Rural communities face an uncertain future. These communities are reliant on the long term resilience of their productive resources, but often utilise these resources to resolve short term pressures. Their survival is dependent upon their ability to sustain their families by balancing social demands and the biophysical capacity of their landscapes with the requirements to...

Based on data for local government areas in the mainland eastern states this study shows that crime rates are lower in local areas with high levels of participation on community-oriented activities; includes short section on Indigenous population.

Summary In its June 2001 budget, the Federal Government announced a new framework for welfare reform, Australians Working Together. One component of the framework is the proposed development of Community Participation Agreements in remote Indigenous communities, to deal with welfare income payments, mutual obligation and related service delivery. This paper presents the results of community...

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...

This paper considers health service consumer and volunteer involvement in general, with particular consideration of some of the implications for rural health and for rural people. Specifically it addresses the potential role for health service consumers and volunteers in rural health research. Issues discussed include: the essence of collaboration; consumer involvement in palliative care; volunteer...