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NIRRA Seminar, Friday 6 November, 'Planning for Closure: Rural Communities and the Resources Sector'

in
Event type: 
Date and Time: 
6 November 2009 - 9:00am

Location

National Europe Centre
1 Liversidge Street The Australian National University
Australia

Description

On 21st January, 2009, BHP Billiton Nickel surprised not only the ASX but also its communities of place and of interest in its decision to close the Ravensthorpe Nickel Operation in Western Australia. The mine had been opened with great fanfare only 8 months previously and had been proposed as a 25 year enterprise, one which promised significant improvements in the economic and social well-being of the south coast region of Western Australia. In March this year, Professor Stehlik led a team which undertook a Rapid Rural Appraisal of the impacts of the announcement of mine closure on the local place-based communities. This seminar present findings from this study, including: perspectives on environmental impact; information flow post-closure; comparative measures of wellbeing; and community perspectives on opportunities for future regional development. The seminar will discuss findings that the potential offered in the promise of a 25 year relationship was a key driver in decision making by local businesses, and that the action to close the mine, the manner of its announcement and the subsequent steps taken by the company in exiting the community, have important lessons for other rural and remote communities that are in relationships with the resources sector, or are planning such a future relationship.

Speaker Bio

Professor Daniela Stehlik is Foundation Chair in Stronger Communities and Director of the Research Centre for Stronger Communities (RCSC) at Curtin University of Technology in Perth, Western Australia, where she leads a team of social scientists working in sustainability and conservation; strengths-based practice models and place and community vulnerability. In 2008, she completed an appointment to the Expert Panel on the Social Impacts of Drought for the Federal Minister of Agriculture’s Review of National Drought Policy. Professor Stehlik’s involvement in community development activities, and the impact of change on communities has led to a number of publications focusing on issues associated with social sustainability, community capacity building and evidence based policy. She is particularly interested in the generative capacity of women's energy and enthusiasm as an important component of community flourishing

Transcripts

application/pdf iconTranscript Seminar 06Nov09.pdf

NIRRA Seminar, 5 February, 'Regulating Food Production: Considering the Evidence Base'

in
Event type: 
Date and Time: 
5 February 2010 - 12:30pm - 2:00pm

Location

National Europe Centre
1 Liversidge Street
Australian National University ACT 2600
Australia

Description

There have been increasing calls to reduce regulatory burdens on industry and many governments in developed countries have responded by setting targets to reduce red tape and requiring government regulators to demonstrate that the benefits of new regulation outweigh the costs to society. At the same time there have been increasing demands that government protect society and individuals from harm and reduce risks to even lower levels. Balancing these often competing objectives can be a tricky business – especially when the costs and benefits accrue to different interest groups.
This presentation will examine the approaches used to balancing the competing interests when developing food regulations using primary production and processing food standards as a case study. The role of social and economic research in broadening the traditional evidence base will be discussed.

Speaker Bio

Melanie Fisher is the General Manager, Food Standards (Canberra) in Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). She has experience at senior levels in the Australian Government covering a range of subjects including food regulation, environmental and resource management, primary industries and structural adjustment, and scientific analyses to support policy development.

Ms Fisher is currently responsible for the development of food standards relating to primary production and processing, and public health and nutrition. In addition she manages the work of FSANZ’s Consumer and Social Sciences and Regulatory Economics Units.

Ms Fisher has an undergraduate degree and graduate diploma in psychology and a Master of Public Policy.

