Algae-based models to configure consumptive flows for ecological benefit in the highly regulated MacKenzie River, south-east Australia
- Authors: Atazadeh, Ehsan
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Many river ecosystems, especially those in arid and semi-arid, are experiencing severe stress due to the increasing demands on the ecosystem services they provide, coupled with anthropogenic catchment impacts and factors associated with climate change and weather extremes. The flow regime of the Mackenzie River was substantially modified since the construction of a water supply reservoir on its upper reach in 1887. Water is now regulated at several locations downstream of the reservoir, creating a substantially modified flow regime, impacting key environmental values of the river. The river receives an environmental flow allocation and the river channel is used to transfer water dedicated for consumptive use. Water Quality and algal monitoring formed the basis of models that were developed evaluate the ecological condition of this working river under base flow and before, during and after freshes that deliver water to users. Samples of diatoms, soft algae and measurements of water quality were analysed at ten sampling sites for three years (between February 2012 and November 2014) along the MacKenzie River in different seasons and under different flow regimes to understand the spatial and temporal variation in the relationship between algal communities and water quality, and so stream condition. Baseline information on algal communities and water quality was collected during base flow conditions, while experiments on the effect of water releases on algal communities were based on flow regime variations (manipulated flow regimes), specifically on the algae community structure, water quality and ecosystem function. These comprised cease to flow (0 ML/day), low flows (10-15 ML/day), freshes (35-40 ML/day) and high flow (55ML/day) conditions. Physical and chemical characteristics of water, including pH, temperature, turbidity, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total nitrogen, phosphorus and cations and anions were measured. Biological properties of the algal periphyton communities, including dry mass, ash-free dry mass, chlorophyll-a concentration and species composition, were also measured. Furthermore, the DSIAR (Diatom Species Index for Australian Rivers) score was calculated to classify the condition of the waterway. The results showed the algal species composition changed under different flow regimes along the river. The sensitivity of diatoms to changes in water quality and flow rates deemed them useful indicators of river condition. The results indicated that flows tended to improve DSIAR scores and diatoms versus green algae and cyanobacteria biomass measures in the mid and lower reaches. The biological properties of the algal periphyton communities, and the species composition, varied between sites under different flow regimes. The accumulation of dry mass (not ash-free) decreased downstream during freshes, however the accumulation of AFDM (ash-free dry mass) gradually increased downstream. The results showed that the concentration of chlorophyll-a decreased downstream under water release events. The Pearson’s correlation matrix revealed flow regimes had a significant influence on the water chemistry characteristics and biological properties. The principal component analysis (PCA) illustrated that upstream species of algae were associated with low pH and temperature and higher DO. In contrast downstream species were associated with higher turbidity, TSS, conductivity, TN, and TDS. The correspondence analysis (CA) and detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) showed a split between algal assemblages during water release events in comparison with before and after water release. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) identified five significant environmental variables including pH, TSS, Turbidity, TN and TP explaining algal assemblage and structure along the river. The collected data were used to develop ecological response models based on algae communities living under different flow regimes in the MacKenzie River. The algae-based models across a hydraulic gradient may be useful in water management efforts to find sustainable solutions in the river by balancing environmental and human values. The empirical data and models showed the lower reaches of the river to be in poor condition under low flows, but this condition improved under flows of 35 ML/day, as indicated by the reduction in green algae and cyanobacteria and improvement in DSIAR scores. The results are presented to tailor discharge and duration of the river flows by amalgamation of consumptive and environmental flows to improve the condition of the stream thereby supplementing the flows dedicated to environmental outcomes. Ultimately the findings can be used by management to configure consumptive flows to enhance the for ecological condition of the MacKenzie River.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Atazadeh, Ehsan
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Many river ecosystems, especially those in arid and semi-arid, are experiencing severe stress due to the increasing demands on the ecosystem services they provide, coupled with anthropogenic catchment impacts and factors associated with climate change and weather extremes. The flow regime of the Mackenzie River was substantially modified since the construction of a water supply reservoir on its upper reach in 1887. Water is now regulated at several locations downstream of the reservoir, creating a substantially modified flow regime, impacting key environmental values of the river. The river receives an environmental flow allocation and the river channel is used to transfer water dedicated for consumptive use. Water Quality and algal monitoring formed the basis of models that were developed evaluate the ecological condition of this working river under base flow and before, during and after freshes that deliver water to users. Samples of diatoms, soft algae and measurements of water quality were analysed at ten sampling sites for three years (between February 2012 and November 2014) along the MacKenzie River in different seasons and under different flow regimes to understand the spatial and temporal variation in the relationship between algal communities and water quality, and so stream condition. Baseline information on algal communities and water quality was collected during base flow conditions, while experiments on the effect of water releases on algal communities were based on flow regime variations (manipulated flow regimes), specifically on the algae community structure, water quality and ecosystem function. These comprised cease to flow (0 ML/day), low flows (10-15 ML/day), freshes (35-40 ML/day) and high flow (55ML/day) conditions. Physical and chemical characteristics of water, including pH, temperature, turbidity, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total nitrogen, phosphorus and cations and anions were measured. Biological properties of the algal periphyton communities, including dry mass, ash-free dry mass, chlorophyll-a concentration and species composition, were also measured. Furthermore, the DSIAR (Diatom Species Index for Australian Rivers) score was calculated to classify the condition of the waterway. The results showed the algal species composition changed under different flow regimes along the river. The sensitivity of diatoms to changes in water quality and flow rates deemed them useful indicators of river condition. The results indicated that flows tended to improve DSIAR scores and diatoms versus green algae and cyanobacteria biomass measures in the mid and lower reaches. The biological properties of the algal periphyton communities, and the species composition, varied between sites under different flow regimes. The accumulation of dry mass (not ash-free) decreased downstream during freshes, however the accumulation of AFDM (ash-free dry mass) gradually increased downstream. The results showed that the concentration of chlorophyll-a decreased downstream under water release events. The Pearson’s correlation matrix revealed flow regimes had a significant influence on the water chemistry characteristics and biological properties. The principal component analysis (PCA) illustrated that upstream species of algae were associated with low pH and temperature and higher DO. In contrast downstream species were associated with higher turbidity, TSS, conductivity, TN, and TDS. The correspondence analysis (CA) and detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) showed a split between algal assemblages during water release events in comparison with before and after water release. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) identified five significant environmental variables including pH, TSS, Turbidity, TN and TP explaining algal assemblage and structure along the river. The collected data were used to develop ecological response models based on algae communities living under different flow regimes in the MacKenzie River. The algae-based models across a hydraulic gradient may be useful in water management efforts to find sustainable solutions in the river by balancing environmental and human values. The empirical data and models showed the lower reaches of the river to be in poor condition under low flows, but this condition improved under flows of 35 ML/day, as indicated by the reduction in green algae and cyanobacteria and improvement in DSIAR scores. The results are presented to tailor discharge and duration of the river flows by amalgamation of consumptive and environmental flows to improve the condition of the stream thereby supplementing the flows dedicated to environmental outcomes. Ultimately the findings can be used by management to configure consumptive flows to enhance the for ecological condition of the MacKenzie River.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
The literacy practices of Kunibídji children : Text, technology and transformation
- Authors: Auld, Glenn
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Members of the Kunibídji community are the traditional owners of the lands and seas around Maningrida, a remote community in Arnhem Land in Northern Australia. Kunibídji children speak Ndjébbana as their first language and learn to speak English as a third or fourth language at school. Underpinning this study is a belief that the children have the right to speak their own language and access texts in their own language at home. [...] This study investigated the literacy practices that approximately fifty Kunibídji children enacted in the literacy events with the Ndjébbana talking books. [...] This study found that Kunibídji children had a desire to access the Ndjébbana talking books, a will to participate in the literacy events and the capacity to be critical about these literacy events at home.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Auld, Glenn
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Members of the Kunibídji community are the traditional owners of the lands and seas around Maningrida, a remote community in Arnhem Land in Northern Australia. Kunibídji children speak Ndjébbana as their first language and learn to speak English as a third or fourth language at school. Underpinning this study is a belief that the children have the right to speak their own language and access texts in their own language at home. [...] This study investigated the literacy practices that approximately fifty Kunibídji children enacted in the literacy events with the Ndjébbana talking books. [...] This study found that Kunibídji children had a desire to access the Ndjébbana talking books, a will to participate in the literacy events and the capacity to be critical about these literacy events at home.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Access and engagement of First Nations women in maternal and child health services
- Authors: Austin, Catherine
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis explores and describes the engagement of First Nations women, with children from birth to five years of age, with Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services in Victoria, Australia. Identification of the factors that facilitate, support or hinder these women’s engagement with MCH services could strengthen the model of care to effectively engage First Nations women with these services. Access in the early years of a child’s life to integrated, effective, community-based services is a well-established predictor of a child’s successful transition to school and their lifelong education and employment outcomes. Such access is crucial in a child’s first 2,000 days (the period from conception to the child’s fifth year), which forms the foundation for a child’s lifetime development and health. Prior evaluative studies have shown that participation in MCH services in Victoria improves the health outcomes for children and families, particularly First Nations families. However, First Nations women and their children in Victoria show poorer health outcomes and lower participation in MCH services compared to non-Indigenous persons; this suggests a need to improve the current Victorian MCH service model. This thesis contributes recommendations for such improvements. The literature review (Chapter 2) identified the absence of a synthesis of qualitative studies of models of care to help guide MCH practice and innovation for all families, especially those at risk of child abuse and neglect. To address this gap, a three-phase qualitative study was conducted in the Glenelg Shire, Victoria, Australia, using narrative inquiry integrated with the Indigenous philosophy ‘Dadirri’. ‘Dadirri’, which emphasises deep and respectful listening, guided the development of the research design; this methodology assisted in understanding Indigenous culture and its sensitivities, building trust with the First Nations peoples involved in the studies, developing open-ended and conversational dialogue, and building respectful relationships. This method enabled First Nations women’s voices to be heard and the collection of rich data based on participants’ perspectives of and experiences with MCH services in Victoria. Study One (Chapter 4) recruited First Nations women residing in the Glenelg Shire, with at least one child aged birth to five years, to explore their perceptions and experiences of MCH services and barriers to accessing and engaging with MCH services. Study Two (Chapter 5) compared Study One data with accounts from MCH nurses working in Glenelg Shire. Study Three (Chapter 6) reviewed a piloting of the Early Assessment Referral Links (EARL) concept (developed by the researcher) that aims to improve First Nations women and their children’s access to and engagement with MCH services. EARL involved the core principles of narrative inquiry integrated with ‘Dadirri’. Study One and Two found that enabling factors for access and engagement include interventions that are culturally sensitive and effective; recognise the social determinates of health (SDOH) and social and emotional wellbeing; are timely, appropriate, culturally strong, flexible, holistic and community-based; support continuity of care and communication; and encourage early identification of risk, particularly of family violence (FV), and further assessment, intervention, referral and support in the child’s first 2,000 days. Barriers to access and engagement include an ineffective service model built on mistrust, poor communication due to cultural differences between client and provider (particularly around identification and disclosure of woman’s risk of FV), lack of continuity of care between services, limited flexibility of service delivery to suit individual needs, and a service model that does not recognise the importance of the SDOH and social and emotional wellbeing. Study Three results showed that participation of First Nations families in MCH services was consistently above the state average during the pilot period, and several First Nations families were referred to EARL stakeholders and other health professionals during the pilot. Further, there were increases in First Nations children being breastfed, fully immunised and attending Early Start Kindergarten, and identification of First Nations children at risk of abuse or neglect improved (with a significant increase in referrals for FV and child protection and significant decrease in episodes of out-of-home care). This thesis’s findings can support policy development. This research shows that timely, effective, holistic engagement with First Nations women in their child’s first 2,000 days, that respects their culture and facilitates genuine partnerships built on co-design and shared decision-making with the Indigenous community, needs to be an essential part of the MCH service model. Additionally, this thesis recommends adopting a strengths-based approach that respects First Nations peoples’ child-rearing practices and culture, and providing necessary training to MCH nurses who work with First Nations families. Keywords: child family health, continuity of care, First Nations women
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Austin, Catherine
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis explores and describes the engagement of First Nations women, with children from birth to five years of age, with Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services in Victoria, Australia. Identification of the factors that facilitate, support or hinder these women’s engagement with MCH services could strengthen the model of care to effectively engage First Nations women with these services. Access in the early years of a child’s life to integrated, effective, community-based services is a well-established predictor of a child’s successful transition to school and their lifelong education and employment outcomes. Such access is crucial in a child’s first 2,000 days (the period from conception to the child’s fifth year), which forms the foundation for a child’s lifetime development and health. Prior evaluative studies have shown that participation in MCH services in Victoria improves the health outcomes for children and families, particularly First Nations families. However, First Nations women and their children in Victoria show poorer health outcomes and lower participation in MCH services compared to non-Indigenous persons; this suggests a need to improve the current Victorian MCH service model. This thesis contributes recommendations for such improvements. The literature review (Chapter 2) identified the absence of a synthesis of qualitative studies of models of care to help guide MCH practice and innovation for all families, especially those at risk of child abuse and neglect. To address this gap, a three-phase qualitative study was conducted in the Glenelg Shire, Victoria, Australia, using narrative inquiry integrated with the Indigenous philosophy ‘Dadirri’. ‘Dadirri’, which emphasises deep and respectful listening, guided the development of the research design; this methodology assisted in understanding Indigenous culture and its sensitivities, building trust with the First Nations peoples involved in the studies, developing open-ended and conversational dialogue, and building respectful relationships. This method enabled First Nations women’s voices to be heard and the collection of rich data based on participants’ perspectives of and experiences with MCH services in Victoria. Study One (Chapter 4) recruited First Nations women residing in the Glenelg Shire, with at least one child aged birth to five years, to explore their perceptions and experiences of MCH services and barriers to accessing and engaging with MCH services. Study Two (Chapter 5) compared Study One data with accounts from MCH nurses working in Glenelg Shire. Study Three (Chapter 6) reviewed a piloting of the Early Assessment Referral Links (EARL) concept (developed by the researcher) that aims to improve First Nations women and their children’s access to and engagement with MCH services. EARL involved the core principles of narrative inquiry integrated with ‘Dadirri’. Study One and Two found that enabling factors for access and engagement include interventions that are culturally sensitive and effective; recognise the social determinates of health (SDOH) and social and emotional wellbeing; are timely, appropriate, culturally strong, flexible, holistic and community-based; support continuity of care and communication; and encourage early identification of risk, particularly of family violence (FV), and further assessment, intervention, referral and support in the child’s first 2,000 days. Barriers to access and engagement include an ineffective service model built on mistrust, poor communication due to cultural differences between client and provider (particularly around identification and disclosure of woman’s risk of FV), lack of continuity of care between services, limited flexibility of service delivery to suit individual needs, and a service model that does not recognise the importance of the SDOH and social and emotional wellbeing. Study Three results showed that participation of First Nations families in MCH services was consistently above the state average during the pilot period, and several First Nations families were referred to EARL stakeholders and other health professionals during the pilot. Further, there were increases in First Nations children being breastfed, fully immunised and attending Early Start Kindergarten, and identification of First Nations children at risk of abuse or neglect improved (with a significant increase in referrals for FV and child protection and significant decrease in episodes of out-of-home care). This thesis’s findings can support policy development. This research shows that timely, effective, holistic engagement with First Nations women in their child’s first 2,000 days, that respects their culture and facilitates genuine partnerships built on co-design and shared decision-making with the Indigenous community, needs to be an essential part of the MCH service model. Additionally, this thesis recommends adopting a strengths-based approach that respects First Nations peoples’ child-rearing practices and culture, and providing necessary training to MCH nurses who work with First Nations families. Keywords: child family health, continuity of care, First Nations women
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Consultation and organisational maturity in the Victorian construction industry
- Authors: Ayers, Gerard
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Consultation is generally acknowledged both in Australia and internationally, as being essential if high levels of occupational health and safety (OHS) are to be achieved and maintained. In Victoria, such is the recognition of the important role that consultation plays in OHS, that it is mandated under the Victorian OHS regulatory framework. Indeed, all Australian OHS statutes now make provision, to varying degrees, for consultation to occur when dealing with OHS matters. This is principally conducted through OHS representatives and OHS committees. However, there is a growing body of opinion which raises concerns over whether such legislative provisions that provide for OHS consultation, is sufficiently adequate to ensure that the consultation is both meaningful and effective in terms of OHS outcomes. If this is the case, what might be missing or lacking from the consultation process, especially in hazardous and dangerous industries where OHS success would appear to be imperative? The Victorian construction industry, like the construction industry in general, is acknowledged for its dangerous and hazardous nature. It has a large transitory workforce with little permanent job security and often suffers from a multifarious and disjointed work organisation structure. Such features tend to work against an environment that openly recognises and encourages meaningful and effective consultation. These conditions also tend to confound the development of any kind of social and positive learning and communicative culture within the industry, leading to an underutilization of the knowledge and skill contained within the workforce. As well as failing to bring to fruition the full participation of workers in the management of OHS, the underutilization of knowledge and skill is potentially one of the largest hidden costs that an organisation may incur. The notion of organisational and cultural maturity is acknowledged both internationally and in Australia as a useful concept that can assist organisations in achieving higher standards and levels of OHS. This is especially so in high risk and hazardous industries such as the petrochemical, oil refinery and aviation industries. However, organisational and cultural maturity is arguably a relatively new and under-researched construct in the Victorian building and construction industry, while the concept of consultation within both the industry and the organisational maturity paradigm has not yet been sufficiently explored. The role that moral and ethical principles play in consultation is now beginning to emerge and gain wider recognition within the literature. This research project set out to examine how some of these principles were applied by senior site managers and OHS representatives of five Victorian construction companies during OHS consultation at five different constructions sites, and whether this consultation could be considered to be meaningful and effective. The companies who participated in this project were each allocated a level of organisational maturity, dependent upon how they managed various aspects of their business operations in terms of OHS. Senior managers and OHS representatives were chosen as participants in the research because they are generally acknowledged as the critical vectors in the sharing and transferring of knowledge and skill at the workplace. The data from this research suggest that regardless of the level of organisational maturity each organisation was deemed to have reached, and no matter how the individual participants applied the particular moral and ethical principles used during this research, the OHS consultation that took place on the different construction sites was limited to, and focused primarily on, everyday operational and execution aspects of the job, rather than more strategic and longer term OHS issues. The practical implications of this research are that if OHS consultation between senior managers and OHS representatives can be conducted in such a way as to openly and unambiguously recognise and apply particular moral and ethical principles, and if consultation is allowed to focus on more strategic and longer term OHS and organisational aspects of a construction project, this may yield more benefits, in terms of OHS outcomes, for all industry participants.
- Authors: Ayers, Gerard
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Consultation is generally acknowledged both in Australia and internationally, as being essential if high levels of occupational health and safety (OHS) are to be achieved and maintained. In Victoria, such is the recognition of the important role that consultation plays in OHS, that it is mandated under the Victorian OHS regulatory framework. Indeed, all Australian OHS statutes now make provision, to varying degrees, for consultation to occur when dealing with OHS matters. This is principally conducted through OHS representatives and OHS committees. However, there is a growing body of opinion which raises concerns over whether such legislative provisions that provide for OHS consultation, is sufficiently adequate to ensure that the consultation is both meaningful and effective in terms of OHS outcomes. If this is the case, what might be missing or lacking from the consultation process, especially in hazardous and dangerous industries where OHS success would appear to be imperative? The Victorian construction industry, like the construction industry in general, is acknowledged for its dangerous and hazardous nature. It has a large transitory workforce with little permanent job security and often suffers from a multifarious and disjointed work organisation structure. Such features tend to work against an environment that openly recognises and encourages meaningful and effective consultation. These conditions also tend to confound the development of any kind of social and positive learning and communicative culture within the industry, leading to an underutilization of the knowledge and skill contained within the workforce. As well as failing to bring to fruition the full participation of workers in the management of OHS, the underutilization of knowledge and skill is potentially one of the largest hidden costs that an organisation may incur. The notion of organisational and cultural maturity is acknowledged both internationally and in Australia as a useful concept that can assist organisations in achieving higher standards and levels of OHS. This is especially so in high risk and hazardous industries such as the petrochemical, oil refinery and aviation industries. However, organisational and cultural maturity is arguably a relatively new and under-researched construct in the Victorian building and construction industry, while the concept of consultation within both the industry and the organisational maturity paradigm has not yet been sufficiently explored. The role that moral and ethical principles play in consultation is now beginning to emerge and gain wider recognition within the literature. This research project set out to examine how some of these principles were applied by senior site managers and OHS representatives of five Victorian construction companies during OHS consultation at five different constructions sites, and whether this consultation could be considered to be meaningful and effective. The companies who participated in this project were each allocated a level of organisational maturity, dependent upon how they managed various aspects of their business operations in terms of OHS. Senior managers and OHS representatives were chosen as participants in the research because they are generally acknowledged as the critical vectors in the sharing and transferring of knowledge and skill at the workplace. The data from this research suggest that regardless of the level of organisational maturity each organisation was deemed to have reached, and no matter how the individual participants applied the particular moral and ethical principles used during this research, the OHS consultation that took place on the different construction sites was limited to, and focused primarily on, everyday operational and execution aspects of the job, rather than more strategic and longer term OHS issues. The practical implications of this research are that if OHS consultation between senior managers and OHS representatives can be conducted in such a way as to openly and unambiguously recognise and apply particular moral and ethical principles, and if consultation is allowed to focus on more strategic and longer term OHS and organisational aspects of a construction project, this may yield more benefits, in terms of OHS outcomes, for all industry participants.
