Northern Territory Research Articles

Sharks and Rays of Northern Australia’s Roper River, with a Range Extension for the Threatened Speartooth Shark Glyphis glyphis

Northern Australia is considered a ‘lifeboat’ region for globally threatened shark and ray species (elasmobranchs), although much of the region is understudied. The Roper River in the Northern Territory’s Gulf of Carpentaria has been inadequately surveyed, with most elasmobranch data gained opportunistically through freshwater fish surveys. This study aimed to report the occurrence of elasmobranch species in the Roper River through targeted field surveys conducted between 2016 and 2024 and to review data from other sources. Four euryhaline species were recorded, comprising two sharks, a sawfish, and a stingray. Records of the globally Vulnerable speartooth shark (Glyphis glyphis) represented a significant range extension and the documentation of a new reproductive population. Records of the Critically Endangered largetooth sawfish (Pristis pristis) extended almost 400 km upstream, highlighting extensive use of the river system. A predominantly marine species, the Critically Endangered giant guitarfish (Glaucostegus typus) was observed in brackish estuarine waters, approximately 15 km upstream from the river mouth. Further research is required to develop a more thorough understanding of abundance, life history, and population connectivity for these species in this river system. Given the documentation of threatened species, the potential impacts of fisheries, water allocations, and climate change require assessment.

Investigation of Antibiotics Susceptibility and Resistance Pattern of ESBL and CRE Producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia Isolates from Northern Region of Saudi Arabia

The presence of ESBLs and CRE in E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae poses a significant challenge in healthcare and community settings. These enzymes can confer resistance to multiple antibiotics, limiting treatment options for infections caused by these strains. This resistance complicates infection management, leading to prolonged illness, increased healthcare costs, and higher mortality. This cross-sectional study, conducted from 2021 to 2022 at three hospitals in the northern border region of Saudi Arabia, involved collecting 541 samples from various wards and units. Samples were inoculated on blood-agar and MacConkey’s media, incubated overnight at 37°C, and analyzed for growth. Antibiotic susceptibility was tested using the “MicroScan WalkAway-96 SI-automated system. A total of 541 positive cases were collected from three major cities in the northern border territory of Saudi Arabia. Observations show that E. coli (18.66%, n = 101) was the most prominent pathogen, compared to Klebsiella pneumoniae (9.9%, n = 54). Females were more prone to ESBL-producing E. coli infections, with 67% having a urinary tract infection, whereas male patients were more predisposed to respiratory K. pneumoniae infections (54% compared to females at 46%). Out of 155 samples, 49.01% were ESBL-producing E. coli, and 20.38% were ESBL+CRE. Furthermore, 15.68% of K. pneumoniae were ESBL producers. E. coli showed resistance to 92% of ampicillin, 90% of oxacillin, 79% of ceftazidime, 76% of cefepime, 57% of aztreonam, and 53% of cephalothin, while amikacin (85%), imipenem, and meropenem were effective. Klebsiella pneumoniae showed 74% resistance to ampicillin, 67% to ceftazidime, 63% to co-trimoxazole, 57% to amoxicillin-clavulanate, and 42% to aztreonam. The sensitive antibiotics were imipenem (46%), aztreonam (42%), and amikacin (44%). The results are both intriguing and alarming. It is crucial to address the spread of ESBL and CRE-producing organisms.

Leadership and retention in early childhood education

Global early childhood education workforce shortages have highlighted the importance of recruitment and retention. The development of effective leadership has not been a retention policy focus even though effective leadership has been identified as an important driver for improving working conditions and supporting educator retention. The aim of this research was to investigate what factors affect retention focussing on retention challenges for leaders in an under researched context. Participants were 34 early childhood educators in the Northern Territory of Australia. A constructivist grounded theory methodology framed the research and the data analysis, and a constant comparative method was used to generate categories. The lack of learning on leadership, coupled with competing priorities, were identified as critical factors that contribute to increased attrition. However, informal mentoring was found to support both the positional and emerging leaders, increasing the probability of their retention regardless of their access to leadership development.

'They got my back': Thematic analysis of relationship building in nurse home visiting in Aboriginal communities.

