BackgroundIn Australia, the health of people in police custody facilities and the conditions of their detention have been the focus of repeated scrutiny and investigations since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody was published in 1991. However, there remains a lack of comprehensive, consolidated evidence on the health needs of this population. To address this gap, we conducted a scoping review to identify and describe the available information on their health status and determinants of health.MethodsWe followed the JBI methodology for scoping reviews, including searching databases of academic and grey literature, and hand searching websites, citations and review articles published since 2000. Final searches were completed on February 3, 2025. Study characteristics, determinants of health, and health conditions were extracted from included sources, and analyzed by jurisdiction, date, and document type.ResultsWe identified 172 relevant information sources, including 141 grey literature documents and 31 academic publications, published between 2000 and 2024 from every state and territory in Australia. Sources most frequently used data from New South Wales, Western Australia, and Queensland. More than half (57%) of sources used data from the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program. Individual (age, gender, Indigenous status) and mental health and drug use characteristics were the most frequently reported data. Other important health determinants such as tobacco use, diet, exercise, stress, exposure to violence, and environmental conditions of police custody were largely underreported. No general health status or burden of illness studies were identified.ConclusionsAvailable information on the health of people in police custody in Australia is fragmented, mostly drawn from a single program, and focused primarily on mental health and substance use, while data on physical health and broader health determinants are limited. Enhancing systems that routinely monitor and transparently report health priorities for police custody are needed to improve health service provision and support environments that promote detainee health.

The failure of the Voice Referendum in October 2023 cannot be seen in isolation; its roots lie in the policies of the Howard government nearly three decades earlier. From the undermining of native title to the abolition of ATSIC and resistance to reconciliation, Howard’s systematic dismantling of the modest reforms initiated under Hawke and Keating set the stage for the rejection of the Voice. Beyond the referendum itself, the continued denial of self-determination is evident in the unfulfilled recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and the stalled progress of Closing the Gap, leaving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples facing a bleak status quo.

Once only of concern to women and feminist activists, family violence (FV) is now embedded into Australian national public policy agendas and institutionalised through government-funded and regulated service systems. Despite unprecedented public and political attention limited contemporary research seeks to contribute insights of women who have experienced FV to policy and service development. This study responds to this gap through a place-based research collaboration between regional FV services and a university, conducted during a period of significant reform guided by the Royal Commission into Family Violence and the Roadmap for Reform: Strong Families, Safe Children. Using photovoice, a feminist participatory research method privileging experiential knowledge, ten women individually and collectively produced, selected and contextualised photographs to explore what women who have experienced FV think the service system can do to support their vision of “strong families, safe children.” Thematic analysis of women's individual and collective narratives revealed two central themes: (1) You can’t make decisions about us unless you understand us , and (2) If you are going to talk the talk, you have to walk it too . This article argues that FV policy and practice must be grounded in feminist and Indigenous epistemologies to truly be shaped by the voices of those most affected. The findings call for a transformation in how knowledge is produced and valued in FV policy and practice, with implications for both Australian and international contexts.

BackgroundThe Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (RCAC) recommended a redesign of the Australian aged care system to ensure high quality care, respect, and dignity for residents. Responding to the RCAC recommendations, the Aged Care Quality Standards have been strengthened and continue to guide the delivery of safe, high quality care in Australia. This study investigated the experiences of new residents transitioning into an Australian residential care-facility, concentrating on how their experiences aligned with the core principles of the Aged Care Quality Standards.MethodsA focused ethnographic approach was used to address the aim of this study. The research was conducted in a residential care-facility located in a major city in Australia. New residents who had lived there for 6 months or less, along with their family members, were recruited through purposive sampling. The data collection process included a total of 19 residents and two family members, and comprised interviews, observations, and informal conversations with residents and their families.FindingsFour themes were identified relating to the value of human connection, addressing new residents’ expectations, the multifunctional role of communication in transition, and the implications of the General Practitioner system for new residents.ConclusionThis study highlights the need for aged care providers to consistently follow the Aged Care Quality Standards to support new residents in overcoming challenges, improve their transition, and promote better health outcomes for those in permanent residential care-facilities. Our findings indicate that new residents and their key support person should receive a user-friendly hard copy “How To” guide prior to planned admissions, and upon admission if unplanned. Residential care-facilities should prioritise residents’ sense of privacy, dignity, and respect within medical systems. Additionally, pre-admission protocols should address accessibility of rehabilitation services to prevent further deterioration of new residents’ physical condition.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-025-06520-5.

