A long-term partnership between Griffith University and Swimming Australia is set to have a major impact on legacy, sustainability and inclusion programs in and out of the pool.
The new collaboration prioritises opportunities for athletes from grassroots to elite levels, advances in education and research as well as community-centric programs.
Griffith University Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Carolyn Evans, said the alliance signifies the shared values of Swimming Australia and Griffith University.
Vice Chancellor Carolyn Evans and Swimming Australia President Michelle Gallen are excited to build on the shared legacy of Griffith and Swimming Aus. Credit: Glen Campbell
“The foundation of this partnership is improving outcomes for the whole community, which involves overcoming barriers in access to swimming and focusing on climate positive approaches,” VC Carolyn Evans said.
“Griffith has been synonymous with swimming success for many years now and this exciting relationship with Swimming Australia will see our high-level support extend beyond the pool.”
President Michelle Gallen said Swimming Australia has proudly partnered with Griffith University through high performance initiatives over the years, but today’s announcement was about creating a legacy.
“Ours is a country that loves water with swimming Australia’s highest participation sport,” Dr Gallen said.
“It is also the most high profile of our Olympic and Paralympic sports, responsible for 50 per cent of our medals.
“And while our high-performance programs have returned world-wide success, our latest strategic plan promises to deliver innovation and engagement with a wider community.
Griffith swim squad athlete and world record holder Zac Stubblety-Cook will compete at World trials in Melbourne next week.
“This is a partnership that we hope we can extend and take us through to Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“We look forward to providing opportunities for athletes and administration professionals through a scholarship program, students through on the job experience via internship programs as well as working with Griffith on crucial research programs that will identify key areas around diversity, health and wellbeing.”
Programs within the partnership are aligned with the Brisbane 2032 legacy plan, emphasising inclusion and diversity, sustainability, and athlete well-being.
Swimming Australia and Griffith’s joint endeavour to grow indigenous connections through sport is determined to have indigenous athlete as well as para-athlete representation on the 2032 national swim team.
“Nurturing the next generation of Australian swimmers and ensuring that swimming is as inclusive as possible is about much more than how many medals are won,” Professor Evans said.
“It’s about improving health outcomes, strengthening community bonds, and building a carbon-positive future.”
“With this partnership comes an opportunity for well-considered, impactful research that will be translated to improve athlete health, wellness, and performance,” Associate Professor Minahan said.
Griffith alumnus and elite swimmer Bianca Crisp with Griffith student and Olympian Zac Stubblety-Cook. Credit: Glen Campbell
Griffith’s Director of Sports Engagement Duncan Free OAM said Griffith’s two-decade long history with Swimming Australia has seen the delivery of breakthrough research, student engagement and opportunity.
“The partnership has resulted in the collaboration of academics creating opportunities for students, research initiatives, preparing athletes for high performance outcomes and supporting the student swimmer cohort, which is the largest sport represented in the Griffith Sports College,” Mr Free said.
Ranked number one at the Commonwealth Games, Griffith had 52 students and alumni compete at the recent Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, placing Griffith number one in Australia for both student representation and results – and top five globally.
Twenty-three of Griffith’s elite swimmers, including Zac Stubblety-Cook and Cody Simpson, will compete for a spot on the Dolphins’ team at the 2023 World Championships Trials in Melbourne next week ahead of July’s World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
In the lead up to the Freshwater Sciences Downunder conference in Brisbane this week, Griffith University’s Australian Rivers Institute hosted a group of minority students from the United States as part of the Society for Freshwater Science (SFS) Emerge Program.
Professor Stuart Bunn, Australian Rivers Institute. Image: Joe McMahon.
“The Emerge Program is a fantastic initiative, aimed at broadening diversity, inclusion and participation in the aquatic sciences by supporting people from underrepresented minority groups to pursue careers in this field,” said Professor Stuart Bunn from the Australian Rivers Institute.
