Industry In Australia Research Articles

Wealth Management and Financial Advisory Services in the Asia-Pacific Region

This article presents an industry study of wealth management and financial advisory services in the Asia-Pacific region, recognizing the strong growth in personal wealth in this region. It aims to gain an understanding of the structure of the industry, comments on current directions, and assesses the opportunities in the region. The article starts with a look at the wealth management and financial advisory services industry in the United States, on which the practices in other countries are patterned, also noting that U.S. financial entities are major players in the Asia-Pacific region. The author then examines the industry in Australia, which has a relatively well-developed financial advisory environment and continues with a look at the industry in other major Asia-Pacific countries. For each country, the article assesses the industry participants and the regulatory environment. Finally, the article describes the general trends that impact the industry and identifies potential opportunities for the future.

Insights from studio teaching practices in a Creative Industries Faculty in Australia

Studio teaching is a long standing tradition and a signature pedagogy across a broad range of art and creative disciplines, from arts to architecture and design. However, the practice of studio teaching varies across disciplines and practitioners. Do these variances indicate different signature pedagogies in the creative disciplines? An exploratory study was conducted to examine how studio teaching is practised at a Faculty of Creative Industries in Australia, and whether those studio practices suggest distinctive signature pedagogies and creative transfer. In this article, we describe the study and offer insights into studio teaching practices in the creative industries disciplines. We argue that nuances and differences among studio practices in creative industries reveal different signature pedagogies. Our findings offer a unique lens on current approaches to creative disciplines education, where interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to teaching are encouraged in order to support and prepare a highly educated and flexible future workforce.

What stalls a renewable energy industry? Industry outlook of the aviation biofuels industry in Australia, Germany, and the USA

Despite the global aviation industry's strong endorsement of a switch to aviation biofuels, fossil fuel remains the dominant energy source for air travel. Drawing on a multiple case study of 58 organizations in the emerging aviation biofuels industry relevant to Australia, Germany, and the USA, we unpack the lessons learned from this stalling industry. First and foremost, we identify a key difference in industry outlooks and corresponding strategic mindsets. Specifically, the two outlooks—industry optimism and industry pessimism—seem to correspond to specific strategic mindsets. Whereas industry optimists (1) stressed diversification, (2) were demand-driven in their decisions about R&D, and generally (3) had a learning orientation to innovations, industry pessimists emphasized the need for (1) premium pricing, (2) government intervention, and (3) economies of scale as key drivers of industry development and growth. We also found geographic differences in industry outlooks among biofuel entrepreneurs and other stakeholders in Australia, Germany, and the USA. Through our findings, we offer insights for policymakers and other industries seeking to transition to renewables.

Genetic diversity and population structure of Urochloa grass accessions from Tanzania using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers

Urochloa (syn.—Brachiaria s.s.) is one of the most important tropical forages that transformed livestock industries in Australia and South America. Farmers in Africa are increasingly interested in growing Urochloa to support the burgeoning livestock business, but the lack of cultivars adapted to African environments has been a major challenge. Therefore, this study examines genetic diversity of Tanzanian Urochloa accessions to provide essential information for establishing a Urochloa breeding program in Africa. A total of 36 historical Urochloa accessions initially collected from Tanzania in 1985 were analyzed for genetic variation using 24 SSR markers along with six South American commercial cultivars. These markers detected 407 alleles in the 36 Tanzania accessions and 6 commercial cultivars. Markers were highly informative with an average polymorphic information content of 0.79. The analysis of molecular variance revealed high genetic variation within individual accessions in a species (92%), fixation index of 0.05 and gene flow estimate of 4.77 showed a low genetic differentiation and a high level of gene flow among populations. An unweighted neighbor-joining tree grouped the 36 accessions and six commercial cultivars into three main clusters. The clustering of test accessions did not follow geographical origin. Similarly, population structure analysis grouped the 42 tested genotypes into three major gene pools. The results showed the Urochloa brizantha (A. Rich.) Stapf population has the highest genetic diversity (I = 0.94) with high utility in the Urochloa breeding and conservation program. As the Urochloa accessions analyzed in this study represented only 3 of 31 regions of Tanzania, further collection and characterization of materials from wider geographical areas are necessary to comprehend the whole Urochloa diversity in Tanzania.

