Local government perspectives on rural retirement migration and social sustainability

ABSTRACT

Within the policy and academic literature, the impact of rural retirement migration (RRM) on community sustainability has been questioned. This qualitative study investigated the perceived impact of retirement migration on rural social sustainability from a local government perspective. Focus groups were conducted with local government senior managers and community services staff (n = 39) across six rural local government areas in one Australian state. Data were analysed against the three components of rural social sustainability (equity, community and rurality) proposed by Jones and Tonts [1995. “Rural Restructuring and Social Sustainability: Some Reflections on the Western Australian Wheatbelt.” Australian Geographer 26: 133–140]. While RRM is perceived to benefit rural community capacity to facilitate or maintain equity, community and rurality, it also presents challenges for local government. Participants suggested that capacity to facilitate equity, community and rurality in contexts of RRM was impacted by uncertainty around future impacts of RRM on population ageing, increasing advocacy and expectations of older in-migrants, and the impact of RRM on rural heterogeneity. These issues required local governments to think critically about how to accommodate and manage the needs and expectations of older in-migrants, while mediating potential impacts associated with RRM.

KEYWORDS:

• Rural
• ageing
• local governance
• sustainability
• equity
• community

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the representatives from the six local government areas that participated in this research, and the journal reviewers for their insightful comments on the paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Ethical statement

This research received ethical approval from La Trobe University Faculty of Health Sciences Ethics Committee (FHEC 13/133).

ORCID

Rachel Winterton http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5972-9918

Andrew Butt http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6392-5954

Notes

1 Home and Community Care (HACC) provides basic support services for older people who are frail or have a disability to assist them to continue living independently at home. In 2015, the HACC program was transitioned to the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) in all states except Western Australia, due to the Commonwealth government taking back funding responsibility from the state governments. However, many LGAs continue to provide direct CHSP services under this new funding agreement.

2 U3As are community, volunteer-led organisations that provide educational and special-interest activities for older adults.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the La Trobe Institute for Social and Economic Sustainability.