To increase the diversity in perspectives in freshwater conservation and the freshwater science community, the SFS Emerge Program provides people from a broad range of backgrounds a chance to reach their potential in this field through fellowship and mentorship.
Professor Mark Kennard, an ecologist from the Australian Rivers Institute, developed a freshwater science field program for the group in the Mary (Moonaboola) River in Southeast Queensland.
“We are giving this group of emerging aquatic scientists a feel for what it’s like to undertake freshwater science and catchment restoration on one of Australia’s most interesting river systems,” Professor Kennard said.
After a Welcome to Country from the local Jinibara people, the students toured rehabilitation sites with the Burnett Mary Regional Group and Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee and got to see the unique fauna of the Mary River, including the Australian lungfish and Mary River turtle.
This type of sustained peer-peer and peer-mentor relationships and the strong sense of group identity that the students build out of these experiences may play a particularly important role in efforts to recruit and retain underrepresented minorities in STEM.
Professor Mark Kennard, from Griffith University’s Australian Rivers Institute
The students wrapped up their visit with a trip to Noosa National Park and the Australia Zoo on their way back to the SFS conference in Brisbane.
“This is the first time the Society for Freshwater Science has held its annual conference outside of North America and presents an opportunity to broaden ‘north-south’ collaborations and explore solutions to the many challenges facing our freshwater ecosystems.”
“With over 750 delegates attending from 30 countriesspread across the globe, this is an exciting and timely event for our river city.”
Do whales increase the removal of carbon from the atmosphere?
Despite some hope that this would be the case, a new study led by Griffith University and a team of global researchers has found the amount of potential carbon capture by whales is too little to meaningfully alter the course of climate change.
The team found the amount potentially sequestered by the whales was too minimal to make significant impact on the trajectory of climate change.
“Our study support that whales are important for the marine ecosystem, but their contribution to the global carbon flux is too small to effectively reduce atmospheric carbon,” Dr Meynecke said.
“While our research group would very much like to highlight the opposite in order to benefit the conservation of whales and perhaps one day use carbon credits to support research, the debate is misguiding and creates false hope.
“This is in contrast to media perpetuating whales as climate engineers.
“Creating false hope in the ability of charismatic species to be climate engineers may act to further delay the urgent behavioural change needed to avert catastrophic climate change impacts, which can in turn have indirect consequences for the recovery of whale populations.”
The ocean carbon cycle is a major driver of the world’s climate and further investigation on existing gaps in whale ecology will help clarify their contribution to it, stressed the team.
There are other potential pathways in which whales can contribute to carbon capture: through their biomass in which carbon is kept for decades (depending on their life span); and when a whale dies by falling to the ocean floor where it may eventually be covered by sediment.
And while whales were vital to the healthy functioning of marine ecosystems, Dr Meynecke said overstating their ability to prevent or counterbalance human-induced changes in global carbon budgets may unintentionally redirect attention from well-established methods of reducing greenhouse gases.
“Previous estimations neglect the scale in which carbon sequestration occurred both temporally and spatially. Some of the pathways suggested for carbon sequestration such as whale falls (when whales die and sink to the ocean floor but retain carbon for decades) also underestimate the breathing of whales.
“We think it is important to acknowledge that there are other values of whales that are more relevant to drive their conservation than carbon capture.
“Large scale protection of marine environments including the habitats of whales will build resilience and assist with natural carbon capture at a global scale.”
This research was assisted by funding to the Whales and Climate Research Program.
Griffith researchers collaborated on new study that shows humans are taking colossal risks with the future of civilization and everything that lives on Earth.
Published in Nature, researchers from across the globe delivered the first quantification of safe and just Earth system boundaries on a global and local level for biophysical processes and systems that regulate the state of the Earth system.
Member of the Earth Commission, Professor Stuart Bunn, from the Australian Rivers Institute
“For the first time, we have assessed safety and justice for humanity on Earth, quantifying some of the key variables regulating life support and Earth system stability,” said author and member of the Earth Commission, Professor Stuart Bunn from the Australian Rivers Institute.