With the phase one Royal Commission COVID-19 report published, it is an opportune time to reflect on the various public health interventions used to consider if they were effective and how they could be improved. As we look to the future, it is important to understand if digital contact tracing (DCT) was an effective public health intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic and how it could be improved. We summarise a series of articles detailing the population and public uptake of the various DCT technologies implemented in Aotearoa New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic. New Zealand had one of the highest population uptakes of DCT in the developed world. However, there were additional barriers to the full implementation of these tools that likely reduced their efficacy. DCT was just one of many interventions aiming to eliminate, and then suppress, COVID-19. This context makes it difficult to isolate and conclude that the efficacy of DCT during this pandemic would translate to future pandemic conditions, especially if there is improved design and implementation. However, this research shows that the self-service survey approach worked better than expected, and that there is some promise in automating notification processes.

BackgroundIndwelling urinary catheters (IDCs) are used by approximately 8% of Australian aged care residents. IDC use is often warranted but entails numerous risks, particularly if used longterm. Risks include catheter-associated urinary tract infections, catheter blockage, catheter leakage, bladder spasm, pain, urethral trauma and haematuria, and increased risk of hospitalisation. The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety identified poor quality, unsafe practices related to IDCs in aged care homes. Enhancing the knowledge, confidence, and skills of aged care staff to deliver catheter care for residents with IDCs is fundamentally important. The IDC-IMPROVE project is supporting aged care providers to meet the care needs of people with IDCs in Australian aged care homes, by designing and validating a suite of resources titled the IDC-IMPROVE Catheter Care Bundle.AimsThis study aims to establish the feasibility of conducting a definitive randomised control trial to evaluate the effects of the IDC-IMPROVE Catheter Care Bundle in aged care homes in Australia.MethodA multi-centre, facility-level clustered randomised control (cRCT) feasibility trial in 24 aged care homes across Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia. Twelve homes will receive the intervention and 12 will continue usual care. The IDC-IMPROVE Catheter Care Bundle intervention comprises principles for person-centred catheter care, online training for nurses and personal care workers, a practical skills workshop for nurses, a toolkit for managers, and an evidence-to-practice support model. The feasibility of the intervention will be assessed through a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, including surveys, interviews, and audits. Feasibility outcomes are: (i) The acceptability of the Bundle, (ii) The fidelity of the implementation, (iii) The compatibility of the Bundle with standard aged care home IDC care.DiscussionBy enhancing the knowledge, confidence and skills of the aged care workforce, IDCIMPROVE aims to reduce IDC-related complications. This study will provide insights into the acceptability and implementation of the intervention, informing future large-scale trials and potential policy changes.EthicsThe study has been approved by Austin Health Human Research Ethics Committee (reg: HREC/107165/Austin-2024) and is registered on the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (reg: ACTRN12624001178538p).Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40814-025-01700-x.