The client-practitioner relationship is the cornerstone of nurse home-visiting programs. Little is understood about how relationship-based maternal and early childhood health care is perceived by women in remote Aboriginal communities. As part of an evaluation of nurse home-visiting in the Northern Territory, this research examines how relationships are established with clients, and what elements are valued most by women. Maternal Early Childhood Sustained Home-visiting (MECSH) is an Australian model of nurse-led home-visiting targeted at women facing adversity who need extra support. The model provides parenting information, health education and psychosocial support during pregnancy and the first 3 years of children's development. Interviews were conducted with 92 Aboriginal women and 11 practitioners including nurses, social workers and community workers. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with convenience samples of MECSH clients and practitioners. Data were analysed using a two-step process of structural coding and thematic analysis. Trust was the foundation of clients' positive perception of the relationship with their MECSH provider. Relationships took time to develop, often beginning with practical support to meet clients' basic needs. Practitioner dependability and flexibility to client priorities, communication, confidentiality and being helpful to the woman and her family was important. Clients emphasised emotional support and friendship. The relationship-based approach was valued and consistent with culturally safe and trauma informed ways of working with Aboriginal families. Effort is required to commit to the model to address ongoing healthcare engagement and health outcomes in remote Northern Territory communities.

Abstract 4138813: The Use of Direct Oral Anticoagulants for Valvular Atrial Fibrillation in Central Australia

Background: In developed countries, valvular atrial fibrillation (vAF) in the setting of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) disproportionately impacts minority groups. In Australia, Indigenous Australians account for 92% of cases despite only representing 3.8% of the population. Studies to date, such as the INVICTUS trial, support the use of Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) over direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in vAF. However, this assumes consistent adherence and regular clinic follow up. Reduced access to monitoring and dispensing clinics in Central Australia remains a challenge in the provision of VKAs and the use of DOACs may address this. Hypothesis: DOACs may be comparably effective with VKAs in preventing major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) in a real-world vAF population. Aim: To conduct a real-world retrospective observational study examining rates of MACCE for patients on VKAs or DOACs for vAF in Central Australia over a five-year period. Methods: The Northern Territory RHD Register was accessed to identify patients with RHD and vAF in January 2019. Demographic and five-year outcome data (until January 2024) were collected. The primary outcome was MACCE, a composite of ischaemic stroke, systemic embolism, non-fatal myocardial infarction, cardiovascular death and all-cause mortality. The primary safety endpoint was major bleeding. Statistical analyses were conducted as both intention-to-treat (ITT) based on initial anticoagulation and as-treated (AT) based on anticoagulation prior to MACCE or trial endpoint, each excluding patients without anticoagulation. Results: 61 patients were included. The mean age was 61.9 ± 13.9 years and 68.9% were female. At baseline, 65.6% received VKA, 14.8% DOAC and 19.7% were not anticoagulated. 30.6% of patients crossed over from the ITT analysis, with a non-significant trend favouring switch to DOAC (11 vs 0, p=0.09). In the ITT analysis (n=49), there was no significant difference in MACCE (25.0% vs 22.2%, p=0.86) or major bleeding (20.0% vs 11.1%, p=0.53) between VKA and DOAC groups. In the AT analysis (n=51), there was no significant difference in MACCE (27.3% vs 16.7%, p=0.39) or major bleeding (18.2% vs 22.2%, p=0.73) between VKA and DOAC groups. Conclusion: Over a five-year period, there was a trend towards use of DOACs over VKAs in vAF. This study demonstrates that DOACs may be as effective as VKAs for reducing MACCE in a real-world vAF population however further investigation is required.

Knowledge co‐production praxis in sustainability science: Insights from three contexts

AbstractKnowledge co‐production is needed as never before to support social change in the face of climate, water, biodiversity, and other sustainability crises. Co‐production brings together diverse groups and their ways of knowing to generate new knowledges and practices that reconfigure or generate transformative social changes and that invite reflexivity. Within sustainability sciences, tensions exist between descriptive, analytical framings of co‐production used to interrogate knowledge‐power relations and instrumental or normative framings used to build such relations. The former has been criticised for being overly descriptive and difficult to translate into policy outcomes and the latter for failing to sufficiently interrogate power dynamics and for perpetuating existing inequities. As researchers, how are we to navigate this tension? Co‐production praxis involves reconfiguring knowledge‐power relations for just and transformative social changes. I suggest what is needed is a critical lens on those relations to underpin and guide feasible and action‐oriented processes and outcomes for such changes. In three ways, I present and reflect on co‐production contexts with different temporal, spatial and epistemological characteristics. These contexts are analysing historical co‐production of knowledge of coastal freshwater floodplain Country of the Northern Territory, facilitating the Kunwinjku Seasons calendar and enabling reflexive co‐production praxis with sustainability science researchers at a national science institution. I demonstrate the need within each context to weave analytical, practical, and reflexive work to reconfigure fairer societal outcomes and to pay greater attention to socio‐institutional changes arising from our engaged work.