Classification of network information flow analysis (CONIFA) to detect new application versions
- Authors: Azab, Ahmad
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Monitoring network traffic to identify applications or services is vital for internet service providers, network engineers and law enforcement agencies. The identification of applications enables network traffic to be prioritized, sophisticated plans for network infrastructure to be developed and facilitates the work of law enforcement agencies. Voice over IP (VoIP) and malware services are important to be classified because of the reliance by both legitimate users and cybercriminals respectively on these services. This dissertation addresses the detection of these services, represented by Skype application voice calls traffic and Zeus application command and control traffic. Three major approaches have been used to fulfil the classification goal, which are port-based, deep packet inspection and the use of the statistical features in conjunction with the machine learning algorithms. The latter approach addressed many of the limitations of the first two. However, the existing approach still contains many limitations. The detection of new versions by analysing and building the classifier on an old version was not deeply discussed for the machine learning approach. However, not all the statistical values are similar for different versions for Skype voice calls and Zeus command and control traffic. This is because Skype uses different codecs for different versions and Zeus uses different malware builders for different versions. While some approaches, aside from the machine learning approach, tackled the detection of the different versions, none of them maintain all the characteristics supported by the machine learning approach in terms of providing online classification capability and supporting various transport and application protocols, without the need to access different device’s traffic, access packet’s content or monitor different phase’s traffic. This research study aims to tackle this gap by proposing a novel framework called Classification of Network Information Flow Analysis (CONIFA). CONIFA addresses the detection of different untrained versions for a targeted application (Skype voice calls and Zeus command and control traffic) with a low detection time by analysing and building the classifier on a different single version in a systematic and well-defined approach, providing online classification capability and supporting various transport and application protocols, without the need to access different device’s traffic, access packet’s content or monitor different phase’s traffic. CONIFA is not limited to a specific application and could be extended to other types of applications. CONIFA utilizes the concepts of cost sensitive algorithms and different feature combinations for building the classifiers, unlike the machine learning approach that utilizes cost insensitive algorithms and a single feature combination. The outputs of the first phase are two classifiers, lenient and strict, that are used by the next phase to detect the untrained versions of a targeted application as well as to reduce the error rate. CONIFA results, for detecting the untrained version of Skype voice calls and Zeus C&C traffic, supported this approach in providing a better detection performance compared to the previous approach. While the previous approach was not able to reliably detect new versions of VoIP, CONIFA was able to consistently detect a previously unseen version. For the botnet detection, the previous approach had a good efficacy at the network level. However, CONIFA outperformed this approach in detecting a new version of a known piece of malware.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Azab, Ahmad
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Monitoring network traffic to identify applications or services is vital for internet service providers, network engineers and law enforcement agencies. The identification of applications enables network traffic to be prioritized, sophisticated plans for network infrastructure to be developed and facilitates the work of law enforcement agencies. Voice over IP (VoIP) and malware services are important to be classified because of the reliance by both legitimate users and cybercriminals respectively on these services. This dissertation addresses the detection of these services, represented by Skype application voice calls traffic and Zeus application command and control traffic. Three major approaches have been used to fulfil the classification goal, which are port-based, deep packet inspection and the use of the statistical features in conjunction with the machine learning algorithms. The latter approach addressed many of the limitations of the first two. However, the existing approach still contains many limitations. The detection of new versions by analysing and building the classifier on an old version was not deeply discussed for the machine learning approach. However, not all the statistical values are similar for different versions for Skype voice calls and Zeus command and control traffic. This is because Skype uses different codecs for different versions and Zeus uses different malware builders for different versions. While some approaches, aside from the machine learning approach, tackled the detection of the different versions, none of them maintain all the characteristics supported by the machine learning approach in terms of providing online classification capability and supporting various transport and application protocols, without the need to access different device’s traffic, access packet’s content or monitor different phase’s traffic. This research study aims to tackle this gap by proposing a novel framework called Classification of Network Information Flow Analysis (CONIFA). CONIFA addresses the detection of different untrained versions for a targeted application (Skype voice calls and Zeus command and control traffic) with a low detection time by analysing and building the classifier on a different single version in a systematic and well-defined approach, providing online classification capability and supporting various transport and application protocols, without the need to access different device’s traffic, access packet’s content or monitor different phase’s traffic. CONIFA is not limited to a specific application and could be extended to other types of applications. CONIFA utilizes the concepts of cost sensitive algorithms and different feature combinations for building the classifiers, unlike the machine learning approach that utilizes cost insensitive algorithms and a single feature combination. The outputs of the first phase are two classifiers, lenient and strict, that are used by the next phase to detect the untrained versions of a targeted application as well as to reduce the error rate. CONIFA results, for detecting the untrained version of Skype voice calls and Zeus C&C traffic, supported this approach in providing a better detection performance compared to the previous approach. While the previous approach was not able to reliably detect new versions of VoIP, CONIFA was able to consistently detect a previously unseen version. For the botnet detection, the previous approach had a good efficacy at the network level. However, CONIFA outperformed this approach in detecting a new version of a known piece of malware.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
The cutting angle method and its applications
- Authors: Bagirov, Adil
- Date: 2001
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: "The main objective of this thesis is to develop and study new techniques for solving global optimization problems and to apply them to solving data classification problems."
- Authors: Bagirov, Adil
- Date: 2001
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: "The main objective of this thesis is to develop and study new techniques for solving global optimization problems and to apply them to solving data classification problems."
Open data and interoperability standards : opportunities for animal welfare in extensive livestock systems
- Authors: Bahlo, Christiane
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Extensive livestock farming constitutes a sizeable portion of agriculture, not only in relation to land use, but in contribution to feeding a growing human population. In addition to meat, it contributes other economically valuable commodities such as wool, hides and other products. The livestock industries are adopting technologies under the banner of Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) to help meet higher production and efficiency targets as well as help to manage the multiple challenges impacting the industries, such as climate change, environmental concerns, globalisation of markets, increasing rules of governance and societal scrutiny especially in relation to animal welfare. PLF is particularly dependent on the acquisition and management of data and metadata and on the interoperability standards that allow data discovery and federation. A review of interoperability standards and PLF adoption in extensive livestock farming systems identified a lack of domain specific standards and raised questions related to the amount and quality of public data which has potential to inform livestock farming. A systematic review of public datasets, which included an assessment based on the principles that data must be findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR) was developed. Custom software scripts were used to conduct a dataset search to determine the quantity and quality of domain specific datasets yielded 419 unique Australian datasets directly related to extensive livestock farming. A FAIR assessment of these datasets using a set of non-domain specific, general metrics showed a moderate level of compliance. The results suggest that domain specific FAIR metrics may need to be developed to provide a more accurate data quality assessment, but also that the level of interoperability and reusability is not particularly high which has implications if public data is to be included in decision support tools. To test the usefulness of available public datasets in informing decision support in relation to livestock welfare, a case study was designed and farm animal welfare elements were extracted from Australian welfare standards to guide a dataset search. It was found that with few exceptions, these elements could be supported with public data, although there were gaps in temporal and spatial coverage. The development of a geospatial animal welfare portal including these datasets further explored and confirmed the potential for using public data to enhance livestock welfare.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Bahlo, Christiane
