2006

The poor health status of Australia's Indigenous people is well-documented, as are the links between health and education. Aboriginal communities recognise the utmost importance of improving educational, physical, social and economic well-being in an environment where disproportionate numbers of Aboriginal students fail to complete ....

Although access to palliative care is a fundamental right for people in Australia and is endorsed by government policy, there is often limited access to specialist palliative care services in regional, rural and remote areas. This article appraises the evidence pertaining to palliative care service delivery to inform a sustainable ....

Interest in ethanol production is rising rapidly throughout the world as countries strive to address the declining stock of fossil fuels, pollution problems and meet their obligations under the Kyoto protocol. While ethanol provides a clean and green option as a fuel extender, within Australia the debate over the investment in etha ....

An evaluation of the effectiveness of regional approaches to natural resource management (NRM) in achieving sustainable agriculture outcomes indicated that although the regional delivery model is effective, there is still a lot of potential to be realised. The evaluation involved a desk top review of regional plans and investment s ....

An evaluation of bilateral agreements in the regional component of the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT), which reflect the particular needs and circumstances of a jurisdiction, indicated that stakeholders acknowledge that the bilateral agreements have delivered more strategic outcomes and fostered a long term focus in natural resource ....

This report assesses the achievements of the Indigenous Education Strategic Initiatives Programme - Away-from-Base (IESIP-AFB), from 2000 to 2004, which was introduced to provide funds to tertiary institutions to cover the travel and accommodation costs of Indigenous students. This funding, and the design of the mixed mode courses, ....

The Council of Australian Government (COAG) Trials, announced in 2002, aimed to explore new ways for governments to work together and with communities to address the needs of Indigenous Australians. Eight trials were conducted in sites across Australia - the New South Wales trial was conducted in the Murdi Paaki region, and aimed t ....

Oral health has important implications for general health and well being. Oral disease can affect people's eating, sleeping, work and social lives. The Federal Government's national oral health plan was endorsed by Australian health ministers on 29 July 2004. In this report, ACOSS reviews the provisions of the plan and progress mad ....

This report is the third in a series undertaken by the UNSW Evaluation Consortium for the Cabinet Office as part of the evaluation of Families First. It presents the findings of the Area Review in Illawarra as a regional locality in moderate need in the early stages of Families First rollout. In the first 12 months, Families First in&nb ....

Australia's federal system is in a state of flux and its relevance is being challenged. Dramatic shifts are occurring in the ways in which power and responsibility are shared between governments. Pressure for reform is coming not just from above, but from below, as the needs of local and regional communities – both rural and urban – occupy an ....

Agricultural production in northern Australia was valued at $3.7 billion in 2004-05, around 10 per cent of the total value of Australian agricultural production of $35.9 billion. Northern Australia is defined in this paper to include the Northern Territory, together with the Kimberley and Northern Pilbara regions of Western Australia&nb ....

Local government is an integral part of Australian culture and society and its formation dates from the early years of formal governance in Australia. There is no longer a traditional definition of 'core' local government services such as 'roads, rates and rubbish'. Australian local government in the twenty first century delivers a  ....

This paper examines the current freshwater resource management regime and allocation of fresh water under the Resource Management Act 1991. It examines the concept of first-in first-served in the allocation of the resource and questions whether this approach achieves the sustainable management principles of the RMA. Balancing compe ....

The 'Gari and You' interactive flipchart was developed to guide allied health workers who were counselling patients in a remote Indigenous community about alcohol abuse. 'Gari' is a widely-used word for the term alcohol in the West Pilbara region, Western Australia. Community leaders and others contributed to the design, content an ....