Northern Territory January to June 2024

Northern Territory January to June 2024

Risk factors for unintentional injury hospitalisation among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children in Australia's Northern Territory: A data linkage study.

Unintentional injuries are a leading cause of hospitalisation for children. This study investigated the incidence and associated risk factors for unintentional injury hospitalisation (UIH) among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children aged under 5 years in Australia's Northern Territory. This was a retrospective cohort study using linked data from a perinatal register, hospital admissions, school enrolment and child protection services. The outcome variable was a first UIH. Potential risk factors included gender, pregnancy and birth outcomes, maternal education level, child protection service contact and geographic remoteness. Modified Poisson regression was used for multivariate modelling. A cohort of 21,189 children (54.0% Aboriginal) born between 2000 and 2010 were followed to the age of 5 years. The overall incidence of first UIH was 25.8 per 1,000 person-years, which was 28.6% higher among Aboriginal than non-Aboriginal children (28.8 and 22.4 per 1000 person-years, respectively). Risk factors identified in the full model included: being male (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.26, 95%CI: 1.17-1.36); living in a remote (IRR 1.26, 95%CI: 1.14-1.40) or very remote area (IRR 1.44, 95%CI: 1.29-1.59); having a notification or substantiated notification for abuse (IRR 1.42, 95%CI: 1.27-1.58 and IRR 1.60, 95%CI: 1.41-1.82, respectively); or neglect (IRR 1.32, 95%CI: 1.17-1.48 and IRR 1.28, 95%CI: 1.11-1.47, respectively). After adjustment, there was no difference in UIH rates between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children. In both stratified models, being male, living in remote or very remote areas and having a notification or substantiated notification for child maltreatment were identified as risk factors. Our study found high UIH incidence rates and evidence for an association between UIH and child maltreatment. This suggests child maltreatment and UIH have shared determinants and points to the need for clinicians to be aware of the overlap between these conditions and the importance of cross-agency collaboration in prevention and management.

World Archaeological Congress 10: Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, 22nd to the 28th of June 2025

World Archaeological Congress 10: Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, 22nd to the 28th of June 2025

Cost-effectiveness of clinical decision support to improve CKD outcomes among First Nations Australians

IntroductionThe Northern Territory (NT) is a hotspot for chronic kidney disease (CKD) and has a high incidence of kidney replacement therapy (KRT). The Territory Kidney Care clinical decision support tool (CDS) aims to improve diagnosis and management of CKD in remote NT, particularly amongst First Nations Australians. We model the cost-effectiveness of the CDS versus usual care. MethodsTaking a healthcare funder perspective, we modelled a cohort of people from remote NT at risk of or with CKD, as of 1 January 2017. A Markov cohort model was developed using 6 years of observed patient-level data (2017 to 2023), extrapolated to a 15-year time horizon. The CDS tool was modelled to improve CKD diagnosis (scenario 1), improve management (scenario 2), or improve both diagnosis and management (scenario 3). ResultsThe remote NT cohort consisted of 23,195 people, predominantly (89%) First Nations, with a mean age of 42. Scenario 3 (improved diagnosis and management) was most cost-effective at an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $96,684 per patient avoiding KRT, $30,086 per patient avoiding death. Scenario 1 (improved diagnosis) was less cost-effective, and scenario 2 (improved management) was least cost-effective. The ICER per quality adjusted life years gained ranged from $3,427 (scenario 3) to $63,486 (scenario 2). ConclusionTerritory Kidney Care is highly cost-effective when it supports early diagnosis of CKD and increases optimal management in diagnosed patients. These results support investing in CDS tools, implemented in strong partnerships, to improve outcomes in settings with a high burden of CKD.

