Sustaining rural Australia
While more than 85% of Australians now live in cities, rural and regional Australia are vital links in building a sustainable economy and environment – so what can be done to strengthen the resilience of rural communities and support people who are fighting the often lonely fight for social and environmental sustainability in rural and regional Australia? And what can city people learn from the innovative community building that takes place in rural and regional Australia? The workshop presenters are members of the Centre for Rural Communities.
Presenters and facilitators
Dr Deb Foskey – Has lived and worked in rural East Gippsland/South-east NSW/ACT for several decades and gained an understanding of local community and regional issues within a national and global context. Recently reported on sustainability issues in SENSW and works locally with a group focused on building resilience in the town of Delegate and region.
Fiona York – has lived and worked in small rural communities in East Gippsland for 15 years, and is committed to building networks and strengthening communities across regional Australia. Recently has built a network of over 60 volunteer groups across East Gippsland, co-written the East Gippsland Shire Public Art Policy including small community consultation.
About this workshop
While most Greens voters are concentrated in inner-city regions, many of the issues that concern them are outside the urban fringe. Recognising and supporting individuals and groups working for sustainability in rural and regional Australia should be part of the Green New Deal. Not that rural communities are passive: the amount of activities, groups, and thinking going on in regional Australia is awe-inspiring. Networks are being developed all the time, greatly assisted by satellite dishes and the internet. Nonetheless, there is a lot we can learn from each other by meeting face to face to see what other communities are doing in the face of the ‘free market’, climate change and government policies whose harshest impacts are being felt in much of rural and regional Australia.
The presenters hope that this workshop will bring rural and regional community activists together with a view to sharing success stories and strategies and working towards a national network and voice.
Suggested reading as preparation for workshop: Sher, Jonathan P & Katrina Rowe 1994: Rural Development as though Australia’s rural people and communities really mattered, paper prepared for DPIE in 1993.
See also:
Centre for Rural Communities www.ruralcommunities.com.au
South-east NSW Transition Towns nswcommunities.org.au