How do health consumer organisations in Australia manage pharmaceutical industry sponsorship? A cross-sectional study.

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate how health consumer organisations manage their relationships with the pharmaceutical industry in Australia. Methods We identified 230 health consumer organisations that received pharmaceutical industry support from 2013 to 2016 according to reports published by Medicines Australia, the industry trade association. A random sample of 133 organisations was selected and their websites assessed for financial transparency, policies governing corporate sponsorship and evidence of potential industry influence. Results In all, 130 of the 133 organisations evaluated received industry funding. Of these 130, 68 (52.3%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 43.4-61.1%) disclosed this funding. Nearly all (67; 98.5%) reported the identity of their industry donors, followed by uses (52.9%), amount (13.2%) and proportion of income from industry (4.4%). Less than one-fifth (24/133; 18.0%; 95% CI 11.9-25.6%) had publicly available policies on corporate sponsorship. Six organisations (7.2%; 95% CI 2.7-15.1%) had board members that were currently or previously employed by pharmaceutical companies, and 49 (36.8%; 95% CI 28.6-45.6%) had company logos, web links or advertisements on their websites. Conclusion Industry-funded health consumer organisations in Australia have low transparency when reporting industry funding and few have policies governing corporate sponsorship. Relationships between health consumer organisations and the industry require effective actions to minimise the risks of undue influence. What is known about this topic? Pharmaceutical industry funding of health consumer organisations is common in the US and Europe, yet only a minority of such organisations publicly disclose this funding and have policies regulating their relationships with industry. What does this paper add? Industry-funded health consumer organisations in Australia have inadequate financial transparency and rarely have policies addressing corporate funding. Organisations that have received more industry funding are more likely to report it publicly. What are the implications for practitioners? Robust policies addressing corporate sponsorship and increased transparency are needed to maintain the independence of health consumer organisations. Governments may also consider regulating non-profit organisations to ensure public reporting of funding sources.

Development of a multiplex quantitative PCR assay for detection and quantification of DNA from Fasciola hepatica and the intermediate snail host, Austropeplea tomentosa, in water samples

Liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) infection is an increasing threat to livestock production resulting in serious economic losses to the beef, dairy and sheep industries in Australia and globally. Triclabendazole (TCBZ) is the main drug used to control liver fluke infections in Australia and the widespread emergence of TCBZ resistance in cattle and sheep threatens liver fluke control. Alternative control measures to lower exposure of livestock to fluke infection would be useful to help preserve the usefulness of current chemical flukicides. Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling methodology and associated molecular techniques are suited to rapidly assess the presence of pathogens on farms. In the present study, we developed a water sampling method in combination with a multiplex quantitative PCR assay to detect and quantify DNA of F. hepatica and Austropeplea tomentosa (A. tomentosa), a crucial intermediate snail host for liver fluke transmission in South-east Australia. The multiplex qPCR assay allows for the independent detection of F. hepatica and A. tomentosa DNA using specific primers and a probe targeting the ITS-2 region of the liver fluke or snail. The method allows the highly specific and sensitive (minimal DNA detection levels to 14–50 fg) detection of F. hepatica or A. tomentosa. The method allows the detection of both liver fluke and snail eDNA in water samples. The effective quantification of liver fluke and snail eDNA in water samples using this assay could potentially allow researchers to both identify and monitor F. hepatica transmission zones on farming properties in South-east Australia which will better inform control strategies, with potential application of the assay worldwide.

Work Health and Safety in Small Business-A Pilot Study in the Australian Construction Industry

Work accidents impacts negatively on the physical, mental and social welfare of employees, increase cost of production, and make firms less competitive. The construction industry in Australia consists of 96% small business and has the fifth largest incident rates of serious injury of all industries. Nevertheless, recent statistics by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show noticeable improvement in safety performance within the construction industry compared to previous years.This descriptive pilot study attempts to verify small business contribution to this recent improvement. Ten owner managers are surveyed in order to examine their commitment to work health and safety using a 34 self-completion questionnaire. The findings show that small business owners in the construction industry take a positive approach toward work health and safety in their work environment.This study represents only a snapshot of the reality of small construction business commitment to work health and safety in Australia and can’t be generalised to a wider population, therefore further research with larger samples is required to confirm the findings of this study.

Development of polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers from genome re-sequencing of Carica papaya L. ‘Sunrise Solo’ and ‘RB2’ for marker-assisted breeding

Carica papaya L. is one of the top five tropical fruit crops grown worldwide and an important fruit crop in Australia. Expansion of the papaya industry in Australia is reliant on improved fruit qualities, together with consistent productivity. Although marker-assisted breeding has resulted in substantial genetic gains in other species, this approach in papaya is hampered not only by the subjective nature of many of the desirable target fruit quality traits but also by the dearth of polymorphic markers available, in part due to the narrow genetic base within the cultivated genome. To identify a range of polymorphic sites for marker development and subsequent mapping, we performed whole-genome re-sequencing on two commercial cultivars of papaya, 'Sunrise Solo' (Hawaiian cultivar) and 'RB2' (Australian cultivar), and developed highly polymorphic SSR markers. In total, 30.2 and 32.4 Gb of genome sequence data were generated using Illumina Hiseq 4000 sequencing technology for 'Sunrise Solo' and 'RB2', respectively. These data represented approximately 80-85× coverage of the papaya genome, which is estimated to be 372 Mb. Subsequently, 236 Mb of 'Sunrise Solo' and 239 Mb of 'RB2' unique sequences were anchored to the papaya reference genome (https://genomevolution.org/). The initially assembled genomes were compared and analysed for putative polymorphic microsatellite motifs. Microsatellite-containing coding sequences (CDS) were assigned to gene ontology (GO) terms for providing a set of polymorphic markers putatively associated with functional genes. Fifty of the selected microsatellites, with a broad range of putative function, revealed polymorphism as SSR markers on 'Sunrise Solo' and 'RB2' genotypes.

Perspectives on a way forward for ocean renewable energy in Australia

Australia has considerable wave and tidal ocean energy resources. Development of the emerging ocean renewable energy (ORE) industry in Australia offers opportunities to build Australia's blue economy, while actively contributing to committed carbon mitigation measures. Many interdisciplinary challenges are currently hampering development of the industry in Australia, and globally, including technology, cost reduction, policy and regulations, potential for environmental effects, awareness and investment, amongst others. In October 2016, ORE technology and project developers, researchers, academics, policy makers and other stakeholders in Australia's emerging ORE industry came together to identify these challenges and develop possible pathways to grow ocean energy in Australia. Four themes were identified: Technology Development; Education and Awareness; Policy and Regulation; and Finance and Investment. This paper documents the outcomes of the meeting identifying challenges and a way forward against each theme. A key element identified across all themes was the need for stronger coordination across the sector, and the need for a representing body to lead necessary initiatives to support growth and management of the ORE industry in Australia, as one element of a burgeoning blue economy.

Is big data for big farming or for everyone? Perceptions in the Australian grains industry

Continued population growth and land intensification put increasing pressure on agricultural production and point to a need for a ‘step change’ in agriculture to meet the demand. Advances in digital technology—often encapsulated in the term ‘big data’—are increasingly assumed to be the way this challenge will be met. For this to be achieved, it is necessary to understand the ways that farmers and other industry stakeholders perceive big data and how big data might change the industry. It is also necessary to address emerging moral and ethical questions about access, cost, scale and support, which will determine whether farms will be able to be ‘big data enabled’. We conducted a discourse analysis of 26 interviews with stakeholders in the grains industry in Australia. Two main discourses were identified: (1) big data as a technology that will significantly benefit a few larger farms or businesses—Big Data is for Big Farming—and conversely (2) big data as a way for every farmer to benefit—Big Data is for Everyone. We relate these findings and the literature on adoption of technology and social studies in agriculture to the potential of farmers to embrace big data, from basic concerns about network infrastructure through to more complex issues of data collection and storage. The study highlights that there are key questions and issues that need to be addressed in further development of digital technology and big data in agriculture, specifically around trust, equity, distribution of benefits and access. This is the first study of big data in agriculture that takes a discourse analysis approach and thus interrogates the status quo and the prevailing norms and values driving decisions with impacts on both farmers and wider society.

Assessing Biosecurity Risks for the Introduction and Spread of Diseases Among Commercial Sheep Properties in New South Wales, Australia, Using Foot-and-Mouth Disease as a Case Study.

