Australia’s leading whistleblowing law expert has welcomed the introduction by the Federal Government of its ‘long overdue’ whistleblower protection legislation, the Public Interest Disclosure Bill 2013.
Griffith University professor of public policy and law, A J Brown, said that the Bill’s introduction brought the Government one step closer to fulfilling its promise of the world’s ‘best practice’ whistleblower protection for federal public servants who speak up about wrongdoing.
“Griffith University is proud to have led the comprehensive Australian Research Council project, Whistling While They Work, which has informed the five years of deliberation over this vital accountability reform,” Professor Brown said.
The Whistling While They Work recommendations, first launched in 2008 by then Special Minister of State Senator John Faulkner, have already led to amended or new Public Interest Disclosure Acts in Queensland, NSW and the ACT.
The research also informed the Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) Bill 2012, introduced to the federal parliament by Independent MP Andrew Wilkie in October.
“By finally introducing its own Bill, the Government is showing its commitment to see meaningful reform achieved in this parliament,” Professor Brown said.
“The Government’s Bill can now be studied closely against Mr Wilkie’s bill, and other current best practice legislation around the nation and the world, to ensure we get a protection regime for public interest whistleblowers which can serve Australia for decades to come.”
The Whistling While They Work research revealed reporting by employees as the single most important way that wrongdoing within government is brought to light and dealt with, but that fewer than 2% of public sector whistleblowers received formal support and protection.
The findings of further research by Griffith University, published last year, revealed that while 80% of Australian employees would feel personally obliged to blow the whistle on wrongdoing within their organisations, only 49% felt their management would be serious about protecting them — a figure which was only 33% among federal public servants.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the Attorney-General (Mark Dreyfus QC), Mr Wilkie, and all political parties over the coming weeks, to see these historic commitments to best-practice legislation finally met,” Professor Brown said.
Working with amazing but very ill children is one of the career highlights for Holli Lennox.
“My love of children was one of the reasons I wanted to get into nursing,” says the 22 year old Griffith Bachelor of Nursing student, who has just been offered a full-time job as a nurse at Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital.
“It has been really exciting to be offered this position after all the hard work I’ve put in, both on the Griffith degree and previously during my time as an enrolled nurse.
“I originally completed an 18 month diploma in nursing at TAFE as I was unsure about nursing as a career. But once I had made up my mind about it, I was really keen to become a full registered nurse and therefore take on a much broader scope of practice. It was fantastic to find that I could go straight to Griffith and just complete the second and third years of the degree to do that.
“I admit I was a little bit scared about attending seminars where other students had a good grounding in the scientific subjects and knew the meaning of terms such as ‘lecture capture,’ but I soon met some great friends and the lecturers were very supportive.”
A range of placements
As part of the degree, Holli also had the opportunity to do a range of placements in both hospitals and within the community.
“Working alongside the school nurse in a local school was really fun, but it was during my time in the oncology unit of a children’s ward that I found nursing the most rewarding. I got to know some really amazing children, who although they may have been having very debilitating treatments for cancer, were still resilient despite their plight. One minute they could be throwing up and the next they would be asking me to help them with their colouring in!”Preview post
Now Holli will start work as a general nurse, rotating around different medical areas as the PA Hospital requires. “I’m really looking forward to the challenge of gaining a broad knowledge of so many different areas of nursing,” she says.
Ms Lisa Mair, a criminology alumnus changing lives around the world, shares her achievements and experiences with Alumni e-news.
What years did you attend Griffith University and what campus? 2006-2010 at the Nathan campus
What are your current education qualifications? Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice M.Phil. Theory and practise of human rights (completed at the University of Oslo, Norway)
Where are you currently based in the world? Bergen, Norway
Which industry do you currently work in? Norwegian Police Force – Unit for Organised Crime / Human Trafficking
What is your job title? Advisor / Criminal Analyst (Human Trafficking)
What is your current company? Hordaland Police District
Please provide an overview of your current role, the steps you took to reach this point in your career and the successes / accolades you may have achieved along the way? My current role involves the systematic analysis of trends in human trafficking. The unit I am working for is not only limited to case work, but also focuses on raising public awareness on the broader issues related to human trafficking.
Before starting my current role, I participated in the Griffith Exchange program in Bergen, Norway. During my exchange in Bergen I became interested in social justice and Norway’s view towards human trafficking and victim support.
After completing my bachelor degree at Griffith, I then applied for a master degree in Human Rights at the University of Oslo. During my time as a student in Oslo, I learnt Norwegian and Russian, two important languages for gaining employment here in Norway.
Shortly after completing my studies, I was offered a position working as a Project Leader within the Bergen City Council offering security assistance for victims of forced marriage. Whilst working in this role, I was contacted by the Hordaland Police in Bergen and offered a permanent job working as an advisor in the organised crime unit for human trafficking.