Adverse reactions to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole for melioidosis eradication therapy: an evaluation of frequency and risk factors

Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole is the first-line agent for oral eradication therapy for melioidosis but has been associated with toxicity in this context. This study aimed to quantify adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole when used for treatment of melioidosis, and assess risk factors for ADR development.A retrospective review of antimicrobial associated ADRs was performed in all patients treated for melioidosis in the Northern Territory of Australia from January 2017 – September 2022.Over this time, 268 treatment episodes from 256 individuals were included. The frequency of clinician-attributed ADRs to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (51% of exposed) was higher than for other antimicrobials used (ceftazidime 12%, meropenem 8% and doxycycline 12% of those exposed; p<0.0001). 44% of those treated with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole required drug cessation or dose reduction and 5 individuals (2%) had a severe cutaneous adverse reaction, with one fatality. Acute kidney injury was the most frequent ADR (25% of those exposed), with age and pre-existing renal disease independently associated with its development.Here we report very high rates of ADRs attributed to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole resulting in frequent discontinuation of this drug as part of oral eradication therapy for melioidosis. Further work is needed to balance the necessity and toxicity of this drug in this clinical context.

An investigation of regional public transport spend in Australia

This paper describes the outcome of a study to investigate the regional public transport spend in each state of Australia. The objective is to derive a reliable figure for comparison and the core metric used is spend per capita. The study assessed publicly available data on public transport spend, followed by a series of consultations with key staff from state bus associations and governments. The analysis was conducted separately for metropolitan (metro) and regional areas and then the regional data were further examined. While the Northern Territory (NT), Tasmania (TAS) and regional South Australia (SA) completely rely on bus services, Victoria (VIC) stands out as the state with the highest public transport spend per head in regional areas with robust train and bus networks which deliver the highest patronage. Western Australia (WA) is the state with the highest bus transport spend per head ensuring relatively high patronage despite the low population density. The study identifies low public transport patronage in regional areas as being influenced by low spending per capita and poor connectivity. It recommends prioritizing improvements in connectivity, multi-modal networks, and opening school buses to the general public. Additionally, funding strategies should focus more on patronage trends linked to spend rather than overemphasizing population density. Further, the study reveals that publicly available data seldom clearly segregates public transport spending in terms of regional and metro expenditure, which would lead to inefficiencies when assessing spatial equity in public transport provision.

Assessing the adequacy and sustainability of the Northern Territory health workforce with respect to burden of disease and injury, 2009-2021: an analysis of administrative data.

To assess the adequacy of the Northern Territory health workforce with respect to population size and burden of disease, overall and by selected health specialties; to assess its sustainability by investigating changes in workforce numbers. Analysis of Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) health workforce data (2013-2021) and burden of disease data (disability-adjusted life-years, DALYs) drawn from national and NT burden of disease studies (and projected for 2019-2021). NT and Australian health workforces, 2009-2021. Adequacy of the NT health workforce, assessed as the ratio of the mean annual numbers of NT health workers per 1000 population or health workers per 1000 DALYs (2009-2013 and 2014-2018) to those of the Australian workforce (2013 and 2018); sustainability of the NT health workforce, defined as the number of health workers per 1000 population or per 1000 DALYs increasing between 2013 and 2021. The number of health workers per 1000 population was slightly higher in the NT than for Australia in both time periods (2009-2013 v 2013: 23.30 v 21.79 per 1000 population, 6.9% larger; 2014-2018 v 2018: 25.79 v 23.47 per 1000 population, 9.9% larger); however, it was smaller with respect to burden of disease (2009-2013 v 2013: 82.6 v 107.4 health workers per 1000 DALYs, 23.1% fewer; 2014-2018 v 2018: 91.5 v 117.1 per 1000 DALYs, 21.8% fewer). In particular, 464 more nurses and midwives (11.4% more than the mean for 2013-2021), 196 more physiotherapists (115%), 189 more psychologists (102%), 152 more pharmacists (79%), and 144 more dentists (106%) are needed in the NT to match the corresponding numbers of health workers by disease burden for Australia as a whole. The number of Aboriginal health practitioners per 100 000 DALYs fell during the study period. Health worker population density alone does not reliably assess health workforce needs; burden of disease information is important for workforce planning that meets population health needs. The NT health workforce needs to be increased by about 28% to reflect the population burden of disease and injury. Shortages in the NT health workforce must be eliminated to close health gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

Assessing environmental liabilities of mining in Northern Australia: A case study of the McArthur River Mine