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Extensive livestock farming constitutes a sizeable portion of agriculture, not only in relation to land use, but in contribution to feeding a growing human population. In addition to meat, it contributes other economically valuable commodities such as wool, hides and other products. The livestock industries are adopting technologies under the banner of Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) to help meet higher production and efficiency targets as well as help to manage the multiple challenges impacting the industries, such as climate change, environmental concerns, globalisation of markets, increasing rules of governance and societal scrutiny especially in relation to animal welfare. PLF is particularly dependent on the acquisition and management of data and metadata and on the interoperability standards that allow data discovery and federation. A review of interoperability standards and PLF adoption in extensive livestock farming systems identified a lack of domain specific standards and raised questions related to the amount and quality of public data which has potential to inform livestock farming. A systematic review of public datasets, which included an assessment based on the principles that data must be findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR) was developed. Custom software scripts were used to conduct a dataset search to determine the quantity and quality of domain specific datasets yielded 419 unique Australian datasets directly related to extensive livestock farming. A FAIR assessment of these datasets using a set of non-domain specific, general metrics showed a moderate level of compliance. The results suggest that domain specific FAIR metrics may need to be developed to provide a more accurate data quality assessment, but also that the level of interoperability and reusability is not particularly high which has implications if public data is to be included in decision support tools. To test the usefulness of available public datasets in informing decision support in relation to livestock welfare, a case study was designed and farm animal welfare elements were extracted from Australian welfare standards to guide a dataset search. It was found that with few exceptions, these elements could be supported with public data, although there were gaps in temporal and spatial coverage. The development of a geospatial animal welfare portal including these datasets further explored and confirmed the potential for using public data to enhance livestock welfare.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Higher education massification and pedagogic adaptation : An investigation of business teaching excellence in inclusive university environments
- Authors: Baker, Adam
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Massification, a phenomenon driven by both the collective aspirations of citizens and governmental encouragement of a highly skilled workforce, is revolutionising the field of higher education. The student body, particularly in widened participation universities, has expanded in number and diversity increasing the demands on HE institutions and their teaching staff. Australian business school graduates are expected to drive national success in fast-changing, globally competitive business environments. This qualitative study investigates characteristics of teaching excellence in widened-participation teaching environments in Australian business schools. The recency of the massification phenomenon has meant theoretical conceptualisations are sparse so Grounded Theory was used to generate new theory. Using university entry scores as a surrogate for an academically inclusive student cohort, 23 award winning teachers from the business schools of eight universities were interviewed. These exemplary business educators displayed strong similarities in terms of their approach to teaching. Seven dimensions of diversity that significantly impact teaching within a widened-participation environment were identified. This thesis argues that alignment between the diversity of cohort and both the type of educators and the pedagogic strategies they employ is the key to unlocking teaching excellence within widened-participation universities, thus giving rise to the notion of context mediated pedagogy and the associated conceptual model. Findings from this study are significant because extreme student diversity is now the norm in many university environments and a better understanding of teaching excellence may offer specific insights for policymakers, academic leaders and educators seeking to adapt pedagogy for the massified HE environment. Improving teaching quality in these widened-participation universities has the power to significantly impact on individual student success, whilst driving innovation on the global stage.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Baker, Adam
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Massification, a phenomenon driven by both the collective aspirations of citizens and governmental encouragement of a highly skilled workforce, is revolutionising the field of higher education. The student body, particularly in widened participation universities, has expanded in number and diversity increasing the demands on HE institutions and their teaching staff. Australian business school graduates are expected to drive national success in fast-changing, globally competitive business environments. This qualitative study investigates characteristics of teaching excellence in widened-participation teaching environments in Australian business schools. The recency of the massification phenomenon has meant theoretical conceptualisations are sparse so Grounded Theory was used to generate new theory. Using university entry scores as a surrogate for an academically inclusive student cohort, 23 award winning teachers from the business schools of eight universities were interviewed. These exemplary business educators displayed strong similarities in terms of their approach to teaching. Seven dimensions of diversity that significantly impact teaching within a widened-participation environment were identified. This thesis argues that alignment between the diversity of cohort and both the type of educators and the pedagogic strategies they employ is the key to unlocking teaching excellence within widened-participation universities, thus giving rise to the notion of context mediated pedagogy and the associated conceptual model. Findings from this study are significant because extreme student diversity is now the norm in many university environments and a better understanding of teaching excellence may offer specific insights for policymakers, academic leaders and educators seeking to adapt pedagogy for the massified HE environment. Improving teaching quality in these widened-participation universities has the power to significantly impact on individual student success, whilst driving innovation on the global stage.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Video compression using a region-based motion model
- Authors: Baker, Matthew
- Date: 1997
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text: false
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Efficient conic decomposition and projection onto a cone in a Banach ordered space
- Authors: Baratov, Rishat
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The goal of this research is to study general cone decomposition.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Baratov, Rishat
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The goal of this research is to study general cone decomposition.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Applicability of LAMP as a field diagnostic test for haemonchus contortus and fasciola hepatica infection
- Authors: Bari, Tanjina
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Gastrointestinal parasites Haemonchus contortus and Fasciola hepatica are major impediments to livestock production worldwide. Faecal egg counts remain the most commonly used and widely accepted diagnostic tool for these parasites; however, there is a need for improved, field-applicable diagnostics. In this study, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) was optimised and evaluated for the detection of H. contortus (in sheep) and F. hepatica (in cattle) infection. LAMP assays were optimised to enable visual detection using calcein dye. DNA extraction techniques were developed that have the potential for on-farm application. Faeces suspended in water, heated, then centrifuged, with two cheap and stable chemicals, enabled detection of H. contortus at clinically relevant infection burdens. For F. hepatica, a faeces-water suspension was sieved to remove particulate matter, then physical disruption (bead-beating) was applied. LAMP was conducted under laboratory conditions and in the field; compared to FEC (the most commonly used diagnostic for the target parasites) and PCR. LAMP was conducted using three incubation methods: a commercially available thermocycler; a field-friendly low-cost portable styrofoam esky; and a dedicated field applicable LAMP incubator. The general trend was for LAMP to have high sensitivity but only moderate specificity when compared to FEC. However, the use of PCR (both pathogens) and a highly sensitive amended FEC (F. hepatica only) suggested that the apparent low specificity was the result of LAMP being able to detect low-level parasite infection when conventional FEC could not. A LAMP assay paired with a potentially field-applicable DNA extraction was able to adequately detect haemonchosis at ‘clinically relevant’ parasite burdens in a laboratory study. A field study for the detection of F. hepatica demonstrated the potential utility of LAMP on-farm. The studies conducted in this thesis demonstrate the potential of LAMP for parasitic disease diagnosis in agriculture.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Bari, Tanjina
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Gastrointestinal parasites Haemonchus contortus and Fasciola hepatica are major impediments to livestock production worldwide. Faecal egg counts remain the most commonly used and widely accepted diagnostic tool for these parasites; however, there is a need for improved, field-applicable diagnostics. In this study, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) was optimised and evaluated for the detection of H. contortus (in sheep) and F. hepatica (in cattle) infection. LAMP assays were optimised to enable visual detection using calcein dye. DNA extraction techniques were developed that have the potential for on-farm application. Faeces suspended in water, heated, then centrifuged, with two cheap and stable chemicals, enabled detection of H. contortus at clinically relevant infection burdens. For F. hepatica, a faeces-water suspension was sieved to remove particulate matter, then physical disruption (bead-beating) was applied. LAMP was conducted under laboratory conditions and in the field; compared to FEC (the most commonly used diagnostic for the target parasites) and PCR. LAMP was conducted using three incubation methods: a commercially available thermocycler; a field-friendly low-cost portable styrofoam esky; and a dedicated field applicable LAMP incubator. The general trend was for LAMP to have high sensitivity but only moderate specificity when compared to FEC. However, the use of PCR (both pathogens) and a highly sensitive amended FEC (F. hepatica only) suggested that the apparent low specificity was the result of LAMP being able to detect low-level parasite infection when conventional FEC could not. A LAMP assay paired with a potentially field-applicable DNA extraction was able to adequately detect haemonchosis at ‘clinically relevant’ parasite burdens in a laboratory study. A field study for the detection of F. hepatica demonstrated the potential utility of LAMP on-farm. The studies conducted in this thesis demonstrate the potential of LAMP for parasitic disease diagnosis in agriculture.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
