study from East Gippsland, Victoria." RMIT University. Mathematical and Geospatial Sciences, 2009. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20090401.122025.

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This thesis is an analysis of human vulnerability to bushfires in the Wulgulmerang district of East Gippsland, Victoria, in south-eastern Australia. On January 30, 2003, bushfires devastated the small population of this isolated farming district. The fires destroyed homes, livelihood assets and public infrastructure. They also adversely affected the health, livelihoods and social lives of many local people. Australian bushfire research has traditionally focused on the geophysical dimensions of fire hazards and disasters, with little consideration of how cultural, economic, political and social factors shape people's exposure to hazards and their capacities to cope and adapt to bushfire impacts. To date, there have been no systematic, social science analyses of human vulnerability to bushfires. The vulnerability analysis presented in this thesis concentrates on two key research questions: (1) How and why were people exposed to hazards during the bushfires? and (2) How and why were people differentially capable of coping and adapting to the fires' impacts? Qualitative methods were primarily used to investigate these questions, including semi-structured interviews with residents and landholders of the Wulgulmerang district, representatives of government departments and authorities, and others who participated in responses to the fires. The thesis develops a multifaceted understanding of how and why people were vulnerable to the January 30 fires. Vulnerability is shown to arise from the circumstances of people's day to day lives, which are shaped by factors both within and beyond their control. Local pressures and challenges - such as drought, declining farm incomes, depopulation, limited access to essential services, and political marginality - are shown to increase people's exposure to bushfire hazards and reduce their capacities to cope and adapt. The thesis demonstrates the fundamental importance of sustainable livelihoods and regional economic and social vitality to the long-term goal of vulnerability reduction.

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25

Stuart, Rhonda Lee 1963. "Nosocomial tuberculous infection : assessing the risk among health care workers." Monash University, Dept. of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, 2000. http://arrow.monash.edu.au/hdl/1959.1/9004.

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26

Spivak, Gary, and gspivak@portphillip vic gov au. "Sharing the responsibility : the role of developer contributions in the provision of lower income housing in California and its implications for Victoria." Swinburne University of Technology. Department of Sociology, 1999. http://adt.lib.swin.edu.au./public/adt-VSWT20051205.091306.

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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.

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27

Nielsen, Ingrid, and mikewood@deakin edu au. "Situational and dispositional indicators of performance: Competing models in education." Deakin University. School of Psychology, 2003. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20050902.112422.

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The attainment of high grades on the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is critical to the future study and employment prospects of many Australian adolescents. Thus it is important to understand the factors that contribute to performance in the VCE. The aims of this study were twofold: the main aim was to test competing models of academic performance, subsuming a range of situational and dispositional variables based on a) self-efficacy theory, b) target and purpose goals, c) cognitive skills and self-regulatory strategies, and d) positive psychology. These models were each tested in terms of English performance and mathematics performance as these units contribute proportionally the most to overall VCE scores. In order to study whether pressures peculiar to the VCE impact on performance, the competing models were tested in a sample of Victorian students prior to the VCE (year 10) and then during the VCE (year 11). A preliminary study was conducted in order to develop and test four scales required for use in the major study, using an independent sample of 302 year nine students. The results indicated that these new scales were psychometrically reliable and valid. Three-hundred and seven Australian students participated in the year 10 and 11 study. These students were successively asked to provide their final years 9, 10 and 11 English and mathematics grades at times one, three and five and to complete a series of questionnaires at times two and four. Results of the year 10 study indicated that models based on self-efficacy theory were the best predictors of both English and mathematics performance, with high past grades, high self-efficacy and low anxiety contributing most to performance. While the year 10 self-efficacy models, target goal models, positive psychology models, self-regulatory models and cognitive skill based models were each robust in the sample in year 11, a substantial increase in explained variance was observed from year 10 to year 11 in the purpose goal models. Results indicated that students mastery goals and their performance-approach goals became substantially more predictive in the VCE than they were prior to the VCE. This result can be taken to suggest that these students responded in very instrumental ways to the pressures, and importance, of their VCE. An integrated model based on a combination of the variables from the competing models was also tested in the VCE. Results showed that these models were comparable, both in English and mathematics, to the self-efficacy models, but explained less variance than the purpose goal models. Thus in terms of parsimony the integrated models were not preferred. The implications of these results in terms of teaching practices and school counseling practices are discussed. It is recommended that students be encouraged to maintain a positive outlook in relation to their schoolwork and that they be encouraged to set their VCE goals in terms of a combination of self-referenced (mastery) and other-referenced (performance-approach) goals.