Mining projects supposedly offer enormous economic benefits; however, they often involve serious environmental liabilities that extend far beyond the life of the mine, including perturbing the ecological balance and causing the loss of ecosystem services that are vital for sustaining human well-being. Understanding and assessing the environmental liabilities of mining is crucial for estimating the costs of restoring, replacing, or providing the equivalent of the damaged natural resources. This study estimates the market and non-market values of the mining impacts in the Northern Territory, Australia, particularly for the McArthur River Mine. We assess these costs by applying the Replacement Cost, Welfare Costs Savings, and Basic Value Transfer methods in terms of the loss of local Indigenous communities' well-being, loss of ecosystem services from native vegetation and freshwater, and the opportunity cost of the mine site none of which are not fully accounted for in the mining operator's environmental assessments and mitigation measures approved by the local governmental authorities. Our valuation analysis indicates that the market value of the environmental and social impacts of mining ascends to AUD 1.1 billion per year while the non-market value is AUD 20 million per year. Assessing mining-related environmental liabilities offers crucial insights for informed decision-making regarding mitigation and remediation efforts and strengthening environmental and mining legislation in the Northern Territory. In conclusion, our study contributes to developing a comprehensive understanding of the true economic impact of mining activities on ecosystems and local Indigenous communities.

Lived experiences of youth justice detention in Australia: reframing the institution in a decarcerated state

ABSTRACT This article reconsiders youth justice detention in the Australian context by exploring the lived experiences of youth detention in New South Wales (NSW) and the Northern Territory (NT). In drawing upon narratives from children and young people who have experienced detention, this article argues for shifting youth detention away from highly securitised environments, instead presenting an alternative and provisional relational rights-based framework and approach. This reimagined youth justice detaining environment builds upon the current efforts to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility across Australia to 14, and other significant measures of decarceration. This dramatically limited and transformed carceral environment would actively seek to support these young people to reach their potential through nurturing their capabilities in a trauma-informed, therapeutic and relational rights-based environment, and then linking them in with highly resourced long-term transition pathways away from the justice system.

Influence of body size and environmental conditions on parasite assemblages of the black-spotted croaker (Protonibea diacanthus) (Teleostei: Sciaenidae) in northern Australia.

The functioning and richness of marine systems (and biological interactions such as parasitism) are continuously influenced by a changing environment. Using hierarchical modelling of species communities (HMSC), the presence and abundance of multiple parasite species of the black-spotted croaker, Protonibea diacanthus (Sciaenidae), was modelled against environmental measures reflecting seasonal change. Protonibea diacanthus were collected in three seasons across 2019–2021 from four locations within the waters of the Northern Territory, Australia. The length of P. diacanthus proved to have a strong positive effect on the abundance of parasite taxa and overall parasitic assemblage of the sciaenid host. This finding introduces potential implications for parasitism in the future as fish body size responds to fishing pressure and climate changes. Of the various environmental factors measured during the tropical seasons of northern Australia, water temperature and salinity changes were shown as potential causal factors for the variance in parasite presence and abundance, with changes most influential on external parasitic organisms. As environmental factors like ocean temperature and salinity directly affect parasite–host relationships, this study suggests that parasite assemblages and the ecological functions that they perform are likely to change considerably over the coming decades in response to climate change and its proceeding effects.

“It’s [gambling] obviously not regulated that well”: insights into Aboriginal peoples’ views on gambling regulation in the Northern Territory of Australia

Abstract Aim This study is the first in-depth qualitative study that has provided insights into Aboriginal (All participants in this study identified as Aboriginal and thus we have not included any reference to the Torres Strait Islander peoples in this paper.) people’s views on current gambling policy and legislation in the Northern Territory (NT), Australia. Subject and methods In-depth semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a targeted selection of participants. The sample comprised 29 participants, aged 18+ years, weekly and nonregular gamblers, and those negatively affected by others’ gambling. An open coding technique (a combination of inductive and deductive analyses) was used for data analysis. Appropriate ethics approval was also obtained. Results Participants described gambling as a revenue-generating product for the government and the gambling industry. Hence, their role in influencing the regulation of gambling for public benefit was debated. Participants provided practical suggestions that the government and the gambling industry could adopt to inform gambling regulation to minimise harm from gambling among Aboriginal people and the wider community in the NT. The suggestions included establishing stricter regulations relating to the licensing and opening hours of venues, limiting bet size and restricting the availability of gaming machines at venues. Participants also encouraged the reinstatement of mandatory formal dress codes at venues and the creation of health promotion resources such as advertisements and awareness campaigns tailored to the needs of the local Aboriginal people. Conclusion Both community-wide and targeted approaches are required to regulate and reduce gambling harm among Aboriginal people in the NT. Although both are important, having more explicit preventive approaches in place may eliminate the need for downstream interventions and strategies.

Love thy neighbour: Feral buffalos show greater space use, resource overlap and encounters during the wet season in the Northern Territory.

