Please note - Swinburne University of Technology

85141 Introductory Law
5 credit points
No. of hours per week: two hours
Subject description
Sources of law, problems with the law, the tiers of Australian
Government: Commonwealth, State, Local Government. The
Parliamentary Process. Constitutional constraints affecting
environmental and public health legislation.
Delegated legislation:
(a) relevance to environmental health officers,
(b) advantages and disadvantages,
(c) reviewing through Parliament and the courts.
The Australian court system, court personnel and tribunals
with specialised jurisdictions. The civil and criminal trial
process.
Judges as a source of law - precedent and legal reasoning.
Case studies of particular relevance will be examined:
negligence (consumer protection); nuisance (environmental
controls); and strict liability (hazardous materials).
Judges as a source of law - the main judicial approaches to
statutory interpretation (plain meaning or policy), the context
of words in a statute, the audience, the purpose. Particular
rules; meanings limited to class or association, gaps in a
statute, inconsistent provisions, conflict with property rights,
penal provisions.
~~428 Administration and Management
5 credit points '
No. of hours per week: two hours
Subject description
Introduction to management techniques with particular
.references to Government agencies. Study of the
environmental health officer's role within structured
frameworks of Government agencies.
Consideration of financial and resource management with
particular reference to Government agencies.
Data processing, information management, use of statistics
and other administrative processes.
Overview of practices and procedures necessary to support the
occupational framework of environmental health officers.
85447 Administrative Law
7.5 credit points
No. of hours per week: two hours
Subject description
To consider efficient internal administrative procedures to
ensure against liability for negligent advice.
Regulatory controls - Commonwealth Impact Statements,
State Environment Effects Statements, Planning Effect
Statements, Health Impact Statements.
The role of the Ombudsman and Committees of Enquiry.
The Administrative Law Act and review by courts and tribunals
of the administrative process, the application of the rules of
natural justice, notice and fair hearing, the duty to give
reasons, impartiality and bias.
8~513 Business Studies - Accounting
7.5 credit points
No. of hours per week: three hours
Subject description
The purpose of this course is to provide students with a
workable knowledge of the accounting principles and
concepts, with an understanding of how accounting
information is reported and used in decision-making.
On completion of this subject the students should be able to:
Outline the major internal and external users of
accounting information.
Explain how accounting information may be used
to assist in making business decisions.
Be able to prepare accounting reports - balance
sheet, and profit and loss statements.
Prepare a bank reconciliation statement and
understand its role in cash control.
Prepare a cash budget and cash flow statement.
Select and use financial ratios to analyse the profitability
and financial stability of a business entity.
Textbook
Bell, A. (ed), Introductory Accounting and Finance. South Melbourne,
Nelson, 1990
~ ~ 6 1 9 Business and Management
10.0 credit points
No. of hours per week: four hours
Subject description
Busines&dministration, business communicaiions and
industrial relations. Industrial motivation and iob satisfaction.
Leadership in organisations.
The business environment - the effects of social, legal,
economic, political and technological factors. Industrial
innovation.
Financial decision making - cost factors, sales forecasts,
~rofitabilitv, ~otential return on investment and associated
iisks, capital 'investment planning, budgeting.
The function of research and development in the chemical and
biochemical industries.
Safety and legal liability (towards oneself and others) in the
chemical and biochemical industries.
~ ~ 6 2 6 Behaviour in Organisations
5 credit points
No. of hours per week: three hours
Assessment: tests and assignments
Subject description
The objectives of the subject are to enable students to:
(a) understand the nature and importance of human
resources as an organisational asset;
(b) obtain a better understanding of themselves, their
impact on people and the way other people
influence their own behaviour;
(c) explore the implications of both work groups and informal
groups in organisations;
(d) consider the impact of alternative organisation designs on
organisational effectiveness; and
(e) understand the role of managers and the impact of
alternative managerial style on organisational
effectiveness.