FREE Publication May 2007 | Volume 16 | Number 3 inside this issue 5 Gloomy forecast from climate experts 8 Student looks beyond the borders 11 How do children view mental illness? 15 Hospital admissions Evening concert casts a spell could be avoided: report Public Health “This measure is primarily one hospital admissions were potentially of access to health care,” said John avoidable, with 27.1% occurring in Glover, Director of the Public Health the 75 years and over age bracket. A new report released by the Information Development Unit, a The report shows that University of Adelaide’s Public collaborating unit of the Australian socioeconomic status was Health Information Development Institute of Health and Welfare. important with 61% more avoidable Unit shows that almost 9% of “Higher rates of avoidable hospitalisations among people in hospital admissions in Australia hospitalisations indicate less access the most disadvantaged areas of should have been avoided, with to effective and timely primary Australia compared to those in the highest rates among the oldest and health care, delivered for example least disadvantaged areas. most disadvantaged Australians. by a general practitioner or at a “There is a distinct, step-wise The Atlas of Avoidable community health centre. socioeconomic gradient evident in Hospitalisations in Australia: “Key factors important in the total avoidable hospitalisation rates ambulatory care-sensitive conditions number of avoidable hospitalisations in Australia, with each increase in examines hospitalisations which are age, socioeconomic status and disadvantage accompanied by an should be able to be avoided with remoteness.” increase in admissions from these preventive care and early disease The report shows that in conditions,” Mr Glover said. management. 2001/2002, 8.7% or 552,000 continued on page 14 Adelaidean Adelaidean is the offi cial newspaper of the University of Adelaide. It provides news and information about the University to the general public, with a focus on Life Impact. Circulation: 11,000 per month (March to December) Online readership: 39,500 hits per month (on average) www.adelaide.edu.au/adelaidean From the Vice-Chancellor Editor: David Ellis Design: Australian Financial Review Chris Tonkin In her speech to the peer review process only recommends further funding on Writers: Higher Education Summit in Melbourne last month, the basis of excellence. Candy Gibson Education Minister the Hon. Julie Bishop said the What the Government seems to be saying is that Robyn Mills Federal Government was committed to “less red tape, a framework used by the British 10 years ago, which Contributors: Alison Beare less regulation and greater fl exibility” for Australian they are abandoning, is good enough for us to try now. Lana Guineay universities. Unfortunately the RQF in its current form is too complex Deadline for June issue: Personally, I don’t see any evidence of that. Although and too expensive. Monday 14 May, 2007 Ms Bishop was speaking about university governance The Government has, of course, committed substantial Editorial/Advertising enquiries: Tel: +61 8 8303 5414 in that context, it seems like an odd statement to make amounts of money to helping universities prepare for the Fax: +61 8 8303 4829 at a time when the Government is not exactly leading RQF, but that won’t come close to covering the costs. Email: [email protected] by example. Australian universities everywhere are already incurring Mailing address: Adelaidean If anything, the red tape – that is, the amount of extra large costs preparing for the RQF. Marketing & Strategic administrative work the Government demands of us If the Government wants to make universities and Communications, University of Adelaide, – appears to have increased in my time here. You need research groups more accountable for their research, SA 5005 only to look at the Government’s new Research Quality there are several ways of doing it. The Government Australia Framework (RQF) for an example of that. already has all of the metrics that we supply about our Material may be reproduced without permission but acknowledgement I should point out that I agree with the basic aims of research, and I think you could get pretty close to making must be given to the Adelaidean. the RQF – that is, a framework designed to ensure that a judgement based on the information we provide. Printed by: Australia’s universities are conducting quality research. According to the newspapers, the Labor Party says it Lane Print Group Tel: +61 8 8179 9900 I fully support the idea of ensuring that all research is might abandon the current scheme in favour of one that Fax: +61 8 8376 1044 quality research. is metrics driven, with a bit of peer review and a balance Email: [email protected] Web: www.laneprint.com.au However, it’s diffi cult to understand why the Federal