A collaborative exploration of creativity, doodling and flow : A practice-based education inquiry
- Authors: Barrand, Katherine
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The initial stage of this inquiry is a solo exploration of my definition of doodling, how doodling became my preferred artistic process, and reflectively examines the factors that contribute to my experience of flow moments when creating art. An intrinsic component of this solo research was finding new ways to create moments of flow when working individually, and reflecting how they could influence and shape the second stage of the project. The second stage of this inquiry investigates doodling in collaboration with four participating artists. In an attempt to flesh out the spaces between conscious and unconscious artistic interventions, and the role that outside influences can play on the creative process, this collaborative inquiry developed into an examination of the factors which influence co-creation during different stages of art making. The framework for this second inquiry was created by utilising insights gained from the initial solo investigation Accordingly, this research includes multiple strands of artistic exploration, including solo works, works created in collaboration, and interviews with the collaborating artists involved in the project. Selected key solo works and all artistic collaborations are included in the body of this exegesis to encourage immersion in this practice based research. Beginning as an artist and incorporating the different roles of researcher and teacher into the work, this research is an a/r/tographical inquiry into the way these oftentimes overlapping identities influence and guided the research. The outcomes from this research include insights into my creative processes, revealing previously unacknowledged tensions between the need for creative control and flow. One of the most important outcomes from this research was the development of non-verbal conversations between artists, and the way the collaborative process has the potential to both encourage and hinder flow moments. This work is a self-study which incorporates others in relation to my own work. I believe it holds significant relevance to a wider artistic audience seeking a different perspective on encouraging collaborative artistic flow, and the method of collaborative doodling enacted in this research has potential applications in both formal and informal educational settings.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Barrand, Katherine
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The initial stage of this inquiry is a solo exploration of my definition of doodling, how doodling became my preferred artistic process, and reflectively examines the factors that contribute to my experience of flow moments when creating art. An intrinsic component of this solo research was finding new ways to create moments of flow when working individually, and reflecting how they could influence and shape the second stage of the project. The second stage of this inquiry investigates doodling in collaboration with four participating artists. In an attempt to flesh out the spaces between conscious and unconscious artistic interventions, and the role that outside influences can play on the creative process, this collaborative inquiry developed into an examination of the factors which influence co-creation during different stages of art making. The framework for this second inquiry was created by utilising insights gained from the initial solo investigation Accordingly, this research includes multiple strands of artistic exploration, including solo works, works created in collaboration, and interviews with the collaborating artists involved in the project. Selected key solo works and all artistic collaborations are included in the body of this exegesis to encourage immersion in this practice based research. Beginning as an artist and incorporating the different roles of researcher and teacher into the work, this research is an a/r/tographical inquiry into the way these oftentimes overlapping identities influence and guided the research. The outcomes from this research include insights into my creative processes, revealing previously unacknowledged tensions between the need for creative control and flow. One of the most important outcomes from this research was the development of non-verbal conversations between artists, and the way the collaborative process has the potential to both encourage and hinder flow moments. This work is a self-study which incorporates others in relation to my own work. I believe it holds significant relevance to a wider artistic audience seeking a different perspective on encouraging collaborative artistic flow, and the method of collaborative doodling enacted in this research has potential applications in both formal and informal educational settings.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
The Millers : historical analysis of an early Australian colonial family
- Authors: Barrera, Jennifer
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: In July 1823, a family originally from Derry-Londonderry, Ireland, embarked on the long journey from Chatham Dockyards, along with the first despatch of troops from the 40th Regiment, to the colony of New South Wales. Lieutenant Henry Miller would become the first commandant of the Moreton Bay penal settlement. But by August 1825, Lieutenant Miller had been replaced—in effect, dismissed—and the family relocated to Van Diemen’s Land. This thesis explores the growing importance of family history in the twenty-first century as a popular pursuit for engaging with and writing history. It highlights family history’s potential for historical inquiry and its capacity to unpack settler colonial history and the role of the individual in Empire. It offers fresh historical perspectives on Australia’s colonial experiment. The research uses the combined methodologies of microhistory, biography and family history to recover the lives of Henry Miller, his wife Jane, sons Henry and Mars, his father the Reverend Miller, as well as, the diverse and interconnected lives of Captain John Townson, his brother Robert, convict Sarah Griggs, and her children. As a number of scholarly histories in the last decade have shown, family history as an approach for engaging with the past continues to gain attention globally and offers powerful benefits to those who engage with it, for the family historian and academic historian alike. The six core chapters that comprise this thesis demonstrate the importance of family history research to deepening our understanding of the past and its capacity to change the way we think and write about the past. This thesis aims to make a substantial and original contribution to Australian colonial history by recovering powerful lost voices and identities, and connecting the past with the present in a more intimate and accessible way through the exploration of a colonial family.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Barrera, Jennifer
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: In July 1823, a family originally from Derry-Londonderry, Ireland, embarked on the long journey from Chatham Dockyards, along with the first despatch of troops from the 40th Regiment, to the colony of New South Wales. Lieutenant Henry Miller would become the first commandant of the Moreton Bay penal settlement. But by August 1825, Lieutenant Miller had been replaced—in effect, dismissed—and the family relocated to Van Diemen’s Land. This thesis explores the growing importance of family history in the twenty-first century as a popular pursuit for engaging with and writing history. It highlights family history’s potential for historical inquiry and its capacity to unpack settler colonial history and the role of the individual in Empire. It offers fresh historical perspectives on Australia’s colonial experiment. The research uses the combined methodologies of microhistory, biography and family history to recover the lives of Henry Miller, his wife Jane, sons Henry and Mars, his father the Reverend Miller, as well as, the diverse and interconnected lives of Captain John Townson, his brother Robert, convict Sarah Griggs, and her children. As a number of scholarly histories in the last decade have shown, family history as an approach for engaging with the past continues to gain attention globally and offers powerful benefits to those who engage with it, for the family historian and academic historian alike. The six core chapters that comprise this thesis demonstrate the importance of family history research to deepening our understanding of the past and its capacity to change the way we think and write about the past. This thesis aims to make a substantial and original contribution to Australian colonial history by recovering powerful lost voices and identities, and connecting the past with the present in a more intimate and accessible way through the exploration of a colonial family.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Barty, Simon
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text: false
- Description: This research is the incorporation and melding of classical and Bayesian statistical techniques into an iterative methodology aimed at reducing two major confounding issues in Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs), confounding by association (drug therapy) and confounding by indication (medical condition) to assist in the detection of signals. [...] This study highlights the ability of the STATFILE algorithm to detect drugs that are potential signals. More importantly, it also flags those drugs that are considered to be bystander drugs or noise, consequently reducing confounding by association. [...] This work highlights the significance and viability of an automated signal detection system and its practical application for the Australian spontaneous reporting of ADRs scene and potentially the international scene.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
The impacts of climate change on trade and foreign direct investment flows
- Authors: Barua, Suborna
