Women resident in rural and remote areas are reputed to suffer increased vulnerability to domestic violence as a consequence of physical and social isolation, firearms availability, inadequate legal and service provisions,
limited opportunities for alternative employment and housing, and so on. This research examined the incidence and prevalence of male-to-female intimate partner abuse in the Bowen Basin region of Central Queensland. In
particular, it was concerned to examine relationships between the incidence and prevalence of both physical (including sexual) and non-physical (including economic, psychological and social-psychological) abuse, and the
rapid growth since 2004 in the regional mining industry. A survey was conducted of 532 women resident either in the Bowen Basin or the nearby coastal city of Mackay. Outcomes of this survey will be presented during the
seminar, and a summary of the research is available via the Australian Institute of Criminology homepage at
www.aic.gov.au/en/publications/current%20series/tandi/361-380/tandi378.aspx

In the inaugural NIRRA Seminar, Ken Moore, the former Manager of Social and Institutional and Water Research with Land & Water Australia will provide a professional and personal perspective on rural and regional Australia policy and research based on 34 years of experience.

Like humans generally, we Australians have an imperfect perception of reality and mythologies about rural and regional life, communities and agriculture strongly influence policy development and implementation. Ken argues that it is time for high quality rural and regional research to change the myths and community perceptions in order to reform policy and institutions according to reality. Ken’s seminar will address changes in rural and regional policy and research over the past thirty years; periods of rich policy reform; intractable policy issues such as drought policy reform; the changing relationship between research and policy; the establishment of the rural research and development corporations model and current need for policy reform; regionalism and local management of natural resources; a new logos, ethos and pathos for rural and regional market economies; and the vital role of independent research institutes such as NIRRA.

Ken is driven professionally and personally by five dreams for rural and regional research which he will reveal in the seminar.

Sponsors

NIRRA’s Director Dr Linda Botterill, in conjunction with NIRRA member Professor Margaret Alston, is hosting a Networking Lunch on Friday 12 June for NIRRA Research Members based in Victoria. The event is an opportunity to put faces to the names of rural and regional researchers from a range of institutions and disciplines who have an interest in rural and regional Australia and to hear about their research.

NIRRA Research members based in Victoria are encouraged to attend and to bring along any of their colleagues who may not yet be members of NIRRA but who we would like to encourage to join!