New South Wales Research Articles

Grave concerns: Reconsidering the burials at Gladesville Hospital for the Insane, New South Wales, 1880–1903

ABSTRACT The current site interpretation of the cemetery at Gladesville Hospital, in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, makes use of several tropes frequently perpetuated in descriptions of graveyards attached to nineteenth-century psychiatric institutions. The underlying assumption is that the site contains 1,226 unmarked burials which are symbolic of a horrendous social marginalisation, and that these people were swiftly ‘forgotten’ in death due to the stigma of being buried in an institutional graveyard. By contrasting Gladesville’s institutional cemetery with other public graveyards in NSW, this article finds that in fact Gladesville’s burial ground presented a rather good deal to its pauper patients since it offered memorialisation, and high security, which was in stark juxtaposition with public burials off-site. This article, in addition, analyses the death rituals carried out at Gladesville, for a range of burial-types including that of patients, staff and others, and considers the use of these bodies in terms of post-mortem rates and the collection of anatomical samples. The processes at Gladesville shed light on practices carried out in the UK, and also offer a contrast to some Victorian-era British hospitals for the insane.

Origins and Distribution of Panicum Mosaic Virus and Sugarcane Mosaic Virus on Stenotaphrum secundatum in Australia.

Stenotaphrum secundatum is a premium turf grass in warm temperate and subtropical regions of the world and is the most important turf species in Australia based on the value of its production. A new disease called buffalo grass yellows (BGY) has become a problem on turf farms in Australia. We surveyed turf farms in New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (Qld) and Western Australia to determine whether panicum mosaic virus (PMV) and sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) were associated with BGY. PMV was only found on three farms, two located in the Hawkesbury Valley near Sydney, and a third at Echuca, about 800 km to the southwest of the former location. SCMV was more prevalent, present in all major cultivars and states surveyed. We analyzed phylogenetic relationships for SCMV and found that isolates infecting S. secundatum in Australia belonged to three clades. The first included Australian isolates typical of the population of viruses circulating in Digitaria didactyla. The second included a single NSW isolate from S. secundatum 'SS100' that grouped with otherwise American isolates of SCMV recorded in S. secundatum and Saccharum officinale from Florida, and Zea mays from Ohio. Finally, an isolate of SCMV from S. secundatum originating from a turf farm in southeast Qld grouped with viruses mostly infecting maize; this record is potentially the first maize-adapted strain of SCMV in Australia. Our study sheds light on the aetiology of the BGY disease syndrome and invasion history of PMV and SCMV in Australia.

Comparing the negotiation of attitudes in audience-sensitive art exhibition labels: how they engage visitors of different age groups

Abstract This article examines how audience-sensitive art exhibition labels engage visitors of different age groups – children and adults – from an appraisal perspective. The potential of evaluative language and emotionally charged expressions in enhancing visitor engagement is increasingly recognized by museum professionals, while it has received limited in-depth exploration in the research literature. A corpus of 56 audience-sensitive labels from an exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Australia was compiled for a comparative analysis of how they negotiate affect, judgement, and appreciation meanings. The findings reveal that both sets of labels frequently employ positive and inscribed appreciations to evaluate the qualities of the artworks. However, there are notable differentiations regarding the realizations of attitude types, subtypes, polarity, mode, appraisers, and the appraised triggers/targets. This article contributes to our understanding about the use of evaluative language in art exhibition labels for children and adults, offering insights into audience-sensitive label writing practice in the art museum context.

'It's Already Hard and It's Nearing Impossible': A Thematic Analysis of Submissions by Rural Veterinarians to the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into the Veterinary Workforce Shortage.

There is a global veterinary workforce shortage, particularly in rural and regional areas. In response to this shortage in New South Wales (NSW), the State Parliament launched a Parliamentary Inquiry in 2023. The Inquiry received 205 publicly available written submissions, providing insights into the perceived challenges and barriers for veterinarians working in rural practice, and how the perceived impact of the feminisation of the workforce interacts with this. By analysing a subset of submissions written by veterinarians reporting lived experiences in rural practice (n = 63), we identified eight major themes. These were as follows: rural practices are not financially sustainable; rural veterinarians often have a more challenging and higher workload than their urban counterparts; working in rural practice increases challenges to health and wellbeing; it is difficult to recruit and retain people in rural practice; veterinary students are poorly selected and not well prepared for rural practice; clients have unrealistic expectations of rural veterinarians; rural practice is not compatible with family life; and veterinarians have mixed opinions regarding whether an increase in the proportion of female veterinarians is a key contributing factor in the shortage of veterinarians. These findings may assist in the development of recruitment and retention strategies for rural veterinary practice.

