Assessment of powered mobility device use among older australians in residential aged care facilities
- Authors: Dickson, Natalie
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Autonomous mobility is fundamental for older Australians to participate in the activities that occupy and inspire daily life. Should a mobility difficulty arise, a powered mobility device (PMD) can assist to supplement or restore mobility, choice, and control. A PMD continues to be a valued resource once a person moves into residential aged care. However, increasing frailty among people within this group means that incidents can result in serious injury for PMD users or others living, visiting, or working in this environment. Guidelines for PMD use are available, however, there are no regulations or mandates to seek professional guidance for assessment of competence, equipment prescription, or training. Occupational therapy theory and practice can support all parts of this process. This thesis presents a three-part study using a mixed methods approach to (i) examine PMD use related incidents and injuries within residential aged care, (ii) to evaluate existing measurement tools, and (iii) to develop and undertake initial validation of a new screening tool developed for residents who use PMDs, based on classical test theory (De Vellis, 2006). The new screening tool will address a gap identified among screening tools for PMD capacity and performance skills specific to this population, to improve the balance between much needed autonomy and safety for all stakeholders.
- Description: Master of Health (Research)
- Authors: Dickson, Natalie
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Autonomous mobility is fundamental for older Australians to participate in the activities that occupy and inspire daily life. Should a mobility difficulty arise, a powered mobility device (PMD) can assist to supplement or restore mobility, choice, and control. A PMD continues to be a valued resource once a person moves into residential aged care. However, increasing frailty among people within this group means that incidents can result in serious injury for PMD users or others living, visiting, or working in this environment. Guidelines for PMD use are available, however, there are no regulations or mandates to seek professional guidance for assessment of competence, equipment prescription, or training. Occupational therapy theory and practice can support all parts of this process. This thesis presents a three-part study using a mixed methods approach to (i) examine PMD use related incidents and injuries within residential aged care, (ii) to evaluate existing measurement tools, and (iii) to develop and undertake initial validation of a new screening tool developed for residents who use PMDs, based on classical test theory (De Vellis, 2006). The new screening tool will address a gap identified among screening tools for PMD capacity and performance skills specific to this population, to improve the balance between much needed autonomy and safety for all stakeholders.
- Description: Master of Health (Research)
Between a rock and a hard place : site selection for Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby (Petrogale penicillata) translocations using an explicit decision-making process
- Authors: Mathews, Emily
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Translocation programs are used in species conservation, but their success rates, particularly in Australia, are low. The poor outcomes for translocation programs are commonly attributed to a lack of information about habitat requirements, especially for rare and endangered species. To address this, the identification of suitable release sites using analytical methods such as Habitat Suitability Models (HSM), has become common. Since biodiversity losses are predicted to increase in the future, effective strategies to reduce species decline are required. Evidence-based decisions and scientific data to support conservation decision-making is paramount in conservation efforts. Once widely distributed across the mountainous country of south-eastern Australia, the distribution of the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby (BTRW) has contracted particularly within the southern extent of their range. Considered critically endangered in Victoria and extinct in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), it is more important than ever that the habitat requirements of the BTRW are understood to inform future translocations and the protection of this species in the wild. In this study, an explicit decision-making process was combined with Habitat Suitability Modelling (HSM) and ground-truthing methods to inform potential Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby (BTRW) translocations sites within Victoria and the ACT. Although this study is not the first of its kind to use HSM to predict BTRW habitat suitability, it is the first of its kind to apply an explicit decision-making process at two key stages: 1. to inform the selection of key physical and management attributes to be used in a HSM; and 2. to prioritise sites, within experts’ local knowledge areas, for ground-truthing By combining HSM and an explicit decision-making process, this study has been able to identify six suitable and two highly suitable habitat for BTRW across Victoria and the ACT. The use of an explicit decision-making process and ground-truthing methods to validate the model outputs and prioritise sites for ground-truthing has ensured that the final ranking of potential candidate sites can be reliably used by the Southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby Recovery Team to inform future translocations.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Mathews, Emily
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Translocation programs are used in species conservation, but their success rates, particularly in Australia, are low. The poor outcomes for translocation programs are commonly attributed to a lack of information about habitat requirements, especially for rare and endangered species. To address this, the identification of suitable release sites using analytical methods such as Habitat Suitability Models (HSM), has become common. Since biodiversity losses are predicted to increase in the future, effective strategies to reduce species decline are required. Evidence-based decisions and scientific data to support conservation decision-making is paramount in conservation efforts. Once widely distributed across the mountainous country of south-eastern Australia, the distribution of the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby (BTRW) has contracted particularly within the southern extent of their range. Considered critically endangered in Victoria and extinct in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), it is more important than ever that the habitat requirements of the BTRW are understood to inform future translocations and the protection of this species in the wild. In this study, an explicit decision-making process was combined with Habitat Suitability Modelling (HSM) and ground-truthing methods to inform potential Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby (BTRW) translocations sites within Victoria and the ACT. Although this study is not the first of its kind to use HSM to predict BTRW habitat suitability, it is the first of its kind to apply an explicit decision-making process at two key stages: 1. to inform the selection of key physical and management attributes to be used in a HSM; and 2. to prioritise sites, within experts’ local knowledge areas, for ground-truthing By combining HSM and an explicit decision-making process, this study has been able to identify six suitable and two highly suitable habitat for BTRW across Victoria and the ACT. The use of an explicit decision-making process and ground-truthing methods to validate the model outputs and prioritise sites for ground-truthing has ensured that the final ranking of potential candidate sites can be reliably used by the Southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby Recovery Team to inform future translocations.
- Description: Masters by Research
Digital twin for risk and uncertainty analysis in complex industrial control and automation systems using artificial intelligence and machine learning
- Authors: Siddiqui, Muhammad
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Industrial control systems play a crucial role in enabling advanced manufacturing operations. However, these systems are inherently susceptible to failure. Detecting faults at an early stage is of paramount importance, as it can prevent the occurrence of fatal and catastrophic consequences resulting from equipment failures. Moreover, timely detection and resolution of faults can save significant costs and time for organizations. The failure of these systems not only poses risks to operators but can also lead to substantial delays in the advanced manufacturing process, imposing substantial financial burdens on organizations. Therefore, a methodology is needed that can be used to avoid the adverse effects of equipment failure of industrial control systems to achieve smooth advanced manufacturing operations. To achieve this, the methodology should be able to detect the abnormal behaviour of the system at very early stages for predictive maintenance. This methodology can be designed using an extremely popular concept known as the Digital Twin, which has gained significant importance in the era of Industry 4.0. In this research, artificial intelligence techniques will be employed to develop a highly accurate and detailed digital twin model. This model will serve as a valuable tool for predictive maintenance in complex industrial control systems, facilitating the achievement of smooth and uninterrupted advanced manufacturing processes. Also, the performance of the proposed Digital Twin model will be compared with state-of-the-art anomaly detection approaches. The digital twin, utilizing the proposed algorithms, will not only be able to detect anomalies but also quantify their severity, classifying them into different levels such as minor, severe, and faulty operations. Furthermore, the research addresses the generalization challenges faced by state-of-the-art approaches, showcasing the digital twin's ability to effectively classify unseen data as healthy or anomalous. The results obtained from the analysis and comparison of state-of-the-art approaches with the proposed algorithms clearly demonstrate the methodology's capability to detect anomalies, quantify their level, and classify them accurately and effectively in real-world data. This validation underscores the robustness and reliability of the developed methodology, further solidifying its potential as a valuable tool for predictive maintenance in complex industrial control systems.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Siddiqui, Muhammad
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Industrial control systems play a crucial role in enabling advanced manufacturing operations. However, these systems are inherently susceptible to failure. Detecting faults at an early stage is of paramount importance, as it can prevent the occurrence of fatal and catastrophic consequences resulting from equipment failures. Moreover, timely detection and resolution of faults can save significant costs and time for organizations. The failure of these systems not only poses risks to operators but can also lead to substantial delays in the advanced manufacturing process, imposing substantial financial burdens on organizations. Therefore, a methodology is needed that can be used to avoid the adverse effects of equipment failure of industrial control systems to achieve smooth advanced manufacturing operations. To achieve this, the methodology should be able to detect the abnormal behaviour of the system at very early stages for predictive maintenance. This methodology can be designed using an extremely popular concept known as the Digital Twin, which has gained significant importance in the era of Industry 4.0. In this research, artificial intelligence techniques will be employed to develop a highly accurate and detailed digital twin model. This model will serve as a valuable tool for predictive maintenance in complex industrial control systems, facilitating the achievement of smooth and uninterrupted advanced manufacturing processes. Also, the performance of the proposed Digital Twin model will be compared with state-of-the-art anomaly detection approaches. The digital twin, utilizing the proposed algorithms, will not only be able to detect anomalies but also quantify their severity, classifying them into different levels such as minor, severe, and faulty operations. Furthermore, the research addresses the generalization challenges faced by state-of-the-art approaches, showcasing the digital twin's ability to effectively classify unseen data as healthy or anomalous. The results obtained from the analysis and comparison of state-of-the-art approaches with the proposed algorithms clearly demonstrate the methodology's capability to detect anomalies, quantify their level, and classify them accurately and effectively in real-world data. This validation underscores the robustness and reliability of the developed methodology, further solidifying its potential as a valuable tool for predictive maintenance in complex industrial control systems.
- Description: Masters by Research
How to raise a ghost : the haunted house as a metaphor for the haunted self
- Authors: Proposch, Melissa
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This investigation takes an artistic autoethnographic journey in search of the haunted self. As an entangled form of research, it weaves the narrative and analytical into reciprocal relationships. Its methodology and conclusions tell a ghost story. An investigation of one’s haunted self is by nature an examination of personal ghosts and family shadows. This research documents a process of discovery, of looking for and finding my interior haunted house and the psychic home of family trauma and secrets. An examination of this tender and volatile site calls for intuitive and caring exploration and reading. Confinement during Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns further brought into focus my actual home as a site of exhumed memories. There, I developed strategies for attunement to the signs and stories of family ghosts. This process led to newly imagined narrative approaches for artmaking. The story of the haunted house is dark and curious, offering a metaphor for the negative psychological space of the family home, and embracing dystopian aesthetics. Metaphors play with meaning and draw symbolic likenesses to make their language expansive. This research explores how a visual language made for ghost story telling can draw upon the symbolic and metaphorical to express the nebulous and unsettling. It also examines the inherent spectrality of some arts technologies and their capacity to cultivate space and give voice to our phantasmagoric other. This investigation has also been informed by the practice of two artists for whom invocations of the ghostly are conceptually fundamental. Through engagement with their haunted selves, Tracey Moffatt and Louise Bourgeois provide raw access to the personal, familial, and societal shadows which haunt us all. Autoethnographers prefer to reveal meaning through process rather than declarative statements. The journey into my imaginary shadowlands culminates in the retrieval of a haunted object as artwork. Invoking the smoke and mirrors of nineteenth century spiritualism, this work embodies the notion of the artist as medium, calling upon tacit experience to bring forth image, then dialogue, and therein, the communion to be found in shared meaning. Partial fulfilment of requirements for Master of Arts
- Description: Thesis
- Authors: Proposch, Melissa
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This investigation takes an artistic autoethnographic journey in search of the haunted self. As an entangled form of research, it weaves the narrative and analytical into reciprocal relationships. Its methodology and conclusions tell a ghost story. An investigation of one’s haunted self is by nature an examination of personal ghosts and family shadows. This research documents a process of discovery, of looking for and finding my interior haunted house and the psychic home of family trauma and secrets. An examination of this tender and volatile site calls for intuitive and caring exploration and reading. Confinement during Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns further brought into focus my actual home as a site of exhumed memories. There, I developed strategies for attunement to the signs and stories of family ghosts. This process led to newly imagined narrative approaches for artmaking. The story of the haunted house is dark and curious, offering a metaphor for the negative psychological space of the family home, and embracing dystopian aesthetics. Metaphors play with meaning and draw symbolic likenesses to make their language expansive. This research explores how a visual language made for ghost story telling can draw upon the symbolic and metaphorical to express the nebulous and unsettling. It also examines the inherent spectrality of some arts technologies and their capacity to cultivate space and give voice to our phantasmagoric other. This investigation has also been informed by the practice of two artists for whom invocations of the ghostly are conceptually fundamental. Through engagement with their haunted selves, Tracey Moffatt and Louise Bourgeois provide raw access to the personal, familial, and societal shadows which haunt us all. Autoethnographers prefer to reveal meaning through process rather than declarative statements. The journey into my imaginary shadowlands culminates in the retrieval of a haunted object as artwork. Invoking the smoke and mirrors of nineteenth century spiritualism, this work embodies the notion of the artist as medium, calling upon tacit experience to bring forth image, then dialogue, and therein, the communion to be found in shared meaning. Partial fulfilment of requirements for Master of Arts
- Description: Thesis
Physical and emotional touchpoints influencing user journeys : how mothers navigate through the maternity and early childhood development service systems in a rural Victorian city
- Authors: O'Neill, Carina
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The quality of maternity and early childhood development service systems has a profound impact on children’s capacity to grow, learn and thrive throughout their lifespans. This research study investigated the experiences of first-time mothers attempting to navigate complex, disjointed service systems in a small rural Australian city. The study aimed to identify the critical touchpoints that first-time mothers often encountered when navigating maternity and early childhood development service systems from conception to school and then generate a broader understanding of how the individual and collective user might navigate through this period. In my capacity as the manager of a major early childhood service in this small city, I was able to apply my critical, reflexive insights of the service to the development of this research study. This descriptive, retrospective study employed a qualitative methodology. A novel, user-centred design approach – drawing upon the concept of service touchpoints – was applied to explain families’ experiences of using services from the point of their child’s conception until the commencement of school. A self-selected sample of eight first-time mothers participated in the study. Comprehensive, tape-recorded interviews were conducted with the mothers that incorporated innovative tools for generating ideas and identifying critical touchpoints during the mothers’ user journey. The data was analysed to produce four products: a cross-case, thematic analysis of the families’ experiences; a visual user journey map containing the physical and emotional service touchpoints for each individual family; and two customer journey maps (one showing physical touchpoints; the other showing emotional touchpoints) to visually represent the typical user’s experience. The four major themes that emerged were: (1) dissonance between expectations and the lived reality; (2) the continuum of support from ideal to going “above and beyond”; (3) social isolation and lack of information; and (4) the need to become experts/advocates to make informed choices. The two conjoint customer journey maps revealed that a lack of service knowledge, unclear processes and disruptions in service transitions impacted on the physical service experience. However, surprisingly, it was the emotional – rather than the physical –touchpoints that were most significant for these mothers.
- Description: Masters of the Arts
- Authors: O'Neill, Carina
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The quality of maternity and early childhood development service systems has a profound impact on children’s capacity to grow, learn and thrive throughout their lifespans. This research study investigated the experiences of first-time mothers attempting to navigate complex, disjointed service systems in a small rural Australian city. The study aimed to identify the critical touchpoints that first-time mothers often encountered when navigating maternity and early childhood development service systems from conception to school and then generate a broader understanding of how the individual and collective user might navigate through this period. In my capacity as the manager of a major early childhood service in this small city, I was able to apply my critical, reflexive insights of the service to the development of this research study. This descriptive, retrospective study employed a qualitative methodology. A novel, user-centred design approach – drawing upon the concept of service touchpoints – was applied to explain families’ experiences of using services from the point of their child’s conception until the commencement of school. A self-selected sample of eight first-time mothers participated in the study. Comprehensive, tape-recorded interviews were conducted with the mothers that incorporated innovative tools for generating ideas and identifying critical touchpoints during the mothers’ user journey. The data was analysed to produce four products: a cross-case, thematic analysis of the families’ experiences; a visual user journey map containing the physical and emotional service touchpoints for each individual family; and two customer journey maps (one showing physical touchpoints; the other showing emotional touchpoints) to visually represent the typical user’s experience. The four major themes that emerged were: (1) dissonance between expectations and the lived reality; (2) the continuum of support from ideal to going “above and beyond”; (3) social isolation and lack of information; and (4) the need to become experts/advocates to make informed choices. The two conjoint customer journey maps revealed that a lack of service knowledge, unclear processes and disruptions in service transitions impacted on the physical service experience. However, surprisingly, it was the emotional – rather than the physical –touchpoints that were most significant for these mothers.
- Description: Masters of the Arts
The Glovers : a settler family in Van Diemen’s land
- Authors: Hodson, Susan
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis explores the experiences of the members of the Glover family, who migrated to Van Diemen’s Land in two parties. The first party consisted of the three sons of John Glover, the colonial painter (one accompanied by an English wife), who arrived in 1829; the second party, which included John Glover himself, arrived in 1831. This thesis explores the Glovers’ attempts to begin new lives as farmers after receiving free land grants from the colonial government, employing convict servants assigned to them. The Glover family members were witnesses to the late stages of the Black Wars. John Glover Senior’s arrival was after the Black Line offensive in 1830, but he sought out members of the Tasmanian Aboriginal community. He had contact with both proponents and antagonists of the Black Wars. Employing the methodology of documentary archival research, I investigated the historical background to the experiences of the Glovers, where I examined the issues of land grants, convict labour, the gender spike, and the Black Wars. This thesis includes an appraisal of the perseverance of the Glovers during the prolonged economic depression in the decade of the 1840s in Van Diemen’s Land, with John Glover Senior dying in 1849. Several changes introduced in 1840, including increased convict transportation to Van Diemen’s Land and a change in convict policy to the Probation system, led to hardship in the community. The history of the 1840s decade in Van Diemen’s Land has been relatively neglected. It had, however, been a decade of struggle until the economic recovery in the 1850s. John Glover’s artwork reflected his attitude towards his new home at Patterdale. He had been comfortable in this landscape and had developed a sense of belonging. His paintings, with their wide horizons and being flooded with sunlight, were unmistakably Australian. While his paintings had not been valued during his lifetime, they are now being appreciated for their skilful depiction of early colonial Australia.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Hodson, Susan
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis explores the experiences of the members of the Glover family, who migrated to Van Diemen’s Land in two parties. The first party consisted of the three sons of John Glover, the colonial painter (one accompanied by an English wife), who arrived in 1829; the second party, which included John Glover himself, arrived in 1831. This thesis explores the Glovers’ attempts to begin new lives as farmers after receiving free land grants from the colonial government, employing convict servants assigned to them. The Glover family members were witnesses to the late stages of the Black Wars. John Glover Senior’s arrival was after the Black Line offensive in 1830, but he sought out members of the Tasmanian Aboriginal community. He had contact with both proponents and antagonists of the Black Wars. Employing the methodology of documentary archival research, I investigated the historical background to the experiences of the Glovers, where I examined the issues of land grants, convict labour, the gender spike, and the Black Wars. This thesis includes an appraisal of the perseverance of the Glovers during the prolonged economic depression in the decade of the 1840s in Van Diemen’s Land, with John Glover Senior dying in 1849. Several changes introduced in 1840, including increased convict transportation to Van Diemen’s Land and a change in convict policy to the Probation system, led to hardship in the community. The history of the 1840s decade in Van Diemen’s Land has been relatively neglected. It had, however, been a decade of struggle until the economic recovery in the 1850s. John Glover’s artwork reflected his attitude towards his new home at Patterdale. He had been comfortable in this landscape and had developed a sense of belonging. His paintings, with their wide horizons and being flooded with sunlight, were unmistakably Australian. While his paintings had not been valued during his lifetime, they are now being appreciated for their skilful depiction of early colonial Australia.
- Description: Masters by Research
Toxicity of opal Australian paper weak black liquors towards actinobacillus succinogenes 130Z
- Authors: Halder, Dibyadeep
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The objective of this study was to gain a better understanding of Opal Australian Paper’s (AP’s) waste streams as a potential substrate for biomanufacturing. Three low-value process streams were included in this study: Continuous Kraft Mill (CKM) weak black liquor (WBL), Neutral Sulphite Semi-Chemical (NSSC) WBL and WBL extracted from NSSC clean-pulp (CP). The primary focus of the study was to determine the chemical composition and extent of toxicity of these WBLs towards Actinobacillus succinogenes 130Z. This genetically engineered bacterium can produce a valuable platform chemical, succinic acid, using various carbohydrate sources. This project sought to increase knowledge of AP’s WBL and its suitability as a biomanufacturing substrate. Literature has been reviewed on various pre-treatment pathways for this waste stream, A. succinogenes 130Z and its effectiveness on producing succinic acid, and the analytical techniques that have been used to answer the project objectives. The effectiveness of pre-treating the NSSC and CP WBLs was measured using the following characteristics: (a) the colour content (specific absorbance) using UV-Vis spectroscopy, (b) indicative yields of several organic constituents through pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy, (c) the atomic H/C and S/C ratios using an elemental analysis and (d) toxicity of the samples using a combination of semi-quantitative (plating trials) and quantitative (determination of minimum bactericidal concentration) techniques. The impact of an additional pre-treatment step of granular activated carbon for NSSC WBL was also researched here. InfraRed spectroscopy and toxicity analysis helped to conclude that CKM WBL is extremely toxic to Actinobacillus succinogenes 130Z and contained negligible amounts of residual sugar units. Characterising the NSSC and CP WBLs at the molecular level revealed the untreated WBLs are rich in lignin-derived methoxyphenols (up to 160 mg/kg) and contained low concentrations of elemental sulphur (up to approx. 1 mg/kg). Infra-red spectroscopy and gas chromatography indicated that the fermentable sugars in the WBLs were very low (< 1.2 mg/kg) even after pre-treatment. Both methoxyphenols and sulphur are known to be toxic to many bacteria and A. succinogenes 130Z could not tolerate more than 0.45 mg/ml (db, dry basis) and 0.78 mg/ml (db) of NSSC and CP WBLs respectively. Employing Amberlite® XAD7HP resins to pre-treat the NSSC and CP WBLs reduced their toxicity 2- to 5-fold, enabling the bacterium to survive in about 2.5 mg/ml (db) and 1 mg/ml (db) of NSSC and CP WBLs respectively. One possible reason for this is the significant reduction in lignin content afforded by this pre-treatment technique. These results conclude that AP’s WBLs are toxic and need to undergo pre-treatment prior to utilisation as a substrate for succinic acid production via fermentation.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Halder, Dibyadeep
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The objective of this study was to gain a better understanding of Opal Australian Paper’s (AP’s) waste streams as a potential substrate for biomanufacturing. Three low-value process streams were included in this study: Continuous Kraft Mill (CKM) weak black liquor (WBL), Neutral Sulphite Semi-Chemical (NSSC) WBL and WBL extracted from NSSC clean-pulp (CP). The primary focus of the study was to determine the chemical composition and extent of toxicity of these WBLs towards Actinobacillus succinogenes 130Z. This genetically engineered bacterium can produce a valuable platform chemical, succinic acid, using various carbohydrate sources. This project sought to increase knowledge of AP’s WBL and its suitability as a biomanufacturing substrate. Literature has been reviewed on various pre-treatment pathways for this waste stream, A. succinogenes 130Z and its effectiveness on producing succinic acid, and the analytical techniques that have been used to answer the project objectives. The effectiveness of pre-treating the NSSC and CP WBLs was measured using the following characteristics: (a) the colour content (specific absorbance) using UV-Vis spectroscopy, (b) indicative yields of several organic constituents through pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy, (c) the atomic H/C and S/C ratios using an elemental analysis and (d) toxicity of the samples using a combination of semi-quantitative (plating trials) and quantitative (determination of minimum bactericidal concentration) techniques. The impact of an additional pre-treatment step of granular activated carbon for NSSC WBL was also researched here. InfraRed spectroscopy and toxicity analysis helped to conclude that CKM WBL is extremely toxic to Actinobacillus succinogenes 130Z and contained negligible amounts of residual sugar units. Characterising the NSSC and CP WBLs at the molecular level revealed the untreated WBLs are rich in lignin-derived methoxyphenols (up to 160 mg/kg) and contained low concentrations of elemental sulphur (up to approx. 1 mg/kg). Infra-red spectroscopy and gas chromatography indicated that the fermentable sugars in the WBLs were very low (< 1.2 mg/kg) even after pre-treatment. Both methoxyphenols and sulphur are known to be toxic to many bacteria and A. succinogenes 130Z could not tolerate more than 0.45 mg/ml (db, dry basis) and 0.78 mg/ml (db) of NSSC and CP WBLs respectively. Employing Amberlite® XAD7HP resins to pre-treat the NSSC and CP WBLs reduced their toxicity 2- to 5-fold, enabling the bacterium to survive in about 2.5 mg/ml (db) and 1 mg/ml (db) of NSSC and CP WBLs respectively. One possible reason for this is the significant reduction in lignin content afforded by this pre-treatment technique. These results conclude that AP’s WBLs are toxic and need to undergo pre-treatment prior to utilisation as a substrate for succinic acid production via fermentation.
- Description: Masters by Research
Unfinished Business! The myth that the settler government has lawful transnational jurisprudence sovereign authority
- Authors: Crane, Samuel
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: As a First Nations person belonging to the Bulluk-Willam people of the Woiwurrung nation from the Coranderrk Aboriginal Station, Wadawurrung in Geelong, and Monaro peoples in Cooma, I’m a duty-bound to educate not only the First Nations peoples, but the wider community of the 60,000 plus years history of the continent now known as Australia. The former British Empire and successive settler governments failed to recognise the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth of the colonisation of Australia, its unlawfulness and the injustices that had been created. For the benefit of the reader, I have chosen to use the term “First Nations peoples” rather than “Indigenous people and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people”. I argue that First Nations peoples had lawful transnational sovereign authority, which included being the holders of citizenship rights and having a system of jurisprudence self-governance where they had entered into legally binding treaties and land rights agreements prior to the arrival of Lieutenant James Cook on 29 April 1770 (de Costa, 2006; Diamond, 1997; Kenny, 2008; Presland, 1994; Trudgen, 2000). The Act of Settlement 1700 (UK) denounced the monarch’s lawful right to be a sovereign ruler over citizens, which means it was also applicable to their vice-regal representative. I argue that same lawful sovereign authority had been given to each person from each language belonging to the First Nations peoples residing on the continent of Australia and its surrounding islands. Even the first convicts and “free settlers” held lawful sovereign rights and not their monarch. The Law of Nations under European law (de Vattel, 1844) concluded that the First Nations peoples had lawful sovereignty, a civil society, and a political system of independent self-governance. However, the unlawful acquisition of Australia was to provide both an international trading base for the United Kingdom after the end of the American Civil War and a convict outpost (Blainey, 1966; Dallas, 1978; Frost, 2011, 2013; Hawkesworth, 1774). Thus, an extinguishing of the lawful determinations of transnational jurisprudence sovereign authority (B. McKenna & Wardle, 2019) validated a self-governing colony of Australia. The extinguishment of the First Nations peoples’ lawful transnational jurisprudence sovereign authority continued when Australia became a federated nation with its United Kingdom Constitution, An Act to Constitute the Commonwealth of Australia (UK). Yet, it was, and still remains, a quasi-system of governance (Quick & Garran, 1902). However, after the end of the First World War when Australia joined the League of Nations in 1920, all levels of the parliamentary systems, the Constitution and the judiciary became null and void (G. Butler, 1925). The Mabo v. Queensland (No. 2) HCA 23; 175 CLR 1 (3 June 1992) decision refuted the myth that the continent, now known as of Australia, was previously terra nullius, a land belonging to no one. Since the 1980s, federal governments, via a system of defensive nationalism and popular sovereignty (de Costa, 2006), had gifted themselves an unlawful sovereignty and nation-state independence (B. McKenna & Wardle, 2019). Finally, since 26 January 1788, Australia has had an ongoing independent sovereign nation-state identity crisis and has been suffering from internal and external haemorrhaging. Appendix A details the first action needed by going outside all domestic parliaments and courts to the Government Legal Department in London to rectify the unlawful system of governance, judiciary, and regal representatives. This was first suggested by John Newfong in 1972 at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy (Newfong, 1972). The second action lies in Appendix B, the Sovereign Australia Constitution Act (Aus).
- Description: Masters of Art
- Authors: Crane, Samuel
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: As a First Nations person belonging to the Bulluk-Willam people of the Woiwurrung nation from the Coranderrk Aboriginal Station, Wadawurrung in Geelong, and Monaro peoples in Cooma, I’m a duty-bound to educate not only the First Nations peoples, but the wider community of the 60,000 plus years history of the continent now known as Australia. The former British Empire and successive settler governments failed to recognise the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth of the colonisation of Australia, its unlawfulness and the injustices that had been created. For the benefit of the reader, I have chosen to use the term “First Nations peoples” rather than “Indigenous people and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people”. I argue that First Nations peoples had lawful transnational sovereign authority, which included being the holders of citizenship rights and having a system of jurisprudence self-governance where they had entered into legally binding treaties and land rights agreements prior to the arrival of Lieutenant James Cook on 29 April 1770 (de Costa, 2006; Diamond, 1997; Kenny, 2008; Presland, 1994; Trudgen, 2000). The Act of Settlement 1700 (UK) denounced the monarch’s lawful right to be a sovereign ruler over citizens, which means it was also applicable to their vice-regal representative. I argue that same lawful sovereign authority had been given to each person from each language belonging to the First Nations peoples residing on the continent of Australia and its surrounding islands. Even the first convicts and “free settlers” held lawful sovereign rights and not their monarch. The Law of Nations under European law (de Vattel, 1844) concluded that the First Nations peoples had lawful sovereignty, a civil society, and a political system of independent self-governance. However, the unlawful acquisition of Australia was to provide both an international trading base for the United Kingdom after the end of the American Civil War and a convict outpost (Blainey, 1966; Dallas, 1978; Frost, 2011, 2013; Hawkesworth, 1774). Thus, an extinguishing of the lawful determinations of transnational jurisprudence sovereign authority (B. McKenna & Wardle, 2019) validated a self-governing colony of Australia. The extinguishment of the First Nations peoples’ lawful transnational jurisprudence sovereign authority continued when Australia became a federated nation with its United Kingdom Constitution, An Act to Constitute the Commonwealth of Australia (UK). Yet, it was, and still remains, a quasi-system of governance (Quick & Garran, 1902). However, after the end of the First World War when Australia joined the League of Nations in 1920, all levels of the parliamentary systems, the Constitution and the judiciary became null and void (G. Butler, 1925). The Mabo v. Queensland (No. 2) HCA 23; 175 CLR 1 (3 June 1992) decision refuted the myth that the continent, now known as of Australia, was previously terra nullius, a land belonging to no one. Since the 1980s, federal governments, via a system of defensive nationalism and popular sovereignty (de Costa, 2006), had gifted themselves an unlawful sovereignty and nation-state independence (B. McKenna & Wardle, 2019). Finally, since 26 January 1788, Australia has had an ongoing independent sovereign nation-state identity crisis and has been suffering from internal and external haemorrhaging. Appendix A details the first action needed by going outside all domestic parliaments and courts to the Government Legal Department in London to rectify the unlawful system of governance, judiciary, and regal representatives. This was first suggested by John Newfong in 1972 at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy (Newfong, 1972). The second action lies in Appendix B, the Sovereign Australia Constitution Act (Aus).
- Description: Masters of Art
Assessment of horizontal bore drains performance in brown coal mines in the Latrobe Valley
- Authors: Perdigao, Cristhiana
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Horizontal bores are essential infrastructures for maintaining the stability of open-pit mine batters. The infiltration of water from large surface catchments during rain events and induced deformation caused by mining activities can cause the build-up of pore water pressures in mine batters, potentially leading to catastrophic slope failures. A field investigation unit containing a camera has been developed to survey long (>300m) horizontal bores. Features observed using the camera along the profile of horizontal bores are discussed. Water flow was quantified by flow meters. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) was undertaken to investigate the water precipitates within the selected bores. Water flow temperature was recorded to test the hypothesis of a possibility to indicate whether a borehole was draining from the saturated zone or from the surface water through its temperature. The investigations have been conducted to determine the cause of change in the efficiency of horizontal boreholes and find a reliable measure to assess longevity and performance of horizontal drains. Bore efficiency has been defined as the bore functioning as a preferential path for water within the batter to be drained out to reduce the saturated zone and associated pore water pressures within the batter. The results suggest blockages and fractures inside the bores can be considered the leading cause of the change in the efficiency of a bore. Blockages occur because of sediment accumulation and because of coal chunks from internal wall collapses. Internal fractures affect efficiency when they become the water preferred path; thus, retaining water flowing within the batter. The bore’s longevity is considered the period of the bore is considered effective. Water flow measurement is suggested as a reliable measure to assess bores’ longevity.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Perdigao, Cristhiana
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Horizontal bores are essential infrastructures for maintaining the stability of open-pit mine batters. The infiltration of water from large surface catchments during rain events and induced deformation caused by mining activities can cause the build-up of pore water pressures in mine batters, potentially leading to catastrophic slope failures. A field investigation unit containing a camera has been developed to survey long (>300m) horizontal bores. Features observed using the camera along the profile of horizontal bores are discussed. Water flow was quantified by flow meters. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) was undertaken to investigate the water precipitates within the selected bores. Water flow temperature was recorded to test the hypothesis of a possibility to indicate whether a borehole was draining from the saturated zone or from the surface water through its temperature. The investigations have been conducted to determine the cause of change in the efficiency of horizontal boreholes and find a reliable measure to assess longevity and performance of horizontal drains. Bore efficiency has been defined as the bore functioning as a preferential path for water within the batter to be drained out to reduce the saturated zone and associated pore water pressures within the batter. The results suggest blockages and fractures inside the bores can be considered the leading cause of the change in the efficiency of a bore. Blockages occur because of sediment accumulation and because of coal chunks from internal wall collapses. Internal fractures affect efficiency when they become the water preferred path; thus, retaining water flowing within the batter. The bore’s longevity is considered the period of the bore is considered effective. Water flow measurement is suggested as a reliable measure to assess bores’ longevity.
- Description: Masters by Research
Virtual streetgames : a mixed methods study exploring the delivery of an online youth physical activity program
- Authors: Kemel, Paul
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic there was already considerable concern relating to the declining physical activity rates of adolescents and young adults seen across the world. The COVID-19 pandemic, along with the various corresponding social distancing and lockdown guidelines, has further exacerbated these concerns. The utilisation of various forms of technology to maintain and encourage a degree of social connectedness during these timeframes sparked a degree of creativity in how our usual ways of interacting could be modified to the unique social-political circumstances. One such example is the youth community physical activity program Latrobe Streetgames, who adapted their program to be delivered across a range of social media platforms. A mixed methods study was conducted to help understand the impact that the adapted online program had on its participants during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of the study highlight the negative impact that the various COVID-19 lockdowns had on the target population, and while the ability to maintain some degree of social-physical intractability via the modified Latrobe Streetgames delivery was beneficial, it likely did not outweigh the negative impact of the lockdowns itself. Therefore, as the world moves pasts the pandemic, an emphasis needs to be placed on ensuring that youth physical activity is promoted in order to combat the acquired negative health effects relating to physical, mental and social health.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Kemel, Paul
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic there was already considerable concern relating to the declining physical activity rates of adolescents and young adults seen across the world. The COVID-19 pandemic, along with the various corresponding social distancing and lockdown guidelines, has further exacerbated these concerns. The utilisation of various forms of technology to maintain and encourage a degree of social connectedness during these timeframes sparked a degree of creativity in how our usual ways of interacting could be modified to the unique social-political circumstances. One such example is the youth community physical activity program Latrobe Streetgames, who adapted their program to be delivered across a range of social media platforms. A mixed methods study was conducted to help understand the impact that the adapted online program had on its participants during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of the study highlight the negative impact that the various COVID-19 lockdowns had on the target population, and while the ability to maintain some degree of social-physical intractability via the modified Latrobe Streetgames delivery was beneficial, it likely did not outweigh the negative impact of the lockdowns itself. Therefore, as the world moves pasts the pandemic, an emphasis needs to be placed on ensuring that youth physical activity is promoted in order to combat the acquired negative health effects relating to physical, mental and social health.
- Description: Masters by Research
An investigation of Surf Life Saving Australia's Junior Development Program for Nippers
- Authors: Higgerson, Amanda
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The primary aim of Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA), through their State and Territory bodies is to provide safe coastal environments for Australian beach goers. With over 312 affiliated clubs across Australia, SLSA provides an opportunity for primary school aged children (Nippers) to experience water safety and aquatic education in an open water environment. Nippers in the Under 8-Under 13 years age groups are involved in a participation-based education program known as the Junior Development Program (JDP), which aims to develop skills required for future lifesaving (Giles & Slade, 2012). The overall aim of this research was to identify and explore the barriers and enablers to involvement in SLSA’s JDP from the perspective of the participants, their parents/carers and those involved in the delivery of the program. Utilising a multiphase mixed method design, 341 Nippers from eight surf lifesaving clubs in New South Wales completed a questionnaire and 30 interviews were conducted – 19 with parents/carers from seven of the eight participating lifesaving clubs, and 11 Age Managers from six of the eight clubs. The findings indicated that the Nippers perceived most lifesaving skills were important and were happy/very happy to be learning about safety of themselves and how to assist others in the surf. Most concerns related to unknowns in terms of sea creatures and adverse weather conditions like storms and lightening. Interviewees believed Nipper participation was based on interpersonal and intrapersonal reasons, with socialisation a positive aspect of the program. In line with common fears reported by Nippers, interviewees reported unfavourable environmental conditions, including big surf, cold weather, weed and stingers, as barriers to participation. The findings and opinions from those involved in the JDP provide insights into barriers and enablers to participation in the program, which is intended to provide important guidance for future delivery of the JDP across Australia.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Higgerson, Amanda
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The primary aim of Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA), through their State and Territory bodies is to provide safe coastal environments for Australian beach goers. With over 312 affiliated clubs across Australia, SLSA provides an opportunity for primary school aged children (Nippers) to experience water safety and aquatic education in an open water environment. Nippers in the Under 8-Under 13 years age groups are involved in a participation-based education program known as the Junior Development Program (JDP), which aims to develop skills required for future lifesaving (Giles & Slade, 2012). The overall aim of this research was to identify and explore the barriers and enablers to involvement in SLSA’s JDP from the perspective of the participants, their parents/carers and those involved in the delivery of the program. Utilising a multiphase mixed method design, 341 Nippers from eight surf lifesaving clubs in New South Wales completed a questionnaire and 30 interviews were conducted – 19 with parents/carers from seven of the eight participating lifesaving clubs, and 11 Age Managers from six of the eight clubs. The findings indicated that the Nippers perceived most lifesaving skills were important and were happy/very happy to be learning about safety of themselves and how to assist others in the surf. Most concerns related to unknowns in terms of sea creatures and adverse weather conditions like storms and lightening. Interviewees believed Nipper participation was based on interpersonal and intrapersonal reasons, with socialisation a positive aspect of the program. In line with common fears reported by Nippers, interviewees reported unfavourable environmental conditions, including big surf, cold weather, weed and stingers, as barriers to participation. The findings and opinions from those involved in the JDP provide insights into barriers and enablers to participation in the program, which is intended to provide important guidance for future delivery of the JDP across Australia.
- Description: Masters by Research
Application of molecular diagnostic methods for the detection and quantification of Fasciola hepatica infection in cattle faecal samples
- Authors: Thakur, Sameer
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Fasciola hepatica, commonly known as liver fluke, is a globally distributed trematode causing significant production losses in ruminant livestock. Due to reduced drug efficacy, there is a need for appropriate diagnostic tools, which would allow alternative management practices to be developed and minimize economic losses. The traditional ‘gold standard’ method for diagnosis, faecal egg count (FEC), is associated with low sensitivity when diagnosing F. hepatica infection in livestock using faecal samples. The present study aimed to compare the sensitivity and specificity of the molecular diagnostic methods [conventional PCR (cPCR), Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) and quantitative real time PCR (qPCR)] with the conventional diagnostic method FEC, for detecting F. hepatica infection using cattle faecal samples. Faecal samples were collected from 94 experimentally-infected cattle 12 weeks post infection and 40 faecal samples were collected from cattle with no previous history of F. hepatica infection, as a comparative control. The sensitivity of conventional PCR, LAMP and qPCR was 86.2%, 87.2% and 96.8% respectively, which was similar to the faecal egg count (97.9%). While the specificity of all the molecular methods were 97.5%, and for FEC the specificity was 100%. The potential advantage of these molecular diagnostic tests, with further development, suggest they may be a viable alternative diagnostic test when compared to FEC. In addition, a pilot study was conducted to evaluate the potential use of a commercial snail trap in catching and detecting the intermediate host of F. hepatica in irrigated farmland, as an alternative management strategy. However, under the parameters tested in these experiments, the use of commercial snail traps to catch the intermediate host of F. hepatica from farm irrigation channels was shown to be ineffective.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Thakur, Sameer
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Fasciola hepatica, commonly known as liver fluke, is a globally distributed trematode causing significant production losses in ruminant livestock. Due to reduced drug efficacy, there is a need for appropriate diagnostic tools, which would allow alternative management practices to be developed and minimize economic losses. The traditional ‘gold standard’ method for diagnosis, faecal egg count (FEC), is associated with low sensitivity when diagnosing F. hepatica infection in livestock using faecal samples. The present study aimed to compare the sensitivity and specificity of the molecular diagnostic methods [conventional PCR (cPCR), Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) and quantitative real time PCR (qPCR)] with the conventional diagnostic method FEC, for detecting F. hepatica infection using cattle faecal samples. Faecal samples were collected from 94 experimentally-infected cattle 12 weeks post infection and 40 faecal samples were collected from cattle with no previous history of F. hepatica infection, as a comparative control. The sensitivity of conventional PCR, LAMP and qPCR was 86.2%, 87.2% and 96.8% respectively, which was similar to the faecal egg count (97.9%). While the specificity of all the molecular methods were 97.5%, and for FEC the specificity was 100%. The potential advantage of these molecular diagnostic tests, with further development, suggest they may be a viable alternative diagnostic test when compared to FEC. In addition, a pilot study was conducted to evaluate the potential use of a commercial snail trap in catching and detecting the intermediate host of F. hepatica in irrigated farmland, as an alternative management strategy. However, under the parameters tested in these experiments, the use of commercial snail traps to catch the intermediate host of F. hepatica from farm irrigation channels was shown to be ineffective.
- Description: Masters by Research
When you go looking for me, I am not there : description by absence
- Authors: Crawford, Fiona
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: When women don’t have access to public voices, their stories may be told through symbols and sewing, publicly viewed but understood only by an audience of intimates. My research builds upon my May 2016 residency in Assisi, Italy, and explores description through absence. Punto Assisi, an embroidery tradition predating the Renaissance, is still practised by women of Assisi. Uniquely, the subject matter is empty of detail. The negative space in Punto Assisi work can be seen as echoing the absence of information about the makers. Invisible and indispensable, women and their work have provided the fabric of human society throughout history, yet the names and faces of female artists and artisans are rarely documented. This embroidery style resonated with my interest in women's work and how ubiquitous and anonymous it is. Based on the concept of drawing with thread to manifest content, I explore description through absence, and honour the unknown makers of this art. Studio practice revealed insight into materiality, imagery, form design and palette. The haptic process of sewing gave insight into a universality of the experience of making, a connection crossing time, place and culture. The experience of the maker is highly individual and takes place in diverse contexts. The maker and their experience may be unknown, except to self, however the outcome, the product or the artwork may be indexical of a place, time or the maker, known or unknown. As such, unknown women makers have a presence in their works. The negative space in the uncoloured linen yields a presence and materiality that allows us to engage with what isn’t there. Absence is made material. Materiality, memory, narrative, and identity are themes emerging from this project. In my contemporary application of the style constraints yielded creative freedom. In absence, I found description.
- Description: Master of Arts (Visual and Performing Arts) (Research)
- Authors: Crawford, Fiona
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: When women don’t have access to public voices, their stories may be told through symbols and sewing, publicly viewed but understood only by an audience of intimates. My research builds upon my May 2016 residency in Assisi, Italy, and explores description through absence. Punto Assisi, an embroidery tradition predating the Renaissance, is still practised by women of Assisi. Uniquely, the subject matter is empty of detail. The negative space in Punto Assisi work can be seen as echoing the absence of information about the makers. Invisible and indispensable, women and their work have provided the fabric of human society throughout history, yet the names and faces of female artists and artisans are rarely documented. This embroidery style resonated with my interest in women's work and how ubiquitous and anonymous it is. Based on the concept of drawing with thread to manifest content, I explore description through absence, and honour the unknown makers of this art. Studio practice revealed insight into materiality, imagery, form design and palette. The haptic process of sewing gave insight into a universality of the experience of making, a connection crossing time, place and culture. The experience of the maker is highly individual and takes place in diverse contexts. The maker and their experience may be unknown, except to self, however the outcome, the product or the artwork may be indexical of a place, time or the maker, known or unknown. As such, unknown women makers have a presence in their works. The negative space in the uncoloured linen yields a presence and materiality that allows us to engage with what isn’t there. Absence is made material. Materiality, memory, narrative, and identity are themes emerging from this project. In my contemporary application of the style constraints yielded creative freedom. In absence, I found description.
- Description: Master of Arts (Visual and Performing Arts) (Research)
Intelligent sewer blockage detection system using Internet of Things
- Authors: Buurman, Benjamin
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Despite being a common issue in both developed and developing countries, wastewater blockages have severe potential consequences. Blockages can be located at sewer mains or individual properties and can also be classified as partial or full. Full blockages completely obstruct a wastewater asset, and partial blockages will often develop into full blockages if left unattended. Currently, blockages are managed by routine manual inspections to wastewater assets on a round-robin schedule. This is highly inefficient and costly, as blockages that form between these inspections and progress to effluent breaches will go undetected. In this thesis we present an Internet of Things (IoT) solution capable of simultaneously monitoring an entire wastewater infrastructure for blockages while still remaining inexpensive, reliable, and practical. Wireless motes use float switch sensors to detect blockages and transmit this to a central system using either LoRa or Wi-Fi communications. Making both LoRa and Wi-Fi available ensures the system can be adapted in any situation across a variety of geographic and economic restrictions. The central system determines whether a surcharge is caused by a blockage or simply the result of regular activity not requiring intervention. Detection of false positives is critical, as deployment of field technicians is an expensive process that moves resources from other skilled work. If a surcharge is determined to be caused by a blockage, the central system will classify it as full or partial before estimating the property or length of main between properties it is located at. Following this, relevant parties will be notified so field technicians can be deployed to resolve the blockage. We performed both practical laboratory testing and simulation modelling on our proposed system, and confirmed it is indeed capable of detecting, classifying, and locating blockages across a wide urban area. Our choice of hardware, software and network equipment ensures that the proposed IoT-based solution is inexpensive, workable, and easily deployable.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Buurman, Benjamin
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Despite being a common issue in both developed and developing countries, wastewater blockages have severe potential consequences. Blockages can be located at sewer mains or individual properties and can also be classified as partial or full. Full blockages completely obstruct a wastewater asset, and partial blockages will often develop into full blockages if left unattended. Currently, blockages are managed by routine manual inspections to wastewater assets on a round-robin schedule. This is highly inefficient and costly, as blockages that form between these inspections and progress to effluent breaches will go undetected. In this thesis we present an Internet of Things (IoT) solution capable of simultaneously monitoring an entire wastewater infrastructure for blockages while still remaining inexpensive, reliable, and practical. Wireless motes use float switch sensors to detect blockages and transmit this to a central system using either LoRa or Wi-Fi communications. Making both LoRa and Wi-Fi available ensures the system can be adapted in any situation across a variety of geographic and economic restrictions. The central system determines whether a surcharge is caused by a blockage or simply the result of regular activity not requiring intervention. Detection of false positives is critical, as deployment of field technicians is an expensive process that moves resources from other skilled work. If a surcharge is determined to be caused by a blockage, the central system will classify it as full or partial before estimating the property or length of main between properties it is located at. Following this, relevant parties will be notified so field technicians can be deployed to resolve the blockage. We performed both practical laboratory testing and simulation modelling on our proposed system, and confirmed it is indeed capable of detecting, classifying, and locating blockages across a wide urban area. Our choice of hardware, software and network equipment ensures that the proposed IoT-based solution is inexpensive, workable, and easily deployable.
- Description: Masters by Research
The making and placing of a personal view : Questions of place
- Authors: Farago, Anna
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The Making and Placing of a Personal View: Questions of Place uses various making methods to explore both the artist’s and others personal connection to place. The research investigates the intersection of memory, identity, and place. Memory is what informs personal history and collective futures. Identity, for the artist is as daughter, sister, mother, wife, friend, crafter, artist, woman and now widow. For others involved in the research, it is as Indigenous Elders, rangers and locals connected to specific sites. Place as which grounds and locates memories and landscapes that preoccupy the creative works. Memory and identity is explored materially through making, connecting art to place using craft’s historical connection with domestic and natural environments. Using the postmodern feminist geography of Doreen Massey, place is a site of flow and routes, rather than origins and roots. The relation between art and Massey’s notion of place is investigated as sympathetic to craft as a feminine epistemology. The creative work created comprises of four large textile patchworks, a series of small embroideries, and a pair of gouache paintings. The making of three large patchwork banner works were informed by conversational interviews conducted with Indigenous and non-Indigenous rangers. The banner works were installed for the duration of a weekend in Darebin Parklands in Alphington, Victoria in 2016 and at Pigeon House Mountain Didthul, Morton National Park, NSW in 2017. Performative and documentation photographs and videos were created in response to these installations. In addition a hand-stitched patchwork was slowly constructed over a year of grief and then used as a cloak and protective cloth in directed performative photos shot in the garden and on the roof of the artist’s home.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Farago, Anna
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The Making and Placing of a Personal View: Questions of Place uses various making methods to explore both the artist’s and others personal connection to place. The research investigates the intersection of memory, identity, and place. Memory is what informs personal history and collective futures. Identity, for the artist is as daughter, sister, mother, wife, friend, crafter, artist, woman and now widow. For others involved in the research, it is as Indigenous Elders, rangers and locals connected to specific sites. Place as which grounds and locates memories and landscapes that preoccupy the creative works. Memory and identity is explored materially through making, connecting art to place using craft’s historical connection with domestic and natural environments. Using the postmodern feminist geography of Doreen Massey, place is a site of flow and routes, rather than origins and roots. The relation between art and Massey’s notion of place is investigated as sympathetic to craft as a feminine epistemology. The creative work created comprises of four large textile patchworks, a series of small embroideries, and a pair of gouache paintings. The making of three large patchwork banner works were informed by conversational interviews conducted with Indigenous and non-Indigenous rangers. The banner works were installed for the duration of a weekend in Darebin Parklands in Alphington, Victoria in 2016 and at Pigeon House Mountain Didthul, Morton National Park, NSW in 2017. Performative and documentation photographs and videos were created in response to these installations. In addition a hand-stitched patchwork was slowly constructed over a year of grief and then used as a cloak and protective cloth in directed performative photos shot in the garden and on the roof of the artist’s home.
- Description: Masters by Research
To Wandiligong : a visual journey through memory, time, space, light, landscape and fourteen layers of glass
- Authors: Murray, Kathleen
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This research project examines the process of conceptualisation and its effects on the development of layers of meaning in a visual context. It explores a journey over time, within an observed environment. It explores the conceptual processes which, like a physical journey, runs through many landscapes. Memory and emotion, analysis and observation, recording and interpretation and as a final destination, the practical application in the making of the pictures. This exegesis compares the differences between the theoretical stances artists have taken in the pursuit of creating work based on the depiction of the landscape. It considers a variety of approaches to image and meaning and determines the effect of disruption as it relates to art practice over centuries and to my own practice. Throughout the work there is an exploration of the different forms of disruption on the landscape, from colonisation through to the visual effects of a changing climate. Consideration is given to the similarities and differences between the practices of visual art and communication design particularly in relation to the role of the audience. The process of research and experimentation in the making of 16 digitally augmented inkjet print, photographic images and an accompanying story map drawing of the journey is described. This involved the investigation of the conceptual development processes and approaches in relation to landscape imagery and the effect of a changing climate on their visual outcomes. The results of my experimentation in capturing images through drawing and photography using graphite pencils and paper and a camera, in a car moving through the landscape, are described. This is followed by a description of my experimentation of the use of a disruptive digital drawing application on photographic images located within an iPad and how the resulting images were conceptualised and created.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Murray, Kathleen
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This research project examines the process of conceptualisation and its effects on the development of layers of meaning in a visual context. It explores a journey over time, within an observed environment. It explores the conceptual processes which, like a physical journey, runs through many landscapes. Memory and emotion, analysis and observation, recording and interpretation and as a final destination, the practical application in the making of the pictures. This exegesis compares the differences between the theoretical stances artists have taken in the pursuit of creating work based on the depiction of the landscape. It considers a variety of approaches to image and meaning and determines the effect of disruption as it relates to art practice over centuries and to my own practice. Throughout the work there is an exploration of the different forms of disruption on the landscape, from colonisation through to the visual effects of a changing climate. Consideration is given to the similarities and differences between the practices of visual art and communication design particularly in relation to the role of the audience. The process of research and experimentation in the making of 16 digitally augmented inkjet print, photographic images and an accompanying story map drawing of the journey is described. This involved the investigation of the conceptual development processes and approaches in relation to landscape imagery and the effect of a changing climate on their visual outcomes. The results of my experimentation in capturing images through drawing and photography using graphite pencils and paper and a camera, in a car moving through the landscape, are described. This is followed by a description of my experimentation of the use of a disruptive digital drawing application on photographic images located within an iPad and how the resulting images were conceptualised and created.
- Description: Masters by Research
"Beyond home and sex?" : Gender and sexuality in Elizabeth Moon's
- Authors: O'Sullivan, Jennifer
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Historically, fantasy fiction has tended to present sexuality and gender in a conservative light. Contemporary authors in this genre have the opportunity to imagine worlds in which they can critique these norms and offer new and subversive alternatives. Elizabeth Moon’s work has been seen by some readers and critics (Mains, et al, Bach) to challenge conservative gender roles, and while in some areas this is evident, a critical reading of her Paksworld series through a feminist lens reveals that her work is still largely restricted by normative notions of gender and heteronormative contexts and ideals. In this thesis I argue that while Moon’s female characters are allowed a certain amount of autonomy, they are still often repressed by those around them, silenced, or subject to male dominance and/or sexual violence. Those women in the novels who achieve a position of social, political or spiritual power are forced to make choices between roles: for example, between being a warrior and a mother, and are not allowed to ‘have it all’. Moon does subvert some familiar feminine tropes – her fantasy princesses for example avoid being married against their will, and her female warriors are more complex than simply being ‘sheroes’. Utilising masculinities and disability theory, I also analyse Moon’s treatment of men and masculinity. While Moon presents several familiar male fantasy tropes, she also portrays some surprisingly subversive men. These men are forced to reimagine and reinterpret their own masculine identities by having to confront ageing, disability, mutilation and loss of personal power while negotiating traditionally masculine homo-social environments. Finally, I argue that Moon’s presentation of sexuality in the Paksworld series is problematic and conservative in that very few of her characters are having pleasurable, consensual sex, especially not outside traditional marriage structures. Furthermore, the Paksworld series is largely heteronormative, with same-sex desire identified predominantly with a character who is presented as an antagonist to Paks. Paks herself is asexual, and I argue that Moon uses this as a way to avoid dealing with the issue of female sexual desire rather than an opportunity to explore asexuality as a valid sexual preference or identity. Overall, I argue that despite some subversive elements, Moon’s characters are still largely restricted by conservative expectations of genre, culture, gender and sexuality.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: O'Sullivan, Jennifer
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Historically, fantasy fiction has tended to present sexuality and gender in a conservative light. Contemporary authors in this genre have the opportunity to imagine worlds in which they can critique these norms and offer new and subversive alternatives. Elizabeth Moon’s work has been seen by some readers and critics (Mains, et al, Bach) to challenge conservative gender roles, and while in some areas this is evident, a critical reading of her Paksworld series through a feminist lens reveals that her work is still largely restricted by normative notions of gender and heteronormative contexts and ideals. In this thesis I argue that while Moon’s female characters are allowed a certain amount of autonomy, they are still often repressed by those around them, silenced, or subject to male dominance and/or sexual violence. Those women in the novels who achieve a position of social, political or spiritual power are forced to make choices between roles: for example, between being a warrior and a mother, and are not allowed to ‘have it all’. Moon does subvert some familiar feminine tropes – her fantasy princesses for example avoid being married against their will, and her female warriors are more complex than simply being ‘sheroes’. Utilising masculinities and disability theory, I also analyse Moon’s treatment of men and masculinity. While Moon presents several familiar male fantasy tropes, she also portrays some surprisingly subversive men. These men are forced to reimagine and reinterpret their own masculine identities by having to confront ageing, disability, mutilation and loss of personal power while negotiating traditionally masculine homo-social environments. Finally, I argue that Moon’s presentation of sexuality in the Paksworld series is problematic and conservative in that very few of her characters are having pleasurable, consensual sex, especially not outside traditional marriage structures. Furthermore, the Paksworld series is largely heteronormative, with same-sex desire identified predominantly with a character who is presented as an antagonist to Paks. Paks herself is asexual, and I argue that Moon uses this as a way to avoid dealing with the issue of female sexual desire rather than an opportunity to explore asexuality as a valid sexual preference or identity. Overall, I argue that despite some subversive elements, Moon’s characters are still largely restricted by conservative expectations of genre, culture, gender and sexuality.
