The Australian dairy industry has recently experienced a policy reform that involved the over-night removal of all price support mechanisms. It was an unusual event because policy changes are usually phased-in or announced with several years warning. In this case farmers had limited time to prepare for the effects of the reform. Consequently the Government...

The agriculture-based Atherton Tablelands region of Far North Queensland experienced major change after the deregulation of the tobacco industry, and more recently, the dairy industry. The area was previously stable and relatively prosperous, but coping with continual change, unfamiliar market systems and the move to operating professional farm businesses, had caused some levels of distress.

Although long term economic, technological and social factors have resulted in the decline of many small inland towns in Australia, other such towns have successfully implemented a range of survival and revival strategies. This has resulted in positive outcomes for residents in terms of quality of life and economic opportunities. This publication is designed to...

The Internet has been seized on by many as the potential saviour for rural Australia and this study looks at some of the reasons and examples of where this may be becoming a reality. The Internet however also poses a significant threat, further opening communities up to global forces outside their control with potentially damaging...

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Primary Industries and Regional Services has conducted an inquiry into the role of infrastructure in assisting the economically sustainable development of Australia's regional areas. The foreword to the Committee's report states that the title 'Time running out' reinforces the urgent need to firstly acknowledge the deficiencies in infrastructure...