Australia currently lacks a mechanism to gather evidence on the formation of public attitudes to the introduction of new technologies, particularly the formation of attitudes to nuclear energy technology. This is a limiting factor in achieving informed debate in the development of a national energy policy. These are key findings in a research project recently...

To plan the future energy security of Western Australia, the energy utility Western Power embraced the principle of community engagement to inform corporate strategies towards green energy visions. This paper explores the quality of citizen involvement.

Towards the end of the past decade, signs were emerging as to future challenges associated with impending intersections between the ageing of global rural populations and their impacts on agricultural production and food safety. In a landmark paper for the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Iaquinta et al. (1999) made a strong plea for additional...

After a decade of rapid change, the sea change phenomenon is now well established on the eastern Australian coast where its impacts have been an ongoing focus for all tiers of government. However, in January 2006, a report to the National Sea Change Taskforce called for ‘more detailed research within specific communities’ in recognition of...

This discussion paper touches on the complex effects of rapid population change in coastal communities and draws some parallels to other parts of the country and internationally. It offers an opportunity to consider the ‘big picture’ and suggests some signposts for possible future directions.