Sheep production systems are a major industry in Australia, with a gross value of roughly $4.66 billion; 87.3% of which is attributable to export markets. Exotic diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) are a potential threat to the viability of Australia’s export market. Previous outbreaks of FMD in developed countries, and challenges in the management of onshore biosecurity, signify the importance of on-farm biosecurity in controlling disease transmission. This study aims to investigate the risk of disease introduction and spread among New South Wales (NSW) sheep properties using FMD as a case study and draw recommendation for the industry. Exposure and partial consequence assessments, using scenario trees and Monte Carlo stochastic modeling, were conducted to identify pathways of introduction and spread and calculate the probabilities of these pathways occurring. Input parameters were estimated from the data obtained during qualitative interviews with producers and scientific literature. According to the reported practices of sheep producers and assuming each pathway was carrying the FMD virus, the exposure assessment estimates the median (5–95%) probability of FMD exposure of sheep on a naive property to be 0.619 (0.541–0.698), 0.151 (0.085–0.239), 0.235 (0.153–0.324), and 0.710 (0.619–0.791) for introduction through new stock, wildlife, carriers (humans, dogs, and vehicles), and neighbors, respectively. The spread assessment estimated the median probability of FMD spreading from an infected sheep property to neighboring enterprises to be 0.603 (0.504–0.698). A similar probability was estimated for spread via wildlife (0.523; 0.404–0.638); and a lower spread probability was estimated for carriers (0.315; 0.171–0.527), sheep movement (0.285; 0.161–0.462), and dead stock (0.168; 0.070–0.312). The sensitivity analysis revealed that the introduction of an FMD-infected sheep was more influential for exposure via new stock than isolation practices. Sharing adjacent boundaries was found to be the most influential factor for exposure and spread between neighboring enterprises, and to a lesser extent, hygiene practices were found to have the most influence on exposure and spread through carriers. To minimize the potential risk of FMD introduction and spread between sheep properties, maintenance of boundary fences, identification of infected animals before introduction to the property, and hygiene and disinfection practices should be improved.

Improved Detection and Monitoring of Fungicide Resistance in Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei With High-Throughput Genotype Quantification by Digital PCR.

The increased occurrence of triazole fungicide resistant strains of Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei (Bgh) is an economic concern for the barley industry in Australia and elsewhere. High levels of resistance to triazoles in the field are caused by two separate point mutations in the Cyp51 gene, Y136F and S509T. Early detection of these mutations arising in pathogen field populations is important as this allows time for changes in fungicide practices to be adopted, thus mitigating potential yield losses due to fungicide failure and preventing the resistance from becoming dominant. A digital PCR (dPCR) assay has been developed for the detection and quantification of the Y136F and S509T mutations in the Bgh Cyp51 gene. Mutation levels were quantifiable as low as 0.2% in genomic DNA extractions and field samples. This assay was applied to the high throughput screening of Bgh field and bait trial samples from barley growing regions across Australia in the 2015 and 2016 growing seasons and identified the S509T mutation for the first time in the Eastern states of Australia. This is the first report on the use of digital PCR technology for fungicide resistance detection and monitoring in agriculture. Here we describe the potential application of dPCR for the screening of fungicide resistance mutations in a network of specifically designed bait trials. The combination of these two tools constitute an early warning system for the development of fungicide resistance that allows for the timely adjustment of management practices.

Tit for tat: burnout as a mediator between workplace incivility and instigated workplace incivility

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of burnout as a mediator in the relationship between workplace incivility (WI) and instigated WI.Design/methodology/approachA survey of 303 white collar employees from small- to medium-size industries in Australia was conducted. Self-reported measures were used to obtain data on WI, burnout, and instigated WI. Mediation analyses with bootstrap via PROCESS was used ascertain the proposed relationship.FindingsResults indicated that WI was positively linked to instigated WI. Importantly, results indicated that burnout fully mediated the relationship between WI and instigated WI.Research limitations/implicationsThe correlational and self-report nature of the study exclude inference about causality between variables and may be more prone to bias. However, despite these limitations, pre- and post-cautionary steps were taken to ensure that these biases were kept at bay as much as is possible.Practical implicationsThe study highlights that burnout may be an important underlying mechanism responsible for target’s and perpetrator’s uncivil relationships toward each other. Management should be cognizant of possible burnout among employees who experienced WI and to take appropriate training as preventive measures for WI.Originality/valueThis study responded to the call for more empirical investigation of WI. This study also integrated conservation of resources and the spiral of incivility theories to develop a theoretical model which linked WI to instigated WI.