Changing patterns of treatment and prescribers of stimulants for children, adolescents and young adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in New South Wales, Australia: evidence for a treatment bottleneck? - A database study.

Investigate the treatment patterns and prescribers of stimulants for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in young people in New South Wales (NSW). Longitudinal cohort study of persons born after 1983 and prescribed stimulants for ADHD as per the NSW Ministry of Health Controlled Drugs Data Collection. Results were analyzed descriptively: a) treatment prevalence by year; age; sex; b) speciality of prescribers over time; c) rate of transition from paediatrics to adult psychiatry. The main analysis covered 2003-2015, with data on general practitioner prescribing to 2023. Treatment prevalence rates were highest at age 10 (22.8 per 1000 person years), declining among teenagers and stabilizing in adulthood at 2.5 per 1000. The childhood male treatment predominance (4:1) resolved to 1.6:1 in adulthood. Paediatricians were the main prescribers until age 20. The average annual percent increase in prescribers was: adult psychiatry - 13%, general practice - 20%, paediatrics - 2.6%. Only 6.3% of treated children had transitioned to adult psychiatrists by age 25; 50% starting treatment with adult psychiatrists had no previous treatment records. The proportion on treatment and the male predominance declined substantially with age. Future studies may determine whether increased prescribing by general practitioners and psychiatrists reduces treatment attrition during adolescence.

Opioid-related harms and experiences of care among people in justice settings in New South Wales, Australia: evidence from the National Ambulance Surveillance System

BackgroundPeople in justice settings experience higher rates of psychiatric morbidity, including alcohol and drug use disorders, compared with the general population. However, our understanding of opioid-related harms in justice settings is limited. This study used ambulance data to examine opioid-related harms and experiences of care in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, during periods of incarceration or detention.MethodsThis mixed-methods study used data from the National Ambulance Surveillance System (NASS) for patients aged 18 and older with an opioid-related ambulance attendance between December 2020 and April 2023. People in justice settings were identified using ambulance billing codes and manual review of paramedic case notes. Descriptive statistics described the patterns and modalities of opioid-related harms in justice settings, and a qualitative thematic analysis of paramedic case notes was used to contextualise findings. Results Over the study period, 328 opioid-related ambulance attendances for people in justice settings were identified (51% heroin; 41% opioid agonist therapy (OAT) medication). Symptoms of opioid withdrawal were noted in 35% of attendances, most commonly for heroin (51%) and withdrawal from OAT medications (48%). Three interconnected themes were identified using qualitative analysis: trust and mistrust in justice settings, systemic barriers to providing OAT, and other harm reduction strategies, and experiences of withdrawal in justice settings.ConclusionOur study demonstrated the utility of ambulance data in identifying opioid-related harms for people in justice settings in NSW. Qualitative findings highlight current barriers to effective opioid care in justice settings and identify opportunities for intervention, including targeted harm reduction programs, as well as policies that promote continuity of care particularly during transitions in and out of justice settings.

Protocol for extracting flow hydrograph shape metrics for use in time-series flood hydrology analysis.

The shape characteristics of flow hydrographs hold essential information for understanding, monitoring and assessing changes in flow and flood hydrology at reach and catchment scales. However, the analysis of individual hydrographs is time consuming, making the analysis of hundreds or thousands of them unachievable. A method or protocol is needed to ensure that the datasets being generated, and the metrics produced, have been consistently derived and validated. In this lab protocol, we present workflows in Python for extracting flow hydrographs with any available temporal resolution from any Open Access or publicly available gauging station records. The workflow identifies morphologically-defined flow and flood types (i.e. in-channel fresh, high flow and overbank flood) and uses them to classify hydrographs. It then calculates several at-a-station and upstream-to-downstream hydrograph shape metrics including kurtosis, skewness, peak hydrograph stage, peak arrival time, rate-of-rise, peak-to-peak travel time, flood wave celerity, flood peak attenuation, and flood wave attenuation index. Some metrics require GIS-derived data, such as catchment area and upstream-to-downstream channel distance between gauges. The output dataset provides quantified hydrograph shape metrics which can be used to track changes in flow and flood hydrographs over time, or to characterise the flow and flood hydrology of catchments and regions. The workflows are flexible enough to allow for additional hydrograph shape indicators to be added or swapped out, or to use a different hydrograph classification method that suits local conditions. The protocol could be considered a change detection tool to identify where changes in hydrology are occurring and where to target more sophisticated modelling exercises to explain the changes detected. We demonstrate the workflow using 117 Open Access gauging station records that are available for coastal rivers of New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

StUdy of Gestational diabetes And Risk using Electronic Data (SUGARED): a population-based cohort study—study protocol

IntroductionThe incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Australia has tripled in the last 20 years. Consequently, over 40 000 pregnancies are now diagnosed as ‘higher risk’ each year. This...

