bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Job Sharing in Teaching: Attitudes of Teachers Employed by the New South Wales Department of Education
Authors: Solman Robert , Petty Michael , Laughlin Alan
Published: December 2016

Five hundred and one teachers employed by the New South Wales Department of Education responded to a survey instrument designed to ascertain the attitude of teachers to the possibility of job sharing. These respondents were employed in randomly selected secondary and primary schools in both the city and country regions of New South Wales. They were asked to respond to questions of a biographical kind, to questions which specified general attitudes to job sharing and to questions which asked for their personal views on the subject. The biographical data indicated that the sex breakdown across both the primary and secondary schools closely matched the breakdown in the teaching population. Fifty percent of the sample considered that the introduction of job sharing should be given high or very high priority, and the majority of respondents thought that it would improve teacher job satisfaction, health and well being, absenteeism and work load, but that administration, promotional opportunities and staff/parent relationships would be negatively affected. Fifty five percent of the respondents said that they were interested in a job sharing position, and 56 percent of these interested teachers said that they would like the position now. The pursuit of other interests was the main reason given for wishing to teach in a job sharing capacity. It was concluded that the likely benefits of job sharing probably out‐weigh its costs.
The Infertility (Medical Procedures) Act 1984: A New Dimension of Legal Regulation?
Authors: Corns Christopher Thomas
Published: December 2016

Recent legislation governing the practice of In‐Vitro Fertilization indicates that the traditional regulatory role of the law has significantly expanded. This article examines implications arising from the Victorian Infertility (Medical Procedures) Act 1984 and specifically, the extent to which the law can now regulate the genetic composition of human beings.
Elderly Consumers and Social Care Policy
Authors: Brown Chris , Davey Joan , Halladay Allan
Published: December 2016

The development of social care policy for elderly Australians is proceeding with little regard for the preferences and perspectives as expressed by the elderly themselves. The likely consequence is a continuation of policies based largely on other people's assumptions about what elderly people actually need and the extension of service categories into which many elderly people do not easily fit. Discussions with 71 elderly consumers during 1983 in Queensland established that they have input to make into policy and service delivery issues such as the provision of information on services, the determination of needs, the extension of choices between alternative services and choice of appropriate service providers. Social care policy should not continue to develop around singular and untested assumptions concerning what elderly people need and prefer.
Part Time Work: Paradox in a Shrinking Labour Market
Authors: Weeks Wendy
Published: December 2016

This paper argues that both government and unions have failed to pay sufficient attention to part time work. It is suggested that this is because part time work presents a paradox in a shrinking labour market. Arguments which focus on part time work as the casualisation of labour are considered. The case for the expansion of permanent part time work and job sharing are then discussed. It is proposed that policy development take account of both the problems of the first approach and the possibilities of permanent part time work based on worker choice and control. Areas for further research are finally identified.
Itinerant Children in the Schools: A Neglected Social Issue
Authors: Duffy Eileen P.
Published: December 2016

A hitherto neglected area of social and educational research has been the problems faced by itinerant children in their social development, personal adjustment and educational progress. These problems are likely to grow with the increasing mobility of the Australian population. This article briefly explores the issue and reviews research undertaken with geographically mobile families and children of defence force personnel. It recommends further research to delineate the extent of the problems, identify cause‐effect relationships and help children and their families to cope with the effects of mobility.
Does Australia Have a Filipina Brides Problem?
Authors: Chuah Fred , Chuah Lillian Datario , Reid‐Smith Lee , Rice Alan , Rowley Kelvin
Published: December 2016

This paper challenges the assumption that Australian‐Filipina marriages are prone to high rates of marital breakdown; and the belief that the incidence of Australian‐Filipina marriages is sufficiently large to warrant the introduction of restrictive immigration policies for Filipinas. First we set the problem of Filipina bride migration in perspective by viewing it in the wider context of Australian immigration patterns — something that has been largely neglected in the discussion so far. Then we review the evidence on marital breakdown and show that Filipina‐Australian marriages have been more successful than is commonly assumed. Finally, we consider the standard explanation of the breakdown of Filipina‐Australian marriages in terms of ‘cultural differences’. Our conclusion is that much of the discussion has been based on implicit racial and sexual prejudices, rather than factual evidence.
‘Someone's Decision: That is How I Got Here’
Authors: Minichiello M. Victor
Published: December 2016

In the gerontological literature, the family has been characterised as either a party that has pushed the aged person into nursing homes or one which has assisted them to remain at home. But few studies have systematically examined the role the family plays in placing the older person in a nursing home. As part of a study that is reconstructing the pathway of 90 aged persons moving to nursing homes, this paper identifies the main actors in the institutionalisation decision, as well as the role the aged person, her family and health professionals play in decisions to obtain nursing home care.
Children in De Facto Relationships
Authors: Khoo Siew‐Ean
Published: December 2016