- Description: Masters by Research
A conceptual framework for a theory of liquidity
- Authors: Culham, James
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This study contributes to the understanding of liquidity in two ways. First, it considers the multifaceted nature of liquidity and its relationship with money. Second, it constructs a conceptual framework for a theory of liquidity. The first contribution is achieved by clarifying and categorising the various forms of liquidity to identify those overlooked by the existing literature. The second contribution consists of a realist critique of the literature on liquidity and money to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each theoretical approach. The study reflects on the attempts to analyse liquidity using moneyless models of perfect barter with the assumption that every commodity exhibits perfect saleability; an assumption that removes any need for a medium of exchange and, moreover, crowds out all other forms of liquidity. It is concluded that, because liquidity is a social and monetary phenomenon, it cannot be analysed with models populated by a representative agent consuming a single commodity. Furthermore, this conclusion is not altered by the introduction of ‘financial frictions’, which are fundamentally at odds with the nature of money. Instead, the clarification of the nature of liquidity forms the basis for an interpretation of Keynes’s theory of liquidity preference that emphasises its reliance on liquidity in general, not money in particular. The study introduces the terms redemption liquidity and exchange liquidity to explain the trade-off that underpins the theory of liquidity preference. Properly interpreted, the theory of liquidity preference can then address many of the deficiencies prevalent in the dominant theories of the rate of interest. The study therefore has implications for monetary policy and asset pricing.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Culham, James
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This study contributes to the understanding of liquidity in two ways. First, it considers the multifaceted nature of liquidity and its relationship with money. Second, it constructs a conceptual framework for a theory of liquidity. The first contribution is achieved by clarifying and categorising the various forms of liquidity to identify those overlooked by the existing literature. The second contribution consists of a realist critique of the literature on liquidity and money to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each theoretical approach. The study reflects on the attempts to analyse liquidity using moneyless models of perfect barter with the assumption that every commodity exhibits perfect saleability; an assumption that removes any need for a medium of exchange and, moreover, crowds out all other forms of liquidity. It is concluded that, because liquidity is a social and monetary phenomenon, it cannot be analysed with models populated by a representative agent consuming a single commodity. Furthermore, this conclusion is not altered by the introduction of ‘financial frictions’, which are fundamentally at odds with the nature of money. Instead, the clarification of the nature of liquidity forms the basis for an interpretation of Keynes’s theory of liquidity preference that emphasises its reliance on liquidity in general, not money in particular. The study introduces the terms redemption liquidity and exchange liquidity to explain the trade-off that underpins the theory of liquidity preference. Properly interpreted, the theory of liquidity preference can then address many of the deficiencies prevalent in the dominant theories of the rate of interest. The study therefore has implications for monetary policy and asset pricing.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
An experimental investigation into the drainage properties of coarse Loy Yang pond ash
- Authors: Stipcevich, Jack
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The Latrobe Valley mines, Victoria, Australia, are facing some major challenges as they approach the end of their mining life. Most of these challenges surround current rehabilitation practice and the ability to create safe and stable landforms for future land uses well after the mines have closed. As there has been no developed alternative use for the brown coal at this stage, stopping power generation leads to the cessation of mining. AGL Loy Yang is undertaking rehabilitation cover trials on exposed coal batters to investigate optimal cover materials that will enable safe and stable batters well beyond mine closure. A series of rehabilitation trials using coarse coal ash have been constructed by AGL to assess the performance of coarse coal ash as a ‘subsurface drainage layer’. One of the trials includes the use of a 1 metre coarse coal ash layer placed below a 1 metre thick clay cover and above a coal surface shaped to approximately 18 degrees (1V:3H). Without a drainage layer, water may percolate through the clay cover or seep through the intact brown coal, resulting in a build of pore water pressure at the coal – clay interface and increasing the potential for slope failure. The aim of this research work was to assess the spatial distribution of ash properties known to affect drainage behaviour at the field scale; to test and calibrate field-monitoring equipment that can be used to assess drainage behaviour at the field-scale; to provide recommendations for further research on the use of coal ash drainage layer; and to provide a benchmark for future testing and monitoring. Through an experimental investigation, it was shown that there no significant variation exists in the coarse fraction of Loy Yang pond ash’s physical and chemical properties. Monitoring equipment used to determine the field drainage performance of the ash included a T8 Tensiometer and EnviroPro (multi-capacitance sensor) that were calibrated and tested in the laboratory. It was determined that monitoring devices used in this study were suitable for measuring the ash’s hydraulic behaviour only once calibrations had been performed. As a result the tested field equipment were included in the design of a future monitoring program.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Stipcevich, Jack
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The Latrobe Valley mines, Victoria, Australia, are facing some major challenges as they approach the end of their mining life. Most of these challenges surround current rehabilitation practice and the ability to create safe and stable landforms for future land uses well after the mines have closed. As there has been no developed alternative use for the brown coal at this stage, stopping power generation leads to the cessation of mining. AGL Loy Yang is undertaking rehabilitation cover trials on exposed coal batters to investigate optimal cover materials that will enable safe and stable batters well beyond mine closure. A series of rehabilitation trials using coarse coal ash have been constructed by AGL to assess the performance of coarse coal ash as a ‘subsurface drainage layer’. One of the trials includes the use of a 1 metre coarse coal ash layer placed below a 1 metre thick clay cover and above a coal surface shaped to approximately 18 degrees (1V:3H). Without a drainage layer, water may percolate through the clay cover or seep through the intact brown coal, resulting in a build of pore water pressure at the coal – clay interface and increasing the potential for slope failure. The aim of this research work was to assess the spatial distribution of ash properties known to affect drainage behaviour at the field scale; to test and calibrate field-monitoring equipment that can be used to assess drainage behaviour at the field-scale; to provide recommendations for further research on the use of coal ash drainage layer; and to provide a benchmark for future testing and monitoring. Through an experimental investigation, it was shown that there no significant variation exists in the coarse fraction of Loy Yang pond ash’s physical and chemical properties. Monitoring equipment used to determine the field drainage performance of the ash included a T8 Tensiometer and EnviroPro (multi-capacitance sensor) that were calibrated and tested in the laboratory. It was determined that monitoring devices used in this study were suitable for measuring the ash’s hydraulic behaviour only once calibrations had been performed. As a result the tested field equipment were included in the design of a future monitoring program.
- Description: Masters by Research
From gold field to municipality : The establishment of Ballarat West 1855-1857
- Authors: Cartledge, Graeme
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis examines the establishment of the Ballarat West Municipality in the years of 1855 – 1857 and the factors that contributed to the introduction of local self-government in the immediate aftermath of the Eureka Stockade. Underlying the study is the changing administrative requirements necessitated by the transition from a temporary gold field to a permanent city. A central theme explored in relation to this development is that it was a consequence of the emerging culture of modernity of that era precipitating radical political changes in local government that began with the 1835 British Municipal Corporations Act. This theme is expanded to highlight the reform of local government in the Victorian era in response to urbanization and the need for modern and rationalised methods of managing the new towns and growing cities. The difficulty in making and sustaining such progressive changes in Britain is contrasted with the eager adoption of the concept of progress and the new Victorian Municipal Corporations Act of 1854 on the Ballarat goldfields. The question as to why the Municipality was established is answered by exploring the connection between the failure of the Goldfields Commission at the end of 1854 and the belief held by many, that taxes should be accompanied with political representation and should be spent where they were collected. This study exposes the remarkable story of how the first elected councillors, starting from scratch, quickly established administrative systems and brought order to a community emerging out of turmoil. The process of how the municipality was established is uncovered by an extensive survey of the council minutes, the media, council correspondence and public records.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Cartledge, Graeme
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis examines the establishment of the Ballarat West Municipality in the years of 1855 – 1857 and the factors that contributed to the introduction of local self-government in the immediate aftermath of the Eureka Stockade. Underlying the study is the changing administrative requirements necessitated by the transition from a temporary gold field to a permanent city. A central theme explored in relation to this development is that it was a consequence of the emerging culture of modernity of that era precipitating radical political changes in local government that began with the 1835 British Municipal Corporations Act. This theme is expanded to highlight the reform of local government in the Victorian era in response to urbanization and the need for modern and rationalised methods of managing the new towns and growing cities. The difficulty in making and sustaining such progressive changes in Britain is contrasted with the eager adoption of the concept of progress and the new Victorian Municipal Corporations Act of 1854 on the Ballarat goldfields. The question as to why the Municipality was established is answered by exploring the connection between the failure of the Goldfields Commission at the end of 1854 and the belief held by many, that taxes should be accompanied with political representation and should be spent where they were collected. This study exposes the remarkable story of how the first elected councillors, starting from scratch, quickly established administrative systems and brought order to a community emerging out of turmoil. The process of how the municipality was established is uncovered by an extensive survey of the council minutes, the media, council correspondence and public records.
- Description: Masters by Research