Public responsibility for abortion care and the role of law

As part of a global liberalising trend, the last two decades have seen abortion decriminalised in each of Australia’s States and Territories. In this article, we focus on New South Wales (NSW) – the country’s most populous jurisdiction – and locate the State’s abortion law reform in its global context. Abortion was decriminalised in NSW in 2019. As part of this, the State introduced a new legal framework that continues the long history of exceptionalising abortion in the legal regulation of heath care. Furthermore, while decriminalisation is a necessary modernising reform, it is not a guarantee of improved access to services. This has been the experience in a number of decriminalised jurisdictions, including NSW. In this, we argue that services remain simultaneously over- and under-regulated. Responding to this, and centring public responsibility for abortion care, we propose a model designed to advance universal access to abortion services. In this regard, there remains a central role for law and policy in improving health equity. In addressing the role of law in post-decriminalisation jurisdictions, we advance understandings of law as a determinant of health.

Rainfall Erosivity Projection in South‐East Australia Using the Improved Regional Climate Simulations

ABSTRACTRainfall erosivity is one of the most dynamic factors in the soil erosion process. The increase in soil erosion caused by high rainfall erosivity, and the subsequent loss of soil nutrients, can lead to reduced food production and ecosystem services. This research program under the New South Wales (NSW) Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, assesses rainfall pattern change, rainfall erosivity and erosion risk across NSW under future climate conditions. Daily rainfall erosivity and erosion risk were modelled by Revised Soil Loss Universal Equation (RUSLE) approach and compared with that driven by observed rainfall data. Future rainfall erosivity and soil erosion risk change were investigated from daily precipitation projection of the updated NSW and Australian Regional Climate Modelling (NARCliM1.5) for two future scenarios, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, from the historical (1986–2005) to far future (2060–2079) periods. The annual average rainfall erosivity is projected to increase about 8% under RCP 4.5 and further decrease 5% under RCP 8.5 in NSW due to the predicted temperature rises. More frequent heavy rainfall events are projected to occur during summer (December–January–February), and the rainfall from these extreme rainfall events is expected to account for 51% of the total annual rainfall in the far future. NARCliM‐derived results underestimate annual rainfall erosivity compared with observation‐derived erosivity. There are greater instability (root mean squared error [RMSE]: 803.2) and erosivity uncertainty (Bias: 16%~48%) in high rainfall zones. At a monthly scale, dry months (June–July–August) are becoming drier, while wet months (December–January–February) are becoming wetter and more erosive. 67% of NSW is predicted to experience increased rainfall erosivity under RCP4.5, whereas most of NSW will shift to drought and its consequent effects under the high‐end emission scenario (RCP 8.5). To address the dual challenges of excessive wetness in coastal and north‐east NSW and increasing aridity in Western NSW, it is necessary to develop climate change adaptation management strategies based on high‐risk areas and monthly or seasonal conditions. With the emerging launch of NARCliM2.0, we anticipate further improvements of these predictions will be achieved by more accurate models and data at higher spatial and temporal resolutions.

Serovar Australis replaces serovar Copenhageni as the most common cause of canine leptospirosis in New South Wales, Australia.