As an advisor in human trafficking, I have been fortunate enough to meet and collaborate with a number of expert groups specialising in transnational crime.
Through this role, I have had the opportunity to work with cases world-wide and have gained valuable knowledge which I will carry with me for a life time.
How have you been able to do more, by knowing more thanks to your Griffith education qualifications? I credit the opportunities I have received to the valuable skills and education I gained from my studies at Griffith. I would not hesitate in recommending the Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice to future students considering work in this field.
How would you like to (continue to) make a difference? I would like to make a difference by raising awareness in the field of human trafficking. I have always had a keen interest in working in Norway, due to their policies relating to human trafficking and the action plan they have used to protect victims of such crimes. I am currently based in Norway, but would like to bring my skills and experience to Australia in the future.
What has your involvement been with Griffith Alumni and how has engaging with our worldwide Griffith community benefited you? Despite being based internationally, Griffith Alumni keeps me updated with research and developments happening at the University on a regular basis so I still feel part of the Griffith Community. Griffith Alumni is a brilliant way to stay in touch.
An international study, involving researchers from Griffith University’s Eskitis Institute, has discovered a molecule which could form the basis of powerful new anti-malaria drugs. Professor Vicky Avery from Griffith University’s Eskitis Institute is co-author of the paper “Quinolone-3-Diarylethers: a new class of drugs for a new era of malaria eradication” which has been published in the journal Science Translational Medicine. “The 4(1H)-quinolone-3- diarylethers are selective potent inhibitors of the parasite mitochondrial cytochrome bc1 complex,” Professor Avery said. “These compounds are highly active against the types of malaria parasites which infect humans, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax,” she said. “What is really exciting about this study is that a new class of drugs based on the 4(1H)-quinolone-3- diarylethers would target the malaria parasite at different stages of its lifecycle.” This provides the potential to not only kill the parasite in people who are infected, thus treating the clinical symptoms of the disease, but also to reduce transmission rates. “Just one of these properties would be of great benefit but to achieve both would really make a difference in reducing the disease burden on developing nations,” Professor Avery said. “There is also the real possibility that we could begin to impact on the incidence and spread of malaria, bringing us closer to the ultimate goal of wiping out malaria altogether.” The selected preclinical candidate compound, ELQ-300, has been demonstrated to be very effective at blocking transmission in the mouse models. There is a further benefit in that the predicted dosage in patients would be very low and it’s expected that ELQ-300, which has a long half-life, would provide significant protection. The development of a new chemical class of anti-malarial drugs is very timely as the parasite is becoming increasing resistant to currently available treatments. Eskitis Director Professor Ronald J Quinn AM said “I congratulate Professor Avery on her contribution to the discovery of this new class of anti-malarials. “This is an exciting discovery that closely aligns with the Institute’s focus on global health and fighting diseases that burden the developing world. We are continuing to take the fight to malaria along a number of fronts, including targeting its many life cycle stages.”
Her Royal Highness Princess Angelikase Latufuipeka Tuku’Aho of Tonga, visited Griffith University’s Logan campus today to a rousing reception from a group of local Pacific Islander high school students.
The Princess’ visit to Logan came in response to her interest the University’s LEAD program (Legacy, Education, Achievement, Dream) for Pasifika students delivered in four partner Uni-Reach high schools that have significant numbers of Pasifika students: Beenleigh, Keebra Park, Woodridge and Glenala State High Schools.
The Princess was the guest of Griffith’s Student Equity Services as the visit provided an opportunity to meet with Griffith’s Pasifika outreach and to open the third LEAD Leadership Forum on the Logan campus.
Princess Angelika Tuku’Aho was warmly welcomed by the Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost, Professor Marilyn McMeniman, and the beautiful voices of a community choir, before she gave a heartfelt keynote address for the high schools students in attendance.
In her speech she reflected on her love of family, heritage, culture and knowledge, as she outlined the many personal benefits that she had gained through pursuing a higher education.
“Investment in knowledge still pays the best interest,” she said.
Princess Angelika Tuku’Aho, spoke with great empathy towards the local high school students as discussed her own struggles as she strove to achieve her goals, such as her homesickness whilst studying overseas for a bachelor of business management.
“The calling was greater than the cost,” she said, “And with my knowledge and experience from higher education, I can assist Tongan communities here in Australia and at home in Tonga.”
Princess Angelika, who is also the Tongan High Commissioner to Australia arrived in Brisbane on 21 March and held a full-day visit to Glenala State High School, which has a large Tongan community, before attending the LEAD Leadership forum.
The Princesses address was followed by a performance of traditional dance as well as the fun and engaging words of Mr Jack Ryan, Principal of the Brisbane Adventist College.
As a New Zealand born Samoa, Mr Ryan spoke on common terms and often in their own language as he empathised with the students and shared some of his own story of graduating from youthful misdemeanors to success through education and a love for his cultural heritage.
“I went back to school, put my head down tail up and did some work,” he said. “I found where the library was and I actually went in…”
“I discovered books, I disciplined myself to listen in class. I mean really listen and I was amazed to find that I started to hear what was being said.
“As I began to learn my eyes were opened to the vibrant cultures and rich histories of the world, my teachers at Calton Boys high school taught me that I lived in a much bigger space than the west side of Auckland city.
“My view of what I could be had been limited by the stereotype cast for me and of Pasifika peoples and what we could or couldn’t achieve.”
The welcome event was completed by an exchanging of gifts by Princess Angelika and the organisers before the LEAD workshops commenced.
Tourism businesses must take increased responsibility for water use across the industry in the face of rising costs and a fast-depleting resource.
This was one of the key messages presented to the Singapore International Water Festival this week, where water consumption among tourism operators in the Asia-Pacific region came under the spotlight.
Griffith University Professor of Sustainable Tourism, Susanne Becken, outlined significant threats posed by further growth of an industry that brings more and more visitors to destinations like China, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan and Malaysia each year.
“The average guest accounts for up to 1000 litres of water per hotel night in many of the Asian countries, compared with an average 250 litres per hotel night in Australia,” Professor Becken said.
“In a region where there is massive tourism growth, alongside major population growth and industrial development, water is an increasingly scarce resource and an increasingly polluted resource. The Asia Pacific region is facing major issues.”
Professor Becken joined Dr Raj Rajan, vice president of Global Sustainability for Eco-Lab, to present the findings of a white paper on tourism and water at the World Water Day Distinguished Lecture.
The international white paper has been developed by an industry-university research partnership during the past four months, supported by Brisbane-based EarthCheck Research Institute.
It presents a global context on water stress, availability and stewardship and discusses the implications for the tourism industry along the three dimensions of cost, availability and quality.
“The cost of water is likely to increase and legislation that will initiate some form of water footprint is conceivable if not inevitable,” Professor Becken said. “Water is the new carbon.
“Tourism businesses that are prepared to audit and manage their water consumption will have a competitive advantage when expected changes in water regulation and control come into play.
“Increasing water scarcity not only increases regional risk to climate change but also often leads to conflict.” According to the UN Documentation Centre on Water and Sanitation (2012), there were more than 120,000 water-related disputes in China alone since 1990.
The white paper findings place an onus on the Asia-Pacific tourism region to become more involved in understanding their role in water management. The Pacific Asia Travel Association predicts that international visitors to the region in 2014 could exceed half a billion.
“There is a growing realisation that tourism needs to take some responsibility to ensure that not only is water consumed efficiently and in the most sustainable way, but also to ensure that risk management procedures are in place that guarantee continuing water supply for the long-term viability of hospitality businesses, as well as the broader community,” Dr Rajan said.
The paper also outlines how water efficiency can be achieved and undertakes a benchmarking review of hotels in the Asia Pacific using EarthCheck data. Over 60 hotels in China alone were reviewed.
Griffith UniversityProfessors Lyn Griffiths,Peter MilburnandMichael Blumensteinare among the ten new faces to promote the Gold Coast as a leading business events destination.
Part of the Gold Coast Business Events Ambassador Program, the ten ambassadors were named at the official launch of the program this week by Her Excellency Ms Penelope Wensley AC, Governor of Queensland.
The Gold Coast Business Events Ambassador Program is an initiative of Gold Coast Tourism and aims to unite a group of influential leaders from key local industries who are passionate about promoting the Gold Coast to the rest of the world and committed to bringing congresses, conferences and corporate meetings to the City.
A world recognised expert in the field of human gene mapping and molecular genetics, Professor Griffiths heads the Genomics Research Centre at Griffith University on the Gold Coast, as well as being the director of the Griffith Health Institute.
Meanwhile, Professor Peter Milburn heads up Griffith’s School of Rehabilitation Sciences and has also been instrumental in bringing the prestigious World Scientific Congress of Golf to Australia for the first time. The event will be hosted in Australia in 2014. Professor Milburn said his appointment as an ambassador reflected his “passion for the Gold Coast and how the university is now placed to provide even further benefits to the region”.
Professor Michael Blumenstein from Griffith’s School of Information and Communication Technology is a nationally and internationally recognised expert in the areas of automated pattern recognition and Artificial Intelligence.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to put the Gold Coast on the map from a professional perspective and to also provide further prominence for Griffith in terms of the top researchers that the university brings here,” said Professor Blumenstein.
“I am looking forward to bidding for more conferences and events to be brought to the region.”
Business tourism key to the Coast industry
Business tourism is a key part of the Gold Coast tourism industry, contributing significantly to its success in terms of yield and influence. Last year business events contributed over $270 million to the Gold Coast economy.
Gold Coast Tourism Director of Business Events, Anna Case says that the program’s inaugural Ambassadors were identified as a result of their dedicated work with the Gold Coast Convention Bureau in bidding for international events.
