Catchment management organisations often use computer-based water quality models to support their decision-making needs. However, literature suggests that model use by catchment managers can be highly problematical. Commonly reported issues that negatively impact upon the effectiveness of modelling for decision-making are data quality and availability, miscommunication between analysts and decision-makers, inappropriate treatment of uncertainty, excessive model complexity (‘sophistication’) or simplicity and poor modelling practice. The challenges that beset catchment managers are usually framed as technical problems that can be overcome by using or communicating the science that underlies the models more effectively. As a result, many of the problems associated with the use of models by catchment managers have not been adequately elucidated from the standpoint of a manager. This thesis examines the problem of modelling for decision-making from a fresh perspective. Systemic approaches to research are commonly used where the research problem is ill-defined, as it is here. ‘Action research’ is one qualitative, systemic methodology, and was used here as the guiding methodology to explore the model related problems faced by catchment managers. Action research involves recurrent cycles of planning, action, observation and reflection. The research was undertaken with the Sydney Catchment Authority (SCA), a New South Wales government agency responsible for water quality and catchment health in the drinking water catchments of Sydney, Australia. The SCA had expressed a particular need for tools to support the assessment of development applications with respect to potential impacts on water quality, and to prioritise rural land for remedial action to improve water quality in the drinking water catchments. The research had two broad aims that were:1.to develop two models differing in sophistication, and to use them to prioritise nutrient pollution sources and calculate nutrient loads; And, through the participatory development of the models, 2.to learn methodological lessons that catchment managers can apply to choose and use models more effectively. In this research, action was in the form of five planned activities, including: i. a review of relevant literature from diverse disciplines; ii. the holding of two workshops; the first exclusively involving SCA managers to identify their modelling needs, and the second involving water quality scientists and modelers to discuss methods for meeting the modelling needs; iii. the development and use of two export coefficient nutrient models; iv. a focus group discussion involving key staff in the SCA; and v. a review of published guidelines for good modelling practice in environmental management. Note was also taken of statements or behaviour at numerous meetings and seminars, mostly with SCA staff, that were relevant to the research questions. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

This thesis presents a set of models of enrolment behaviour in senior secondary science courses in New South Wales (Australia) schools. The models have been developed out of concerns about declining enrolments and continued sex differences in enrolments in these courses. They use the framework of the Science enrolment Model (SEM), a framework which uses an expectancy/value approach to examine the relationships between the various influences and their combined effect on enrolment behaviour. The SEM was constructed by fitting the factors which have been shown to influence enrolment behaviour in the sciences to the structure of the General Model of Academic Choice, a model of achievement related behaviour developed by Eccles and colleagues. Models were constructed for enrolment behaviour in three specialist science courses; Biology, Chemistry and Physics and two non-specialist science courses; General Science and Science for Life. These five courses account for 97 percent of enrolments in senior secondary science in New South Wales. Measures of enrolment intentions were predicted by, measures of interest, perceived career value, TER value (value as a means gaining university entrance) and a combined measure of self-concept and performance expectations. These constructs were, in turn, predicted by measures of perceptions of parent and teacher attitudes, perceptions of past performance, attributions for past performance and personality measures. The enrolment models explained between 60% and 70% of the variance in enrolment intentions in the specialist science subjects. 'Career value' was found to be a major influence on enrolment behaviour in all five subjects. The expectancy and value variables explained approximately 80 percent of the sex difference in enrolment intentions in the specialist science subjects. Career considerations accounted for between 30 percent and 50 percent of this difference / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The research in this portfolio is situated in Technical and Further Education (TAFE) in New South Wales. It examines the impact that changes to improve the competitiveness of the vocational education and training sector have had on the role of managers in TAFE. These managers are suffering a number of tensions associated with balancing the pedagogic, professional and managerial aspects of their role. While recommendations were made about how to improve the managers’ role, a concern remains that performance indicators in TAFE which emphasise quantitative measures of efficiency, marginalise educational quality. Many staff now view the managers’ role as unattractive, raising questions about who will step up to sustain valued leadership in TAFE. A major implication of the research is that close attention must be paid, at all levels of the TAFE hierarchy, to succession planning. / Doctor of Education (D.Ed.)