between the disciplines. I’d have to say that’s a better Distribution: Government is persisting with this particular model, idea, and that’s what the Group of Eight universities Lane Print Group which is costing the taxpayers millions of dollars, costing have been saying all along. And it certainly would Passing Out Distribution Co. Registered by Australia Post universities large amounts of money and time, and involve less red tape. No 565001/00046 ignores the basis on which most of our research funding I wish that research were the only example of Correction is provided. bureaucracy soaking up money in an already under- It has come to our attention that some information in our story We compete for most of the funding we receive, and funded university system. Regrettably it is not. about the University of Adelaide’s industry will only fund quality outcomes that are relevant Uni Games success (Adelaidean, to their needs. Funding from the Australian Research November 2006) was incorrect. The University was not overall Council and the National Health and Medical Research champion of rockclimbing Council is both competitive and peer reviewed. So we (Adelaide came second overall). Not mentioned in the story was the compete for the money, we win the money, and then fact that Adelaide also won gold in after we’re done, under RQF, somebody says: “Now we the lightweight four (coxless) rowing event. The online version of this want to conduct another process to see how good you story has now been updated to are.” We’ve already won the money – we must have JAMES A. McWHA correct these inaccuracies. been quite good to get it in the fi rst place. Certainly, a Vice-Chancellor and President Art & Heritage Collections To mark Reconciliation Week (27 May to 3 June) My Homeland by Joel the focus of the Visual Art collection for this month Hayes (1999 Geelong) My Homeland in impressed (slump) is Joel Hayes’s evocative piece . glass. This work was Hayes is an Aboriginal artist based in Geelong, donated through the Victoria. He is a member of the Arunta people from Cultural Gifts Program Central Australia and is related to Albert Namatjira. and is part of the His art refl ects both traditional and contemporary University of Adelaide Art Collection. styles. He is a painter in the traditional sense, but also uses the technique of “glass slumping”, where It is on display in the Aboriginal cultural designs are impressed into high- foyer of the Barr Smith quality glassware using high-temperature kilns. Library for the month of May. Hayes has created a number of large glass works commissioned for the Sydney 2000 Olympics. Mirna Heruc, Manager, Art & Heritage Collections 2 Adelaidean Volume 16 | Number 3 | May 2007 News in Brief Jazz Awards concert Six outstanding jazz musicians from the Elder Conservatorium of Music have been nominated for jazz awards this year. The award winners will perform and be presented with their awards at the University of Adelaide’s Scott Theatre, off Kintore Ave, on Wednesday 9 May at 7.30pm. The concert will also feature special guests the Adelaide Connection jazz choir conducted by Luke Thompson. Tickets are $8 at the door (no concession). Subscribers to the Elder Conservatorium Evening Concert Series can purchase tickets to the Bob’s haircut pays off Jazz Awards at a special price of $6 per person. For more information, visit: Fundraising www.music.adelaide.edu.au New General Manager of More than $9000 has been raised was the wielder of the scissors. Above: Student Services to date for vital research thanks to Luke is a previous recipient of a Professor Bob Hill holds his freshly cut ponytail as Dr Judy Szekeres has been appointed the snip of one lock of hair – and Brain Foundation scholarship, Grant Nelson, Manager General Manager, Student Services at donations are still coming in. following a car accident that left of South 21 hairdressing the University of Adelaide. Professor Bob Hill has fi nally him severely injured. salon, gives the professor’s Dr Szekeres is currently Division given up his ponytail, which has “I am very pleased with the remaining hair an all- Manager in the Division of Business been with him most of his life. The outcome from the whole event,” important trim and Enterprise at the University of Executive Dean of the University of Professor Hill said. “I had no idea South Australia, a position she has Photo by David Ellis Adelaide’s Faculty of Sciences fi rst how important this was to the held for nine years. Prior to that she was Deputy Director of the Co-op grew a ponytail in his undergraduate Brain Foundation and I would never Program at the University of New student days, and only agreed to have expected to raise so much South Wales before spending a brief have it cut off to raise funds for the money for what is, in the end, period as Careers Adviser at the Brain Foundation (SA).