“By incorporating justice, the idea of avoiding significant harm to people across the world, into our assessment of Earth system boundaries, it further tightens safe operating range for humans on Earth with regard to climate, water, biosphere, nutrient use/cycle and pollutants.”
As this research convened by the Earth Commission concludes, this is extremely challenging because several of these safe boundaries have already been crossed.
“We are in the Anthropocene, putting the stability and resilience of the entire planet at risk. This is why, for the first time, we present quantifiable numbers and a solid scientific foundation to assess the state of our planetary, health not only in terms of Earth System stability and resilience but also in terms of human wellbeing and equity / justice.” said Prof. Johan Rockström, Earth Commission Co-Chair, lead author and Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.
Visualisations of global and sub-global safe and just earth systems boundaries
Justice tightens the available space for humans on Earth
The Earth system is an interconnected set of biophysical processes that operate across regions and scales, where interference in one part of the world can have enormous impacts on other regions.
This study builds on the scientific evidence defining the biophysical conditions to maintain a stable planet to underpin life on Earth by providing safe and just earth system boundaries for five critical domains that play a key role in life support and Earth stability. It also explores what is needed to minimise significant harm to humans due to changes in the Earth system.
Dr Ben Stewart-Koster, a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Rivers Institute and a Research Scientist for the Earth Commission
“Safe boundaries ensure stable and resilient conditions on Earth and use an interglacial Holocene-like Earth system functioning as a reference point for a healthy planet,” said co-author and Earth Commission staff member, Dr Ben Stewart-Koster, from the Australian Rivers Institute.
“Some boundaries, such as surface and groundwater flows, are designed to protect ecosystems and ecosystem services on which communities rely.”
A stable and resilient Earth is dominated by balancing feedbacks that cope with buffer and dampen disturbances. Cutting edge science on climate tipping points feature as one major line of evidence to set safe boundaries.
Just boundaries minimize human exposure to significant harm or irreversible negative impacts on countries, communities and individuals from Earth system change and ensure minimum access to resources for people.
The Safe and Just boundaries take the stricter of the two quantified levels.
For a safe future, the world needs global targets beyond climate
Global target setting has focused on climate change and limiting global warming well below 2°C and aiming at 1.5°C according to the Paris Agreement. The world has already passed the safe and just climate boundary, which is set at 1°C above pre-industrial temperature levels, as tens of millions of people are already harmed by the current level of climate change.
Science also clearly shows there is a need to manage all the other biophysical systems and processes on Earth that determine the liveability on the planet.
Hotspots where Earth System Boundaries are being transgressed. The number of sub-global climate, functional integrity, surface water, groundwater, nitrogen, phosphorus and aerosol safe and just ESBs currently transgressed by location.
Health indicators for people and the planet
The quantified safe and just boundaries for other biophysical systems such as biodiversity, freshwater and different kinds of pollution to air, soil and water have also mostly been breached.
Dr Christopher Ndehedehe from Griffith University’s Australian Rivers Institute
For example, human activities are altering water flows, excessive amounts of nutrients are released into waterways from fertiliser use, and limited natural areas are left.
“Human activities are altering surface water flows, and unsustainable groundwater pumping will lead to rapid declines in groundwater storage, jeopardising global food security, and decreasing ecosystem resilience to drought as well as causing the loss of groundwater-dependent ecosystems”, said co-author, Dr Christopher Ndehedehe from Griffith University.
“These pose existential threats for a stable planet, to ecosystems and their vital contributions to people.”
“The results of our health check are quite concerning: Within the five analysed domains, several boundaries, on a global and local scale, are already transgressed. This means that unless a timely transformation occurs, it is most likely that irreversible tipping points and widespread impacts on human well-being will be unavoidable. Avoiding that scenario is crucial if we want to secure a safe and just future for current and future generations,” continued Rockström.
Science for real world application
“The Earth Systems Boundaries need to be translated so that businesses, cities, governments and civil society can understand their share of resources and responsibilities”, said co-author and Earth Commission staff member, Syezlin Hasan from the Australian Rivers Institute.
Earth Commission staff member, Syezlin Hasan from the Australian Rivers Institute.
“This will underpin the setting of actor-specific science-based targets to address increasing human exposure to the climate emergency, biodiversity decline, water shortages, ecosystem damage from fertiliser overuse in some parts of the world coupled with lack of access elsewhere, and health damage from air pollution.
In a time of increasing scrutiny and expectations, the resilience and success of businesses, cities and governments will depend on their ability to accurately measure their resource use and environmental impacts and take swift actions towards reducing their negative impacts on people and planet. This can enhance their ability to take advantage of opportunities that arise within the finite limits of the planet.
“A safe and just transformation of the planet requires urgent, collective action by actors within governments, cities and businesses to move us back within Earth system boundaries and keep our planet’s life support system intact,” Professor Bunn said.
“With this global scientific assessment, we provide all stakeholders with scientific boundaries that can enable a prosperous and equitable world development on a stable planet, a better future for people and planet. This new science functions as input to the development of science-based targets. These can be adopted by cities, businesses and countries to address the systemic global crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, nutrient overloading, overuse of water, and air pollution.” concludes Rockström.
Researchers from the Griffith Asia Institute (GAI) have proven that lower application rates of fertilisers do not affect the yield or quality of two mango varieties in Southern Vietnam.
An investigation into the current fertiliser practices of smallholder mango farmers in Dong Thap and Tien Giang provinces found that the desire to maximise yield was leading to a widespread overuse of fertiliser, resulting in higher production costs, an exacerbated susceptibility to pests and disease, and significant environmental impacts.
Son Van Nguyen of SOFRI with one of the trial’s smallholder mango farmers
Trials conducted in collaboration with in-country researchers from the Southern Horticultural Research Institute (SOFRI) demonstrated that mango yield and quality can be maintained with lower application rates. Further testing was then undertaken to ascertain the optimum application rates.
Peter Johnson, an adjunct industry fellow with GAI, was the lead horticulturalist on the study.
“We tested the effects of four NPK (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium) fertiliser treatments on the Cat Chu and Cat Hoa Loc varieties of mango,” Johnson said.
“While the different treatments had varying effects on components such as weight, length, or edible portion, our results indicated that overall yield and quality could be maintained with a lower dosage than the current industry standard.
“The next step is to upskill farmers in fertiliser management and increase their ability to make informed scientific and economic decisions about their fertiliser program.”
The study was part of a larger project, led by GAI’s agribusiness expert Associate Professor Robin E Roberts and funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, which aims to improve smallholder farmer incomes by increasing the competitiveness of selected mango value chains in Southern Vietnam.
Agribusiness Expert Robin E Roberts
Fertiliser management is just one of the many interventions which the research identified and tested to provide evidence-based proofs of concept within the project.
“Mangoes are one of the most significant contributors to Vietnam’s economy, with nearly sixty percent of the farming occurring in the Mekong Delta region,” Associate Professor Roberts said.
“Despite the industry’s rapid growth, farmers are still facing challenges such as fluctuating market pricing, higher production costs, and changing seasonal conditions.
“Small modifications to on-farm practices will not only decrease production costs, but they’ll also improve mango quality and competitiveness in critical points along the supply chain, which will ultimately improve the farmers’ net incomes.”
GAI and SOFRI are eager to continue their work with mango supply chain stakeholders in the region. They are currently preparing to publish their findings in a scientific journal.
Dean of Griffith’s Sustainable Development Goals Performance, Associate Professor Jennifer Boddy.
The 17 UN SDGs provide a framework for tackling climate change, providing health and education for all, eradicating inequality and oppression, and supporting sustainable economic growth.
Dean of Griffith’s Sustainable Development Goals Performance Associate Professor Jennifer Boddy said the SDGs provide a sense of common purpose throughout the university.
“This is an excellent outcome particularly considering the number of institutions participating this year has risen from 1,410 in 2022 to 1,591 in 2023,” Associate Professor Boddy said.
“Thank you to all staff and students who have supported social, environmental, and economic sustainability initiatives and research at Griffith this year.
Griffith Vice Chancellor and President Professor Carolyn Evans.
“It is only by working together that we can achieve the 2030 SDG Agenda and we hope the work featured here inspires the collaborative efforts we need for a sustainable future for all.”
Vice Chancellor and President Professor Carolyn Evans said ambitious action for a sustainable future has never been more necessary.
“I commend all staff and students from across the University who continue to make Griffith proud of its reputation for sustainability impact and leadership.
“Griffith’s Strategic Plan: Creating a future for all 2020-2025, calls for the UN SDGs to be used as the framework for guiding efforts and measuring impact in alignment with our four main values: First Peoples, environmental sustainability, diversity and inclusion and social justice.
“These values guide our commitments and actions as a sustainable, futures-focused organisation driven to achieve positive impact.
“Our researchers are driving world class outcomes through our innovative centres and beacons including the Climate Action Beacon, Disrupting Violence Beacon and Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability.”
Griffith’s sustainability impact ranking in detail:
Promoting partnerships for the goals (SDG #17), Griffith ranked 1st in Queenlsland, 8 in Australia and 54 out of 1625 institutions worldwide.
Promoting peaceful and inclusive societies (SDG #16), Griffith Ranked 1 in Queensland, 2 in Australia and 19 out of 910 institutions worldwide.
Promoting good health and wellbeing (SDG #3), Griffith ranked 2 in Queensland, 7 in Australia and 27 out of 1218 institutions worldwide.
Promoting decent work and economic growth (SDG #8), Griffith ranked 3 in Queensland, 11 in Australia and 61 out of 960 institutions worldwide.
A few highlights which contribute to Griffith’s sustainability impact include:
Photo by Nery Zarate on Unsplash
Fighting the youth vaping pandemic, the Blurred Minds Academy was established by Social Marketing @ Griffith and features eleven evidence-based and gamified modules to support teachers in delivering alcohol and drug education. SDG #3 Good health and wellbeing
Griffith University launched Disrupting Violence Beacon offering solutions to violence with an innovative breadth of multi-disciplinary research responding to issues of justice, risk prevention, building security and breaking cycles of violence. SDG #5 Gender Equality
Griffith-led research from the Australian Rivers Institute has shown constructed wetlands commonly used in wastewater and stormwater treatment systems are also successful filters for microplastics and could prevent microplastics from spreading downstream and contamination rivers and oceans. SDG #6 Clean Water and Sanitation
Sorella’s Story is a 360-degree movie experience allowing the viewer to follow the first-person account of Sorella by wearing a virtual reality goggles. The project was inspired by an historical investigation and directly challenges war, injustice and historical atrocities, promoting peace and justice through empathy and human connection. SDG #16 Peace, Justice and strong institutions.
Griffith University joined the war on waste with its Repair Cafés which aims to encourage people to give new life to their broken or damaged belongings rather than prematurely sending them to landfill or e-waste recycling. SDG #12 Responsible Consumption and Production
Pro Vice Chancellor (Business), Professor Caitlin Byrne, is set join several other Griffith University leaders in participation of the Vinnies Gold Coast CEO Sleepout on June 22, an initiative aimed at raising awareness and funds for Australians facing homelessness.
As a responsible leader dedicated to inclusivity and social responsibility, Professor Byrne’s involvement exemplifies the core values of Griffith Business School. Her active engagement in fundraising for St. Vincent de Paul, an organization that provides vital support to those in need within our communities, underscores the school’s mission.
Professor Byrne is eager to contribute to the cause that provides food and accommodation to those in need in our communities.
“Homelessness is a persistent issue in our communities. Research indicates that Queensland is experiencing a 22% rise in homelessness rates since 2017, compared to only 8% across Australia. In some parts of regional Queensland, the increase is significantly higher. This highlights the importance of raising funds to help break the cycle of homelessness and poverty in Australia.”
Griffith Business School’s commitment to addressing pressing social issues extends beyond individual efforts. Dr Benjamin Liu, Director of the Social and Affordable Housing Research Cluster within the Department of Accounting, Finance, and Economics, has recently overseen the work of five PhD scholars who have delved into housing affordability issues. These scholars have explored the impacts and potential scientific solutions and innovations, such as build-to-rent, private-public partnerships, and shared equity, for various stakeholders involved.
Recognising the multifaceted impacts of housing-related issues, Dr Liu emphasises the need for further research in this crucial area. “The significance of research in addressing housing affordability cannot be overstated. Currently, over 240,000 households across the country find themselves on waiting lists for public and community housing. By 2025, an estimated 1.6 billion individuals worldwide are projected to face financial difficulties when seeking housing.”
Griffith Business School is also dedicated to nurturing responsible leadership and empowering its students to contribute meaningfully to their communities. One such example is Chrystal Coughlan, a Griffith Business School Student Leader and enthusiastic volunteer for St. Vincent de Paul. Chrystal recently engaged in a conversation with Professor Caitlin Byrne to explore avenues for supporting students in accessing volunteer opportunities. She highlights the School’s deep commitment to social responsibility as a pivotal factor that influenced her decision to study at Griffith. “The focus on social responsibility isn’t just talk; it’s a fundamental part of the learning experience.”
If you would like to join the School in supporting Professor Caitlin Byrne and the Griffith University team in making a positive impact on the lives of Australians experiencing homelessness, you can make a donation here: https://www.ceosleepout.org.au/fundraisers/griffithuni
Building just system responses to intimate partner violence and coercive control: Four points to consider
Policy responses to domestic and family violence are shifting Australia wide, influenced by the latest National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-2023. In Queensland, the recommendations from the Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce has provided a springboard for discussions on how best to construct responses to coercive control that hold those using violence accountable, but do not have unintended impacts on victim-survivors. To achieve just outcomes for victim-survivors, just systems responses are needed.
Gaps in current systems responses in Queensland have contributed to high-profile domestic homicides. The coroners’ report into the death of Hannah Clarke and her three children, recognised a failure of all agencies to recognise the extreme risk of lethality, given that the offender had not been physically violent. Part of the reason for this is that physically violent acts can be recorded as incident by police and services, whereas coercive control is made up of series of controlling and manipulative behaviours that create fear.
Changes in policy responses provides an opportunity to rethink and redesign how systems respond to coercive control, with a focus on ensuring systems are just. Four points need to be considered in building just system responses to coercive control:
1) Identifying a pattern of behaviour
To build a systems based on just responses, agencies need to shift from focusing on incidents of violence, and instead focus on patterns of controlling behaviour. This shift is already occurring. For example, the Safe and Together training undertaken by Child Safety in Queensland encourages child protection practitioners to focus on ‘pivoting to the perpetrator’ by documenting the patterns of behaviour that fathers are using in the home, and the impacts these are having on women and children. Documenting the patterns of behaviours allows for more informed decision making by practitioners, and can better inform legal decision making. Information sharing between agencies is integral in documenting patterns of behaviour, and creating a holistic understanding of risk.
The shift towards a pattern based approach will take time because incident focussed responses still dominates the overall system. This is evident when engaging men in men’s behaviour change programs. During the first few weeks of programs, men consistently focus on ‘the incident’ which saw them charged, and ultimately mandated to a program. This narrative has been encouraged by justice system responses, which focus on specific incidents. The focus by men on ‘the incident’ encourages denial, minimisation and blame in the first few weeks of programs, as they try to justify and argue their behaviours in a specific moment in time. Focusing on a sustained pattern of behaviour, and its impacts, encourages accountability. In doing so it helps the men unravel ways of thinking and behaving that they have normalised in their relationships with women and children.
“The focus by men on ‘the incident’ encourages denial, minimisation and blame in the first few weeks of programs, … “
2) Intersecting vulnerabilities
Intersectionality is an important consideration in understanding variable vulnerabilities amongst women who have experienced DFV. This can include issues such as mental health, rurality, poverty, citizenship status, and cultural identity. Migrant and culturally and linguistically diverse women (CALD) are often identified as a group that is highly vulnerable to the perpetration of domestic and family violence, but also to systems abuse, therefore requiring responses that acknowledge these intersecting vulnerabilities. There are forms of abuse that are more prevalent or more effective in harming or controlling when perpetrated against CALD women. Some of this abuse includes not allowing the woman to participate in religious practices, sharing false or inappropriate information with community members to damage the woman’s reputation, refusing to let her socialise with people from her language group particularly when she does not speak English, and threats of deportation. CALD women often rely on technology to stay in contact with family overseas and are particularly harmed when unable to access technology. While many of these behaviours can be perceived as social control or psychological abuse, they are not clearly typified in law and the true impact of these abuses on women is not obvious to the mainstream. This is further complicated when referring to violence perverting specific cultural practices, such as dowry theft.
The need for a nuance understanding of domestic and family violence is also fundamental to allow police and legal systems to identify the correct perpetrator of violence and the impact of legal consequences. Women have often chosen to not report violence due to fear of the impact of reporting on their visas. Other common problem is women that do not speak English fluently being disadvantaged on their interactions with the police.
First Nation women have shared similar concerns when it comes to laws around domestic and family violence, with intersecting vulnerabilities not being acknowledged (involving also culture and language) and the difficulty to trust legal interventions considering the high incarceration rates for aboriginal people, with aboriginal women routinely perceived as the offender and not the primary victim by the police.
The introduction of the concept of coercive control into criminal law and the creation of a specific offense to account for this crime is an attempt to increase safety and have a legal response to the pattern of abuse that is less visible in domestic and family violence. It should create a system that is more sensitive to diverse survivors’ needs, and capable of responding earlier to abuse, preventing fatalities. Calibrating the system to this change is fundamental though to prevent further harm to the most vulnerable.
3) Why differential responses to justice are needed
Coercive control has been incorporated in Queensland and NSW, progressing a discussion on the best way to respond to this violence, including civil and criminal law responses. The discussion also includes extensive training for law enforcement to be able to understand the nuance in the concept and trial projects to enhance collaboration between specialist services and the police. This law can only work if systems responses change.
The concept of coercive control has to be incorporated to law to expand the definition of domestic violence and the options for responding to violence. A purely punitive response leading to imprisonment cannot attend to the need of diverse survivors and communities. At the same time perpetrators are not heterogeneous group and need a range of responses suitable for both accountability and enabling change. While restorative justice may not always be the answer in these cases either due to the difficulty to determine consent in a context of coercive control, victims need to feel empowered by the legal process in order to cooperate and they need the reassurance they will not face homelessness, deportation or loss of custody of their children if they report coercive control.
4) Community education
Encouraging community accountability is integral to creating just systems responses to coercive control. To encourage community members to report concerns to agencies, or to assist friends and family in seeking support, community members need to have a good understanding of coercive control. Community education is needed to combat commonly held misconceptions about coercive control. Trust in systems responses is integral to community engagement. Community education also needs to incorporate how communities can play a role in addressing coercive control, and what roles bystanders can play. If communities are more informed about coercive control, they will be better placed to make informed choices about when to act. Creating whole of community responses to coercive control is essential to prevention of domestic and family violence.
Authors
Amy Young, Ana Borges-Jelinic, Elena Marchetti and Patrick O’Leary,
Disrupting Violence Beacon, Griffith University
Portable ultrasound devices could provide an alternative to x-ray machines for diagnosing forearm fractures in children in a move that could alleviate waiting times for families in hospital emergency departments (ED).
Dr Snelling said the ultrasounds were performed by nurses, physiotherapists and emergency physicians at four south-east Queensland hospitals.
“They treated 270 children, aged between five and 15 years, during the randomised trial, which included a check-up 28 days later and another check-in at eight weeks,” Dr Snelling said.
“The findings show the majority of children had similar recoveries and returned to full physical function.”
Less than one-third of children who were given an ultrasound needed a follow-up x-ray and care at an orthopaedic clinic.
Those who didn’t have a buckle fracture or fractured arm were discharged from hospital without the need for further imaging.
Professor Ware said children who had an ultrasound initially had fewer x-rays, and shorter stays in the ED.
“Families were also more satisfied with the treatment they received,” he said.
“The results are promising and have wider implications beyond in hospital diagnosis and follow up care.
“By using a bedside ultrasound, this frees up the x-ray machine for patients who really need it and can potentially be a cost-cutting measure for hospitals as they reduce the number of x-rays without comprising the safety of patients.
“It also would be extremely beneficial in rural or remote areas eliminating the need for children and their families to travel to a larger hospital for an x-ray.”
Dr David Bade, Queensland Children’s Hospital Director of Orthopaedic Surgery said: “This research will allow us to achieve a more efficient diagnostic and treatment service for these common injuries, not only in big tertiary hospitals but possibly also in smaller regional and even rural centres, where there can be a delay for X-ray diagnosis.
“Collaborative research such as this, allows us to tackle such health inequality in a small but meaningful way.”
Professor Hugh Grantham ASM, Emergency Medicine Foundation Chair said: “This is a great example of emergency medicine research at its best: identifying practical, translatable interventions that provide immediate positive outcomes for patients, and help relieve the burden on our hospitals and health system.”
The research was funded through grants from the Emergency Medicine Foundation, Wishlist Sunshine Coast Hospital Foundation, Queensland Advancing Clinical Research Fellowships and the Gold Coast Health Study Education and Research Trust Fund.
Dr Snelling is a practicing Paediatric Emergency Physician Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, which offered two of the sites where the study was undertaken.
Last week, Professor Rosemary Stockdale, Dean Engagement, welcomed alumni and industry partners to the Griffith Business School Showcase. This event brought together members of the vibrant Gold Coast business community, fostering an environment of connection, collaboration, and the development of fruitful partnerships.
Highlighting the event’s significance, Professor Caitlin Byrne, Pro Vice Chancellor (Business), emphasised that the showcase truly encapsulates the value proposition of the School and said;
“Through deep engagement with our key partners in government, industry, and business, we strive to make a significant impact in the communities we serve.”
The guests heard from two exceptional Griffith Business School graduates who shared their transformative experiences during internships. Dr. Melodie Ruwet, whose internship at CSIRO provided invaluable insights into the contributions that PhD candidates can make to organisations. She provided crucial skills such as project management, critical thinking, research, and conducting interviews and surveys.
Another alumnus, Rob Rollington, recounted his own internship journey at Griffith, which led him to welcome interns into his company as part of the Work Integrated Learning program. He conveyed the immeasurable benefits of sharing knowledge and mentoring students and shared an example of how an intern’s current property management studies greatly contributed to a development project by providing insights on relevant new legislation.
Dr. Anna Kralj, from the Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT), provided an enthralling glimpse into the ground-breaking business applications of the cutting-edge tools available in the GIFT Biosensor Lab. Attendees learned about state-of-the-art technologies, including virtual reality eye-tracking, screen-based eye tracking, mobile eye-tracking glasses, facial expression analysis, and electro-dermal hardware, which enable the real-time analysis of participants’ physiological and emotional reactions.
In her closing remarks, Professor Stockdale reiterated the significance of these inspiring stories and highlighted the countless possibilities that lie in collaborating with the school. She also highlighted that PhD candidates bring a lot to the table and that the School is welcoming companies to engage one of our PhD candidates on a scholarship.
