Overview

This report to the Department of Human Services and Health provides the results of a Study of Service Providers which formed part of the Australian Living Standards Study. It is based on information provided by families living in two of the three rural / remote study areas: the Riverland (specifically, Berri, Loxton and Renmark) area of South Australia, and Roma / Bungil in South West Queensland. The report is best read in conjunction with the similar report for the urban areas, since the comparisons between the urban and the rural areas set the context for understanding those issues which are uniquely rural. This report covers in some detail for the two rural areas certain issues of access to, availability of and quality of services as well as looking at the operational factors which may make it difficult for providers already working in the areas to deliver services in the most appropriate ways for current policy and program goals.