This paper compares the family situation of children living with de facto couples with that of children living with legally married couples and examines the attitudes of de facto couples toward having children. De facto couples with ex‐nuptial children were in a less favourable socio‐economic situation than either de facto couples with step children or married couples with children. Differences were also observed among de facto couples with and without ex‐nuptial children and married couples in their attitudes toward having children ex‐nuptially. However, de facto partners with children and married partners with children did not differ in their attitudes toward children.
Women, Therapy and Dependency
Authors: Hallebone Erica L
Published: December 2016

A microsociological longitudinal study of 120 middle class Melbourne women who were having psychotherapy or counselling was conducted over a five year period. The relative effectiveness of four dominant kinds of psychotherapy was assessed, together with outcomes for types of individuals. The therapies were medical chemotherapy (with psychotherapeutic drugs prescribed by general practitioners), social casework counselling, human relations training and church pastoral counselling. Personal accounts of the women revealed their main concerns were to change their personal identities, and the economic, psychological and emotional aspects of dependency on significant others. After five years, only a small proportion of the total showed positive changes as represented by movement towards independence and autonomy. More than twice as many experienced a serious deterioration of circumstances and increased dependency on others, on therapists and drugs. None of the psychotherapies had much positive outcome. However the clients who felt most helped by the therapies became professional therapists themselves — a finding which suggests the perpetuation of ineffectual systems.
Ethnicity, Race and Nationalism in Australia: Some Critical Perspectives
Authors: Bottomley Gill
Published: December 2016

Over the last 15 years or so, a number of writers have undertaken critical analyses of Australian immigration that have challenged prevailing social science paradigms and raised issues of the representation of social and power relations in a very diverse society. These analyses have located Australian immigration within the context of international capitalism, exploring class segmentation and solidarity, the relation between policies and practice and questions of racism and nationalism.
Suicide in Gaol: The Construction and Measurement of a Phenomenon
Authors: Hatty Suzanne E.
Published: December 2016

The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody has brought the issue of inmate death, especially suicide, to public attention. This paper examines theoretical accounts and existing research on suicide during imprisonment. Current international findings on the characteristics of inmate suicide are discussed and compared with the findings from the first Australian study of death in prison. It is argued that the extant research on suicide presents a fragmented and incomplete account of the phenomenon. Further, the theoretical construction of suicide within international and local research and the methodological approach to its measurement contribute to the obfuscation of specific aspects of the phenomenon. In particular, attention is deflected from the policies and procedures within the institution. Suggested remedies for reducing the incidence of inmate suicide are thus constrained by the initial construction of the issue. The paper concludes with a discussion of the challenges posed for the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. This is contrasted with the need for comprehensive accounts of death in custody which apply to all inmates.
Continuous Parenting and the Clean Break: The Aftermath of Marriage Breakdown
Authors: Harrison Margaret
Published: December 2016

This paper examines the financial disparity between men and women after marriage breakdown in the context of the debate about public support for children and their caretakers. The Australian Institute of Family Studies research into the economic consequences of marriage breakdown, the government's endorsement of reforms for the assessment and collection of child maintenance and the Law Reform Commission's recommendations for the reform of matrimonial property law indicate the need for more clarity and predictability for family law clients. In addition, empirical work highlights the need to eradicate any notion that the clean break philosophy is appropriate for parenting after separation. Whilst family law reforms are already underway in this area, the issues of womens' independence and of child welfare must be looked at in the broader context of employment opportunities and child care.
Let's Get Political: Political Participation Among Social Workers
Authors: Frederico Margarita , Puckett T.C.
Published: December 2016

This paper explores the prescriptive arguments for and against political participation in social work. The literature on political participation is briefly reviewed and data from a survey looking at political participation among social workers is presented. Data analysis on political participation by sex, ethnicity, award, task, years in practice and attitude toward political involvement is presented.
Rendering To Cesa: On the Australian Standard Classification of Occupations
Authors: Starrs Christopher , Vaughan Graeme
Published: December 2016

In a recent number of the Journal Ian Cesa recognises the importance, for social researchers, of the newly developed Australian Standard Classification of Occupations, but offers an incorrect account based upon a superseded, preliminary draft. In this brief note a concise and correct summary of the classification is given with references to the relevant and current publications which explain the implementation of the classification for various purposes.
Towards an Organisational Model of Marital Instability
Authors: Castles Francis G. , Seddon Elizabeth
Published: December 2016

This paper parts company from psychological and much of systems based theorising on the nature of marital instability, and asks whether there might not be fresh insights available from a model of organisational recuperation and decay derived from economic and political analysis. It focuses on situations of incipient marital breakdown as ones in which the participants are confronted by a choice between exit, voice and loyalty, and draws out some of the analytical and therapeutic implications of such an approach.
The Accord, Wages Policy and Social Security
Authors: Burgess John
Published: December 2016

The Accord remains the key policy commitment of the Government. Whilst the operation of the Accord encompasses many policy areas, in practice the Accord has been fundamentally a wages policy. As such, other policy commitments of the Accord, such as those in the area of social security, have become secondary to the maintenance of a sustainable wages policy which produces the ‘correct’ macroeconomic outcomes. In this context two ‘objective’ social security objectives of the Accord are assessed — the indexation of benefits, and the targetting of single benefits to 25 per cent of average weekly male earnings. Both objectives have been compromised by the trade‐offs and deals carried out to sustain the wages regulation component of the Accord. Alternative criteria for indexing benefits and for adjusting benefits relative to other income claims are outlined.
Television Reports of Forensic Hypnosis: What's on the News?
Authors: McConkey Kevin M. , Roche Suzanne M. , Sheehan Peter W.
Published: December 2016

This paper presents a content analysis of television news and current affairs reports of forensic hypnosis focusing on the information conveyed about the nature of hypnosis, the introduction of hypnosis to criminal investigation, the impact of hypnosis on memory, the usefulness of hypnosis in criminal investigation, and the recognition of potential problems associated with forensic hypnosis. Findings indicate that the reports conveyed simplistic notions about hypnosis and memory, and were encouraging and uncritical in their presentation of forensic hypnosis. The research is discussed in terms of the possible influence of the reports on public opinion.
Understanding Ethnic Small Business: A Case Study of Marrickville
Authors: Tait David , Castles Stephen , Gibson Katherine , Collins Jock , Alcorso Caroline
Published: December 2016

Ethnic small businesses are an increasingly important feature of economic life in Australian cities. Which groups are most likely to go into this sector, and what are the factors which make for ‘success’? What is the price for survival in terms of working conditions and family life, and what are the fruits of success? These are some of the questions being investigated in a two‐year study of ethnic small business in the Sydney region. This paper provides the first report from the study, examining the development of Greek and Vietnamese businesses in the inner suburb of Marrickville.
The Accreditation of the Skills of Overseas Trained Workers
Authors: Docking Russell A. , Iredale Robyn R.
Published: December 2016

The recognition of overseas qualifications in Australia continues to be a major problem experienced by migrants, either through a lack of adequate verifiable documentation, difficulties in determining parity with local qualifications, or through problems associated with accrediting experience subsequent to basic training. Rather than the valuation of formal paper qualifications, it is suggested that the skills currently held by the migrant be assessed. The assessment of skills is a more productive and equitable model and should be developed, especially in the context of a dynamic labour market and of a greater emphasis being placed on skills in Australia's immigration policy.
Research and the State: Dilemmas of Feminist Practice
Authors: Meekosha Helen
Published: December 2016

Governments are increasingly protective of the information they gather. This creates a dilemma for feminist researchers retained as consultants, who recognise that those who provide information to researchers have a stake in its use. The current emphasis on crisis management rather than redistributive goals and social rights, poses further problems for researchers who challenge this emphasis by government, and question the bureaucratic forms which maintain women in dependent situations. A suppressed report on women, disability and rehabilitation in Australia is used as a case study.
Inquiring Into Ethics: The Australian Senate and Human Embryo Experimentation
Authors: Albury Rebecca M.
Published: December 2016

The main and dissenting reports of the Senate Select Committee on Human Embryo Experimentation differ in significant respects regarding the ethical issues at stake in experimental research on human embryos and about the appropriate approach to those issues. There are two related issues raised by the reports: who decides and what is decided? What is needed is a form of definition and conflict resolution that recognises that the biology of human reproduction and development is mediated by social and cultural organisation. Broadly based national and state advisory bodies are therefore central to a process that recognises at least three levels of decision making — social, institutional and personal.
The Resurgence of Community Centres
Authors: Healy Judith
Published: December 2016

Small community centres have mushroomed in numbers during the 1980s. Most State welfare departments have announced policies and funding programs to support these centres. These policies espouse potentially conflicting purposes. They include the community development goal of mobilising the community through self help ventures, the reform of the social service delivery system via a local base for better services, and the devolution of welfare responsibilities from central government agencies to community groups.
Women and Government Budgets
Authors: Sharp Rhonda , Broomhill Ray
Published: December 2016

