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Australia's
corporate regulators—the ACCC, ASIC and APRA [HTML]
[PDF 449KB] This Research Brief looks at some important recent developments
in the role, mindset and performance of Australia's three main corporate
regulators—the Australian Competition
and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the Australian Securities and Investments
Commission (ASIC) and the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority
(APRA). The Brief examines a specific challenge facing each of these
regulators, and the regulatory strategies they employ to monitor
Australia's corporate sector. (45 Pages) |
‘Was there
an EM?’—Explanatory Memoranda and Explanatory Statements
in the Commonwealth Parliament [HTML]
[PDF 755KB] This Research Brief details the evolution of Explanatory Memoranda
from an optional extra to an essential feature of the Commonwealth
parliamentary process. Explanatory Memoranda now accompany every
government Bill introduced into the Parliament, but this has only
been the case since 1983. This Research Brief explains the history
of Comparative Memoranda, Explanatory Memoranda and Explanatory
Statements. It accompanies a new online Index to Explanatory Memoranda
1901–82. (29 pages) |
| The detention
of Cornelia Rau: legal issues [HTML]
[PDF 901KB] Research Brief no. 14 2004–05 Peter Prince, Law and Bills Digest Section 31 March 2005 This Brief discusses legal issues arising from the mistaken detention of Cornelia Rau, an Australian permanent resident, under the Commonwealth Migration Act, for some 10 months between the end of March 2004 and early February 2005.. Tables contain national, state and regional vote summaries, details concerning electoral divisions and two-party preferred figures. (33 pages) BACK to Index What's New |
| Federal
Election 2004 [HTML]
[PDF 7764KB] Research Brief no. 13 2004–05 Scott Bennett, Politics and Public Administration Section Gerard Newman and Andrew Kopras, Statistics Section 14 March 2005 This election brief is partly a journal of record, partly a discussion of the campaign, and partly a discussion of the outcome. The brief also contains a set of statistics. Tables contain national, state and regional vote summaries, details concerning electoral divisions and two-party preferred figures. (145 pages) BACK to Index What's New |
| Offshoring
jobs: US and Australian debates
[HTML] [PDF 404KB] Research Brief no. 12 2004–05 Richard Grant, Politics and Public Administration Section 14 March 2005 In 2004, several major Australian companies announced their decision to ‘offshore’ Australian jobs to India in an effort to cut costs. Telstra announced plans to move as many as 850 jobs to Indian software providers. Optus and Hutchison Australia announced they would shift 150 and 200 jobs respectively to Indian call centres. This brief looks at the offshoring debate in Australia and the United States. (43 pages) BACK to Index What's New |
| Federal
election results 1949–2004
[HTML] [PDF 4527KB] Research Brief no. 11 2004–05 Gerard Newman, Statistics Section 7 March 2005 During the period 1949 to 2004, there have been 23 general elections for the House of Representatives and 22 Senate elections. This brief contains a summary of each election, together with tables summarising the results in each state and territory. A brief commentary on each election is also provided. (81 pages) BACK to Index What's New |
| Superannuation
ready reckoner: taxation and preservation rules for 2004–05—revised
February 2005 [HTML] [PDF
280KB] Research Brief no. 10 2004–05 Leslie Nielson, Economics, Commerce and Industrial Relations Section 14 February 2005 This brief, updated for the 2004–05 financial year, and now including additional material on co-contributions, self managed superannuation funds and the social security assessment of superannuation, is designed to provide readers with a ‘ready reckoner’—a simple, easy to use summary of superannuation taxation and preservation rules. (26 pages) BACK to Index What's New |
| How many
abortions are there in Australia? A discussion of abortion statistics,
their limitations, and options for improved statistical collection
[HTML] [PDF
177KB] Research Brief no. 9 2004–05 Angela Pratt, Amanda Biggs and Luke Buckmaster, Social Policy Section 14 February 2005 Much of the recent debate on abortion in Australia has focused on the question of how many abortions take place in Australia each year. This brief discusses the existing statistics on abortion in Australia, their limitations for accurately quantifying how many abortions take place each year, and some options for improving Australian data on abortion numbers. (22 pages) BACK to Index What's New |