Highly fatal canine leptospirosis emerged in urban Sydney dogs in 2017, and serovar Copenhageni, against which a registered monovalent vaccine is available, was predominant until 2020. This study was conducted to (1) determine serological characteristics of canine leptospirosis in New South Wales (NSW) between 2021 and 2023; (2) describe the geospatial distribution of leptospirosis; and (3) evaluate if clinicopathological abnormalities and outcome differ between the dominant infecting serovars, Copenhageni versus Australis. Cases were identified through referral or direct veterinarian contact and included if clinical and clinicopathological findings confirmed leptospirosis. Between 2021 and 2023 leptospirosis was confirmed in 61 dogs in NSW. In 2022 two major outbreaks occurred in the local government areas of Shoalhaven (n = 23) and Lake Macquarie (n = 7). The most common serovar identified by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) was Australis (n = 23) followed by Copenhageni (n = 8), Pomona (n = 2), Robinsoni (n = 2) and Bratislava (n = 1). In 16/18 cases from Shoalhaven in which serological results were available, serovar Australis was identified. Dogs infected with serovar Copenhageni were significantly (P < 0.05) more likely to have hepatic involvement with significantly higher liver enzyme activities, bilirubin concentration and icterus, whereas dogs with serovar Australis were significantly (P < 0.01) more likely to have glucosuria. Overall case fatality rate was 40% and was not different between infecting serovars. There are regional differences of infecting serovars with distinct leptospirosis hotspots, and differences in clinicopathological findings. The apparent emergence of serovar Australis highlights the need for bi- or multivalent vaccines and ongoing case surveillance of causal serovars is needed. Glucosuria should prompt leptospirosis testing in endemic areas.

Buruli ulcer in Australia: Evidence for a new endemic focus at Batemans Bay, New South Wales.

We describe two locally acquired cases of Mycobacterium ulcerans infection (Buruli ulcer) in the town of Batemans Bay on the east coast of New South Wales (NSW), Australia, 150 km north of Eden, the only other place in NSW where Buruli ulcer has likely been locally acquired. Genomic analysis showed that the bacterial isolates from the cases were identical but belonged to a phylogenetically distinct M. ulcerans clade that was most closely related to the isolate from the earlier case in Eden to the south. It is proposed that Batemans Bay is a new endemic focus of human Buruli ulcer transmission.

Using stable-isotope analysis to assess recent diet and habitat use of stranded green turtles (Chelonia mydas)

Context Gaining a better understanding of the foraging ecology of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in different regions can improve the effectiveness of conservation and management strategies for this species. New South Wales (NSW), in eastern Australia, has been identified as a region requiring improved information on foraging ecology and habitat use by green turtles. Aims The aim of this study was to use stable-isotope analyses to investigate diet composition and foraging ecology of green turtles found stranded along the NSW coastline from 2018 to 2021. Methods This study measured δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S in macrophyte (mangrove, seagrass, and algae) samples collected along the NSW coastline, between March and June 2021, and epidermis tissue from green turtles that stranded in the same region between 2018 and 2021. In addition, stable-isotope values for animals known, or expected, to be consumed by green turtles were sourced from the literature. Macrophyte stable-isotope values were mapped to display spatial variations, then combined with literature-sourced animal matter and measured epidermis isotope values into stable-isotope mixing models. Mixing models were used to determine diet structure for each stranded green turtle, and their similarity to regional macrophyte isotope values to infer potential foraging locations. Key results High variation was present in δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S values of macrophyte sources along the NSW coastline, limiting the potential to infer the recent foraging locations of stranded green turtles. High δ15N values in green turtle epidermis samples indicated that most sampled turtles were feeding two to three trophic levels above primary producers within algal-based food webs. Mixing models suggested that these food webs were predominantly supported by algae (mean ± s. d. = 51.2 ± 6.1%) and animal material (31.4 ± 4.7%), with mangrove (13.4 ± 2.0%) and seagrass (4.0 ± 2.5%) representing much smaller proportions of overall diet composition. Conclusions The results showed that green turtles stranded along the NSW coastline feed primarily in algae-dominated food webs, with evidence of omnivory. These findings suggest that sampled individuals display diet compositions alternative to those of their Queensland counterparts, who feed primarily in seagrass-dominated habitats. Management and conservation programs in NSW should focus on limiting anthropogenic disturbances in algae-dominated habitats. Implications This novel finding demonstrated the importance of algae-dominated habitats for green turtle conservation and management in south-eastern Australia. The generated isoscapes are useful in examining isotopic variations in macrophytes along the NSW coastline.

The spread of mealybug-associated pasture dieback into the New South Wales wet subtropics

ABSTRACT Pasture dieback is a disorder that displays as an abrupt discolouring of leaves in many pasture grasses. It often results in plant death, leading to loss of pasture productivity. In 2020, the first ever cases in New South Wales (NSW) were reported in the North Coast Local Land Services Region. To support decision makers, this paper reviews current knowledge on the cause of the disorder, the conditions leading to its incursion into NSW and management options. While the disease has been constrained to the North Coast, there are active cases in 69 parishes. Case reporting was highest in autumn, while cases have spread south and then west. Analysis of climate and remotely sensed data indicates that this spread followed high rainfall and biomass conditions in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The condition can affect all tropical grasses within the region, however there is variable tolerance among species. Work is required to assess opportunities for sowing tolerant species to maintain a productive feed base. Based on our review, late summer to autumn is when symptoms are most likely to present, therefore, management should focus on controlling biomass in the lead up to this period.

