Preparing for disaster: preparedness in a flood and cyclone prone community

Research suggests that the perception of a threat, high levels of self-efficacy, and high levels of social connectedness and trust may facilitate engagement in preparatory behaviours for severe weather events. To identify the psychosocial determinants of preparatory behaviours in cyclone- and flood-prone communities, a questionnaire was completed by 275 (103 males, 169 females, three not identified) participants from a north Queensland community. The results from this study show that perceived susceptibility to a future severe weather event, social connectedness, and self-efficacy significantly predict part of the variance in preparatory behaviour. Therefore communicating personal vulnerability to an event, providing information on how to undertake recommended preparatory action, and increasing engagement in the community may contribute to effective preparation at the community level

Why come, why stay, why bother? The challenge of recruiting and retaining skilled workers in Northern Australia

Attracting and retaining a workforce of appropriately skilled and educated workers to Northern Australia is a complex challenge that is likely to affect many new agricultural development proposals in the North. Experience from the ‘mining boom’ suggests there is a need to reimagine what constitutes resilient communities to underpin sustainable growth at a regional scale. In many cases, research suggests that though remuneration and access to services and infrastructure is foundational for workers who are contemplating the move to a region or remaining in a region, these factors are not necessarily the tipping point in the decision. For instance, drivers of these decisions can also include social (e.g. community, family), environmental (e.g. recreational) and aesthetic (e.g. attractiveness of town) factors. To further complicate matters, the drivers of the decision to move to a region may not be the same drivers for the decision to stay in a region for different workers. For example, though a FIFO work structure may be an attractive reason to initiate employment in a region, it may not be enough to stay in that job in that region. Therefore, the development of a skilled workforce in Northern Australia needs to be conceptualised more comprehensively and holistically. It needs to consider not only what is beneficial for the employer but also for the worker, their family and the local community. This presentation will discuss the complexities of workforce development in relation to the effect of different methods of employment on workers, the employer and the community. Examples will be drawn from a recent project that explored attraction and retention of skilled workers to the aquaculture industry in Northern Australia. Recommendations will be provided for approaching workforce development from a holistic and multi-faceted framework that ensures lasting economic and social stability within a community

"It's just somewhere I've fell in love with": the role of attachment in the sustainability of communities

Rural and remote communities are facing increasing challenges to their community sustainability and development. These challenges revolve around issues with workforce development and the subsequent reliance on fly-in, fly-out or temporary workforces which challenge the economic and social stability of the community. Therefore strategies need to be explored by which economic and social stability can be achieved within these communities. Increasing the degree of permanency of residents within regional communities is one way in which this social and economic stability can be achieved. The current research explored how attachment to place and community can influence the enjoyment of living within a community and thus facilitate greater permanency of residency. Semi-structured interviews were held with 20 (3 male, 17 female) residents of a remote Queensland mining community. Common themes were identified within the interviews through an interpretative phenomenological analytical framework which provides an in depth examination of the lived experiences of participants. The results suggest that residents who reported that they felt connected to place and community tended to report intentions to stay longer within the community. The findings highlighted the importance of considering the social and human influences on developing communities that are attractive and liveable for a growing population. This presentation will provide recommendations on the processes by which attachment to place and community can be facilitated for new residents within regional communities. These suggestions will have implications for the retention of residents within mining communities but also for other regional Australia communities

Farming struggles and triumphs: recommendations from Australian farming families

The farming and grazing industry is an industry where there is a constant evolution of stressors, impacting on the farming families ability to remain resilient to these challenges, which is evident through the steady decline in the number of farming families in the past twenty years. Yet despite the growing number of adversities within the industry (i.e. climate change), some farming families still continue to persevere on the farm. However, due to limited research, little is known about the influence that the farming working lifestyle has upon farming families' well-being. It is important to identify factors that affect farming family well-being as this industry is a vital industry for the Australian economy and needs to be supported. Therefore, the determinants of farming families well-being and the identification of factors which buffer stress and assist in the perseverance of farming families was investigated. Interviews across Queensland and New South Wales were conducted with 53 members of farming families (M=28, F=25). As an outcome, themes were identified in relation to what skills and values farming families perceived farmers needed in order to be a successful farmer (Men = managing for the future, respect for land; Women = adaptability). Furthermore, informants reported how they identified with farming (Men & Women = it's who I am) and why they continued to farm (Men = lifestyle, pride in product; Women = lifestyle). As a result, it was proposed that those who had higher levels of commitment to farming and identified more closely with farming were more likely to be satisfied with their life and work and would be able to buffer stress more effectively

How does perceived severity and susceptibility influence individual cognition? Investigating the theoretical basis of the 'threat' construct in alternative contexts

Contemporary research has focused on cognitive factors' influence on behaviour change. Health Psychology models such as the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM), comprised of threat, self- and response-efficacy constructs, have been successful in predicting health behaviours. Little research has been conducted on how this model can be applied to the environmental context. The project focused on water sustainability practices within the Townsville region (North Queensland, Australia) whose water supply was under threat at the time of research. A survey was formulated based on the EPPM constructs and a sample of 363 participants were recruited. A hierarchical multiple regression was conducted to examine if the constructs within the EPPM as well as demographic variables were predictors of water conservation behaviour. Results found gender, age and the three EPPM constructs were significant predictors of higher levels of water saving behaviour. This research demonstrates the applicability of the EPPM in the environmental context, however the conceptual differences between health and environmental threats should be considered. There is currently no clarity around the theoretical composition of 'threat' and how it plays to one's intentions to act in this context. The second part of this research considered this issue. The research focused on exploring proximal, social, temporal and hypothetical distance to measure threat severity and what is susceptible to the negative outcomes of the threat, in terms of individual, community and global effects. This research thus provides further understanding of the construct of 'threat' and its relationship to behaviour

One size fits none: tailoring messages to communicate environmental threats

This research aimed to understand peoples' perceptions of environmental threats to inform threat message construction and branch away from the previous 'one size fits all' approach to environmental campaigns. The study used a health decision making model (Extended Parallel Process Model) to cluster individuals based on common cognitive characteristics. The research focused on the context of water security in the drought declared region of Townsville, North Queensland (Australia), where water use was monitored and restricted. A sample of 363 participants were recruited from this region. Participants completed an online survey which asked questions relating to water usage behaviours, perceptions relating to how the water restrictions were communicated, as well as the concerns regarding water security at the time and in the future. Three cluster groups were constructed based on EPPM variables (perceived self-efficacy, perceived response-efficacy and perceived threat). Each group was significantly different in terms of levels of water saving behaviour. This research informs a more targeted approach to the communication of environmental threats, such a drought, with the aim of increasing the sustainability of the natural resource

Underinsurance in cyclone and flood environments: a case study in Cairns, Queensland

This article examines findings from a 2018 project in Cairns, Far North Queensland, on insurance and risk perception. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study explored how people regard insurance, if at all, and how they use it to reduce their risk of financial loss following a disaster event. Results suggest that while most home owners hold insurance, renters are less likely to have contents insurance leaving them financially vulnerable if losing their property. Cost of insurance is considered one barrier to taking out insurance, however, other issues such as risk perception, self-efficacy and trust in insurers are issues for both home owners and renters. The paper furthers knowledge of underinsurance in disaster-prone areas and provides vital information for understanding motivation to withdraw from insurance

Promoting resilience in regional Australian industries: a case study of the North Queensland commercial fishing industry

Background: Promoting the sustainability of key existing industries is crucial to the continued development of regional Australia. In doing so, it is important to consider the role of industry workers responsible for engaging with and adhering to sustainability guidelines and practices within these key industries. This is particularly important for industries such as commercial fishing due to the ongoing challenges they face. For example, challenges such as increasing operating costs, complex regulatory systems and the impacts of extreme weather, contribute to downsizing of the industry. Method: The findings from the case study discussed have been drawn from an ongoing PhD project investigating the role of commercial fishers in the sustainability of the North Queensland commercial fishing industry. Results: Interviews with commercial fishers highlight the perceived lack of genuine involvement of commercial fishers in the development and implementation of industry regulations. From these interviews it was identified that commercial fishers did not feel included in the process of regulation development and implementation or that if they were involved, their input was not genuinely incorporated. Perceived lack of consultation has implications for how regulations are received, adhered to and endorsed by stakeholders. Discussion: Based upon the findings of this case study, it is suggested that stakeholders be genuinely involved in the development and implementation of regulations. Genuine consultation processes may enhance the sustainability of key industries such as commercial fishing. For example, it is expected that those who engage in the development and implementation process are more likely to adhere to and engage in sustainability measures and practices leading to improved resilience of the industry

Active versus passive: evaluating the effectiveness of inoculation techniques in relation to misinformation about climate change

Objective: The current study evaluated whether an active inoculation (interactive skill development) or a passive inoculation message (provision of information) were effective tools for conferring resistance to misinformation about climate science in the context of extreme weather events. Method: Participants were randomly assigned to one of the three conditions: a control condition (no training); a passive inoculation condition; or an active inoculation condition. Participants completed demographic questions followed by training or no training and then evaluated a misinformation and factual article for reliability and persuasiveness. Results: Participants in the active inoculation condition rated the reliability and persuasiveness of the misinformation article and the reliability of the factual article lower than participants in the control condition. Participants in the passive inoculation training did not rate the reliability and persuasiveness of a misinformation and factual article significantly differently to those in the control condition. When factors such as ideological worldview and climate change beliefs were controlled for however, the inoculation interventions had no significant effect on ratings of reliability and persuasiveness for a misinformation or factual article. Conclusion: Inoculation seems to be a promising method of preventing the acceptance of misinformation on climate science. However, this analysis highlights that more investigation is required in order to determine the most effective inoculation training design