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Molland, Allan, and allan molland@rmit edu au. "AAS27 and accountability with emphasis on depreciation as the critical test." RMIT University. Accounting and Law, 2006. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20070117.091123.

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The purpose of this study is to investigate how senior accounting staff in Victorian local councils are recording and reporting infrastructure assets (IAs) with their relevant depreciation in General Purpose Financial Reports (GPFRs). Infrastructure assets are long-lived assets such as roads, drains and bridges. Historically, the purpose of public sector accounting in Western countries has been to demonstrate that funds have been raised and expended strictly within the authority of the annual budget. This short-term charge/discharge objective, involving the use of a cash-based system of accounting, has effectively prevented the provision of information for long-term decision making and the assessment of those decisions. The major disadvantage for management purposes is the loss of information relating to the longterm benefits of expenditures with one of the major issues being the failure to record IAs and their relevant depreciation. The introduction of Australian Accounting Standard No. 27 Financial Reporting by Local Governments (AAS27), which applies to all Australian local authorities and the Statements of Accounting Concepts (SACs) require IAs to be reported in the Statement of Financial Position and depreciation to be charged in the Statement of Financial Performance in order to reflect the loss of service potential in the operating period concerned. It is anticipated that the study will report the implications for the accountability of the implementation of IA accounting and the utility and relevance of IA information and depreciation for decision-making by both internal and external users. Conclusions on the consequences of current practices and recommendations for change will be developed to assist local government authorities and accounting bodies.

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Gregory, Robyn V., and robyng@whest org au. "Corrupt cops, crooked docs, prevaricating pollies and 'mad radicals' : a history of abortion law reform in Victoria, 1959-1974." RMIT University. Social Science and Planning, 2004. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20090925.104458.

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This dissertation explores the history of abortion law reform in Victoria between 1959 and 1974, contextualised in a feminist politics of reproduction. The aim of the research is to investigate the extent to which the history of abortion law reform in this state can be understood as part of the struggle of women for sexual self-determination and hence for full citizenship. As a result, one of the principal objectives of the thesis is to analyse the basis on which abortion is available in Victoria. The research draws on historical data, using the records of relevant contemporary organisations, the press, and interviews with some of the key people involved in advocating abortion law reform. In particular, the dissertation documents the abortion law reform experiences and struggles of Victorian women, including the attempts they made to contest their historic exclusion from participation in policy formulation and legislation related to reproduction. It begins with t he consolidation of the Crimes Act in 1958 and ends in 1974'with the passing of the national health and associated bills, which ensured public funding for abortion procedures. Social, political and economic changes in the preceding century led to overwhelming public support for abortion law reform in line with changing social mores and advances in reproductive science. But this did not result in legislative change enacted by a responsive and democratic government. Rather, the history of abortion law reform in Victoria is shown to be a case study of conflict, co-operation, co-option and collusion in five main arenas of vested interest. The first of these was state interest in fertility control, and thus women's sexual behaviour, as a reflection of national concerns about the size and composition of the Australian population. The second was a struggle for industrial control of a lucrative abortion industry, supported by systemic police corruption, medical corruption and collusion by politicians and officers of the Crown Law Department. The third factor was the political manoeuvring of a government determined to retain power by framing abortion as a medical rather than a legislativ e problem. Conflict between community calls for abortion law reform to protect doctors from prosecution on the one hand, and a political requirement for preference votes from the Democratic Labor Party on the other, was resolved in favour of the latter. The fourth factor was the professional struggle for medical control over reproduction, supported by civil liberties activists and liberal feminists seeking access to abortion without engaging in questions of political control over decision-making. The struggle by an increasingly organised feminist movement to reframe abortion as a political issue related to women's sexual self-determination, expressed as control over reproductive decision-making, was the final factor. As such, the dissertation is as much a case study of the factors at play in attempting to effect change in a capitalist patriarchy, as it is about abortion law reform per se. The thesis is organised within a historical framework that provides both an overview of the time period under consideration and a detailed account of the various struggles that took place within that period. The chapters are set out around the key events that shaped and were shaped by the struggle for law reform. These include the Menhennitt Ruling in 1969, the Kaye Inquiry into police corruption in 1970, the Medical Practices Clarification Bill in federal parliament in 1973 and the Proposed Abortion Inquiry in state parliament in 1973. I focus on those groups that had control over abortion policy and practice, as well as the main groups that worked to influence those bodies. These include churches, the media, political parties, and social movements - in particular the actions and attitudes of civil liberties and feminist groups. The conclusion locates the history of abortion law reform within the current socio-political and economic context, encouraging an examination of contemporary questions regarding women's control over reproductive decision-making. This includes an exploration of whether sexual self-determination and the human rights necessary to achieve full citizenship are possible for women given the deleterious impact ofneo-liberal ideology on funding those programs and policies that work towards equality, rather than 'choice', and freedom from oppression, rather than individual 'rights'.

