Northern development in focus

First published 22 October 2012

Is development in northern Queensland a curse or blessing?

The topic will be discussed in a public lecture by a James Cook University academic next week, as part of the university’s Last Lecture series.

The Last Lecture provides an opportunity to bring the community together to celebrate the end of the main university teaching period, with a distinguished academic to addressing the community on a topic of their choosing.

Professor Natalie Stoeckl, Tropical Leader (Economics) in JCU’s School of Business will present Development in the Torrid Zone: Panacea or Poison Chalice? next Wednesday (October 24) in Cairns and on Friday (October 26) in Townsville.

“Economic growth is often accompanied by things such as loss of leisure, environmental degradation or other socioeconomic ills,” Professor Stoeckl said.

“For some, ‘development’ may thus seem a poison chalice, while for others economic growth may be a panacea.”

Professor Stoeckl said the lecture would use data, models and insights gleaned from various researchers across a broad range of disciplines, to take holistic look at ‘development’ in the Torrid Zone, focusing on Northern Australia.

“I will describe some of the financial, ecological, social and distributional consequences of different types of ‘development’ and question decision-making processes that may be serving to exacerbate or perpetuate its negative side-effects.

“There are important questions that need to be asked, matters that need to be addressed and problems that must be solved if we hope to ensure that future ‘development’ of the Torrid Zone does less harm than good.”

Cairns event details:

Date: Wednesday, 24 October 2012

Time: 12.00pm to 1.00pm

Location: JCU Cairns Campus, Crowther Theatre (building A3.1)

Video-conferenced to Mackay (Tutorial Room 4) and Mt Isa (Lecture Room 3)

Townsville event details:

Date: Friday, 26 October 2012

Time: 2.00pm to 3.00pm

Location: JCU Townsville Campus, Nursing Sciences (building 25.002)

JCU Media contact: Caroline Kaurila (07) 4781 4586 or 0437 028 175