Background: Myopic eyes commonly show structural changes, including optic nerve head (ONH) and altered anterior chamber parameters.Aim: The study aimed to investigate the associations of peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness, optic disc rim area, anterior chamber parameters, and axial length in myopic eyes.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Royal Commission Medical Centre, Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, between February and May 2025 and included 152 myopic eyes. Refraction was measured using an autorefractometer. Swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) scans (optic disc cube 200 × 200) were used to assess peripapillary RNFL thickness and optic disc rim area. Corneal and anterior chamber parameters, along with axial length, were measured using Pentacam AXL (OCULUS Optikgeräte GmbH, Wetzlar, Germany). Data analysis was conducted to assess the correlation between myopia severity and structural ocular changes.Results: Myopic eyes (mean spherical equivalent: -2.02 ± 1.34 D) showed a significant inverse correlation with both central corneal thickness (r = -0.193, P < 0.05) and corneal thickness at the thinnest point (r = -0.225, P < 0.05). Anterior chamber volume (r = 0.266, P < 0.001) and anterior chamber depth (r = 0.259, P < 0.001) showed significant positive correlations with myopia, while the anterior chamber angle showed no significant association (P > 0.05). Axial length was strongly correlated with myopia severity (r = 0.545, P < 0.001). Inverse correlations were observed between myopia and both peripapillary RNFL thickness (r = -0.100, P > 0.05) and ONH rim area (r = -0.134, P > 0.05). A statistically significant inverse correlation was found between peripapillary RNFL thickness and axial length (r = -0.163, P < 0.05), as well as between ONH rim area and axial length (r = -0.167, P < 0.05).Conclusion: The study revealed a significant positive correlation between myopia and both anterior chamber volume and anterior chamber depth, while the anterior chamber angle remained unaffected. The increase in myopia severity was correlated with thinning of the peripapillary RNFL and a reduction in ONH rim area. These findings underscore the importance of assessing axial elongation and structural changes in myopic eyes, particularly in the context of ocular diseases such as glaucoma, myopic macular degeneration, and retinal detachment.

ABSTRACT The impetus for the establishment of special commissions of inquiry and royal commissions is symptomatic of injustices that a government deems require independent and impartial scrutiny. Building an evidence base of narratives of injustice can be a key driver in generating parliamentary recognition of such injustices. This article documents and analyses the community and parliamentary impetus for the establishment of the New South Wales Special Commission of Inquiry into LGBTIQ hate crimes 1970–2010 (SCOI) and its relationship to police accountability. The article analyses the SCOI's role in reconciling past wrongs through future actions in six key areas: (1) evidence-gathering and investigation; (2) flexibility in adapting to diverse subject matters and procedural needs; (3) public engagement; (4) the creation of authoritative and transparent records of systemic failures of historical injustice; (5) the promotion of systematic reforms; and (6) restoration of public trust through transparent processes and validation of victim experiences. In doing so, the article recognises the contribution of the SCOI, and of LGBTIQ organisations, individuals and their allies in building the narrative evidence of injustice for LGBTIQ victims of hate crime, and the growing role of commissions in engaging victims in truth-telling.

ABSTRACT This study critically evaluates the transformative effects of recent heritage tourism initiatives on the Al-Ula region in Saudi Arabia, analyzing both the positive outcomes and the challenges faced by the community. It investigates various global strategies for managing heritage tourism and their impacts on societal transformations and cultural practices. The research highlights the dual potential of heritage tourism to drive economic growth and strengthen community bonds while also posing risks of commodification and over-tourism. By cultivating a profound appreciation for local heritage and traditional cultures, heritage tourism developments can serve as powerful engines for economic growth and stronger community bonds, creating a unique local identity for Al-Ula region. This study is grounded in a qualitative research approach that seeks to develop a deep understanding of heritage tourism practices in Al-Ula and assess their viability in the short and long term. Key members of the Royal Commission of Al-Ula and significant community stakeholders were interviewed to gain an in-depth understanding of the region's heritage management practices. The government established the Royal Commission for Al-Ula (RCU) in 2017 to oversee and develop Al-Ula region. Additionally, tourist surveys were conducted to gather data on their experiences in Al-Ula. The tourist survey targeted visitors who had previously toured Al-Ula, aiming to develop a comprehensive understanding of their experiences. By contextualizing Al-Ula's local approach within a broader framework of global heritage management practices, this research seeks to identify the best practices that promote community collaboration and maintain a balance between tourism growth and heritage conservation. In its attempt to reconcile government objectives with conservation and community aspirations, this research highlights strategies that help establish a sustainable heritage tourism sector. The findings of this research are particularly relevant to Al-Ula and Saudi heritage tourism. They may also have implications for heritage tourism developments across the Gulf region and other cities. They potentially offer valuable guidance for policymakers, community leaders, and tourism managers worldwide.