| The crisis
in Sudan: issues and prospects [HTML]
[PDF 290KB] Research Brief no. 8 2004–05 Ravi Tomar, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Section 6 December 2004 The humanitarian disaster in the Darfur region of Sudan received a great deal of publicity in 2004. In fact it was the result of an exacerbation of political strife going back many years. This brief provides a background to the conflict and argues that while a resolution is possible, there are no quick solutions. (22 pages) BACK to Index What's New |
| Workplace
death and serious injury: a snapshot of legislative developments in
Australia and overseas [HTML]
[PDF 1240KB] Research Brief no.7 2004–05 Kim Haines and Thomas John, Law and Bills Digest Section Malcolm Park, Statistics Section 29 November 2004 Should criminal laws in Australia be amended to allow for industrial manslaughter offences? This became a pertinent question with the introduction of an industrial manslaughter offence into the Criminal Code of the Australian Capital Territory. There have also been a number of recent high profile workplace deaths and accidents. This brief discusses legislative developments in various Australian states and territories and compares relevant approaches taken by the United Kingdom and Canada. (25 pages) BACK to Index What's New |
| Superannuation
ready reckoner: taxation and preservation rules for 2004–05
[HTML] [PDF 194KB] |
Political
advertising in Australia [HTML]
[PDF 364KB] |
| Australia’s
Maritime Strategy in the 21st century [HTML]
[PDF 637KB] Research Brief no. 4 2004–05 Alex Tewes, Laura Rayner and Kelly Kavanaugh, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Section 29 November 2004 The end of the Cold War in 1991 brought about a major strategic shift to the world’s maritime frontiers. The US Navy became the undisputed superpower and thus secured the world’s oceans for the allies that sailed in its shadow. These changes enabled the ideas of national security to become broader and more complex than just military security. Questions of transnational crime, of the unregulated movement of people across borders, and of environmental threats became recognised as valid security concerns for the nations of the world. As the concept of security broadened, so too did the need for security strategies that included these broader concerns. Consequently, maritime strategy needs to consider those non-military aspects of national power that govern and influence those broader security concerns at sea and on the lands which the seas influence. This brief was originally prepared for the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Enquiry into Australia’s Maritime Strategy 2003–04 under the title ‘A Foundation Paper on Australia’s Maritime Strategy’. This version aims to provide a basis for discussion of the issues in question as well as to put the debate surrounding Australia’s maritime strategy within a coherent context. (65 pages) BACK to Index What's New |
| Critical,
but stable: Australia’s capacity to respond to an infectious
disease outbreak )[HTML]
[PDF 774KB] The existence of new and re-emerging disease threats such as Severe
Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), H5N1 avian influenza, and the
prospect of human pandemic influenza, combined with the spectre
of bioterrorism, has prompted countries around the world to examine
closely their capacity to prevent, detect and respond to major infectious
disease outbreaks. Australia’s systems for disease surveillance,
detection and reporting have recently been reinvigorated, as has
planning for mass casualty and outbreak preparedness, but discussions
with a number of health/medical experts suggest that the current
emergency health response labours under a range of difficulties.
This version of the paper has been revised to reflect a number of
recent major developments, but essentially remains a record of views
on the matter collated in mid-2004. |
Medication
for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): an analysis
by Federal Electorate (2001–2003) [HTML]
[PDF 445KB] |
| The High
Court and indefinite detention: towrds a national bill of rights?
[HTML] [PDF
277KB] In August 2004 Australia’s High Court declared by 4:3 that
failed asylum seekers who have nowhere to go can be kept in immigration
detention indefinitely. In Al-Khateb and Al Khafaji, the majority
said that provided the Immigration Minister retained the intention
of eventually deporting such people, detention would remain valid.
These cases will be cited by those who argue that basic freedoms
for people within Australia’s jurisdiction are not adequately
protected and there is a need for a national ‘bill of rights’.
(27 pages) |
