Celebrating success

A suite of projects is set to build Coorong health, Antarctica outcomes are shared online, and views of detained children are tabled in Parliament thanks to a Flinders researcher.

Suite of projects support Coorong health

Professor Howard Fallowfield

Flinders University experts are involved in three projects currently being conducted by The Goyder Institute for Water Research to help restore the Coorong’s south lagoon – a wetland of international importance.

Working in partnership with the Australian and South Australian governments for Phase 1 of the Healthy Coorong Healthy Basin Program, the initial round of projects will focus on ‘Understanding Coorong nutrient dynamics’ (featuring Flinders’ Professor Sabine Dittmann and Professor Howard Fallowfield), ‘Investigating the drivers and control of filamentous algae and restoration of aquatic plants in the Coorong’ (Associate Professor Sophie Leterme) and ‘Restoring a functioning Coorong food web’ (Professor Dittmann and Dr Ryan Baring)’

Professor Sabine Dittman

Changes in the Coorong’s ecosystem are likely caused by complex, interacting factors which are not well understood and limit forecasts of the ecological response to future management scenarios. The new projects will help inform policy and potential infrastructure solutions for the South Australian Department for Environment and Water, by identifying factors that are limiting recovery of the South Lagoon ecosystem.

 

Antarctica outcomes online 

Outcomes of a policy analysis led by Flinders University’s Climate and Sustainability Policy Research Group (CASPR – headed up by Associate Professor Cassandra Star) into Australia’s role in Antarctica have been posted online.     

video series posted on the Polar Connection website highlights the insights of international polar policy experts who gathered at the Southern Ocean and Antarctica symposium, co-hosted by CASPR and Australian Defence in Canberra during December 2019.  

As part of its Geostrategic Futures projectCASPR brought together local and international defence experts, scientists, academics, and policymakers for the conference to consider the various policy challenges for managing Antarctic territories. 

The workshop addressed learning from international research and policy, including comparative lessons from the Arctic, to address strategic challenges in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.  It was timed with 2019 marking the 60th anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty, signed by 12 countries to devote the entire continent to peace and science. 

Associate Professor Cassandra Star, left, with Associate Professor Joshua Newman, Associate Professor Beverley Clarke and Dr Peter Tangney from the Climate and Sustainability Policy Research group at Flinders

Views of detained children tabled in Parliament

Dr Simone Deegan’s report into the views of detained children and young people in custody was tabled in Parliament last week. Her report formed part of a broader report produced by the Office of the Child and Youth Training Centre Visitor (Guardian for Young People), entitled, ‘Great Responsibility: Report on the 2019 Pilot Inspection of the Adelaide Youth Training Centre (Kurlana Tapa Youth Justice Centre’.

This document is available at: https://www.gcyp.sa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/TCVU-inspection-report-2020-web.pdf

 

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