With over 1000 genetic causes for neurodevelopmental conditions, genetic testing (including exome sequencing) is recommended for people with intellectual disability to guide clinical care, as well as improve empowerment, connection to peer supports, and access to funded therapies. Many genetic neurodevelopmental conditions are inherited, with a parent sharing the genetic change identified in their child. However, despite showing interest in genetic medicine, many young people and adults with intellectual disability feel excluded from full participation. There is a lack of accessible resources to support people with intellectual disability in making informed choices about genetic tests and understanding their test results. There is also little training available to healthcare professionals to help them communicate with and support young people with intellectual disability and their parents about genetics. This situation reflects a broader exclusion of people with intellectual disability from equitable and respectful access to mainstream healthcare, as highlighted in the National Roadmap to Improving the Health of People with Intellectual Disability (2021) and the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability (2023). In this article, we discuss key approaches and co-produced resources (i.e., resources created together with people with intellectual disability, academic researchers, healthcare professionals, and teachers) to equip healthcare professionals to empower children, young people, and parents with intellectual disability to make informed decisions about genetic testing and understand their test results. We highlight the need for inclusive, person-centred, and respectful healthcare to ensure genetic medicine is equitable and accessible.

Abstract. This study explores how the local perception and geospatial analysis can each contribute to building more comprehensive interpretations of the ancient kingdoms of Dadan and Lihyan in AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Drawing on a broader PhD project conducted in collaboration with the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), this paper presents findings from two distinct yet complementary approaches. The first part involves a national survey assessing public awareness, engagement, emotional connection, and attitudes toward pre-Islamic heritage. Results reveal limited familiarity with the Dadan and Lihyan kingdoms, yet highlight strong identity-based connections to heritage and a positive attitude towards digital tools for engagement, emphasising the need for interpretive strategies that bridge archaeological knowledge with community perspectives. The second part applies geospatial analysis to examine the environmental context of Dadanitic inscription placement, analysing elevation, orientation, and solar exposure. The results suggest that inscriptions were not randomly distributed but may have been deliberately placed in environmentally favourable locations. Together, these findings support the development of interpretation strategies that are historically informed, locally meaningful and attentive to the spatial context of the heritage landscape.

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety identified two key building blocks to aged care reform: independence from Government and a secure source of funding. It is telling that both the current and the previous Australian Governments rejected each of these in their response to the Royal Commission. A philosophical shift is required that places the people receiving care at the centre of quality and safety regulation. An independent Aged Care Commission with guaranteed funding though a hypothecated Aged Care Levy would, in my view, create the substrate upon which this change in philosophy can flourish.

This study explores, from a chaplaincy perspective, the intersection of moral injury and military chaplaincy in the context of the politically charged Australian 2001 “Children Overboard Affair” (CHOA) involving HMAS Adelaide. The purpose of this research was three-fold: (i) it investigates how the Australian Government’s “detect and deny” asylum seeker policy may have contributed to a potential moral injury (PMI) among Navy personnel; (ii) it also explores Australia’s legal obligations under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the moral-ethical tensions generated by operational decisions made during the CHOA event, and (iii) it considers the role of chaplains in supporting personnel during and after a morally injurious event. The research initially undertook a systematic literature review to identify publicly available documents and publications relating to CHOA. Qualitative content analysis was subsequently used to examine the included literature and to discern common thematic categories for further exploration. The analysis revealed four major themes: (i) language framing of CHOA, (ii) power dynamics and moral silencing, (iii) spiritual and moral isolation and (iv) failure of institutional accountability. Grounded in moral injury theory, the biopsychosocial–spiritual (BPSS) paradigm, as well as practical biblical theology and the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide (RCDVS), this study highlights the unique position of chaplains in companioning the morally injured. It advocates for a proactive, integrated chaplaincy approach to moral repair in military contexts.

Art has always played a significant role in representing power. In France, the establishment of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture (1648) was a landmark event, not only for artists wishing to distinguish themselves from the craft community but also for the rise of absolutism. Through the Academy’s masters, the monarchy acquired individuals capable of conveying key ideas for the state, as well as projecting the image of the king himself. The Academy, in turn, gained a monopoly on royal commissions. This ensured both the quality and ideological accuracy of the artworks. The relationships between royal power and the selected circle of artists became the focus of this study. The article explores the following questions. How was the process of obtaining, executing, and delivering royal commissions organized throughout the eighteenth century? How was responsibility for their successful completion distributed? What were the official genre and stylistic preferences of the Crown? How were the masters selected to join the Academy? What role did working for a royal patron play in a painter’s career? When and why were such commissions attractive and beneficial for artists? Although each of these questions has been addressed separately in French-language literature, their comprehensive analysis from a modern scholarly perspective has not yet been undertaken. In addition to related scholarly works, the author analyzed the following informative sources: inventory lists of paintings commissioned by directors of royal buildings for the monarch, minutes of the Royal Academy’s meetings, and key theoretical works by the Academy’s members. The study allowed for the reconstruction of the life and creative circumstances of artists commissioned to create official art, as well as an examination of their social standing. This facilitates a more nuanced understanding of the artistic milieu of eighteenth-century France, with particular focus on the social and creative interactions that characterized the artistic community of the era.

Purpose This study elucidates the intricate interplay and temporal dynamics surrounding the shifts among voice, silence, and exit within a whistleblowing trajectory. It specifically unpacks the transition from internal voice to external whistleblowing by addressing the critical questions of “why”, “how”, and “when”. Thereby, the study offers valuable insights into the temporal evolution of the whistleblowing process, contextualized by the catastrophic bankruptcy of the Home Bank of Canada. Design/methodology/approach The research employs a qualitative methodology to conduct a comprehensive analysis of archival data spanning the entire operational history of the Home Bank. This dataset includes hearings and evidence from Royal Commission reports, as well as newspaper articles, magazine features, and annual reports from the Home Bank (1906–1923). The analysis covers documents from its inception in 1903 to its closure in 1923 and the subsequent bankruptcy period (1923–1925). The study period includes two significant events in 1916 and 1918, during which allied whistleblowers escalated their concerns to external authorities regarding suspected fraudulent activities at the Home Bank. Findings The findings extend the understanding of the temporal dynamics governing the shifts between voice, silence, and exit within whistleblowing trajectories. Furthermore, they reveal how these transitions are shaped by the interplay between altruistic and self-interest discourses, alongside the responses and actions of senior management. This nuanced perspective provides deeper insights into the evolving nature of whistleblowing behavior and its relationship with organizational responses. Originality/value By addressing the “why”, “how”, and “when” of interactions between voice, silence, and exit, the findings offer a more nuanced understanding of whistleblowing dynamics, transcending the limitations of prior “snapshot” analyses. Historicizing the temporality of voicing and whistleblowing as an evolving and dynamic process provides a means to surface the hidden heritage of the past and enables a deeper understanding of the persistent gaps that continue to impede the effectiveness of contemporary whistleblowing mechanisms.

BackgroundMilitary medics, who are both professional soldiers and qualified nurses, can face situations where their training and moral ethos conflict in the performance of duty. Their role has intrinsic duality. They are both a soldier, thus a member of a military organisation as well as well as a healer, a nurse with a corresponding duty of care. Both roles have ethical, legal and professional responsibilities, codes of conduct and moral codes. Both also are roles which have strong cultural images and distinct expectations from individuals and those around them. This can lead to moral dilemmas, moral injury and long-term psychological illness. In the 2024 Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide in Australia, moral injury was cited as a relatively new, but not widely acknowledged, risk factor that may lead to suicide. In the context of defence, moral injury can be described as being experienced by a person who participates in, or witnesses, actions that go against their moral code or moral beliefs.Research designThe research presented is a component of a larger study into the role duality of the Australian Army medic in warzones. It focuses on interviews from twelve currently serving army medics who have deployed overseas in recent conflicts with the research question: How does the intrinsic duality of the role of the medic impact the individual performing this specialised role.Ethical considerationsThis research has ethics approval from both the Australian Defence Human Research Ethics Committee #778-15 and the Human Research Ethics Committee #2015/024. Participants have given formal consent for their reflections to be used in publications.ConclusionFor this research the psychological impact of these ethical conflicts on Australian Army Medics who have served in this dual role has been investigated, with specific focus on moral injury.