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: A growing body of climate economics research suggests that climate change affects production, prices, distribution structures, investments and national income. Studies further describe international trade and climate related investments as key activities in climate impact mitigation and adaptation. However, despite its increasing relevance, the empirical link between climate change and international trade and investment remains largely unexplored. This thesis investigates the climate change impacts on trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) flows using static and dynamic panel estimations covering 102 countries. The modelling uses temperature and precipitation variability to separately evaluate changes in international trade from 1962 to 2014, and in FDI inflows from 1995 to 2014. The trade impacts estimations consider exports of total merchandise, agriculture and six agricultural sectors; while controlling for income, comparative advantage, productivity, domestic and trade policies, and climate zones. The FDI impacts modelling evaluates total and sectoral inflows, while controlling for income, market size, infrastructure, openness, financial development, the global financial crisis and climate zones. Results show that climate change significantly affects both exports and FDI inflows. In particular, temperature affects merchandise exports, negatively at the global and developing country level, and positively in high-income countries. Agricultural exports are negatively affected by temperature. At the sectoral level, oil-seeds and dairy are mostly affected. Precipitation effects are limited and mostly negative for agriculture. The FDI world aggregate flows respond mostly positively to both temperature and precipitation, and static estimations indicate a FDI positive response in developing countries. Furthermore, FDI sectoral estimations indicate a differentiated response. Findings could inform the formulation of trade and investment policies, at the national and global level, in consideration to the differential impacts of climate change across sectors, regions and economic status. Furthermore, these estimates could be used in projections considering climate change as a determinant of trade and investment flows.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Barua, Suborna
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: A growing body of climate economics research suggests that climate change affects production, prices, distribution structures, investments and national income. Studies further describe international trade and climate related investments as key activities in climate impact mitigation and adaptation. However, despite its increasing relevance, the empirical link between climate change and international trade and investment remains largely unexplored. This thesis investigates the climate change impacts on trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) flows using static and dynamic panel estimations covering 102 countries. The modelling uses temperature and precipitation variability to separately evaluate changes in international trade from 1962 to 2014, and in FDI inflows from 1995 to 2014. The trade impacts estimations consider exports of total merchandise, agriculture and six agricultural sectors; while controlling for income, comparative advantage, productivity, domestic and trade policies, and climate zones. The FDI impacts modelling evaluates total and sectoral inflows, while controlling for income, market size, infrastructure, openness, financial development, the global financial crisis and climate zones. Results show that climate change significantly affects both exports and FDI inflows. In particular, temperature affects merchandise exports, negatively at the global and developing country level, and positively in high-income countries. Agricultural exports are negatively affected by temperature. At the sectoral level, oil-seeds and dairy are mostly affected. Precipitation effects are limited and mostly negative for agriculture. The FDI world aggregate flows respond mostly positively to both temperature and precipitation, and static estimations indicate a FDI positive response in developing countries. Furthermore, FDI sectoral estimations indicate a differentiated response. Findings could inform the formulation of trade and investment policies, at the national and global level, in consideration to the differential impacts of climate change across sectors, regions and economic status. Furthermore, these estimates could be used in projections considering climate change as a determinant of trade and investment flows.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
History of the Ballarat Trades and Labour Council 1856-2000
- Authors: Beacham, Jennifer
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The Ballarat Trades and Labour Council (BT&LC) is the second oldest trades and labour council in the world, founded in 1883, although it has existed in various forms since 1856. This thesis examines the history of the BT&LC in terms of five related themes – ideological conflict, solidarity, labourism, masculinity, and spatiality. I approached this research project from the perspective of a labour historian, which also included issues of gender. While being resolute in writing the history of this institution, my aim was also to capture an aspect of Ballarat history that had not been examined before – the role of workers and their families. The BT&LC sets the parameters of its history from the Eureka Rebellion and gaining the Eight Hour Day for Ballarat stonemasons in 1856 a fortnight after their Melbourne counterparts. Since that time, the BT&LC has built the substantial Trades Hall in Camp Street, which it still occupies and hosted the Seventh Intercolonial Trade Union Congress in 1891 when the decision to seek political representation was formally endorsed. It witnessed the emergence of the new elites and the ideological struggle that became more bitter as the Catholic Church, Protestant Freemasons, and the very active Communist Party battled for supremacy, with it ending inevitably in a divisive public separation in 1955. The Whitlam years saw their resurgence with a new face to unionism as public sector workers, teachers and nurses became militant and women began to take significant roles. In Ballarat while this has meant political ascendancy since 1980, the success of the political wing has not necessarily been mirrored in the fortunes of the peak union organisation. Ballarat’s overall union membership has declined. The old loyalties have been difficult to maintain and the capacity to build new alliances is challenging. However, one thing remains clear: strong individuals who understand the underpinnings of solidarity and unity have ensured that the Ballarat Trades and Labour Council has remained a significant feature of the Ballarat public landscape.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Beacham, Jennifer
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The Ballarat Trades and Labour Council (BT&LC) is the second oldest trades and labour council in the world, founded in 1883, although it has existed in various forms since 1856. This thesis examines the history of the BT&LC in terms of five related themes – ideological conflict, solidarity, labourism, masculinity, and spatiality. I approached this research project from the perspective of a labour historian, which also included issues of gender. While being resolute in writing the history of this institution, my aim was also to capture an aspect of Ballarat history that had not been examined before – the role of workers and their families. The BT&LC sets the parameters of its history from the Eureka Rebellion and gaining the Eight Hour Day for Ballarat stonemasons in 1856 a fortnight after their Melbourne counterparts. Since that time, the BT&LC has built the substantial Trades Hall in Camp Street, which it still occupies and hosted the Seventh Intercolonial Trade Union Congress in 1891 when the decision to seek political representation was formally endorsed. It witnessed the emergence of the new elites and the ideological struggle that became more bitter as the Catholic Church, Protestant Freemasons, and the very active Communist Party battled for supremacy, with it ending inevitably in a divisive public separation in 1955. The Whitlam years saw their resurgence with a new face to unionism as public sector workers, teachers and nurses became militant and women began to take significant roles. In Ballarat while this has meant political ascendancy since 1980, the success of the political wing has not necessarily been mirrored in the fortunes of the peak union organisation. Ballarat’s overall union membership has declined. The old loyalties have been difficult to maintain and the capacity to build new alliances is challenging. However, one thing remains clear: strong individuals who understand the underpinnings of solidarity and unity have ensured that the Ballarat Trades and Labour Council has remained a significant feature of the Ballarat public landscape.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Ernabella Rules football : Australian Rules football at the Ernabella Mission, 1937-1974
- Authors: Beck, Adam
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The experience of sport for First Nations peoples on missions and government settlements in Australia, and on comparable missions in other settler colonial societies, has become a growing field of scholarly study. This thesis aims to build on insights from current sports historiography by examining the origins and significance of Australian Rules football to the people of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in the far northwest of South Australia. In particular, it investigates their historical engagement with the game at the Ernabella mission (now known as Pukatja) during the years of its operation from 1937 to 1974. It traces the spread of the game from Ernabella to other nearby communities in the 1960s and investigates the conception that football originated in the town of Alice Springs during the Second World War and gradually spread outward into the hinterland where most Aboriginal people lived. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted on the APY Lands, this thesis draws on Anangu oral histories, and a careful examination of local historical materials and photographs held in the Ara Irititja Archive to produce detailed descriptions and portrayals of Australian football at the Ernabella mission from the perspectives of those who lived, worked and played the game at the mission. It argues that a focus on the agency of Anangu at Ernabella is crucial to understanding how the game of Australian football took off and became embedded in local society and culture.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Beck, Adam
