2002
Workshops, Seminars and Short Courses
A seminar on Regional Indicators and Benchmarking was held in Armidale on 6 May 2002 at 11am in room HES3, in the School of Human and Environmental Studies. The Seminar was of value to local government, regional organisations, and academics.
A major conference "The Cutting Edge of Change" was held in Armidale in February 2002 (14th-17th February).
A Four-day Short Course on Performance Based Codes. In April each year a four day short-course is run on "The Performance-Based Approach to Development Codes". Dates for the Armidale Course for 2002 were: 11-14 April. A further course is likely to be run in either Queensland or Sydney (date to be announced). The short course is practical, hands-on, and based on the National User's Guide to Performance Based Codes. Pricing starts at $600 per participant, which includes course materials together with lunch and morning and afternoon teas.
A Four-day Short Course on Contemporary Regional Development Practice. Over the last five years regional development has become one of the hot policy issues in Australia across all three tiers of government. Many regions are increasingly concerned with how to stem population decline, energise local economies, or build on local growth prospects. Local government has been playing a growing role in this complex, fast-moving and difficult arena for the last 20 years but many are unsure of the development options they confront and where they fit into the overall public policy picture. This short-course on contemporary regional development practice clarifies current thinking on these matters.
The course was held in Armidale from the 15 to 18 April 2002 inclusive. It examined the dimensions of Australia?s regional problems and their causes, before focusing on current thinking about best practice responses by local government and other agencies. The price is $600 per participant, which includes course materials, a field excursion, lunches and morning and afternoon teas.
Research
1. The community outcomes project. Compares outcomes of local government reform processes. The study involves a selection of council in NSW and Victoria and is being undertaken in collaboration with RMIT.
2. E-commerce in regional and rural NSW. Dollery and McNeill secured Aust. Bus. Foundation research grant of $56,000 to investigate e-commerce in regional and rural NSW.
3. Regional Organisations of Councils - a Review. Marshall and Witherby secured UNE Research Grant to examine regional organisations of councils throughout Australia.
4. Modelling a New State. Marshall, Dollery and Witherby secured UNE Research Grant to financially model a new state in north-east NSW. The project is designed to provide sound information to inform the re-activated debate on a new state.
Other Activities
A Visiting Fellow from Indonesia, Dr Hanafi S Guciano, was with the Centre in early 2002.