The changing geographies of power, knowledge and access in Australia's financial services sector: a regional development perspective. This project investigates one of the most pressing issues in the development of regional Australia: whether the modern financial services sector acts to reinforce or remediate existing patterns of uneven development. The research focuses on two key issues: 1) how the restructuring of the banking sector has affected the availability of financial services and ventur ....The changing geographies of power, knowledge and access in Australia's financial services sector: a regional development perspective. This project investigates one of the most pressing issues in the development of regional Australia: whether the modern financial services sector acts to reinforce or remediate existing patterns of uneven development. The research focuses on two key issues: 1) how the restructuring of the banking sector has affected the availability of financial services and venture capital in rural and urban Australia; and 2) the relationship between the changing geography of financial services and financial institutions' increasing reliance upon instrumental knowledge about their customers. The research will produce a model of the role of modern financial services provision and market knowledge in regional development.Read moreRead less
Perceived Density, Social Interaction and Morale in Australian Rural Communities. The social viability of rural communities rests, to a greater or lesser degree, upon the density of the local settlement network, and residents' perceptions of it. This project will create a measure of perceived density (i.e. people's subjective interpretations of measured density) and will establish how it influences Australian rural residents' social interaction patterns and morale. The project will produce a con ....Perceived Density, Social Interaction and Morale in Australian Rural Communities. The social viability of rural communities rests, to a greater or lesser degree, upon the density of the local settlement network, and residents' perceptions of it. This project will create a measure of perceived density (i.e. people's subjective interpretations of measured density) and will establish how it influences Australian rural residents' social interaction patterns and morale. The project will produce a conceptually rigorous and concrete understanding of the density-related factors influencing rural community social viability and morale, and will aid rural communities in identifying and overcoming local social interaction constraints.Read moreRead less
Left Out and Missing Out: Towards New Indicators of Social Exclusion and Material Deprivation. This ground-breaking project will utilise academic knowledge and practical agency experience built up over decades to produce a new framework for identifying and measuring exclusion and deprivation in contemporary Australian society. It will generate new findings on public attitudes to the 'necessary requirements' needed to participate at all levels in society and the economy. It will examine the popul ....Left Out and Missing Out: Towards New Indicators of Social Exclusion and Material Deprivation. This ground-breaking project will utilise academic knowledge and practical agency experience built up over decades to produce a new framework for identifying and measuring exclusion and deprivation in contemporary Australian society. It will generate new findings on public attitudes to the 'necessary requirements' needed to participate at all levels in society and the economy. It will examine the population profile of the individuals and groups who are denied these opportunities, using both quantitative (survey) and qualitative (focus group) data, and its findings will complement existing data collections.Read moreRead less
Poverty in the Midst of Plenty: Economic Empowerment, Wealth Creation and Institutional Reform for Sustainable Indigenous and Local Communities. The project researches government, private sector and indigenous initiatives enhancing indigenous economic development and well-being outcomes. It provides culturally relevant data to analyse the flow of benefits (incl. employment) from the resources sector to indigenous peoples; links between government policy/services for indigenous well-being; and in ....Poverty in the Midst of Plenty: Economic Empowerment, Wealth Creation and Institutional Reform for Sustainable Indigenous and Local Communities. The project researches government, private sector and indigenous initiatives enhancing indigenous economic development and well-being outcomes. It provides culturally relevant data to analyse the flow of benefits (incl. employment) from the resources sector to indigenous peoples; links between government policy/services for indigenous well-being; and investigates legal forms (land title, securities, taxation law/incentives) for indigenous economic empowerment. The project strengthens the socio-economic fabric of indigenous communities benefiting the nation, indigenous peoples in commercial engagements, corporations seeking a 'licence to operate' and government agencies responsible for indigenous economic/social development.Read moreRead less
The Arts and Social Wellbeing in Rural Communities. The social wellbeing of Australia's rural communities is of ongoing concern and importance to governments, communities and businesses. It is often held that the arts have the potential to contribute to wellbeing by fostering social connectivity, community cohesion, social inclusion, trust and reciprocity. However, relatively little research examines the hypothesised link between the arts and these outcomes. This project will make an innovative ....The Arts and Social Wellbeing in Rural Communities. The social wellbeing of Australia's rural communities is of ongoing concern and importance to governments, communities and businesses. It is often held that the arts have the potential to contribute to wellbeing by fostering social connectivity, community cohesion, social inclusion, trust and reciprocity. However, relatively little research examines the hypothesised link between the arts and these outcomes. This project will make an innovative contribution in this area. It will address industry and government calls for research on the contribution of the arts to rural social wellbeing. It will also provide a basis for more effective policy in the arts and regional development.Read moreRead less