Is start time a risk factor for amounts consumed on a given day if drinking duration is taken into account? An event-level study

Background This study investigates the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on typical drinking patterns and the relationship between drinking start time and duration on daily drinks and drinking pace. Methods 573 participants from New South Wales (NSW), Australia completed five waves of weekly diaries assessing a ‘typical week’s alcohol consumption’ between March and November 2020. We examined the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on drinking start time, duration and pattern. Multilevel regression and mediation models were then conducted to ascertain the associations between start time and duration on the quantity and pace of drinking. Results Participants started drinking significantly earlier in the day during lockdown compared to pre-lockdown. The earlier drinking started on a given day the higher the number of drinks consumed that day. Earlier start times led to increased consumption indirectly, via increased duration. After adjusting for duration, later start times were associated with increased consumption. The daily drinking pace also increased significantly with later start times. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that start time is a risk factor for heavier alcohol consumption, but only because it leads to increased drinking duration. Later start times are associated with increased drinking pace, and after adjusting for duration, lead to higher daily drinking volumes.

Ambient vibration dataset of a short-span cable-stayed bridge

A full-scale short-span cable-stayed bridge on a wind-exposed hill in New South Wales in Australia, was instrumented to assess its dynamic response to ambient vibration. The primary goal was to generate extensive datasets for Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) and develop new Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) techniques. Wind, vehicular, and pedestrian traffic on the bridge, and highway traffic beneath it, provided sufficient ambient vibration excitation. Uni-axial accelerometers were installed on the deck and cables, and a shear strain sensor was placed at one end of the bridge to measure traffic volume. Continuous ambient temperature recording was included due to its known impact on structural modal features. This data note presents four comprehensive datasets: ‘A-Single-Day,’ ‘Seasonal,’ ‘Constant-Temperature,’ and ‘Damaged-Structure’ which correspond to different environmental, operational, and structural conditions. These datasets are intended to support researchers by providing high-quality, real-world data that can be used for validating and developing OMA frameworks and SHM techniques. This paper fills a critical gap in the literature by making these detailed datasets available for broader research applications. Detailed descriptions of the instrumentation and data collection procedures are provided, along with discussions on the validity and plausibility of the datasets.

Cross-sectional and longitudinal genotype to phenotype surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 variants over the first four years of the COVID-19 pandemic

Continued phenotyping and ongoing molecular epidemiology are important in current and future monitoring of emerging SARS-CoV-2 lineages. Herein we developed pragmatic strategies to track the emergence, spread and phenotype of SARS-CoV-2 variants in Australia in an era of decreasing diagnostic PCR testing and focused cohort-based studies. This was aligned to longitudinal studies that span 4 years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout 2023, we partnered with diagnostic pathology providers and pathogen genomics teams to identify relevant emerging or circulating variants in the New South Wales (NSW) community. We monitored emerging variants through viral culture, growth algorithms, neutralisation responses and changing entry requirements defined by ACE2 and TMPRSS2 receptor use. To frame this in the context of the pandemic stage, we continued to longitudinally track neutralisation responses at the population level using pooled Intravenous Immunoglobulins (IVIG) derived from in excess of 700,000 donations. In antibodies derived from recent individual donations and thousands of donations pooled in IVIGs, we observed continued neutralisation across prior and emerging variants with EG.5.1, HV.1, XCT and JN.1 ranked as the most evasive SARS-CoV-2 variants. Changes in the type I antibody site at Spike positions 452, 455 and 456 were associated with lowered neutralisation responses in XBB lineages. In longitudinal tracking of population immunity spanning three years, we observed continued maturation of neutralisation breadth to all SARS-CoV-2 variants over time. Whilst neutralisation responses initially displayed high levels of imprinting towards Ancestral and early pre-Omicron lineages, this was slowly countered by increased cross reactive breadth to all variants. We predicted JN.1 to have a marked transmission advantage in late 2023 and this eventuated globally at the start of 2024. We could not attribute this advantage to neutralisation resistance but rather propose that this growth advantage arises from the preferential utilisation of ACE2 pools that cannot engage TMPRSS2 at its Collectrin-Like Domain (CLD). The emergence of many SARS-CoV-2 lineages documented at the end of 2023 was found to be initially associated with lowered neutralisation responses. This continued to be countered by the gradual maturation of cross-reactive neutralisation responses over time. The later appearance and dominance of the divergent JN.1 lineage cannot be attributed to a lack of neutralisation responses alone, and our data supports that its dominance is a culmination of both lowered neutralisation and changes in ACE2/TMPRSS2 entry preferences. This work was primarily supported by Australian Medical Foundation research grants MRF2005760 (ST, GM & WDR), MRF2001684 (ADK and ST) and Medical Research Future Fund Antiviral Development Call grant (WDR), Medical Research Future Fund COVID-19 grant (MRFF2001684, ADK & SGT) and the New South Wales Health COVID-19 Research Grants Round 2 (SGT).

