In September 2015, the Swinburne Institute for Social Research commenced a two-year research project on safety and wellbeing as it relates to communication technologies, in remote Aboriginal communities and towns in the Northern Territory (NT). This report provides an overview of findings from the first phase of the project. A final report will be available...

The Christmas Day 2015 bushfire in Wye River and Separation Creek reminds us that the Australian landscape while breathtakingly beautiful, is also prone to bush fires that can have devastating consequences for the environment, communities and individuals. The landscape scale bushfire risk of the Otways is extreme with the prospect of very intense fires given...

This Brief addresses the challenges rural communities face in adapting to a variable and changing climate. It was developed through a consultation workshop in Dubbo together with extensive exchange with relevant stakeholders and experts.

Rates of mental illness do not vary much across the country - this infographic shows that about 20 per cent of Australians had a mental health problem in the past 12 months. However Medicare expenditure per person is much lower in rural and remote areas. Tragically, suicide rates are also higher in rural and remote...

The expansion of the unconventional oil and gas industry into the Channel Country is a relatively new development. It is becoming increasingly apparent that the proliferation of new oil and gas fields in the region will detract from its natural values. The proposed exploitation of shale and tight gas is particularly alarming. It is vital...