In recognition of the significant, but often unknown, impact of government budgets on the role and status of women, both Federal and State Labor government administrations have introduced ‘women's budget’ statements. It is important to recognise that the political motivation of governments in establishing women's budgets has been primarily political self interest. To some extent, however, the move also reflects the growing economic focus, and power, of the women's movement. This paper examines the content and limitations of women's budget programs.
Mandatory Notification of Child Abuse and Neglect
Authors: Carment Annie
Published: December 2016

The New South Wales Child Protection Council recently issued a Community Consultation Paper detailing a wide range of proposals in relation to the physical abuse and neglect of children. The Paper recommends a considerable expansion of the current requirements for mandatory notification of child abuse and neglect. The rationale behind the Council's support of mandatory notification is, however, open to question in the light of available research findings as well as broad policy considerations.
New Procreative Technologies, Donor Gametes and the Law's Response: Developments in Australia
Authors: Anleu Sharyn L. Roach
Published: December 2016

The availability of artificial insemination by donor (AID) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) has generated considerable ethical, moral, social and legal discussion. Commonwealth and state government inquiries all recommend legislation regulating the experimental and clinical application of new procreative technologies and Victoria and South Australia have passed such laws, A central aspect of the debate regards donated gametes and the status of children. The paper argues that much of the concern over donated sperm and ova is premised on the assumption that ‘true’ parentage has a biological base and that a person's ‘true’ identity is determined genetically. This asocial conception of the family de‐emphasizes both the social influences on personality formation and the relationships which constitute kinship as a social institution.
Social Justice and the Low‐Paid Workers
Authors: Gill Flora
Published: December 2016

This paper defines a minimal set of conditions which must be satisfied by any system purporting to be guided by a notion of social justice with a significant egalitarian element. The aim is to distinguish between egalitarian concern on the one hand and mere alms‐giving sentiment on the other. Taking a broad historical span, the paper shows that, rhetoric apart, the empirical data does not support the claim that egalitarian concerns have played an effective role in determining the value of the real wage for the low‐paid worker. In reality, the fate of low wages appears to have been determined by little more than an alms‐giving sentiment. This has implications not only for current debates over labour market reform but also for social welfare policies in general. This is especially so because of the close affinity between the base Award rate and the evaluation of the ‘poverty line’. Attention to the Award wage of the low‐paid worker, the paper argues, is all the more urgent in the current economic climate when an increasing proportion of workers are likely to be trapped in low paying jobs for very long periods and possibly indefinitely.
The Social Security Act: Just Another Act or a Blueprint for Social Justice?
Authors: Carney Terry
Published: December 2016

This paper takes the opportunity of the Social Security Review to reflect on the meaning of social security reform. It argues that traditional conceptions of the welfare state are unduly narrow and atomistic, concentrating on vesting individuals with social security rights similar to private law notions of contract or properly, and the securing of those rights from depredations by the state. In contrast it contends that social security properly rests on a notion of social rights to participation in society. This is a positive, reciprocal relationship between citizen and state in which both sides have rights and obligations in furthering participation in core social, economic and community activities. The article assays a preliminary statement of ‘social rights’ and considers how new legislation might better harmonize with it.
Drinking and Driving in Western Australia: Perceptions of Practices, Priorities and Preventives
Authors: Loxley Wendy , Saunders Bill , Blaze‐Temple Debra , Binns Colin
Published: December 2016

If politics is the art of the possible, then determining what the public will tolerate is an important step in the design of prevention strategies. In this random survey of 1205 residents of country and urban areas in Western Australia, attitudes towards drinking and driving, drink‐driving behaviour, and opinions of countermeasures were examined. Drink‐driving was seen as an important issue for the community and there was a perception that something needed to be done. Drinking and driving was a well‐established behaviour, but there was evidence that for many people ‘other’ people constitute the drink‐driving problem. There were popular and unpopular preventives, but, interestingly, those that were deemed popular were often believed to be less effective than those that were less popular. The policy implications of these findings are considered, particularly in the light of the current implementation of random breath testing in Western Australia.
The Workers' Compensation System in Victoria: Who Takes the Blame?
Authors: Glaser William , Laster Kathy
Published: December 2016

Four years after its inception, Workcare, the Victorian Government's new workers' compensation scheme, has failed to live up to its promise. Recent reforms have concentrated on identifying groups responsible for the ‘rorts’ and cost ‘blowouts’ of the scheme. It is argued that although this sort of intervention might make economic sense, it continues a tradition of scapegoating individual workers rather than trying to analyse the complex workings of such schemes. Several of the assumptions underlying Workcare (and similar systems) are discussed in order to demonstrate the potential for failure in any benefits delivery system based on status rather than need.
A Question of Power: Contemporary Self–Mutilation among Aborigines in the Kimberley
Authors: Hunter Ernest M
Published: December 2016

Non‐traditional self‐mutilation among young adult Aborigines in the Kimberley region of Western Australia has emerged in the 1980s in parallel to increases in other forms of intentional personal violence (including suicide, homicide and deaths from accidents). Having noted certain characteristics in common with self‐mutilators encountered in psychiatric practice in the wider society, the author proceeds to a socio‐historical analysis that foregrounds the changing intracultural dynamics of power among post‐referendum Kimberley Aborigines. The intercultural context of these changes and the role of alcohol are examined in terms of their impact on the construction of identity.
Low Fertility and the Australian Dream: The Family Background of Australian Children
Authors: Rowland D.T.
Published: December 2016

Despite the attention focused on changes in the family in Australia, the majority of children come from conventional family backgrounds. Most parents still pursue the ‘Australian dream’ of nuclear family life and home ownership. Yet while traditional goals remain Influential among parents, economic and other constraints mean that only a minority of children actually spend their first fifteen years in circumstances approaching a realisation of the ‘Australian dream’.
The Political Attitudes of Australian Voters and Candidates
Authors: McAllister Ian
Published: December 2016

Modern theories of political representation assume that there will be little congruence between the views of political elites and the voters they govern. This paper uses survey data collected among candidates and voters at the 1987 Australian federal election to examine the extent of elite‐mass differences on a range of 33 issues. The results show that Labor candidates and Labor voters are more likely to disagree on political issues, while Liberal‐National candidates and voters are more likely to agree. Candidates of all parties are more liberal on issues such as Asian immigration, law enforcement and the protection of the environment, compared to their voters, while Senate candidates are more liberal than House of Representatives candidates. Finally, as other studies have found, candidates with constituency responsibilities, in this case those standing for the House of Representatives and incumbents, are more likely to be closer to the views of their party's voters than Senate and non‐incumbent candidates.
The Potential of Worker Co‐operatives in Queensland
Authors: Halladay Allan , Peile Colin
Published: December 2016

Australia's response to problems of unemployment, low productivity, industrial peace and individual and societal wellbeing, currently emphasises macro economic policy and the Accord. However, a small minority continue to call for the democratisation of business enterprises. The worker co‐operative is one such mechanism. Following the location of several small groups attempting to work co‐operatively and a survey of the attitudes of critical sectors of the community, this sympathetic and we hope, realistic analysis was undertaken of the potential of worker co‐ operatives in Queensland. Major issues of concern were economic viability, ideology, attitudes of unions and the involvement of the ‘disadvantaged’. We argue that worker co‐operatives can be viable; can tap a broad central band of the political spectrum; can co‐operate with unions; and can play a role in meeting the needs of disadvantaged groups, given a supportive environment While there are strong moral arguments for supporting such alternative approaches to economic organisation, the environment in Queensland is not sympathetic and the task is immense. Those wishing to take up this challenge should focus on education, research, lobbying, dialogue and enterprise development strategies and on the movement phase of co‐operative development.
Support for Income Maintenance Benefits: Attitudes of a Group of Non‐Recipients Toward Three Benefits
Authors: Puckett T.C. , Smith Norman J.
Published: December 2016

This paper compares attitudes of a small sample of people not in receipt of income support benefit recipients in the Melbourne metropolitan area towards three benefits: the aged pension, unemployment and sole parent benefits. From 159 responses to telephone interviews, attitudes are analysed as to availability of benefit by family support, availability on the basis of need, amount of benefit level, and on a self—interest dimension including preparedness to pay additional tax to increase benefit and expected future use of benefit by the respondent. Results indicated strong support for aged pension and weak support for unemployment benefit. Self—interest factors coupled with age and gender characteristics influenced responses. Further research into the relationship between present and future expectations regarding pension/benefit costs and benefits is indicated.
From Secrecy to Surrogacy: Attitudes Toward Adoption in Australian Womens Journals 1947–1987
Authors: Harper Juliet
Published: December 2016

This study of social attitudes to adoption as reflected in Australian women's journals over a forty year period indicates that secrecy has given way to more open acknowledgement of adoptive status and access to original birth records at 18 years in all Australian states. However, while there have been changes in official social welfare policies, the notion of entitlement to a child by a couple still prevails. Despite a more liberal approach towards single parenthood, there remains a strong underlying feeling that the single pregnant female should give up her child so as to allow an infertile couple to create a family.
Drugs, Alcohol And Respiratory Diseases And Social Class in Sydney Western Metropolitan Areas: A Research Note
Authors: Skurray Geoffrey R , Ham Roger
Published: December 2016

An analysis of social and health data available from the 1986 census and hospital records for the Western Metropolitan Region of Sydney, indicated that there was a wide variation in social class ratio, percent of Australian born people, respiratory disease and drug and alcohol morbidity. There was a significant negative correlation between social class and percent of Australian born people. There was no relationship between mortality rates from respiratory diseases and social class ratio or percent of Australian born people. However there was a significant correlation of drug and alcohol morbidity with the social class ratio. External and internal factors may explain these findings.
The Psychological Impact of Work Re‐entry Training for Female Unemployed Sole Parents
Authors: Harry Jan M. , Tiggemann Marika
Published: December 2016

This study examined the psychological effects of short ‘re‐entry to the workforce’ courses on the population of female sole parents, neglected in previous unemployment research. The data for the study were obtained from 118 female sole parents participating in the course, who were compared with a waiting list control group at the beginning and end of the course, and at a follow‐up four weeks after the course had ended. Results indicated that the course produced decreases in depressive affect, negative mood and minor psychiatric symptomology. On all psychological measures, increases in well‐being were shown to be maintained several weeks after the course had ended. It was concluded that the course offered significant and enduring psychological benefits to participants.
The Experience of Nurses Working with Hospitalized AIDS Patients
Authors: Bennett Lydia
Published: December 2016

Twenty nurses were interviewed about their experiences of caring exclusively for AIDS patients. A qualitative analysis of the data revealed that group identity, social support, social stigma, identification with patients, and burnout were important to the experience. The process of identification with patients was a significant source of distress which affected the male homosexual staff more than other staff. Yet working in the AIDS unit also had its rewards with some male homosexual staff expressing relief at not having to conceal their sexuality. Nurses' experiences in the AIDS unit were somewhat differentiated by their ability to identify with the male homosexual group. Those who identified strongly with the group were more at risk of over‐identification with patients yet seemed likely to receive recognition and support from colleagues. Many staff suffered due to the stigma attached to caring for AIDS patients and often reported not telling people where they worked. A significant number of staff are said to have already left the unit due to AIDS burnout.
AUSTRALIAN LIVING STANDARDS: SOME GENDER CONSIDERATIONS
Authors: Watts Rob
Published: December 2016

This paper is an exploration of the contemporary definitions in use of the idea of a standard of living as it has been developed in social policy and economic research both in Australia and overseas. It is suggested that the assumptions underpinning the idea of a standard of living in areas such as poverty research or the analysis of redistributive policies and their effects are neither tenable nor useful. The concept is flawed because it makes unreasonable assumptions about the household and the nature of women's domestic labour. Consideration of the gender blindness of much economics suggests the need for a major revision in our approach to the idea of a standard of living.
DECRIMINALISATION OF PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA: THE PROCESS EXPLAINED
Authors: Midford Richard
Published: December 2016

Two alternative models of service provision are associated with decriminalisation of public drunkenness – the medical or sickness model and the social welfare model. In the development of alternative strategies to accompany decriminalisation, Australian jurisdictions have largely followed the latter welfare approach. In Western Australia, decriminalisation of public drunkenness was spurred by the recommendations of the Muirhead Interim Report on Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. A community development approach was used to establish local management structures for sobering‐up programs in areas of greatest need. Three sobering‐up centres are now operating in the State with a fourth centre due to open in mid 1993. Some preliminary evaluation of the Western Australian program has been carried out but a more comprehensive research and evaluation program is being conducted to assess the impact of decriminalisation and the development of alternative responses.
AIDS KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES AMONG CANBERRA SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
Authors: Saha Lawrence J , Pilkinton Nicola
Published: December 2016

This paper reports findings from a study of 1,014 Canberra secondary school students in 15 government and private schools. Open‐ended responses concerning students' understanding of AIDS, and their views regarding prevention, are presented and discussed. Data on source of AIDS information are also investigated. In general, students understand AIDS as sex‐linked, that it involves transmission through the blood, and that there is no cure for it. They espouse more research and education as the main preventive measures, although males also propose homophobic solutions. Teachers and television are the primary sources of AIDS information. Differences by sex of respondent and school type are reported and implications for school‐based AIDS education policies are suggested.
THE REVIEW OF THE COMPULSORY DETENTION OF THE MENTALLY ILL: WHO SHOULD DECIDE?
Authors: Mulvany Julie
Published: December 2016