“This is not why we brought our children here!”: Tensions and challenges in responding to Adverse Childhood Experiences in African-background refugee families

BackgroundRefugee-background children face increased risks of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). However, their access to support services continues to pose significant challenges. A need exists to understand how families and child welfare services respond to ACEs to inform the design of culturally responsive interventions. PurposeBased on a broader qualitative study with parents and practitioners, this article shares the findings on the tensions and challenges of addressing ACEs in African-background refugee families in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. MethodologyThe research employed a qualitative micro-ethnographic approach. The first author interviewed 12 parents and 12 clinical practitioners and conducted two focus group discussions with African community leaders: the first with six and the second with five participants. Transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. ResultsThree central themes reflected the tensions and challenges associated with responding to ACEs: reliance on informal support, the “messy” child protection services, and gaps in the child protection system. Parents responded to ACEs through various cultural and spiritual practices and by allocating most family resources to the needs of the children directly affected by ACEs. This came at the expense of resources available for the victim's siblings, who were also experiencing ACEs directly or vicariously. Professional responses were reactive, and the experiences taking place before resettlement were overlooked. Interactions between parents and child welfare services were particularly adversarial in the case of child removal from the family. ConclusionRefugee-background families face unique challenges in accessing services, but they also have capacities that can be harnessed in collaborative interventions addressing ACEs. Culturally responsive and trauma-informed support models may assist in improving interventions addressing ACEs.

Supporting Refugees Participating in the Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters in Regional Australia

The uncertainty of transition to school for refugee children can be alleviated through early childhood programs that cater to children, families, and communities. This paper reports findings from a Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY), where free, home-based early childhood learning occurs during the critical period of the child’s transition to full-time school. The project aimed to support Ezidi parent’s capacity to prepare their children for Australian school contexts and to build a sense of belonging among Ezidi children in their new community in regional New South Wales (NSW), Australia. This qualitative study was based on a case study informed by Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Bronfenbrenner’s socio-ecological theory. Data were analyzed for themes using NVivo software. Findings indicated the HIPPY program supported Ezidi children's transition to school. Challenges such as parents’ English language proficiency and limited knowledge about the program resulted in the parents not being fully involved.

‘It’s dangerous to put a number on them’. Media coverage of koalas during the 2019–2020 ‘Black Summer’ bushfires in Australia

Context The unprecedented scale and severity of the 2019–2020 ‘Black Summer’ bushfires in Australia were an environmental disaster, and koalas became the public face of the fires’ toll on wildlife. Aims We investigated the media stories on koalas during the fires to identify what was reported, and how the numbers of koalas killed by the fires were sourced and reported. Methods We searched for media articles published in major Australian print and online news outlets, local sources, press releases and international outlets for the terms ‘koala’, ‘fire’, ‘bushfire’, ‘emergency’, ‘disaster’ and ‘burn’, published between 15 October 2019 and 31 October 2020, and recorded any numbers of koalas given in those reports. This places our methods in a qualitative realm of investigation. Key results We reviewed 371 media articles on the bushfires and koalas in New South Wales (NSW). Almost half included an estimate of the numbers of koalas killed in NSW. Almost a third stated that koalas are going extinct in NSW, however almost two thirds did not mention that koalas were already in decline from threats other than fire. Conclusions We concluded that it was dangerous to put numbers on koalas. Misinformation, half-truths, and neglecting the important role of science and scientists, can erode public trust in the media and in science. Implications The obsession with numbers has left a legacy that can drown out the more considered narrative of science and lead to distortions of policy and management, as well as distract from other critical attributes of koala conservation.