Research summary

Production communities across regional Australia are embarking on the diversification of their local economies. The structural decline of the thermal coal industry is a key driver of this trend. To be socially acceptable and therefore sustainable, processes for diversifying regional economies require policies and plans that are aligned with local priorities, responsive to national and global changes, and – critically – are inclusive of community, government, and industry. This project supports policymakers to develop state government investments and institutional frameworks that facilitate new economic opportunities and thriving, resilient communities in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. The goal is to establish trusted collaborations across stakeholders to inform policy design, ultimately leading to longer-term and broader engagement on realising prosperous futures in regional Australian production communities.

This project is funded under the ANU Public Policy and Societal Impact Hub’s Policy Greenhouse Fund.