The agriculture-based Atherton Tablelands region of Far North Queensland experienced major change after the deregulation of the tobacco industry, and more recently, the dairy industry. The area was previously stable and relatively prosperous, but coping with continual change, unfamiliar market systems and the move to operating professional farm businesses, had caused some levels of distress. This working paper provides a social and economic overview of the region, an assessment of factors affecting the region and a brief discussion of economic development possibilities which might increase the economic resilience of the region.

• Atherton Tablelands Regional Analysis
  
  wp_043.pdf
  (1.17 MB)

This is the third publication contributing to the regional theme of natural disaster research identified in the BTRE's research program. The research examines the benefits of flood mitigation activities through case studies. It captures much of the available Australian information on the costs, benefits and performance of flood mitigation works and measures.

• Benefits of flood mitigation in Australia
  
  report_106.pdf
  (1.02 MB)

Regional public transport plays an important role in meeting the needs of Australians living in regional and remote areas for access to essential services and for mobility. This paper provides information on long-distance regional public transport services in Australia, and includes a snapshot of all such services across Australia in 2000–01 and the level of demand and characteristics of regional passenger travel in 1999–2000. The report also provides projections of likely future long-term trends in regional passenger travel. A companion paper, Regional public transport in Australia: Economic regulation and assistance measures (Working Paper 54), provides information on the regulatory arrangements and assistance measures relating to regional public transport.

• Regional Public Transport In Australia: Long-Distance Services, Trends And Projections
  
  wp_051.pdf
  (3.28 MB)

Regional public transport plays an important role in meeting the needs of Australians living in regional and remote areas for access to essential services and for mobility. This paper provides information on Commonwealth, State and Territory government regulatory arrangements and assistance measures relating to regional public transport in 2001–02.

A companion paper, Regional public transport in Australia: Long-distance services, trends and projections (Working Paper 51), provides information on long-distance regional public transport services in Australia, and includes a snapshot of all such services across Australia in 2000–01 and the level of demand and characteristics of regional passenger travel.

• Regional Public Transport in Australia: Economic Regulation and Assistance Measures
  
  wp_054.pdf
  (855.86 KB)

The questions of why regions grow or fail to grow, and what, if anything, governments can do about it have attracted considerable interest and debate for many years. This report provides a select review of previous government intervention approaches and experiences in pursuit of regional development. The review provides useful insights into the purpose and outcomes of various government-sponsored interventions in Australia, and in a number of other comparable countries.

• Government Interventions in Pursuit of Regional Development: Learning from Experience
  
  wp_055.pdf
  (596.21 KB)

This paper looks at differing investment and growth patterns of irrigation dependent regions along the course of the Murray River. It derives estimates of investment in irrigated agriculture and in the associated manufacturing industries in the regions and then identifies the key underlying causes of regional differences.

• Working Paper 58: Investment Trends in the Lower Murray-Darling Basin
  
  wp_058.pdf
  (2.38 MB)

The paper and associated database directly tackle the issue of quantifying economic growth in regions. BTRE derived regional economic activity indices for every Local Government Area in Australia from 1980–81 to 2004–05. The figures are based on Australian Taxation Office individual income data which have been reworked to allow easy comparisons between standard regions and over time.

• Focus on Regions No 3: Taxable Income
  
  ip_054.pdf
  (2.25 MB)
• Taxable Income Database [updated 23 Jan 2008]
  
  
  ip_054.xls
  (4.71 MB)

Skill shortages are a well documented issue both in Australia and overseas, but the problem itself is not well defined. Most of the previously published work has been conducted on a national or industry wide scale. The BTRE approach focused on the relationship between skill shortages and location, using local skill audits, commissioned reports and industry focused studies.

• Skill Shortages in Australia's Regions
  
  wp_068.pdf
  (1.19 MB)

BITRE's upcoming comprehensive publication will provide a more detailed analysis of the factors that impact on the full range of living costs across Australia. This submission includes some preliminary conclusions from the analysis of data on grocery prices collected for the main study.

The study confirms the view that grocery store prices vary widely across locations. It also finds the presence of a major chain in a town is a practical indicator of the price level of groceries in non-metropolitan centres. The major chain stores are more prevalent in larger population centres.

• Submission to ACCC on impact of location on grocery prices and availability in regional Australia
  
  other_004_ACCC_Submission_BITRE_2008.pdf
  (301.4 KB)

This booklet provides an accessible introduction to social, economic and environmental statistics for Australia's regions. Information is presented under the following broad themes: population; society; regional economies; housing; transport and communications; education and health; and environmental issues.

• About Australia's Regions 2008
  
  other_005_RegStats_2008.pdf
  (1.71 MB)