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The experience of sport for First Nations peoples on missions and government settlements in Australia, and on comparable missions in other settler colonial societies, has become a growing field of scholarly study. This thesis aims to build on insights from current sports historiography by examining the origins and significance of Australian Rules football to the people of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in the far northwest of South Australia. In particular, it investigates their historical engagement with the game at the Ernabella mission (now known as Pukatja) during the years of its operation from 1937 to 1974. It traces the spread of the game from Ernabella to other nearby communities in the 1960s and investigates the conception that football originated in the town of Alice Springs during the Second World War and gradually spread outward into the hinterland where most Aboriginal people lived. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted on the APY Lands, this thesis draws on Anangu oral histories, and a careful examination of local historical materials and photographs held in the Ara Irititja Archive to produce detailed descriptions and portrayals of Australian football at the Ernabella mission from the perspectives of those who lived, worked and played the game at the mission. It argues that a focus on the agency of Anangu at Ernabella is crucial to understanding how the game of Australian football took off and became embedded in local society and culture.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Create, curate, cooperate : Exploring the process of sport safety resource development
- Authors: Bekker, Sheree
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Sports injuries are a significant public health burden both in Australia, and worldwide. Preventing injuries in sports settings is thus an important public health goal. It is now generally accepted that sports injuries are, like other unintentional injuries, largely preventable. Yet intractable problems remain. Complexity theory is harnessed in this research as a means of understanding such problems. To provide new insights into the complexity of sports safety promotion, this research consisted of a qualitative case study design underpinned by constructivist assumptions. Study A documented sports injury prevention and safety promotion resources available from the websites of key sporting organisations. A thematic document analysis approach was used to identify and describe how many, and what types of, resources were available, as well as the sports injury prevention and safety promotion issues addressed. The findings of Study A suggest that sport settings have access to a proliferation of rival resources, which reflects a potentially inefficient and ineffective manner in which to influence policy/practice. Study B determined the process that key intermediary organisations used to develop and disseminate the resources identified in Study A. Interviews with key participants about organisational processes of knowledge translation were undertaken, and a qualitative description approach was used to examine their accounts. The findings of Study B suggest that intermediary organisations can, and do, take on knowledge translation roles in order to make research knowledge more relevant (timely, salient, actionable), accessible (formatted and available), and legitimate (credible) for end-users. A complexity approach was applied to this study to assist in recognising that open systems (stratification and fluidity), non-linearity (emergent properties and feedback loops), and improbability (demi-regularities and the ability to evolve, learn, and adapt) underscore sports safety. This study explicates and examines key insights and implications of adopting a complexity approach to the prevention of injury in sport settings.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Bekker, Sheree
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Sports injuries are a significant public health burden both in Australia, and worldwide. Preventing injuries in sports settings is thus an important public health goal. It is now generally accepted that sports injuries are, like other unintentional injuries, largely preventable. Yet intractable problems remain. Complexity theory is harnessed in this research as a means of understanding such problems. To provide new insights into the complexity of sports safety promotion, this research consisted of a qualitative case study design underpinned by constructivist assumptions. Study A documented sports injury prevention and safety promotion resources available from the websites of key sporting organisations. A thematic document analysis approach was used to identify and describe how many, and what types of, resources were available, as well as the sports injury prevention and safety promotion issues addressed. The findings of Study A suggest that sport settings have access to a proliferation of rival resources, which reflects a potentially inefficient and ineffective manner in which to influence policy/practice. Study B determined the process that key intermediary organisations used to develop and disseminate the resources identified in Study A. Interviews with key participants about organisational processes of knowledge translation were undertaken, and a qualitative description approach was used to examine their accounts. The findings of Study B suggest that intermediary organisations can, and do, take on knowledge translation roles in order to make research knowledge more relevant (timely, salient, actionable), accessible (formatted and available), and legitimate (credible) for end-users. A complexity approach was applied to this study to assist in recognising that open systems (stratification and fluidity), non-linearity (emergent properties and feedback loops), and improbability (demi-regularities and the ability to evolve, learn, and adapt) underscore sports safety. This study explicates and examines key insights and implications of adopting a complexity approach to the prevention of injury in sport settings.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
A region-based progressive image compression technique : RePic
- Authors: Bell, Daniel
- Date: 2000
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text: false
- Description: "This thesis is concerned with the development of RePIC, a new method for the representation and compression of images in such a way that allows the image to be progressively reconstructed."
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Bell, Daniel
- Date: 2000
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text: false
- Description: "This thesis is concerned with the development of RePIC, a new method for the representation and compression of images in such a way that allows the image to be progressively reconstructed."
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Tropical cyclone tracks in CMIP5 models : statistical assessment and future projections
- Authors: Bell, Samuel
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Tropical cyclones (TCs) can have devastating social and economic impacts on coastal communities situated all around the globe. The impact of anthropogenic induced climate change on TC activity has attracted widespread scientific interest over the past decade, resulting in the development of a variety of approaches for TC projection in climate models. However, many uncertainties remain, including those associated with the TC detection algorithm and climate model inter-dependencies that impact projection results. This thesis seeks to address these uncertainties, as well as filling several knowledge gaps in the literature such as limited TC projection studies in the Southern Hemisphere and a global need for regional-scale TC track density projections. The independent TC detection and tracking algorithm utilised in this thesis is first evaluated to determine if it can simulate a realistic TC track climatology in reanalysis data. By way of cluster analysis, model-detected and observed TC tracks are compared and objective criteria for a consistent “TC track” definition are established. Regional-scale TC track projections are then examined in each TC basin around the globe. The exact methodology of cluster analysis in each basin is slightly modified to accommodate basin-scale differences in track climatology but generally follows a cluster assessment of TC tracks in observations, historical climate simulations and future climate projections using results from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) models. Regional impacts of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on TC tracks are also examined in current- and future-climates. Projection results are found to be supportive of existing studies, especially in the North Pacific and the Southern Hemisphere. Isolation of TC tracks into clusters indicated that the regional dominance of ENSO is well simulated by the CMIP5 models. Several regional changes in TC activity are noted and attributed to projected changes in the large-scale environment, and changes in ENSO-specific conditions.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Bell, Samuel
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Tropical cyclones (TCs) can have devastating social and economic impacts on coastal communities situated all around the globe. The impact of anthropogenic induced climate change on TC activity has attracted widespread scientific interest over the past decade, resulting in the development of a variety of approaches for TC projection in climate models. However, many uncertainties remain, including those associated with the TC detection algorithm and climate model inter-dependencies that impact projection results. This thesis seeks to address these uncertainties, as well as filling several knowledge gaps in the literature such as limited TC projection studies in the Southern Hemisphere and a global need for regional-scale TC track density projections. The independent TC detection and tracking algorithm utilised in this thesis is first evaluated to determine if it can simulate a realistic TC track climatology in reanalysis data. By way of cluster analysis, model-detected and observed TC tracks are compared and objective criteria for a consistent “TC track” definition are established. Regional-scale TC track projections are then examined in each TC basin around the globe. The exact methodology of cluster analysis in each basin is slightly modified to accommodate basin-scale differences in track climatology but generally follows a cluster assessment of TC tracks in observations, historical climate simulations and future climate projections using results from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) models. Regional impacts of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on TC tracks are also examined in current- and future-climates. Projection results are found to be supportive of existing studies, especially in the North Pacific and the Southern Hemisphere. Isolation of TC tracks into clusters indicated that the regional dominance of ENSO is well simulated by the CMIP5 models. Several regional changes in TC activity are noted and attributed to projected changes in the large-scale environment, and changes in ENSO-specific conditions.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy