Leading  Issues Journal  

Women’s Role in Grassroots  Leadership in Rural, Regional and Remote Australia – the Potential for Western Australia  By Fiona M Haslam McKenzie 

Fiona Haslam McKenzie currently  teaching and researching in the Faculty of Business and Public Management at Edith Cowan University in Perth presented this Speech at the Women and Resource Management Conference (WARM) for Australian Women in Agriculture in July 01 at Perth, WA.

She talks "about an emerging style of community leadership" that she observed "in the process of undertaking two research projects in the last 12 months both of which focused on, amongst other things, women’s contribution to community and industry leadership particularly in rural, regional and remote in Australia."  

Given that the "Commonwealth and State governments have tended to advocate a ‘self help’ approach to rural economic development and viable rural enterprises as the key to  arrest rural decline and that the emergence of strong viable enterprises and rural communities, together devising strategies to change their economic, social, cultural, and/or environmental situation offers some hope for a reversal of rural decline," McKenzie asks the crucial question, "WHO IS GOING TO LEAD THE COMMUNITY IN developing strategies for growth?" Her response that, "there is great potential here for transformational leadership, and women are well suited and placed for practicing transformational leadership," is supported with 3 excellent examples of transformational leadership which McKenzie encountered during her research.  Such "examples of grass roots leadership ...  have the potential to make a real difference to communities and move 3R (Rural, Regional and Remote) Australia forward. Generally, their type of leadership is not extraordinary, but by virtue of its low key nature, it has been effective and, I suspect transformational," she comments.

This Paper will "challenge you to think about transformational leadership, which is about sharing the leadership role and the load, nurturing those who are not yet ‘labelled’ as leaders and to continue to think about share visions." 

It also illustrates that women's leadership styles are important, that we can make a difference about what we are personally affected by and that this has ramifications that go beyond the radius of our experience, and even has the potential to achieve sustainability and direction for Australia, itself.

To view Fiona Haslam's McKenzie's Paper, click here: Women’s Role in Grassroots  Leadership in Rural, Regional and Remote Australia – the Potential for Western Australia 

Robyn Parker, Research Officer of the Australian Institute of Family Studies presented the Paper,  Marriage and relationship research and education in Australia - where to from here? at Family Futures : Issues in Research and Policy, the 7th Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference in Sydney on July 2000

"In the past few years, creating and sustaining strong and resilient marriages and families has become a more prominent focus of government policy (via the National Families Strategy).  Relatedly, researchers are directing their energies towards identifying and exploring the characteristics of strong families (eg the University of Newcastle Family Action Centre's 'Family Strengths Project') and marriages (the Australian Institute of Family Studies study, 'Marital Perspectives'). In the search for ways to promote and sustain stable and well functioning families, the long-established field of marriage and relationship education is receiving attention from both government and academics that is well overdue. This paper attempts to integrate recent developments in the study of marriage and relationships in general and the field of marriage and relationship education in particular, and discuss the implications of those developments for future research, practice, and the formulation of social policy."                      (Family Futures: Issues in Research and Policy Conference)

To view Robyn Parker's Paper click here: Marriage and relationship research and education in Australia - where to from here?

Coalition Of Responsible Taxpayers (CORT) By Eva Cox AO

Eva Cox, Sociologist, Lecturer, Feminist, Activist and Author is currently putting together a list of names and support for a Coalition of Responsible Taxpayers (CORT) who realise that tax cuts are not what we need, but also recognises we do need more publicly funded resources. "I started this list and group because I was cross at the widespread assumption in both political groupings that voters could be bought with tax cuts." To read more about CORT and support the formation of an alternative voice for Australia's future, see:

Coalition Of Responsible Taxpayers (CORT)

Minister's Consultations 2002-2003 Migration and Humanitarian Programs and Associated Settlement Issues

For the 2002-2003 Migration and Humanitarian Programs and Associated Settlement Issues, Philip Ruddock, Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs invites all  Australians to consider presenting their views on:

•  Australia's population future;
• the size and composition of the Migration Program;
• ways of achieving the economic and social objectives of immigration; and
• Australia's Humanitarian Program

You can also access the Paper, the 2002-2003 Migration and Humanitarian Programs: A Discussion Paper at his Website: http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/consultations/index.html

Indigenous Australians who are studying full time or who plan to study full time can apply for a cadetship under the national Indigenous Cadetship Project. If you are selected for a cadetship your employer will - pay you a study allowance and provide you with paid work experience during your long vacation break. When you have finished studying you may be offered full time employment. 

For more information go to http://www.nicp.dewrsb.gov.au  or phone 1802 102.

New  Zealand's first national Time Use Survey was conducted in 1998/99. It was funded by the Government through the Ministry of Women's Affairs.  The Survey took place between July 1998 and June 1999 with a sample of about 8500 people aged 12 and over. The Survey records how people in New Zealand spend their days, providing information on the amount of time spent on different activities such as paid work, voluntary community work, household work, caring and leisure. The Report shows how patterns of economic and social participation vary between different groups according to sex, age, ethnicity, and family and economic circumstances.  The results of the Survey are important for specific policy applications given that the boundaries between paid and unpaid work are different for women and men, and for different groups in society.  

Australia has conducted a Time Use Survey in 1992 and 1997.  Conducted in four tranches over 12 months and using 48-hour diaries, Time Use Surveys are extremely important in providing relatively reliable data on the distribution and volume of unpaid work. They also complement other social and economic statistics.

The Executive  Summary of the New Zealand Time Use Survey published in this Journal is part of the full publication launched on 8 May 2001. For a Copy of the Publication, Around the Clock  Findings from the New Zealand Time Use Survey 1998-99 you can contact the New Zealand Ministry of Women's Affairs Tel: 04473 4112

To view the Executive Summary, click here:  The New Zealand Time Use Survey