Suchergebnisse

There has been little research into sister-city type relationships (SCTRs) in Australia especially at the local government level. This paper begins to address the issue by discussing the framework within which SCTRs have operated. First the paper outlines the three main aspects of SCTRs; the associative, the reciprocative and the commercial. It argues that associative relationships are based upon notions of international friendship, cultural exchange and a general international awareness while reciprocative relationships involve the growth of an international educational exchange system. The newer commercial factor emphasises the importance of local economic development. Secondly, the paper discusses these three elements in the context of a survey conducted in 1999 of local governments involved in SCTRs in Australia. The paper concludes by arguing that the debate over the role of SCTRs in Australia has now begun to emerge as a real issue for local governments.

'Keeping it Together: State and Civil Society in Australia' by A. Farrar and J. Inglis is reviewed.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) offer a good technical solution for the handling of large data bases in public administration. However, GIS also poses a problem in terms of 'information privacy'. At State and Federal levels of administration in Australia, the issue of privacy, is being addressed through various administrative and legislative processes. At Local Government level, GIS technology is now being introduced at a fairly rapid rate, but as yet, there has been little discussion of the issue of privacy at that level. This article discusses the issue of privacy at Local Government level, and suggests that there is a pressing need to introduce some administrative reforms.

The expansion of private forestry and the partnership between government and private sector timber growers and processors highlights the issues associated with a functionally based rather than a place based approaches to changing patterns of land use in rural areas. Rural development through blue gum forestry was promoted as a means of revitalising rural communities, providing both economic and social gains to regional areas. The purpose of this study is to examine the economic consequences of policies designed to promote plantation forestry at a local level. It concludes that while plantation forestry may bring benefits to the national economy, these benefits may not be apparent at a local level especially if the industry operates in competition with a viable alternative.