Place, Community, and Governance in Australia: Past, Present, and Future examines the growing interest in place-based policy activity aimed at addressing spatial disadvantage in Australia in the context of debates about localism and community voice. A diverse range of mostly short-lived initiatives addressing the needs of urban, regional and remote communities have been implemented since the post-war period in Australia. By surveying key theoretical and policy debates together with historical and contemporary case studies focused on diverse sectors and experiences, the authors argue that these initiatives have many commonalities, such as the aspiration for local partnerships between `street-level' government and community actors. However, this aspiration has not necessarily been executed through collaborative design and sustainable implementation by the same actors, and that omission provides important lessons for contemporary research, policy and practice.
The local partnership narrative is pervasive, the roles and authority of government and civil society actors in these initiatives are often confusing. Building on these insights this book highlights reform opportunities and challenges including; promoting community leadership, voice and representation; investing in effective collaborative governance; and entrusting place-based actors with the authority necessary to achieve sustainable community outcomes.