Transcripts

application/pdf iconTranscript Melanie Fisher Seminar 5Feb10.pdf
application/pdf iconSlides M.Fisher seminar 5Feb10.pdf

NIRRA Seminar, Friday 2 October, "Will the last man standing please write the damn legislation!: An intensely personal reflection on the past, present and future of rural research"

in
Event type: 
Date and Time: 
2 October 2009 - 12:30pm - 2:00pm

RSVP information

A light lunch will be served from 12pm.
Please RSVP by Wednesday 30th September to assist with catering. E: nirra@anu.edu.au

Location

National Europe Centre
1 Liversidge Street
Acton, ACT 0200
Australia

Description

Australian farmers have been funding their own rural research for nearly 200 years. During this time we have seen an evolution from kitties for agricultural show prizes to support from voluntary then compulsory cooperatives, to philanthropic societies and onto a succession of industry research committees, councils, corporations and companies. This succession was born out a period of not simply innovative rural institutional reform, but reform that Professor Roger Wettenhall describes “the most advanced studies in the field of public enterprise, statutory authorities and indirect public administration with thinking that is consistent with the most advanced international work in this field.” Evolutionary extinction is not yet in sight, although revolutionary extinction might well be, argues our speaker. As Australia’s Forest Gump and Zelig of the rural research and research policy worlds, Dr Richard Price will enlighten us on some of the truths, myths and outright misrepresentations surrounding this history. From there he will attempt to construct some truths, myths and outright misrepresentations of his own about its future. These will be based around the four ‘GFCs’ (Global Financial Crisis; Global Food Crisis; Global Flora/Fauna Crisis; Global Fahrenheit Crisis).

Speaker Bio

Following an international career in the public, private and academic sectors, Dr Richard Price established and runs the Canberra-based firm Kiri-Ganai Research Pty Ltd, and has recently been appointed as Adjunct Fellow at The Fenner School of Environment and Society, ANU. He has created and managed a number of major national environmental research programs, played a significant role in the policy and corporatisation of Australia’s rural research organisations, and jointly won an Australian Banksia Award in 2008 for his oversight of the largest agricultural biodiversity project ever undertaken in Australia.

Sponsors

Transcriber Online Write People

Transcripts

application/pdf iconTranscript seminar 02_Oct_09.pdf

NIRRA Seminar: Friday 6 November: 'Planning for closure: rural communities and the resources sector'

in
Event type: 
Date and Time: 
6 November 2009 - 9:00am - 11:00am

RSVP information

A light sandwich lunch will be served from 12:00. For catering purposes, please advise nirra@anu.edu.au if you are attending.

Location

National Europe Centre
1 Liversidge Street
Acton, ACT 0200
Australia

Description

On 21st January, 2009, BHP Billiton Nickel surprised not only the ASX but also its communities of place and of interest in its decision to close the Ravensthorpe Nickel Operation in Western Australia. The mine had been opened with great fanfare only 8 months previously and had been proposed as a 25 year enterprise, one which promised significant improvements in the economic and social well-being of the south coast region of Western Australia. In March this year, Professor Stehlik led a team which undertook a Rapid Rural Appraisal of the impacts of the announcement of mine closure on the local place-based communities. This seminar present findings from this study, including: perspectives on environmental impact; information flow post-closure; comparative measures of wellbeing; and community perspectives on opportunities for future regional development. The seminar will discuss findings that the potential offered in the promise of a 25 year relationship was a key driver in decision making by local businesses, and that the action to close the mine, the manner of its announcement and the subsequent steps taken by the company in exiting the community, have important lessons for other rural and remote communities that are in relationships with the resources sector, or are planning such a future relationship.

Speaker Bio

Professor Daniela Stehlik is Foundation Chair in Stronger Communities and Director of the Research Centre for Stronger Communities (RCSC) at Curtin University of Technology where she leads a team of social scientists working in sustainability and conservation; strengths-based practice models and place and community vulnerability. In 2008, she completed an appointment to the Expert Panel on the Social Impacts of Drought for the Federal Minister of Agriculture’s Review of National Drought Policy. Professor Stehlik’s involvement in community development activities, and the impact of change on communities has led to a number of publications focusing on issues associated with social sustainability, community capacity building and evidence based policy. She is particularly interested in the generative capacity of women's energy and enthusiasm as an important component of community flourishing. Professor Stehlik is currently a Visiting Fellow in the Political Science Program, Research School of Social Sciences, The Australian National University.

Sponsors

Transcriber Online Write People

Transcripts

application/pdf iconTranscript Seminar 06Nov09.pdf

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