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Moore, Laurence James, and res cand@acu edu au. "Sing to the Lord a New Song: a Study of changing musical practices in the Presbyterian Church of Victoria, 1861-1901." Australian Catholic University. School of Arts and Sciences, 2004. http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/digitaltheses/public/adt-acuvp49.29082005.

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The latter half of the 19th century was a time of immense change in Presbyterianism worldwide in respect of the role of music in worship. Within this period the long tradition of unaccompanied congregational psalmody gave way to the introduction of hymnody, instrumental music (initially provided by harmoniums and later by pipe organs) and choral music in the form of anthems. The Presbyterian Church of Victoria, formed in 1859 as a union of the Church of Scotland and the majority of the Free Presbyterian and the United Presbyterian churches and numerically the strongest branch of Presbyterianism in Australia, was to the forefront in embracing this tide of change. Beginning in 1861with the proposal for the compilation of a colonial hymnbook, issues associated with musical repertoire and practice occupied a prominent place in discussions and decision making over the next 30 years. Between 1861 and 1901 hymnody was successfully introduced into church worship with the adoption of three hymnals in 1867, 1883 and 1898. Programs of music education were devised for the teaching of the new repertoire and for improving the standard of congregational singing. A hallmark tradition of Presbyterianism was overturned with the introduction of instruments into worship, initially as a support for congregational singing but in time as providers of purely instrumental music also. The profile of the choir changed dramatically. Making extensive use of primary sources, this study aims to document the process of change in Victoria between 1861 and 1901, exploring the rationales underlying decisions taken and historical factors facilitating change. Musical developments in Victoria are viewed in the context of those elsewhere, especially Scotland and of general changes in aesthetic taste. The study concludes that the process of musical change shows the Presbyterian Church of Victoria to have been a forwardlooking and well-endowed institution with the confidence to take initiatives independent of Scottish control. It is also concluded that changes in musical practice within the worship of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria reflect developments taking place in other denominations and the changing aesthetic tastes of the Victorian era.

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Curlewis, Margaret Judith, and meg curlewis@gmail com. "The Values that you hold: Encountering Change in an Adult Community Education Program in Victoria." RMIT University. Education, 2007. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20080207.142645.

