Housing beyond the capitals
There has been, in the past, a relative policy neglect of the issues facing non‐metropolitan Australia, although in recent times this neglect has come to be recognised. This paper identifies similarities and differences between metropolitan Australia and the part of Australia lying ‘beyond the capitals’. It uses recalculations of data from the 1991 and 1996 ABS censuses to provide an overview, then uses previously unpublished data to focus on housing related issues. The analysis shows that whilst there are a number of differences between the two areas there are also a number of unexpected similarities. The paper ends with conclusions and recommendations for public policy.
Housing Assistance and Regional Disadvantage: Positioning Paper
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This material was produced with funding from the Commonwealth of Australia and the Australian States and Territories. AHURI gratefully acknowledges the financial and other support it has received from the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments, without which this work would not have been possible. The project team would also like to acknowledge the generosity of all those who have participated in the study and thank them for their time, commitment and encouragement during the course of this research. The team is particularly grateful to the Regional Director of the NSW Department of Housing Northern Region Office, Gavin McCairns, and his staff for their assistance. DISCLAIMER AHURI Ltd is an independent, non-political body which has supported this project as part of its programme of research into housing and urban development, which it hopes will be of value to policy-makers, researchers, industry and communities. The opinions in this publication reflect the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of AHURI Ltd, its Board or its funding organisations or any of those who assisted in the development of this report. No responsibility is accepted by AHURI Ltd or its Board or its funders for the accuracy or omission of any statement, opinion, advice or information in this publication.
Regional Development Policy
Among countries with distinctly regionalized economic and political structures, Australia is virtually unique in its degree of indifference to regional problems and policies, both within the academic community and among the general public. To an economist brought up in Canada, it seems extraordinary that highly respected surveys of the Australian economy and Australian economic development, published since World War II, should contain not one word about regional problems, regional development, or regional policy.1 Regional policy is almost never a major campaign issue. It is seldom debated in Parliament, or discussed on television or in the press, although the media allocate more time and space to economic and social issues in Australia than in most countries.