Victorian Multicultural Commission

In Victoria, Australia, the vVote verifiable voting system allowed blind voters and voters in remote locations to cast fully secret ballots in a verifiable way. The new verifiability checks did not impede function or satisfaction in the voting experience.

Who holds power in decision making for young people's future?

Abstract Racism and discrimination are fundamental determinants of health inequities, with young people particularly vulnerable. Since the onset of the global COVID‐19 pandemic in 2020, reports of racism and discrimination rose sharply. This study examined direct discrimination, vicarious racial discrimination, heightened vigilance, worries about experiencing racial discrimination, COVID‐19‐related stressors and their associations with young people's mental health during COVID‐19 lockdown in 2020. A community‐based, cross‐sectional online survey collected data from 363 young people aged 16–24 years living in Victoria, Australia, of whom 45.3% self‐identified as being from a multicultural background and 3.7% as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. 73.7% reported direct discrimination, 88.9% reported vicarious racial discrimination, 84.3% reported heightened vigilance, and 62.8% reported worries about experiencing racial discrimination. Half (51.3%) of the participants experienced one or two COVID‐19‐related stressors. 53.1% of participants reported moderate‐to‐high levels of distress or negative mood state. Experiences of direct discrimination, vicarious racial discrimination, heightened vigilance, worries about experiencing racial discrimination and multiple COVID‐19‐related stressors (3+) were associated with negative mood state, after adjusting for ethnicity, age, gender and socioeconomic position. Addressing racism and discrimination is critical to addressing health inequities for young people.

SUMMARY Seed production records of six radiata pine orchards in south eastern Australia are presented and examined. Yields commence at about age 5 years and increase to about 20 kg/ha at age 10–12 years, though crops vary and some are much heavier. There is evidence that yields will continue to rise as the orchards become older, but it is likely that difficulties of harvesting from large trees will limit rotations to about 20 years. Differences in yield between orchards are notable, and appear to be due primarily to locality effects. Factors affecting yield include environmental influences (moisture, nutrition and temperature), genetic variation, and cultural treatments (spacing, thinning, pruning and type of vegetative propagule).

The coloured identity of South Africa, arising as it did from the racism of colonialism, has held a contested place in the lives of South Africans in the country. For diasporic South Africans, where the term ‘coloured’ may be perceived differently by members of the host country, their relationship to this identity has prompted introspection and reflection particularly amongst younger South Africans. In seeking to culturally and affirmatively explore how coloured South Africans in Aotearoa New Zealand understand and apply the coloured identity, the authors employed the Affirming Methodologies theoretical framework which centres Local and Indigenous voices in the research process and recognizes the value of these voices in sharing knowledge. Within this framework, the uBuntu methodology was designed to keep faith with the cultural lens and practices of the co-researchers (participants). This paper focuses, not on the findings of the study, but on the development of and engagement with the uBuntu methodology. The uBuntu methodology, embodying the uBuntu principles of community, humanity and relationship, offered an authentic and affirming approach to seeking and sharing knowledges through the shisa nyama research method; the uKhamba method of data analysis was designed to discuss, critique and conclude on the knowledges shared.

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