2012

This publication provides a statistical overview of Australia’s small businesses, with emphasis on business counts, characteristics and performance. Unless otherwise stated, small businesses are defined as those who are actively trading and employ less than 20 people. This publication includes chapters covering a range of issues, divided into t ....

Since 1995, there has been a concerted government policy push encouraging new migrants to settle away from the major cities. There are some very good reasons to direct new arrivals away from cities, such as ongoing concerns about the impact of rapid population growth on congestion and the environment. But is channeling even more mi ....

Since the beginning of the mining boom Australia's rural sector has lost $43.5 billion in export income. This includes $14.9 billion in 2010-11 alone. These losses have occurred because the mining boom has forced the Australian dollar to historic highs. The damage the mining boom is doing to other sectors has created what has been dubbed the 'tw ....

This research investigates a practical way to address clashes in stakeholder values and enhance outcomes in water allocation planning, in a case study of the water-stressed Lockyer catchment in Australia. A conflict assessment using photovoice interviews early in the process was used to identify divergent interests and values about sustainability ....

Collaborative problem solving has increasingly become important in the face of the complexities in the management of resources, including protected areas. The strategy undertaken by Girringun Aboriginal Corporation in north tropical Queensland, Australia, for developing co-management demonstrates the potential for a problem solving approach invol ....

This paper reports on the development and early deployment stages of an on-going local government 'insider-researcher' network. This represents a new model for research engagement and development between regional universities and local councils. It serves as an infrastructure to generate multi-level benefits to the parties involved ....

The Peel region is one of the fastest growing and most geographically diverse regions of Western Australia. The five local governments of the Peel are determined to build a prosperous, socially inclusive and sustainable future for their communities. The advent of the National Broadband Network and the potential of other digital technologies prese ....

Cancer is responsible for Australia's largest disease burden, and people with cancer in rural areas have poorer survival rates than those living in major metropolitan centres. Report Locationhttp://ruralhealth.org.au/sites/default/files/publications/fact-sheet-08-cancer-rural-australia.pdf ....

The proposed Central Queensland Resource Catchment Workforce Development Strategy (CQRCWDS) project was initiated by RDA Mackay Whitsunday and the Queensland Government to explore a way to address the projected skills shortages in the resources sector in Central Queensland. This report is a starting point in regional workforce planning and devel ....

Background: Anthropogenic climate change will affect global food production, with uncertain consequences for human health in developed countries. Objectives: We investigated the potential impact of climate change on food security (nutrition and food safety) and the implications for human health in developed countries. Methods: Expert input and s ....

This research starts from the analysis of Romania's regional development policy over the last few years, while introducing the argument of creating poles of growth, genuine innovative clusters, according to schemes that have been validated within the European Union. The research horizon is comprised within the realities noticed in the N ....

This Service Plan provides the strategic direction for service delivery for the Western Australian Country Health Service's Coastal Wheatbelt and Moora catchment for the next 10 years and will inform the implementation plan for the State Government's $565 million Southern Inland Health Initiative. The Service Plan was developed via a comprehensiv ....

Background: Community development plays an important role in increasing the access of disadvantaged groups to resources and services. We examined how community development in primary healthcare services may improve patient safety by involving people in activities that lead to their enhanced use of services.  Methods: Audits of ser ....

This study was conducted for the Australian Centre of Excellence (ACELG) and builds upon previous research activity commissioned by ACELG on local government community engagement in Australia in 2011. Community engagement was amongst the ten priority areas that ACELG's 2010 Capacity Building Strategy for Rural-remote and Indigenous Local Governme ....