Australian Global Identities: Images of Globalization, Transnationalism and Individualism among New Expatriates. Globalization is dramatically transforming Australian society. By exploring the neglected terrain of emergent 'Australian global identities', this research will benefit policy analysts, government and the public they serve. Research findings on how globalization influences the decisions of Australians to live and work abroad, promoting new lifestyles and international careers, will ....Australian Global Identities: Images of Globalization, Transnationalism and Individualism among New Expatriates. Globalization is dramatically transforming Australian society. By exploring the neglected terrain of emergent 'Australian global identities', this research will benefit policy analysts, government and the public they serve. Research findings on how globalization influences the decisions of Australians to live and work abroad, promoting new lifestyles and international careers, will be used by organizations and government to shape policy in employment, education and professional development. The research will shed new light on the rising numbers of Australians working abroad, as well as detail ways Australia might better adapt to global institutional networking in order to attract expatriates back to Australia.Read moreRead less
Geographies of Global Resistance. This project explores recent responses to globalisation, often termed resistance, at global, national and local scales. Institutional and non-institutional responses are explored through contrasting case studies chosen from: first, the organised labour movement in Australia; second, from new social movements involving highly publicised anti-globalisation protests in particular places; and third, other spontaneous internet-based forms of resistance known as 'cult ....Geographies of Global Resistance. This project explores recent responses to globalisation, often termed resistance, at global, national and local scales. Institutional and non-institutional responses are explored through contrasting case studies chosen from: first, the organised labour movement in Australia; second, from new social movements involving highly publicised anti-globalisation protests in particular places; and third, other spontaneous internet-based forms of resistance known as 'culture jamming'. The research will contribute to better understanding the nature of globalisation, relationships between global and local change and strategies of resistance. The research is significant in bringing together insights from new approaches in both economic and cultural geography.Read moreRead less
Enabling inter-agency data sharing to support the spatial analysis of social vulnerability in a transforming region. This project's resolution of constraints to government agency data sharing will enable modernisation of public sector information management, creating a secure environment for joined-up use of agency data and enabling major resource savings. It will produce more geographically sensitive indicators of social vulnerability, marking a major advance in its understanding and assessment ....Enabling inter-agency data sharing to support the spatial analysis of social vulnerability in a transforming region. This project's resolution of constraints to government agency data sharing will enable modernisation of public sector information management, creating a secure environment for joined-up use of agency data and enabling major resource savings. It will produce more geographically sensitive indicators of social vulnerability, marking a major advance in its understanding and assessment. The project will significantly broaden agency's capability for research and analysis. It will generate major social benefits nationally, enabling the development of research-based policy enhancements that better align human service delivery with community needs. Lastly, it will contribute significantly to the strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric.Read moreRead less
Negotiating alternative economic strategies for regional development in Indonesia and the Philippines. In the context of recent decentralization of government functions in Indonesia and the Philippines this action research project will test an innovative model of partnership between four communities and local government units aimed at generating new pathways for regional development. Community-based researchers and local government workers will map the social and economic transactions and assets ....Negotiating alternative economic strategies for regional development in Indonesia and the Philippines. In the context of recent decentralization of government functions in Indonesia and the Philippines this action research project will test an innovative model of partnership between four communities and local government units aimed at generating new pathways for regional development. Community-based researchers and local government workers will map the social and economic transactions and assets of each local region as a step towards mobilizing these people-centred resources in alternative livelihood projects. Innovative strategies that build upon indigenous and local capacities for sustainable development of a diverse community economy will be explored and implemented.Read moreRead less
Professional induction of female and male firefighters in a metropolitan fire station. This research offers new understanding of how the gendered professional identity of recruit firefighters is shaped by the regimes of selection, training and transition to work, in a metropolitan fire station. Doctoral research will explore whether women's relational and communication capacities are developed or discouraged in a masculinist work setting such as firefighting. The project will enhance understandi ....Professional induction of female and male firefighters in a metropolitan fire station. This research offers new understanding of how the gendered professional identity of recruit firefighters is shaped by the regimes of selection, training and transition to work, in a metropolitan fire station. Doctoral research will explore whether women's relational and communication capacities are developed or discouraged in a masculinist work setting such as firefighting. The project will enhance understanding of why some occupations remain male dominated despite 20 years of policy and program level change initiatives. It will have direct benefits for both metropolitan and rural firefighting services in Australia, assisting them to adapt to new professional and equity imperatives.Read moreRead less