Mr Michael (Andrew) Lawson
PhD Student, Faculty of The Professions, Australian Centre for Agriculture and Law
Qualifications
LLB (Qld), BRuSc (Hons)(UNE)
Contact
| Email: | mlawson@une.edu.au |
| Room: | AG Law |
| Phone: | 02 6773 3551 (or +61 2 6773 3551 overseas) |
| Fax: | 02 6773 2580 |
Research interests
CO-REGULATION
Why is it important? Despite large financial investments by governments and farmers, as well as significant inputs of time, effort and goodwill, the environmental condition of rural Australia continues to trend downwards. Governments, farmers, and environmental practitioners recognize the need for new approaches to unleash investment, provide recognition for good operators, and exploit demand for sustainable agriculture. However, realizing these opportunities will require greater attention to mechanisms to improve accountability, particularly a credible means for landholders to prove good land management.
The Research – This research focuses on the potential synergies of “co-regulation”, i.e. the interaction of non-government “regulation” (voluntary standards, codes of best practice, certification and labelling schemes) and government regulation and policy. Broad questions include: What role can co-regulation play in improving the management of environmental impacts in rural Australia? What are its potentials and limitations? What are the elements of effective co-regulation? What are the features of industry-led regulation that increase its chances of meshing well with public policy? How do governments help or hinder industry-led regulation? How can governments help enhance non-government certification frameworks so that all possible benefits (public and private) of demonstrating good land management are extracted for minimum transaction costs?
Part of a larger research programme – The project forms part of a larger research programme called “The Next Generation of Rural Landscape Governance”, managed by The Australian Centre for Agriculture & Law at the University of New England, Armidale NSW. The larger programme looks broadly at the arrangements by which public policy is set for environmental management of rural lands in Australia and by which public funding (particularly national-level funding) is distributed for this purpose. (For more information, visit www.une.edu.au/aglaw).
Anticipating reform –The “current generation” of rural landscape governance is underpinned by the Australian Government’s Caring For Our Country programme that operates from 2008 to 2013 and provides around AU$2 billion for environmental management across Australia. One of the features of this programme (developed under the previous national programme, the Natural Heritage Trust) is the geographical delineation of Australia into 56 natural resource management regions, each ostensibly managed to some degree by a regional organization. As the current programme draws to a close in 2013, we can expect much discussion anticipating the arrangements beyond 2013 (i.e. the “next generation”).
Supporters – Supporters and collaborators of this programme include the Australian Government (through the Australian Research Council and the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities), the Australian Land Management Group, Biological Farmers of Australia, Cotton Australia, the Namoi Catchment Management Authority (NSW), NRM North (Tasmania), and Water Stewardship Australia.
Publications
Martin, P.V., Williams, J.A., and Kennedy, A.L., 2011 ‘Professional networks and rural services poverty’ 16(1) Deakin Law Review 57.