A citizens’ jury on regulation of McDonald's products and operations in Australia in response to a corporate health impact assessment

Objectives1) To report outcomes from a citizens’ jury examining regulatory responses to the health impacts of McDonald's Australia; 2) To determine the value of using citizens’ juries to develop policy recommendations based on the findings of health impact assessment of transnational corporations (TNCs). MethodsA citizens’ jury engaged 15 randomly selected and demographically representative jurors from metropolitan Adelaide to deliberate on the findings of a Corporate Health Impact Assessment, and to decide on appropriate policy actions. ResultsJurors unanimously called for government regulation to ensure that transnational fast food corporations pay taxes on profits in the country of income. A majority (two‐thirds) also recommended government regulation to reduce fast food advertising, and improve standards of consumer information including a star‐ratings system. A minority held the view that no further regulation is required of the corporate fast food industry in Australia. ConclusionThe jury's recommendations can help inform policy makers about the importance of ending the legal profit‐shifting strategies by TNCs that affect taxation revenue. They also endorse regulating the fast food industry to provide healthier food, and employing forms of community education and awareness‐raising. Implications for public healthCitizens’ juries can play an important role in providing feedback and policy recommendations in response to the findings of a health impact assessment of transnational corporations.

Contract farming: global standards or market forces? The case of the Australian dairy industry

This article investigates why the international contract farming guidelines by the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development have not been viewed as constructively as they should have been in regulating a contract farming sector in a developed country—namely, the dairy industry in Australia. In 2016, the dairy industry was very adversely affected by an ill-fated competition for milk supply by two of the biggest milk processors in Victoria. On a falling international milk market and a stockpile of milk products in China, the two processors engaged in a strategy of increasing the milk price to attract milk producers. Not surprisingly, the fallout was felt by the contract farmers and drove many to entirely abandon the industry. This article traces the developments of the partial collapse of the dairy industry and the eventual collapse of Murray Goulburn, one of the main milk processors in Australia, and it arrives at the conclusion that the system of milk pricing within the Australian industry, coupled with poor management and the inactivity of the government, was a hindrance in establishing sound practices in this particular contract farming sector.

‘Fossil Fueling the Apocalypse’: Australian Coal Subsidies and the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures

AbstractGlobal fossil fuel subsidies are substantial and contribute to climate change. They also undermine the ambitions of the Paris Agreement. However, under the WTO, the international community's foremost economic institution, it is renewable energy subsidies, not fossil fuel subsidies, that have been subjected to litigation. To date, no fossil fuel subsidy has ever been brought before the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body (DSB). This paper makes a unique contribution to the literature on energy subsidies by applying the WTO covered Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (1994) (SCM Agreement) to a specific government measure designed to support the coal export industry in Australia: namely, the proposed concessional loan for the construction of a rail line between the Carmichael coal mine and Abbot Point coal port by the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF). In finding that this measure is in breach of the SCM Agreement, this paper foreshadows future litigation and provides guidance to non-government organizations (NGOs) seeking to identify other unlawful fossil fuel subsidies.

Making a market for Mexican food in Australia

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to account for the remarkable proliferation of Mexican restaurants and tequila bars in contemporary urban Australia, in the absence of any geographical contiguity, historical connection or cultural proximity between Australia and Mexico.Design/methodology/approachThe paper traces how the particularities of direct cultural contact, interpersonal networks and grass-roots entrepreneurism can open up new markets, and how the ground is, thus, prepared for subsequent large-scale international corporate entry to those markets. This research is based on interviews with key figures in the development of the Mexican food industry in Australia, interpreted in terms of the extant literature on cultural globalisation. The first-hand accounts of these participants have been interpreted in the light of available secondary sources and relevant theory.FindingsThe most striking theme to emerge in the study is the relative absence of Mexicans, or even Mexico-experienced Australians, in the making of a market for Mexican food in Australia. Rather, initially, Americans were prominent, as entrepreneurs and in forming a consumer market, while in later decades, entrepreneurs and consumers alike have been Australians whose experience of Mexican food has been formed in the United States, not Mexico. The role of hipster subculture and travel is seen as instrumental. Also of interest is the manner in which the personal experiences and interrelationships of the Americans and Australians have shaped the development of the Mexican food industry. This is not to ignore the much more recent participation of a new wave of immigrants from Mexico.Research limitations/implicationsWhile the scope of the study is national, the sharper focus is on the experience of Melbourne; it would be useful for future researchers to investigate other major cities, even if Melbourne has been the most pivotal of Australian cities in the history of Mexican food in Australia. The study has conceptual and theoretical implications for debates around cultural globalisation and “Americanisation”.Originality/valueThe paper provides a close-grained and suitably theorised account of how a particular consumer trend has become extended on a global basis, with particular attention to both individual experience and agency, and corporate activity.