ABSTRACT Royal commissions are powerful symbols of truth-telling, underpinned by restorative justice, aiming to address historic mishandling by giving voice to survivors of prejudice, abuse, and institutional injustice. The Australian Federal Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability (2019–2023) exposed routine violence, abuse, and exploitation of people with disability. The Commission made recommendations to federal and state governments in Australia that, if accepted and implemented, will bring about far-reaching changes. Previous royal commissions resulted in high acceptance rates: 79% for Aged Care and 85% for Child Sexual Abuse. However, the response to the Disability Royal Commission (DRC) has been disappointing, with only 8% of recommendations accepted. This paper focuses on government responses to DRC recommendations related to Volume 7: Part A: Inclusive Education, using critical discourse analysis to highlight how empty language promotes inclusivity whilst maintaining ableist cultural hegemony and normative policies.

"Just tick the box and move on": Australian Christian religious leaders reflect on safeguarding practices in their settings.

This article considers what role and responsibility historians may have when faced with settler society’s tendency to be freshly shocked each time it learns (again) about a colonial horror from its past that was, in fact, already long well known by many. Following an introduction, my argument unfolds in five sections. First, I engage a mostly Indigenous scholarship to suggest replotting British Columbia’s timeline as a continuum, or continuous process, of ongoing violence that illuminates connections across myriad forms of violence. Second, I reflect on an earlier, mostly non-Indigenous historiography about physical force and violence in British Columbia. Third, with this scholarship as context, I use an experimental format to present a catalogue of dispossession drawn from transcripts of the Royal Commission on Indian Affairs for the Province of British Columbia (1913–1916). These accounts demonstrate that settlers relied on physical violence during the foundational pre-emption and Crown granting processes to an extent that warrants greater attention. Fourth, I suggest that some important implications follow from this for understandings of British Columbia’s past and present. Fifth, I argue that taking the long view of settler-on-Indigenous violence as a continuum helps clarify connections among forms of violence, particularly in relation to the materiality of forced physical dispossession, and, in so doing, moves us closer to telling histories that are not just for the winners.

Introduction: Adherence to specialised diets when prescribed, is critical to support nutritional and general health and well-being for residents of aged care facilities. Understanding the organisational factors that health service and clinical managers action can address the nutritional health of residents of residential aged care facilities. Objective: Identify the organisational factors that influence the delivery of prescribed textured modified diets in residential aged care facilities. Design: A scoping review was conducted using searches across four databases. Papers were screened if they were published after 2014 in peer reviewed articles, in English and covered relevant concepts guided by the research questions. Organisational factors that influenced the delivery of prescribed diets in RACFs was then extracted from the studies that met the selection criteria and a quality assessment performed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) tool. Findings: Thirteen articles were included in the scoping review. The studies were observational and predominately qualitative, with one study incorporating a mixed method design. Six dominant themes were identified as significant factors influencing the influence the delivery of prescribed textured modified diets in residential aged care facilities. Conclusion: Based on the evidence identified in this scoping review, it highlights a significant gap in research that explores the multifactorial, organisational factors that influence the delivery of prescribed texture modified diets in residential aged care facilities. Recent knowledge from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and the Aged Care Quality Standards can aid residential aged care facilities, tailored specifically to the organisation, can ensure the highest quality of care and standardised practices are provided for accurate and safe delivery of prescribed texture modified diets.