Research News
Report into youth homelessness recommends $1 billion extra funding
Earlier this year, the National Youth Commission (NYC) handed down the most significant inquiry into youth homelessness in 20 years – the 'Australia's Homeless Youth' report.
The report, which recommends strategies to overcome one of the nation's biggest social problems, was the result of 21 days of hearings in all states and territories, evidence from 319 individuals, 91 written submissions and four policy forums.
According to Swinburne Associate Professor David Mackenzie, who served on the NYC, it is a "national disgrace that there are twice as many homeless young Australians now than in 1989." He continued, "We need to set a national aspirational goal to address this situation. No young person should be homeless in a country as economically prosperous as Australia."
The report called for $100 million in new funding over the Rudd government's first term. Over the longer term, the report called for an increase in the rate of expenditure by $20 million every year for at least 10 years. This equates to over $1 billion in new funding over the next decade. A roadmap of strategic must-do actions was presented, including:
- Strengthening communities' capacity to respond to the issue;
- Prevention of homelessness through early intervention;
- Improved supported accommodation for people while homeless;
- New models of specialist services for homeless young people with high and complex needs;
- Continued support for homeless people starting to live independently.
While the extensive problem of youth homelessness cannot be fixed overnight, this report is an important first step.
Contact: Crystal Ladiges on (03) 9214 5064 or cladiges@swin.edu.au
See the stars with a Swinburne astronomer
Earlier this year Swinburne signed a landmark agreement with the California Institute of Technology, giving Swinburne astronomers access to the world’s largest optical telescopes. The Keck telescopes are situated on the mountain of Mauna Kea in Hawaii, one of the world’s premier optical observing sites.
In an opportunity of a lifetime, you can now accompany a Swinburne astronomer to the Keck Observatory to see him undertake his scientific observations.
In a trip guided by Professor Duncan Forbes, a world expert in his field, you have the opportunity to experience first-hand the thrill of scientific discovery at the leading astronomical facility of our time.
Professor Forbes is deputy director of Swinburne’s Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing and a Swinburne researcher of the year winner.
Scheduled to coincide with two nights of observing on the Keck telescopes (28 and 29 October 2008), the expected itinerary includes a tour of the Keck telescope, two nights of observing from the control room and a post-observing dinner on the beautiful Kona Coast. This unique opportunity is strictly limited to four adults – three places are left.
The cost of $15,000 per person includes business class flights from Melbourne, five nights of deluxe accommodation, a post-observing dinner with the astronomers and 4WD transport to the summit. The cost also helps support the research training of PhD students and postdoctoral fellows.
Contact: Professor Duncan Forbes on (03) 9214 4392 or dforbes@swin.edu.au
Federal government boost for e-therapy
Swinburne’s e-Therapy Unit has been awarded a $1.55 million grant from the federal Department of Health and Ageing to establish the National e-Therapy Centre for Anxiety Disorders (NeTCAD).
NeTCAD will offer internet-based clinical treatment programs for anxiety disorders, train postgraduate psychology students in the science and practice of e-therapy and develop online treatment programs for other psychological problems.
“Anyone with access to the internet can go through a clinical program and therapists will provide treatment support via email on a weekly basis,” said Swinburne’s e-Therapy Unit Co-Director Dr Britt Klein.
Published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, a recent study conducted by Swinburne researchers found that therapist assisted e-therapy is highly effective for the treatment of panic and panic-related symptoms.
It revealed that when online treatment programs are supported by health professionals they can achieve patient outcomes comparable to best-practice face-to-face therapy.
“The information technology age has had a significant impact upon both patient and professional attitudes and practice towards healthcare,” said Swinburne’s e-Therapy Unit Co-Director Dr David Austin. “E-therapy is finally being recognised as an effective, safe and acceptable form of mental health treatment."
“This is the mental healthcare of the future,” said David. “Someone on a remote cattle station can now access specialist psychological treatment that would normally be unavailable to them due to the lack of health resources in those areas. It is a great leveller as all Australians, regardless of geographic location or income, can access this treatment.”
Contact: Dr Britt Klein on (03) 9214 8851 or bklein@swin.edu.au
New Defence Materials Technology Centre to be based at Swinburne
The development of futuristic materials for use in ships, aircraft and combat vehicles is now a reality, with the establishment of the headquarters of the Defence Materials Technology Centre (DMTC) at Swinburne.
The DMTC will play a vital role in the protection of Australian troops deployed around the world and will receive federal government funding of $30 million and a further $52 million from collaborative partners.
The centre will bring together the expertise and resources of key industry representatives, universities and publicly funded research agencies from around Australia.
Swinburne’s Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Sciences will participate in the technical and scientific activities of the centre throughout the seven-year duration of this program.
Established under the Defence Future Capability Technology Centre Program, a cooperative centre to examine specific future defence capability, the DMTC has been set up to develop specific future defence capabilities not currently addressed by the Australian defence industry.
It is expected to deliver improved armour protection for military vehicles and high- tech materials for use in major defence acquisitions such as the Joint Strike Fighter (pictured).
An education and training program will be designed to develop engineers and scientists with the skills to work in the defence industry.
Research will focus on developing materials such as high strength steels, high temperature and multi-functional composites and ceramics. It will also examine manufacturing processes, prediction and assessment of performance and embedded electronic systems for health monitoring and system performance.
Contact: Dr Chris Berndt on (03) 9214 8706 or cberndt@swin.edu.au
New report reveals the impact of
migrant seasonal worker programs for Australia
As the Rudd Government considers a scheme to recruit seasonal workers from the Pacific to address the horticultural labour shortage, an in-depth examination of the operation of a seasonal worker scheme in New Zealand has implications for Australia.
The program being considered by the government would enable Pacific Islanders to
enter Australia on short-term visas to do harvest work in orchards and vineyards. New Zealand introduced a similar scheme in 2007.
Analysis of the New Zealand program conducted for Swinburne’s Institute for Social
Research (ISR) shows financial benefits for both employers and Pacific Island workers. However the new research report also details significant social costs associated with temporary labour schemes that must be addressed by governments, employers, unions and community organisations.
Report author Nic Maclellan, a specialist in Pacific Island affairs, said problems could be avoided in Australia if more
attention is paid to the welfare of the Pacific Island workers and the support services required in rural and regional communities.
A copy of the report 'Workers for All Seasons? Issues from New Zealand’s Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) program' is available at the Australian Policy Online website. Previous research from the ‘Pacific Labour and Australian Horticulture’ project is available at Swinburne's Institute for Social Research website.
Contact: Lea Kivivali on (03) 9214 5428 or lkivivali@swin.edu.au
Keep up-to-date with research at Swinburne
Research is a key focus of Swinburne’s 2015 vision. The university continues to achieve excellence in its diverse areas of research focus, which range from astrophysics to the social sciences.
Keep up-to-date with the exciting and high quality research developments at Swinburne via the Australian Policy Online (APO) website. Maintained and edited by Swinburne’s Institute for Social Research, APO provides easy access to the latest news and research from Swinburne and other leading Australian research centres and institutes.
APO also enjoys the support of the Australian Institute for Social Research at the University of Adelaide, the Gilbert and Tobin Centre of Public Law at the University of New South Wales, and the Discipline of Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney, together with over 160 member centres and institutes around the country.
The quarterly 'Swinburne' magazine, meanwhile, offers informative, insightful and interesting updates into the university’s research activities. The second edition of the magazine explores a diverse range of topics, from the crushing impact of rents on the quality of life to discovering how the ability to observe the universe as it was billions of years ago could lead to significant future discoveries in astronomy.
The magazine was available as an insert in the Wednesday 11 June edition of The Australian newspaper, and an online version is also available. The next edition of the magazine comes out on Wednesday 10 September. For other enquiries, please call 1300 697 946.
Contact: Cristen Teen on (03) 9214 4812 or cteen@swin.edu.au
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