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This thesis research reports on the Adult Community Education (ACE) sector in the Australian State of Victoria. Although it concentrates on Moreland Adult Education Assoc. (MAE) as a case study, it places MAE in the wider context of ACE in the local area of the Northern Metropolitan region of Melbourne. Although periodically referred to as the 'fourth educational sector' and funded by the same government departments as mainstream post-secondary sectors, ACE has always had a low profile and quasi-educational status due to the extreme variety of its venues, courses and locations, making it difficult to define and market as an entity. This study uses a range of qualitative methodologies suited to historical, educational research to provide a framework based around the initial guiding questions: 'Is ACE becoming TAFE?' and 'Who uses ACE and Why?' MAE was used as a case study because it was created by its local community in 1982 after which it expanded and developed from one-to-one pairs of volunteer tutors and literacy students to being a nationally Registered Training Organisation delivering accredited courses up to Diploma level. This expansion placed great strain on the infrastructure and personnel of the organisation, particularly during the main period of this research (1994 to 2004). Beginning with a review of the ACE sector, the thesis then describes the northern region of the Melbourne suburbs by using the data gained from a survey questionnaire. Further narrowing the research focus, the thesis analyses the development of the organisation over the ten year study period. The second half of the thesis emphasises the people of MAE through 18 interviews by analysing their opinions, life-experiences and perceptions of change to create a sense of their connectedness to the local community and MAE. The primary aims of this thesis are to document an example of the development of an ACE centre and how it managed change during a ten year period. It records a sense of how and why people engaged in the sector and some of their lived-experiences and their responses to changes. Data analysis results in three sets of findings and propositions in the categories of sectoral, organisational and personal. These key findings involve a range of externally applied pressures being brought to bear on both ACE and MAE. This is counteracted by individual resistance to change, creating a tension which threatens MAE's long-term sustainability.

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Pollard, Anna, and apollard@parade vic edu au. "The Professional Development and Training Needs of Literacy Coordinators in Secondary Schools in Victoria, Australia." RMIT University. Education, 2008. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20080514.122251.

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The research presented in this thesis investigates the professional development and training needs of Literacy Coordinators in secondary schools in Victoria, Australia. This study augments the extensive body of research pertaining to knowledge about literacy programs, theory and pedagogy and it aims to explore a further dimension relating to the skills and knowledge that Literacy Coordinators need to acquire and apply in order to successfully manage their programs. The research paradigm of this study, as described by Guba and Lincoln (1994), uses constructivist (naturalistic) inquiry methodology and a case study approach. The collection of the data in these case studies has been achieved using a semi-ethnographic approach described by Denzin and Lincoln (2000) where the researcher observes the classroom program as a non-participant observer and engages in active collaborative reflection and analysis of the key knowledge and strategies required for successful p rogram management, in conjunction with the Literacy Coordinator participants. This study has also employed purposeful sampling (Patton, 1990) in the selection of the Literacy Coordinator participants and their schools and incorporates the use of teacher's voice in the construction and interpretation of key issues. The literature review examines the conceptualisation of literacy learning with a focus on the past three decades and explores current leadership and management theory as an integral component of program provision. A historical background to the industrial and political influences on the provision of literacy support for the purpose of raising the literacy achievement of students in secondary schools in Victoria is also provided. The value and relevance of having a theory that informs the Literacy Coordinators' practice is explored. The importance of professional development through participant observation and shared retelling and collaborative interpretation of the events is also examined. The case studies highlight the need for training in program design, diagnosing of student needs and for training for the leadership component of the role. The data collection involved six school sites and six Literacy Coordinators employed in secondary schools in the Northern metropolitan region of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Data included key informant interviews, curriculum and strategic planning documents and program materials. A number of key skills and knowledge criteria emerged as key factors in successful program management. They include the need for time and appropriate resources to effectively manage the program; the need for Literacy Coordinators to be trained in selecting and designing content, the need to master pedagogical knowledge related to literacy program provision and the need for training in the use of testing instruments and interpretation of testing data. Other key knowledge and skill requirements include training in management, the ability to develop effective partnerships and the ability to build and maintain teams. Recommendations for enhancing professional practice flow from this thesis; they have most relevance to Literacy Coordinators and other program leaders and for principals, policy makers and tertiary educators.

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Jessop, Rosalind Elinor, and mikewood@deakin edu au. "The ecology of fish inhabiting the inter-tidal zone of Swan Bay, Victoria, Australia." Deakin University. School of Sciences, 1988. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20050826.121023.

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Swan Bay is a shallow marine embayment of Port Phillip Bay, just north of Queenscliff, Victoria. It has been part of the Harold Holt Marine Reserves since 1977 and is a seagrass habitat. This study investigated the species of fish present in the inter-tidal zone of Swan Bay, collected information on their ecology, investigated the importance of Swan Bay compared to Port Phillip Bay as a nursery and/or breeding area and compared these results with those of similar seagrsss habitats. Field work was carried out monthly over a two year period, from April 1981 to April 1983, using beach seine nets at Swan Bay and Portarlington. Forty four species of fish were identified from Swan Bay and nineteen from Portarlington. Fish were most abundant during the summer and autumn months when seagrass growth was at a maximum and least abundant during winter due to the absence of seasonal residents and decreased numbers of permanent residents. Swan Bay was found to be an important nursery ground for two commercially-caught species: the Yellow-eye Mullet and the King George Whiting. Juvenile Yellow-eye Mullet were more numerous in Swan Bay than at Portarlington. Smell juvenile King George Whiting were more abundant at Portarlington than in Swan Bay where older juveniles were more numerous. The fish fauna of Swan Bay was found to be similar to western Port but the abundance of species varied. Atherinosome microstoma was the dominant species in terms of abundance and biomass. Diet was found to be different from that reported by Robertson (1979) at Western Port due to the different range of prey items.

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Athan, Sophy. "The effects of compulsory competitive tendering on public library services to women in Victoria /." Title page, contents and abstract only, 1994. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09ARM/09arma865.pdf.

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Thesis (M.A.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Womens Studies, 1995.
"Master's Minor Thesis" [i.e. Dissertation submitted at the University of Adelaide for part of the degree of Master of Arts (Womens Studies)]. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 81-89).

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Mangano, Maria. "Frontier methods for comparing public hospital efficiency : the effect of casemix funding in Victoria /." Full text available, 2006. http://adt.curtin.edu.au/theses/available/adt-WCU20071218.144013.

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Lane, Courtney Renee. "Investigating diseases of public health importance - Victoria, Australia." Master's thesis, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/1885/150517.

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In this thesis, I present the projects and activities I have undertaken as a Master of Philosophy in Applied Epidemiology (MAE) Scholar in Victoria. Between February 2013 and December 2014, I was placed with Communicable Disease Epidemiology and Surveillance at the Victorian Department of Health and the Epidemiology Unit at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL). Through these placements I experienced the day-to-day activities of a public health unit, as well as the applied public health research environment provided in a reference laboratory setting. During my MAE I analysed data to examine the relationships between antimicrobial resistance patterns in Shigella isolates and risk factors for shigellosis. I have found that location of travel is a possible marker of antimicrobial resistance patterns in shigellosis cases and found significantly elevated levels of ciprofloxacin resistance amongst travellers returning from India and their contacts. This project also highlights the prominence of periodic outbreaks amongst men who have sex with men (MSM) in driving shigellosis case numbers in Victoria and indicates a reconsideration of Australian treatment guidelines for shigellosis may be needed. As a result of this project, I also communicated with selected general practitioners and the community to increase awareness of an outbreak of shigellosis amongst MSM in 2014. My epidemiological project examined the effects of restriction criteria and covariate inclusion in the case-test negative design to estimate seasonal influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE). Using six years of data from the Victorian General Practice Sentinel Surveillance System I defined an optimum logistical regression model for this new, but growing, method of analysing sentinel influenza surveillance data to provide rapid annual estimates of influenza VE. I also report supporting evidence that repeated seasonal influenza vaccination in both the current and previous year may be less effective at preventing influenza than vaccination in only the current season. I report on two outbreak investigations. The first was a cohort investigation into an outbreak of gastroenteritis of unknown aetiology following a catered lunch. Attendees at the lunch were divided into three groups representing a standard meal in low, middle and high-income countries. I believe the source of illness to be a dahl curry served as part of the low-income country meal and stored in a hot box prior to serving. We have communicated potential improvements in food safety practices the to prevent further outbreaks. The second outbreak is a descriptive investigation of a Salmonella Typhimurium phage type 64 cluster identified in Victoria in 2013. I evaluated national hepatitis A surveillance in Australia, focused on detection of common-source multi-jurisdictional outbreaks. I consider the potential to enhance surveillance using nationally collated genotyping, sequencing and standardised exposure data. Finally, I present two teaching activities conducted during my MAE; a teaching session on selection bias and a lesson from the field introducing directed acyclic graphs I prepared for my fellow MAE2013 cohort. This thesis provides an account of my MAE experience, fulfils the requirements of the program and outlines the contribution my work has made to public health in Victoria.

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Helps, Lisa. "Bodies public, city spaces : becoming modern Victoria, British Columbia, 1871-1901." 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/850.

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"The city Tableau: Victoria Park." 2000. http://library.cuhk.edu.hk/record=b5890587.

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Ho Kin Yun Pery.
"Architecture Department, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Master of Architecture Programme 1999-2000, design report."
Includes bibliographical references.
Prologue
Acknowledgement
Chapter Part I - --- Introduction
Chapter 1. --- Background --- p.1
Chapter 2. --- Methodology --- p.3
Chapter 3. --- Research Study --- p.3
Chapter 3.1 --- The Evolution of Public Space
Chapter 3.2 --- The Collective Memory
Chapter 3.3 --- Precedent Study
Chapter 3.4 --- Site Selection
Chapter Part II - --- The Project Brief
Chapter 1. --- Site Context --- p.19
Chapter 2. --- Study of Redevelopment Plan of Victoria Park --- p.31
Chapter 3. --- Opportunities and Constraints --- p.32
Chapter 4. --- Program Development --- p.33
Chapter Part III - --- The Design
Chapter 1. --- Concept --- p.42
Chapter 2. --- Master Layout Design --- p.46
Chapter 3. --- Design Development --- p.48
Chapter 4. --- Filial Design --- p.55
Chapter Part IV - --- Appendix
Chapter 1. --- Records of Research Interviews
Chapter 2. --- Design Guidelines of Archive
Chapter 3. --- Design Sketches
Bibliography

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O'Meara, Peter Francis. "Models of ambulance service delivery for rural Victoria /." 2002. http://www.library.unsw.edu.au/~thesis/adt-NUN/public/adt-NUN20030401.152156/index.html.

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Cutcher, Zoe. "Applied Epidemiology in Victoria." Master's thesis, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/1885/110519.

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The Health Protection Branch of the Victorian Government Department of Health and Human Services monitors and responds to incidents that could adversely affect the health of Victorians. During 2014-2015, I completed a field placement with the branch, assisting with numerous public health investigations and responses. In doing so I fulfilled the requirements of the Master of Philosophy in Applied Epidemiology (MAE). The skills I gained are demonstrated in this thesis. Evaluation of a public health surveillance system is a core requirement for the MAE program. I evaluated Victoria’s surveillance and response to legionellosis, which includes both disease surveillance and environmental surveillance and response arms. I found little evidence to support the current practice of sampling and disinfecting cooling towers around the home and workplace for sporadic cases. Improved co-ordination between databases and strategic use of spatial software could help develop more targeted and useful approaches in the future. I embarked on two epidemiological projects. I designed a cross sectional study examining the prevalence of Legionella in domestic potable water and developed participant resources including letters to explain results, meeting the MAE requirement to communicate findings to a non-scientific audience. The study was not completed due to legal considerations; however the proposal and relevant participant resources are included as an appendix. I completed an epidemiological project estimating the number of notified sporadic Salmonella Typhimurium 9 Phage type 9 cases likely to be associated with a recurrent outbreak source during a five year period. I examined 301 clinical Salmonella isolates, including sporadic and outbreak isolates from a series of linked outbreaks, and used multi-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis and whole genome sequence results to estimate the number of isolates genetically linked to the outbreak strain. Outbreak cases accounted for just one third of all isolates estimated to be closely related to the main outbreak clade. This project inspired my lesson from the field, in which I taught MAE colleagues how to analyse MLVA data. I investigated an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium phage type 44 at a school function. I conducted a cohort study and interviewed twenty-nine out of thirty guests, of which ten were affected. Roast beef appetiser was the most likely food vehicle for Salmonella infection. Cross-contamination from raw eggs during preparation was a possible source. I analysed a public health dataset to assist a public health investigation into suspected antimony exposure in a rural mining town in Victoria. Residents were concerned about potential health effects from exposure to antimony dust from a local mine. Many sought urinary antimony testing to quantify exposure, with numerous elevated results. I used multivariate regression to examine risk factors for elevated urinary antimony and demonstrated residential proximity to the mine was not associated with urinary antimony results. Overwhelmingly, the largest risk factor for elevated results was the month of testing, consistent with false positive laboratory reports. This thesis documents my experience and capabilities gained during the MAE program, and demonstrates my contribution to protecting the public health of Victorians.

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Tay, Ee Laine. "The ancients : Salmonella, Tuberculosis and Influenza." Master's thesis, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1885/156306.

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Infections with Tuberculosis (TB), Influenza and Salmonellosis continue to pose significant challenges to public health and result in considerable work for public health agencies. The core aspects of my thesis outline four projects undertaken at the Victorian Government Department of Health (DH) and the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) to fulfil the core requirements of the Masters of Philosophy in Applied Epidemiology (MAE) program. First, I present a cluster investigation of Salmonella Typhimurium 44 (S. Typhimurium 44) that was ongoing for more than six months and associated with three point source outbreaks, including one where it was possible to perform a cohort study. Investigation findings suggest an association with consumption of eggs, based on epidemiological and microbiological evidence obtained in two outbreaks. The first isolated S. Typhimurium 44 from tartare sauce made from raw eggs and eggs sampled from the source farm, and the second found an association with scrambled eggs in the cohort study. My second project used retrospective analysis of TB surveillance data from 2009 to 2011 to measure health system delay for TB in Victoria (that is, the interval between first health presentation for TB symptoms and treatment initiation), identify the factors associated with delay using logistic regression and explore the reasons behind delay using electronic case notes review. I found the median health system delay to be 31 days for all TB cases, 20 days for pulmonary TB (PTB) and 12 days for sputum smear positive PTB. Multivariable regression analysis found longer delay in females, older adults and extra-PTB sites and shorter delay in positive microscopy or nucleic acid testing. A wide range of reasons were identified, the most common being multiple visits to a General Practitioner. For my third project, I evaluated the TB surveillance system in Victoria using a mixed methods study design incorporating documents review, data analysis and key informant interviews. Overall, I found the TB surveillance system to be a complex but well-functioning system that is sensitive, flexible, widely accepted by stakeholders and produced good quality data. The key recommendations were to improve documentation on the system, improve feedback to stakeholders and increase the use of surveillance data to inform service provision and monitoring and evaluation activities. In addition, I also analysed the surveillance data to examine the epidemiology of TB in Victoria from 1993 to 2012. My fourth project adapted and field tested a new method for deriving influenza thresholds developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to calculate thresholds for two routine influenza-like-illness (ILI) datasets, laboratory data and hospital admissions for influenza using data from 2002 to 2011. I found that thresholds were easily derived using the WHO method and the new thresholds were used to revise the current ones used by the Victorian Sentinel General Practice Surveillance System. Finally, my thesis also lists the additional activities undertaken at both placements to capture the breadth of my MAE experience. These activities and projects supported the work of both placements and contributed to evidence base and informing policy and practice.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Public Victoria'

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