Modelling Potential Socio-economic Determinants of Building Fires in South East Queensland

This paper investigates the relationships between areas of building fire incidence, levels of socio-economic disadvantage and the underlying socio-economic characteristics in the South East Queensland (SEQ) region, Australia. Disaggregated fire incident data was acquired from the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (QFRS) and then aggregated to the Statistical Local Area (SLA) level. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) defined index of socio-economic disadvantage (called ‘SEIFA’) has been used as the basis to identify relationships between socio-economic disadvantage and building fires. A regression model was then developed to predict the incidence of building fires using a range of socio-economic variables. Five significant predictors were identified that include: i) percentage of unemployed, ii) proportion of Indigenous population, iii) families living in separate dwellings, iv) one parent, and v) parent families with children less than fifteen years of age. Results also show that the distribution of building fires varies markedly across the SEQ region, with some of the Brisbane inner suburbs, areas of high socio-economic disadvantage, and parts of inland SEQ associated with relatively high fire rates.     

COIN SCALES IN LATE PRE-ROMAN IRON AGE BRITAIN

A survey of excavation reports for sixty-one LPRIA sites in Britain reveals five 'fine' balances and objects possibly representing seven more. This paper describes the scales and discusses their use in Iron Age Britain.     

Patterns in the Mess: The United States and Nicaragua

Review in this Article
Robert A. Pastor. Condemned to Repetition: The United States and Nicaragua . Princeton     

Australian Capital City Property Development,Foreign Investment and Investor Attitudes

Recently there has been a substantial change in the role of foreign investment in urban property development in Australia. Now, about 50% of foreign investment each year is directed to urban property sectors, with Asian investors accounting for approaching 50% of this investment. This trend has coincided with the re-emergence of the property development sector from the trough of a recession in the early 1970s to something approaching a boom in the last two to three years. While there are considerable variations in the performance and prospects of the various capital city property markets, Australia is seen in general terms as being a favourable place for foreign investment in urban property development, particularly as a destination for long term equity investment. This paper examines recent trends in capital city property markets in Australia, and in particular the increasing importance of foreign investors. It also discusses the results of a national survey of property developers, investors and intermediaries, and investors, both local and foreign, and reports on their attitudes towards the various capital city property markets, and their investment behaviours. Attitudes towards the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) guidelines and controls are examined, and it is suggested that there is room for further substantial deregulation to encourage direct foreign investment in Australian urban property development.