This study was conducted in response to the policies for the integration of children with behaviour disorders in Victorian and New South Wales Primary Schools. These two states were selected for this study for three reasons. Firstly, the two states have adopted and are implementing integration policies which are, in many areas, contrasting. Secondly, compared to other Australian states, Victoria and New South Wales have the most children enrolled in their respective school systems and, hence the largest number of children whose schooling is influenced by these policy decisions. Thirdly, the integration policies of both states group children with behaviour disorders under the generic term 'children with disabilities.' The findings of the present study suggest a number of areas that future implementors of integration policies need to consider. Firstly, mandatory special education courses need to be implemented by all teacher training institutions. Secondly, to effectively integrate children with behaviour disorders into the regular classroom an individual, collaboratively designed program needs to be utilized. Collaboration between special setting teachers and regular class teachers would appear to be crucial in program design. Thirdly, teachers stress emerged as an issue which policy designers need to address urgently. Fourthly, resources and support, including the availability of in-service courses on children with behaviour disorders, need to be increased and made available to regular classroom teachers. Finally a range of alternate educational programs/opportunities, not just a choice between regular and special settings, needs to be developed for children with behavoiur disorders. The study is important to the field of special education and in particular to children with behaviour disorders in three ways. Firstly, data were gathered using both qualitative and quantitative research methods. This approach would appear to be the most appropriate method for gathering data on integration as it allows for many of the child's ecosystems to be investigated and for the child's numerous and important interactions to be examined. Secondly, the study highlighted the importance of investigating the individual needs of children with behaviour disorder when considering integration, Finally, the study allowed for a number of variables, important for practitioners when integrating children with behaviour disorders, to be identified and examined. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Although police generally exercise wide discretionary powers across most of their duties, it is with respect to young people that these powers are the most extensive. Both sociological and psychological factors influence the use of police discretionary powers. There are said to be strong relationships between authoritarianism, for example, and justice outcomes. Other measures, such as cynicism and punitiveness, have been observed to be influential predictors of police behaviour. Extending the work on jury decision-making, along with other police research, the present research examines use of police discretionary powers with young offenders. Sworn police officers from two jurisdictions, New Zealand and New South Wales, responded to written surveys about their past and intended future behaviour surrounding four crimes most commonly conducted by young offenders. In all, over 500 officers took part in the studies. Further, participants responded to a battery of personality and attitude questionnaires, along with questions about situational variables normally taken into consideration by officers. Results show that police behaviour towards the same offending varies greatly, both within and across jurisdictions. New Zealand police officers were much more likely than New South Wales police officers to report that they diverted, rather than arrested, young offenders who had committed shoplifting and burglary offences. However, when responding to scenarios of underage drinking and assault, it was New South Wales police who were more likely to divert young offenders. There were very few significant relationships between attitudes and behaviour when examining either group, with significant results possibly being a side effect of large sample sizes. Further there were few significant relationships when considering demographic or situational variables. However, in an exploration of police personality, through cluster analysis, evidence was found for different 'typologies', or resonances, of police. The results indicate that police are not an homogenous group. In addition, quite complex relationships between measures of police behaviour and individual difference were found within the resonances, with effect sizes showing moderate results. The findings support the need to investigate further personality typologies and extend them to the examination of attitude-behaviour relationships. In addition, research into the use of an attitudinal measure, such as discretionary ideology, as an alternative to measuring behaviour could be expanded. Moreover, broadening of the research into additional areas of the juvenile justice systems, such as legal representatives, magistrates, and youth detention centre officers, would provide further insight into the appropriate use of discretion within juvenile justice for both minor offending and more serious offending. / thesis (PhDBusinessandManagement)--University of South Australia, 2004.

This thesis examines the political representation of Australian farmers. The NFF family of interest groups is charged with the political representation of farmers in Australia.Given that their state affiliates are the only organisations that farmers can directly join, this study takes the case of the New South Wales Farmers' Association (NSWFA) as its major reference point. A paradox is immediately confronted. On one hand, both the state and commentators refer to the NFF family as an exemplar of a successful modern interest group. However, on the other, the NFF family is being confronted with escalating levels of disillusionment and criticism from its own constituency.Two points of interest are highlighted. Firstly, it is suggested that theoretical frameworks, which assist commentators and researchers to come to the conclusion that the NFF family is 'successful', are not constructed in such a fashion as to throw sufficient light on the paradoxical nature of an existing situation. Secondly, this paradox suggests that the NFF itself must be able to disassociate the contingent relationship between its internal levels of support and external levels of access and influence. These two focal points are explored in this thesis, and the framework used by researchers to understand the actions of Australian farm interest groups are scrutinised. Discussing 'authentic' political representation assists considering the major theme of the 'representative paradox'. It is argued that this paradox is best understood by locating it within a search by farmers for authentic political representation - both through the NFF family and apart from it. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Calls for increased attention to subject-specific histories have been somewhat insistent in the last two decades. An important emphasis in these calls has been for attention to the history of the 'preactive curriculum' as represented, for example, in Syllabus documents. English has been a particular case in these arguments- a case which often revolves around defining the subject itself. Others have argued further that subject-specific history is usually centred in detailed local, historical studies of the recent past. In attempting to address these issues, this study sets out to answer the questions: 1/. How was Years 7-10 English defined from the early 1970s to the early 1990s in NSW? 2/. What was the relationship between the concepts 'English' and 'literacy' in NSW in the given period? The study focuses specifically on constructions of English in Syllabus documents, professional journals, textbooks and examinations. The particular methodology used to address the study questions is an in-depth study of two selected years during, viz. 1977 and 1992, accompanied by detailed discussion of contextual aspects of these years. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Research for this project was undertaken by means of a broad and comprehensive literature search, a field study and the development of four working papers. It has been quoted,The hospitality industry appears to be facing increasing competitive pressures to improve the quality of its delivery of products and services. For many hotels, success depends largely on the availability of qualified line associates who are able to translate and consistently maintain their company's operational standards of service. Hotel companies, thus, must take training programs for front line associates seriously to accommodate the growing pressure to provide qualified associates. Consequently, many hotels now highlight training activities for front line associates as a means of providing an outstanding service for their customers. However, there is often scepticism about whether training actually pays off for organisations. Despite the importance of the topic, there appears to be little research on evaluating training for front line associates in the hospitality industry, particularly in the hotel sector. Therefore, this project is arguably pioneering in its analysis of applying the model chosen. It has demonstrated through empirical evidence the usefulness of the model to the four hotels in Sydney. This project has investigated evaluating training programs by analysing the reaction of the trainees, learning gained by the trainees, transfer of learning to the workplace by the trainees and training outcomes. The research is expected to be useful to other training practitioners and/or scholars who are interested in taking further research in the hospitality industry, particularly in the hotel sector. / Doctor of Business Administration

Rapid bioassessment techniques used for aquatic macroinvertebrate and plants in wetlands were tested in New South Wales, Australia. Wetlands surveyed ranged from coastal wetlands in the North and Central parts of the State, to tableland wetlands west of Sydney. Wetlands varied in dominant vegetation, hydrology, substrate and level of human impairment. Different options for sampling (mesh size, live-picking times, quadrat size, number of samples or quadrats) and analysis (taxonomic resolution, transformations, biotic indices, multivariate and univariate analyses) are compared to determine optimal sampling effort and evaluate the effects of errors or variability. Results show that, for wetlands of New South Wales, sampling procedures developed and tested in streams and other regions of Australia may not be the most efficient. Using the data from 21 wetlands in New South Wales, a number of analytical techniques were evaluated for the effects of errors. Results show that species-level multivariate analysis is more sensitive in detecting less obvious differences between wetlands (i.e., small effect sizes), while family-level analyses are more appropriate for large effect sizes. A modified waterplant index was developed that is simpler and has a wider application than the other Australian options available. Inherent problems in each index tested were addressed. The results show that the process of summarising a large amount of information into a single value will result in the loss of both information and variability between samples and this cumulative effect of error may effect the assessment of wetland condition. The practical outcome of this thesis is a set of standardised steps to assess wetland quality using biological assemblages. The results show that protocols and indices for rivers are not directly transferable to palustrine, vegetation dominated wetlands. I present protocols that are more appropriate to wetlands and recognise that each protocol would need to be adapted for each wetland type. Despite the need for flexible protocols, I promote the need for a standard approach to wetland sampling and the need for consideration of the effects of errors in sampling designs. This study highlights the need for more research on the response of specific stressors to wetlands flora and fauna. The results from this study also show that wetland macroinvertebrates and plant communities can be used as surrogates in multivariate analyses for detecting large differences between wetlands (wetland types) but that impact assessment requires more detailed investigations including species identification and careful consideration of the choice of reference and control sites. In conclusion I emphasise the need for scientific rigour in the use of biological indicators and consideration of the effects of errors and implications to sampling designs. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Burraga Swamp is a small enclosed basin at 985 m altitude in Barrington Tops, in the Eastern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia. It lies in the midst of a Nothofagus moorei cool temperate rainforest, which is at its southern limits here. The swamp is close to the boundaries between temperate rainforest, subtropical rainforest, sclerophyll forest and sub-alpine formations and may be a sensitive recorder of past changes in the vegetation. The palynology and the sediments have been studied to a depth of 6.5 metres and were dated with eleven 14C dates. The base of the sediment is about 40,000 years old. The results showed the following: From 40,000-30,000 years BP, Burraga was a lake with a very slow rate of deposition of fine grained sediments and flourishing aquatic/swamp vegetation. The dryland vegetation was an open or sparsely treed grassland/herbfield. From 30,000-21,000 years BP, the dryland vegetation remained much the same, but the aquatic vegetation disappeared. From 21,000-17,000 years BP, sandy sediments were deposited at an accelerated rate in a relatively shallow lake, culminating in a layer of gravelly sand. The vegetation was a treeless grassland between about 21,000 and 15,000 years BP. After 17,000 years BP, the rate of sediment accumulation slowed and after 15,000 years, some mesic elements appeared. Dicksonia antarctica became prominent between about 13,000 and 12,000 years BP and Nothofagus was consistently present after about 11,500 years BP. Peat deposition started about 6,500 years BP. By 6,000 years BP the cool temperate rainforest was fully developed, remaining on the site until the present. These changes suggest that the climate at 40,000 years BP was drier than the present, becoming drier and reaching maximum aridity about 17,000 years BP, when temperatures were also at their lowest. Subsequently, the temperature increased and around 15,000 years BP the climate became wetter. Maximum moistures and temperatures were reached between about 9,000 and 5,000 years BP. The climate then varied until it reached the present. Burraga extends the record of treeless vegetation over most of southeastern Australia, during the last glacial maximum, to more northerly localities than previously known.