Speaking of research: oral history and marketing history

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the value of oral history for marketing historians and provide case studies from projects in the Australian context to demonstrate its utility. These case studies are framed within a theme of market research and its historical development in two industries: advertising and retail property. Design/methodology/approach This study examines oral histories from two marketing history projects. The first, a study of the advertising industry, examines the globalisation of the advertising agency in Australia over the period spanning the 1950s to the 1980s, through 120 interviews. The second, a history of the retail property industry in Australia, included 25 interviews with executives from Australia’s largest retail property firms whose careers spanned from the mid-1960s through to the present day. Findings The research demonstrates that oral histories provide a valuable entry port through which histories of marketing, shifts in approaches to market research and changing attitudes within industries can be examined. Interviews provided insights into firm culture and practices; demonstrated the variability of individual approaches within firms and across industries; created a record of the ways that market research has been conducted over time; and revealed the ways that some experienced operators continued to rely on traditional practices despite technological advances in research methods. Originality/value Despite their ubiquity, both the advertising and retail property industries in Australia have received limited scholarly attention. Recent scholarship is redressing this gap, but more needs to be understood about the inner workings of firms in an historical context. Oral histories provide an avenue for developing such understandings. The paper also contributes to broader debates about the role of oral history in business and marketing history.

Australian wheat production expected to decrease by the late 21st century.

Climate change threatens global wheat production and food security, including the wheat industry in Australia. Many studies have examined the impacts of changes in local climate on wheat yield per hectare, but there has been no assessment of changes in land area available for production due to changing climate. It is also unclear how total wheat production would change under future climate when autonomous adaptation options are adopted. We applied species distribution models to investigate future changes in areas climatically suitable for growing wheat in Australia. A crop model was used to assess wheat yield per hectare in these areas. Our results show that there is an overall tendency for a decrease in the areas suitable for growing wheat and a decline in the yield of the northeast Australian wheat belt. This results in reduced national wheat production although future climate change may benefit South Australia and Victoria. These projected outcomes infer that similar wheat-growing regions of the globe might also experience decreases in wheat production. Some cropping adaptation measures increase wheat yield per hectare and provide significant mitigation of the negative effects of climate change on national wheat production by 2041-2060. However, any positive effects will be insufficient to prevent a likely decline in production under a high CO2 emission scenario by 2081-2100 due to increasing losses in suitable wheat-growing areas. Therefore, additional adaptation strategies along with investment in wheat production are needed to maintain Australian agricultural production and enhance global food security. This scenario analysis provides a foundation towards understanding changes in Australia's wheat cropping systems, which will assist in developing adaptation strategies to mitigate climate change impacts on global wheat production.

Building information modelling in sustainable design and construction

Building information modelling (BIM) has been developed in design and construction as a solution to sustainability issues. This research aims to study the practical application, contributions and improvements of BIM in developing sustainable design and construction. The architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry in Australia is employed as a case. A questionnaire was developed and distributed via the internet to a range of industry professionals. The results indicate that two main functions of BIM are analysis and visualisation. BIM plays various roles in sustainable design and construction, and its most significant contributions have been in relation to developing energy efficiency, daylighting and orientation, and natural ventilation. Moreover, application barriers such as insufficient knowledge and practical experience of BIM, and clients' lack awareness of BIM are identified. Providing government support and training/education opportunities, reducing BIM software cost and increasing awareness of BIM are recommended to enhance its contribution to sustainable design and construction. This research makes a contribution in promoting BIM in developing sustainable design and construction and so advancing the sustainability of the AEC industry.