Managing feral water buffalo in the Northern Territory is a formidable challenge. As an introduced species, buffalo are associated with a myriad of biosecurity, economic, cultural and environmental issues ranging from overgrazing, decreased water quality, disease vectors to the destruction of cultural assets. Nevertheless, the buffalo are also a harvestable resource that can support economic development of the region. To mitigate some of the biosecurity, economic, cultural and environmental risks they pose and manage buffalo effectively, we need a detailed understanding of their spatial and behavioural ecology. However, several factors make understanding how best to manage the dense populations of wild individuals challenging as buffalo inhabit remote areas with limited infrastructure and accessibility and their large size and often aggressive nature can make them difficult to observe in otherwise inaccessible areas. GPS tracking allows for high-frequency data collection and surveillance of individual buffalo. Here, we investigated how the different seasonal periods of a Northern Territory floodplain area shaped patterns of habitat use for 17 buffalo tracked over 16 months. We found in the dry season, buffalo space use is restricted, and the size of home ranges are significantly smaller than in the wet season. During the wet season, buffalo expand their home range area as well as their social encounter area with other buffalo. These differences in their space use and social patterns suggest that increased disease surveillance may be needed for the wet season when buffalo are more likely to share space and interact. During the dry season, however, buffalo movement is more predictable and restricted, suggesting greater optimisation opportunities for buffalo management. Results from these models can be used by land holders, Traditional Owners and wildlife managers to make evidence-based decisions to improve buffalo management with respect to disease risk, sustainable harvest and damage to environmental and cultural assets.

Sharing the Care: One Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisation’s Approach to Out-of-Home Care of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children

ABSTRACT This article critically examines safety and innovation in out-of-home care, with a particular focus on addressing the entrenched overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people in the child welfare system. Grounded in the practical insights of safe house workers and managers, the purpose of this article is to share an innovative practice case study—the Tangentyere Safe House in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia. As a case study within an Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisation, Tangentyere Safe House emerges as a site for understanding the confluence of cultural safety, familial connections, and strategies to mitigate overrepresentation. Key themes explored include promoting cultural safety and supporting connections with the family of origin. Through a methodological lens that privileges practice-based knowledge, this article captured the on-the-ground experiences of those actively engaged in child safety. The findings underscore the innovative practices employed by Tangentyere Safe House in navigating out-of-home care within an Indigenous context to argue for a holistic and culturally informed approach to child protection interventions, drawing attention to the practical strategies employed by safe house workers. The article showcases the central role of Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations in providing care alongside families in out-of-home care. IMPLICATIONS The innovative approach of the Tangentyere Safe House highlights the importance and unique role of Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations in out-of-home care. The role of Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations should be formally recognised in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle hierarchy. Frontline safe house workers’ knowledge and expertise regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care can inform all stakeholder involvement including police interventions.

Comparative Analysis of Shelf-Life, Antioxidant Activity, and Phytochemical Contents of Australian-Grown and Imported Dragon Fruit under Ambient Conditions

Dragon fruit (Hylocereus spp.), renowned for its aesthetic appeal and rich antioxidant content, has gained global popularity due to its numerous health benefits. In Australia, despite growing commercial interest in cultivating dragon fruit, there is uncertainty for local growers stemming from competition with imported varieties. Notably, there is a lack of comparative research on the shelf-life, antioxidant activity, and phytochemical contents of Australian-grown versus imported dragon fruit, which is crucial for enhancing market competitiveness and consumer perception. This study compares the shelf-life, antioxidant activity, and phytochemical content of Australian-grown and imported dragon fruits under ambient conditions, addressing the competitive challenges faced by local growers. Freshly harvested white-flesh (Hylocereus undatus) and red-flesh (H. polyrhizus) dragon fruit were sourced from Queensland and the Northern Territory and imported fruit were sourced from an importer in Queensland. All fruit were assessed for key quality parameters including peel color, firmness, weight loss, total soluble solids (TSS), pH, titratable acidity (TA), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), total betalain content (TBC), and total anthocyanin content (TAC). The results indicate that Australian-grown white dragon fruits exhibited average one day longer shelf-life with less color degradation, better firmness retention, and less decline in weight loss, TSS, and acidity compared to imported fruits. Australian-grown red dragon fruits showed similar shelf-life compared to fruits from overseas. Antioxidant activities and phytochemicals were consistently higher in Australian-grown fruits throughout their shelf-life. These findings indicate that Australian-grown dragon fruits offer better physical quality and retain more nutritional value, which could enhance their marketability.