The Mental Health Act 1986 (Victoria) established the Mental Health Review Board to periodically review the detention of involuntary patients in State mental institutions. The purported rationale for the inclusion of two non‐medical personnel on the Board is that compulsory detention decisions should not be made by doctors alone and should include social and legal considerations. It is argued that the effectiveness of non‐medical members is restricted by the dominance of medical discourse within Board hearings, the lack of availability of community‐based care and treatment facilities and a failure to identify the relevance of non‐medical issues to the decision‐making process.
THE IMPACT ON FAMILIES OF REPORTED CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT
Authors: Winefield Helen R , Harvey Eileen J , Bradley Patrick W
Published: December 2016

In order to evaluate the impact upon children and families of reported child abuse and neglect and the subsequent interventions, the casenotes of a random sample of substantiated cases (N=151) dealt with by the South Australian child protection agency were searched. The goal was to identify information concerning service delivery and changes for family members in the ensuing six months. Results relevant to both of these are presented and evaluated. An important corollary finding of this work was the absence of detailed information about outcome in the casenotes. We argue that this absence of feedback to child protection workers and policy‐makers is likely to have detrimental effects on both worker morale and the quality of the services provided.
ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIA AND NATURAL JUSTICE
Authors: Toussaint Sandy
Published: December 2016

Aboriginal men and women continue to be grossly over‐represented in police and prison custodial settings. In 1987 the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody was established primarily because deaths in custody were far too common. Commission findings, including over 300 recommendations, were finally publicly released in 1991. In a number of significant ways, it was revealed that the ‘scene had been set’ for premature death both inside and outside custody. In part that ‘scene had been set’ because of the ongoing consequences of colonisation and the legal doctrine euphemistically known as ‘natural justice’. ‘Natural justice’ implies, rather than assures, equality for all before the law. Such fundamental inequality found, and continues to find, intense and tragic expression in high levels of incarceration and deaths in custody.
THE RESPONSIBILITY TO CURE AND THE RIGHT TO DIE: CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION AND HOSPITAL STRUCTURE
Authors: Kippen Sandra
Published: December 2016

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation has become a routine procedure in hospitals in spite of the fact that it may be carried out without orders from a physician or consent from the patient It has a high failure rate and some research has indicated that the benefits to patients may be questionable. This article analyses some aspects of the structure of hospitals, other than the role of patient care and cure, which provide sociological explanations for the firm entrenchment and indiscriminate use of the procedure.
FROM HARVESTER TO DE‐REGULATION: WAGE EARNERS IN THE AUSTRALIAN WELFARE STATE
Authors: Jamrozik Adam
Published: December 2016

The significance of the Harvester Judgment in 1907 was not only in the establishment of a ‘fair and reasonable’ wage, which became known as the basic wage, but also in the principle that wages had to meet at least the basic social needs of the worker's family. Income earned through employment was thus regarded as primary welfare. These principles in wage determination were discarded in the 1960s and the de‐regulation policies of the 1980s further increased the division between employment and social needs. Exacerbated by the endemic high levels of unemployment, the progressive de‐regulation of the labour marked since the 1980s has been one of the most significant causative factors in the growing inequality in Australia.
SKILLS RECOGNITION AND REFUGEES: MIGRANTS WITHOUT OPTIONS
Authors: Iredale Robyn
Published: December 2016

In the post‐war years, Australia has accepted more refugees on a per capita basis than any other country. Refugees are unlike other migrants in that they are forced to move. They have no option. They arrive unprepared for settlement. They have more difficulty finding employment, especially at an appropriate level, than other immigrants. They often come without format documents, with limited English language ability and with few supports. All of these factors make skills recognition even more difficult than for other non‐English speaking background immigrants. Different training models, continued chauvinism about Australian training versus overseas training, inadequate attention to existing skills and the protectionist policies of some employers, professional bodies, etc all militate against refugees slotting into the labour market at a level commensurate with their pre‐flight level. Australia needs to do more than select people and then leave them to their own devices. Carefully planned and ongoing programs are needed to help refugees integrate satisfactorily into the labour market. There is still a perception among refugees that Australia only wants them as labourers.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION ABOUT HIV/AIDS, TRUST OF SOURCES AND PERCEIVED RISK OF INFECTION
Authors: Timmins Perri , Gallois Cynthia , McCamish Malcolm , Kashima Yoshihisa , Terry Deborah
Published: December 2016

