Neo‐liberalism, risk and regional development in Western Australia

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to present the case of the Pilbara as an illustration of how neo‐liberalism and globalisation affect a natural resource region. Design/methodology/approach A primary data set was collected by interviewing 21 people who had an interest in the development of the Pilbara. Secondary data was collected from relevant government policy documents and media reports relating to the region. Qualitative analysis techniques were used to analyse the data. Findings It is found that neo‐liberal policy has had a profound and largely negative effect on Pilbara communities. Rather than reaping the benefits of the wealth being generated in the region, participants in this research experience social breakdown and unmet social needs, and the local democratic institutions are weak and ineffective. Research limitations/implications – This paper reports on a single case and is limited in terms of its generalisability. However, it does illustrate the value of the “Resource Curse Thesis” and the concept of “risk” in illuminating the issues associated with neo‐liberalism. Practical implications This research has practical implications in that it provides an example of the problems associated with neo‐liberal perspectives when they are used as a framework for developing and implementing regional policy. Originality/value The resource curse thesis tends to be used in analysing developing nations and risk has so far been applied in limited areas of researching the effects of neo‐liberal policy trajectories. This paper employs these concepts to provide a critical examination of regional development policy in a way that can be used in other national contexts.