Unforeseen consequences of extractivism: The influence of employment modes and place setting on environmental preferences and values in coastal Australia

Abstract

Many localities in regional Australia have experienced a rapid move from a rural based economy to an extractive one, due to a ‘resources boom’. The central aim of this research was to begin to investigate how such rapid industrialisation might influence the relationship between local residents and their environment. A social survey was conducted to investigate if and how environmental values and perceptions are shaped by: a) employment mode (permanent resident or mobile workforce); and b) place setting (urban, rural, or industrial). Surveys occurred in urban, rural and industrial towns in coastal Queensland and South Australia, and tested for landscape preferences and environmental values. Respondents showed a preference for ‘naturalistic’ coastal landscapes, however respondents that live or work in industrial settings have a greater tolerance for industrial intrusion into the landscape. Industrial workers and residents were less likely to endorse the values of the New Ecological Paradigm. Contrary to public perception, Fly-In Fly-Out workers were more likely than other workers to value the marine environment for its intrinsic worth. Our findings illustrate the complexity of the relationship between industrialisation, employment, and environmental values, and suggest that an industrial place setting, or mode of employment, can erode one’s sense of connection to the natural environment.