The relationship between sources of information about AIDS/HIV, trust of the sources, how informed about AIDS people thought they were, and perceived risk to self and others were examined using three samples. One included young heterosexual students (113 females and 91 males), while the others included slightly older heterosexuals (74 females and 73 males) and homosexuals (82 males) from the general community. Homosexual men were the only group who trusted the same sources from which they received the most information (eg gay publications and AIDS organisations). Heterosexuals trusted expert sources the most, but the students received most information from magazines aimed at their peer groups and the heterosexuals in the community sample received most information from the print media. For the students, perceived personal risk was influenced most by perceived risk to male friends and people with the same sexual practices, whereas for the community samples it was influenced most by perceived risk to people with the same practices. The results suggest a strong peer influence on perceptions of personal risk of HIV infection.
GIRLS MAKING CHOICES ABOUT CAREERS: THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
Authors: Johnston Sue
Published: December 2016

Because of the gender‐differentiated nature of the Australian workforce, it is important to gain a clear understanding of how girls and women make choices about careers. The data in this paper originate from a study involving girls discussing their subject choices as they move into Year 11 at school. The study revealed a strong link between subject choices and career aspirations. Furthermore, personal experiences of a career through home or school activities were usually necessary for a girl to aspire towards that career. This raises questions about the efficacy of trying to influence career decisions through brief exposure to role models. It also suggests the need to supplement the experiences of those girls with limited experiences related to careers.
SOME DEMOGRAPHIC CORRELATES OF HIV/AIDS‐RELATED DISCRIMINATION
Authors: Noble Jason , Kippax Susan , Crawford June
Published: December 2016

In late 1991, a survey was made of HIV/AIDS‐related discrimination in the Australian community. Structured telephone interviews were conducted with a random sample of 2,053 respondents. Twenty‐one questions provided an index of expressed discrimination. Social contact with HIV‐positive people was a significant predictor of low levels of discrimination. Other important predictors of (lower) levels of discrimination were: social contact with gay men, education, sex, age, sexual identity, and sexual experience. Social contact with gay men was the single best predictor of positive attitudes towards people with HIV/AIDS.
THE ELUSIVE QUEST FOR ‘THOSE MOST IN NEED’
Authors: Travers Peter , Richardson Sue
Published: December 2016

It seems plausible to argue that scarce resources such as social security payments should be targeted to those most in need, and that income should play a large role in defining need. Even though some aspects of targeting, such as whether to have tapered means tests or not, are obviously political in nature, it may appear that at least the identification of ‘those most in need’ in terms of income is largely a technical exercise. The argument of this article is that even the measurement of income is only partly a technical exercise.1 It is also a highly problematic and political one that will always lead to understandable resentment on the part of the ‘nearly poor’, that is, those who are excluded by policy decisions regarding components of the scale by which income is assessed. We illustrate this with an example of a hypothetical family payment where those who are classified as ‘poor’ and ‘nearly poor’ on one income‐scale are classified otherwise on a plausible alternative scale. It does not follow that targeting of payments on the basis of income should be abandoned. But it does suggest that all targeting should be recognised for the blunt political instrument that it is, and that its status as a precise technical tool for achieving greater efficiency be regarded with less confidence than is currently fashionable.
TOO MUCH ACCESS?: THE CASE FOR INTERMEDIATE OPTIONS TO GUARDIANSHIP
Authors: Tait David , Carney Terry
Published: December 2016

Guardianship bodies appoint substitute decision makers for adults who cannot make their own decisions, and have a current ‘need’ which cannot be met by less restrictive options. These bodies are cheap, accessible and user‐friendly, leading to large numbers of applications. Less restrictive options to guardians and managers include identifying a person to provide substitute medical consent, service planning mechanisms, advocacy and informal arrangements. We argue that an effective guardianship system requires a systematic series of ‘filters’ providing a sequence of intermediate interventions. Without these filters, guardianship, the opportunity for one person to exercise the civil rights of another, can too easily become a first option. This has important consequences for the civil liberties of people with disabilities.
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AND UNEMPLOYMENT IN AUSTRALIA, 1950–89
Authors: Dollery Brian , Webster Stewart
Published: December 2016

Although the incidence of unemployment in Australia is well established, the causes of unemployment remain controversial. Various putative causes for unemployment exist, including the unemployment benefits system. The present study sought to estimate the impact of the generosity of Australian unemployment benefits on the measured unemployment rate of three recipient groups, single adult males over 21, married males, and married males with two children, for the period 1950 to 1989 inclusive. The results of this statistical exercise are largely consistent with similar work done in Australia and elsewhere; namely, that while unemployment benefits did increase the measured rate for unemployment during the period 1950 to 1989 to a statistically significant degree, other stronger influences on unemployment were evident.