Localism and the policy goal of securing the socio-economic viability of rural and regional Australia

Abstract

Over time, the cumulative impacts on rural towns of globalising economic forces, informed as they were by neolliberal policies and drought, has meant not just socio-economic decline, but the increasing risk that regional towns and cities are sliding towards welfare-dependency. With many jobs and businesses at risk, concern about the viability of rural towns is once again uppermost in the minds of the community. It was within this context that localism re-emerged as a policy strategy designed to enable local communities to address the socio-economic challenges which beset them. In developing their policy approach to localism, Australian policymakers drew heavily on policy work undertaken in Europe.