Regional organisations of councils (ROCs) have been a part of the Australian local government landscape for over seventy years and were once a prominent feature in all states. They have evolved into a wide range of forms, but their structure generally involves several common characteristics such as a contiguous geographic base and some degree of...

This project has three key aims. The primary aim is to investigate the role of informal community resources in promoting stable housing outcomes and enhancing social inclusion for young people recovering from a mental illness. The second aim is to identify the neighbourhood factors that potentially moderate the risk of homelessness for youth in recovery...

This paper details how the Victorian Government will implement the recommendations of the Bushfires Royal Commission. To honour this commitment, approximately $700 million in additional investment will be made over the next decade in changes to its electricity networks, in addition to the $50 million already committed in the 2011- 12 Budget. This includes an...

Australia is experiencing its largest mining boom for more than a century and a half. This paper explores, from a national perspective, important economic differences that arise when a mining boom, such as the current one, is generated by sustained export price increases (trading gains) rather than export volume increases. Since 2003 the terms of...

After one year under the Baillieu Government, this audit assesses the delivery of their election promises on the environment and also assesses significant actions taken that were not foreshadowed prior to the election. All in all the audit, entitled found that of the 57 environmental policy commitments of significance made ahead of the election: