Paper short abstract:

Perceptions of the unconventional gas industry in the Northern Rivers region (NSW) are explored using a mixed-methods framework. A microcosm of value-systems is used to inform a model of community-policy relationships.

Paper long abstract:

Competing demands upon the provision of natural resources are highlighted by the global expansion of the unconventional oil and gas industry. This rapid growth has provoked research not only in the physical sciences, but also in multidisciplinary projects at the nexus of rural development, risk perception and social dynamics. Taking a mixed-methods approach, this study contributes empirical data by focusing upon impacts upon social systems, from an individual to a regional scale in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. Frameworks used incorporate social identity and democracy to examine dynamics occurring in affected communities. A microcosm of shifting value-systems is explained, where aspirations for economic prosperity clash with concerns around long-term sustainability. The study documents social responses over a four-year period, examining motivations behind an expanding social movement that has had tangible socio-political impacts, including the withdrawal of social license for regional gas industry developments. Finally, the data explored in this study is used to create a model to illustrate the relationship between community, policy and politics.