Australian Local Government Association

State of the Regions

The State of the Regions report (SOR) is published annually by the Australian Local Government Association. Due to a shift in the timing of publication from December to June each year the 2008-9 report is the most recent full report. A brief update report or supplement was published in June 2009 and a new full report was published in June 2010.

SOR divides Australia into 65 regions and allocates these regions into region types or zones, analyses how regions are performing and then analyses the likely consequences of current circumstances on the different types of SOR zones. The zones or region types are Knowledge-intensive regions, Dispersed Metro, Independent City, Lifestyle regions, Resource Based and Rural Regions.

The core objectives of the SOR are to:

• Present the latest statistical indicators of how Australian regions are performing
• Analyse the indicator trends in terms of growing equality and inequality between Australian regions
• Make suggestions for the policy implications of current Australian regional performance
• Steadily expand the indicators used to measure regional performance
• Describe the reality of regional economics
• Assist local government to understand their regions and to provide useful planning tools

State of the Regions Report 2010-11: The housing shortage and housing affordability

The 2010-11 SOR analyses the issues surrounding housing supply and how these issues have impacted both on the SOR zones and the 65 SOR regions themselves. Supply issues lead to pricing pressures and these impacts are described in their zone and regional context. Construction activity across the zone types and regions is presented.

The 2010-11 SOR also examines the fortunes of households in terms of wealth and employment across both the SOR regions and zone types.

The strategic purpose of the SOR report is to provide local government with a system of measuring performance and a framework for future regional economic development strategies.

State of the Regions Report 2008-09: Climate Change and the Global Financial Crisis

The 2008-09 State of the Regions report continues to focus on the challenges of climate change, especially given the financial economic crisis engulfing the globe. The Report adds to the accumulated knowledge of previous reports on climate change, including discussion of the impact of emissions trading on regional households. Several case studies are presented to highlight the range of council strategies that are being implemented to reduce the impact of climate change on local and regional communities.

The state of Australia's households is reviewed. Specific topics explored include household wealth and debt, the baby bounce, migration patterns and employment levels.

The report also provides an updated commentary of the state of Australia's telecommunications - broadband infrastructure.

An extensive appendix of regional indicators underpins the findings of the main report and forms a valuable economic analysis of the state of Australia's 65 designated regions.

State of the Regions 2008-09 Supplement (June 2009). Available for download free of charge (12.6 MB).

State of the Regions 2008-09 Supplement Summary document (June 2009). Available for download free of charge (138 KB).

State of the Regions Report 2007-08: Climate Change

The 2007-08 State of the Regions report focuses on climate change and its implications and impact on Australia’s diverse regions. The Report provides a useful overview of international, Commonwealth, state and territory greenhouse policies, as well as critically discussing some of the regional impacts of potential abatement measures and carbon taxes. The Victoria shire of Mount Alexander is presented as a specialist case study.

The issues of water supply, drought, health and legal impacts for local government are also discussed.

The report also provides commentary on the financial state of Australian households as it relates to debt servicing, and concludes with its third review of the state of Australia’s telecommunications - broadband infrastructure.

State of the Regions Report 2006-07: The Landboom

According to most publicised indicators, Australia's economic performance over the past decade has been exemplary. Incomes have increased, unemployment has decreased, and the inflation rate has remained low. In addition, nearly all home-owners have received gratifying capital gains. For many, this additional wealth has provided psychological compensation for increased working hours and reduced employment security.

In this 2006-07 State of the Regions report we look more closely at the land boom of 1996-2005, and see some of the downside of it. However delighted the recipients have been with their capital gains, such windfalls do not come without cost.

State of the Regions Report 2005-06: Telecommunications

The 2005-06 State of the Regions report theme is at the very core of the issues that may well shape the economic development opportunities and competitiveness of Australia's regions. The Report explores the case for the use of telecommunications infrastructure, to assist regions improve their performance.

State of the Regions Report 2004-05: Infrastructure

The objectives of the 2004-05 State of the Regions report (SOR) are to explore the case for the use of infrastructure development to assist regions to improve their performance and to update and extend the SOR regional performance indicators.

State of the Regions Report 2003-04: Ageing, Migration and Population Change

The focus of the 2003-04 State of the Regions report is on how ageing, migration and population growth impact on the economic potential of regions and the revenue raising capacity of local government. The fundamental message from this year's report is that for many regions strong positive population growth with a broad based age composition will be vital for economic growth.

State of the Regions Report 2002-03: Regional Economic Governance

The theme of the 2002-03 State of the Regions report is regional economic governance and along with the traditional update of the regional performance indicators, the Report focuses on governance and the linked issue of growing inequality between regions. This growing inequality is the result of the process commonly referred to as 'globalisation', but in reality represents the outcomes of the shift in economic structure towards the so-called 'knowledge based' or 'innovation' driven economy.

State of the Regions Report 2001-02: Learning Regions

The theme of the 2001-02 State of the Regions report is jobs and learning regions. The prime concern is how well Australian regions are positioned to capture the economic development and employment benefits from the emergence of the knowledge-based or learning economy.

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