Suchergebnisse

Akbar, DH orcid:0000-0002-2269-5056; Azad, SA orcid:0000-0002-6377-7912; Rolfe, JC orcid:0000-0001-7659-7040 ; Despite softening rental rates and housing prices in regional Queensland cities, there are still housing affordability issues facing lower wage earners, welfare recipients, senior citizens, victims of family violence and the people with disabilities. This study aims to review the strengths and weaknesses of current mechanisms of housing affordability in regional Queensland cities through a case study of Rockhampton. This study adopted qualitative methodology and interviewed representative stakeholders from Queensland Government, Real Estate agencies, community service providers and property experts. After analysing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of both demand and supply side mechanisms of housing affordability, this study found most mechanisms followed quick fixes solution and some of them can even create more problems than what they would solve. In addition, many families are becoming dependent on the welfare-led housing systems generation after generation. Therefore, this study suggests adopting community-led and place based housing strategies to deliver both affordable and social housing as well as provide adequate funding in crisis housing sector.

Akbar, DH orcid:0000-0002-2269-5056; Kinnear, SH orcid:0000-0002-2734-8547 ; This report describes a decision-making tool that has been developed for the purposes of guiding resource allocation by RDAFCW and should be read in conjunction with the Central Queensland Regional Roadmap. Successful and sustainable regional development is complex, particularly in regions such as Central Queensland, which is at once geographically large, demographically diverse, and experiencing a range of multi-disciplinary and cumulative impacts. RDAFCW's Regional Roadmap already provides for strong direction in terms of regional development activities for Central Queensland. However, what is still lacking in the RDAFCW 'toolbox' is a method by which the committee (and the executive officer) can determine the overall merit of offering support to one project over another, given the matrix of RDAFCW's roles, capabilities, resources and strategic relationships. Following a review of the operations of RDAFCW and the policy environment across the three tiers of government, a new methodology for decision-making on regional projects has been developed. This model was informed by a range of existing approaches already used for regional development and decision-making (as summarised in Appendix A). The "DRIVE" tool is based on 5x3 model, with 5 key criteria each having a triplet of three evaluation questions to answer. The key criteria are: •Delivery of the Regional Roadmap •Reflecting on policy cohesion •Investing for regional benefit •Varying activities achieve equity and •Evaluating uncertainties. The DRIVE model is simple; can be applied to any nature of project; and it does not require particularly detailed information from proponents. It places no particular emphasis on any given economic sector; nor does treat economic, social, or environmental benefits differently. However, the model is constrained by a high degree of subjectivity; its relatively simplistic design; and the particular challenge of evaluating policy-based criteria when the policy landscape remains quite fluid. Further refinements may be made to the model following pilot testing with RDAFCW, and circulation amongst the wider regional development and academic communities. Finally, it is very important to note that, in its current architecture, the DRIVE tool is very closely linked with Regional Roadmap. If the DRIVE tool is to be successful in supporting Central Queensland's transition to a 'liveable and sustainable' region, then the Roadmap itself must be a robust document, prepared via strong engagement and collaboration with the wider regional stakeholder set.

Akbar, DH orcid:0000-0002-2269-5056; Rolfe, JC orcid:0000-0001-7659-7040 ; Purpose: Ageing in place is one of the greatest desires of elderly people. Assistive digital technologies could potentially delay the institutionalization of the elderly people and allow them ageing in place. This study develops a population wide cost estimating framework for adopting digital technologies that can improve the quality of life of elderly people through examining an Australian region. Methods: We developed a five-stage cost estimating framework, which comprised of progressive forecasting of elderly population and direct cost estimation methods. The forecasting and cost estimation models have been set for a 10-year period because the prediction accuracy from cross-sectional data is better in the short to medium term compared to long-term. For cost estimation, we categorised the ageing population on the basis of the number of chronic diseases that they have contracted. Costs of assistive technologies were collected from open sources. The model has been tested in the Fitzroy and Central West, a regional area of Queensland in Australia. A stakeholder panel discussion in a workshop format was used to validate the appropriateness of the proposed framework and the study findings. Results: This study identified eight common chronic diseases with different comorbidity patterns in Australia. We also identified the required assistive technologies to assist patients with chronic diseases. This study estimated that annual per capita cost for technological intervention could range from AUD 4,169 to AUD 7,551 on the basis of different price margins of the technologies. Conclusion: The approach of categorising the aged cohorts on the basis of the number of chronic diseases helps estimate population wise costs compared to single technology intervention cost for a particular chronic disease cohort. The cost estimation framework and the method developed in this study can assist the government to estimate cost and public fund allocations for elderly people who like to stay in their own home.

Akbar, DH orcid:0000-0002-2269-5056; Kinnear, SH orcid:0000-0002-2734-8547; Rolfe, JC orcid:0000-0001-7659-7040; Schrobback, P orcid:0000-0003-0526-1659 ; As the world's population is projected to reach about 10 billion by 2050, maintaining an efficient, cost-effective and sustainable agri-food supply chain is very important for the agri-businesses and the consumers around the world. Collaborations among the agricultural producers, processors, distributors and retailers are very important for their business sustainability. This study aims to examine who will be in a team of collaboration, what activities that they should perform and how such collaboration would be occurred for exporting perishable commodities. A representative stakeholder collaboration workshop designed with information about content and context of collaboration, individual and group tasks, was used to addressing these above questions. This study used three commodities i.e., mango, lychee and avocado in northern Australia. Twenty eight stakeholders from federal, state and local governments, farmers, industry, export enterprises and experts attended this workshop. This study found small and medium scale farmers eager to make collaboration with other parties but they are afraid about the transparency within the collaborative system. Collaboration models or mechanisms could vary among the commodities, and both intra and inter-regional collaborations require among the growers in the Northern Australia to make a longer term supply to the international markets. For example, mango supply over a six month period in a year for Asian markets would give better competitive advantages for Northern Territory and Queensland mango farmers compared to their competitors in the Africa and South America. Because importer are looking for a certain volume of supply over an extended period from the trusted suppliers. Also, most stakeholders agreed to have vertical collaboration between the farmers, processors, genetics companies and exporters while governments could works as enablers in this system. This findings have local, regional and national policy implications how to promote and develop supply chain collaboration for perishable agricultural commodities.