INTERNAL AUDIT—THE POOR RELATION OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE*

In considering the Public Accounts Committee in relation to internal audit, it should be stated that the duties imposed on the Committee by the Public Accounts Committee Act require it to examine the accounts of the receipts and expenditure of the Commonwealth Government and each statement and report transmitted to the Parliament by the Auditor-General. Inherent in the Committee's functions therefore is a strong association with the audit function.     

THE POPULATION TURNAROUND IN RURAL AND SMALL TOWN AMERICA

Noting the continuing rural in-migration of the 197Os, the most prominent of contemporary rural demographers looks at some initial interpretations from the emerging 1980s census data. This in-migration to all types of rural areas reverses a trend of several decades and signals new challenges for rural areas. Some observable population patterns are discussed including the predominant influx of white upper income groups and those on government transfer programs, including retirees.     

TOWARD THE PUBLIC INTEREST: REDEFINING RURAL POLICY NEEDS

From the perspective of a political theorist, the author advances a basic concept of the public interest derived from the work of Brian Barry. Policies for rural areas are too often monopolized by agricultural income support programs which go to an assignable interest. They, however, do little to benefit or advantage the bulk of the rural populations whose interests are quite heterogenous.     

CHANGE IN THE GOVERNANCE OF AUSTRALIAN RURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Abstract: Australian rural research and development underwent a period of sustained organisational and managerial change during the 1980s and early 1990s. The transition from a scattered and disparate research effort prior to 1985, to one which is today highly structured, commodity-specific and strategically oriented, raises a number of issues concerning the processes used, the motivation for the change, and the manner in which that change has been accomplished. This article reviews the reforms that have been made in the sector, and seeks to assess their impact on the stakeholders involved. In so doing it highlights the changing nature of the expectations placed upon the rural research and development community, and raises questions concerning the appropriateness of the reforms and the methods by which they were implemented.     

THE CHANGING NATURE OF RURAL AMERICA1

Rural regions are changing, both in terms of economic dispersal and population patterns. Rural growth is attributed to technological innovation, improving capacity to deal with impending problems as well as improving quality of life, and intercommunity linkage. For some communities, this means the prospects of indigenous economic development.     

THE REGIONALISM ALTERNATIVE IN RURAL AREAS1

This study suggests that rural reigonal councils have greater support among public officials for continuing current program activities and services than their urban counterparts. It also suggests, however, that rural regionalism may have a better chance of survival in states where regional councils have a long history of service to local governments, especially in light of present federal cutbacks. Study results contrast Georgia and Michigan regional councils.     

RURAL POVERTY, WELFARE ELIGIBILITY, FARM PROGRAMS, AND THE NEGATIVE INCOME TAX

This paper develops four models depicting types and causes of rural poverty in the United States. The recent farm financial crisis has exacerbated rural poverty problems, and many farmers who were not in poverty a few years ago are now in poverty. Policy options for dealing with rural poverty among those farmers who only recently became poor, as well as policy options for dealing with the persistently poor subsistence farmers, are discussed. Implications and options for dealing with poverty within the rural nonfarm sector are also stressed.     

RURAL POLICY PROBLEMS: AN ILL-ATTENDED FIELD

The editors call for rural research and policy attention. Past research efforts, while laudatory, have been fragmented and have not directed broad attention to rural problems. Public policies have lacked both support and continuity. Present conditions, in terms of population trends and economics, mean an increasing need to focus on the national importance of rural areas.     

POLITICAL VALUES IN A CHANGING RURAL COMMUNITY

This survey data from a rapidly growing rural community reports on the attitudes and expectations residents have toward government. These residents, influenced by their "politics of escapism" from urban living, are oriented to relationships with a few friends and neighbors and a sense of community cooperation. Rather than being primarily interested in better public services, these residents possess a larger view of the values of a rural life style and a willingness to accept less service as its cost.     

RURAL AND URBAN POVERTY: AN INCOME/NET WORTH APPROACH

This paper examines rural and urban changes in the distribution of poverty that would result from modifying the conventional poverty measure to include the annuity value of household net worth.
Use of this new income/wealth measure caused numerous shifts in the location and demography of the poverty population. Among those more often found to be in poverty under the new measure were young, renter, and large central city resident households. Age, homeownership, farm employment, education, retirement status, public assistance participation, and residence in the West were important factors in explaining the divergence of the WH and INC measures. The age and retirement impacts were significantly different in rural and urban areas. Rural residence itself was not an important factor in explaining WH and INC differences.     

UNDERSTANDING PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION: REFLECTIONS ON AN ACADEMIC OBITUARY —"ALAS, POOR YORICK"

It seemed that "Alas, Poor Yorick" was an appropriate subtitle for this attempt to respond to Understanding Public Administration. Yorick, you will remember, was the deceased royal jester, whose skull Hamlet inspected in the churchyard in Elsinore, causing him to meditate on the vanity of human life. "Now get you to my lady's chamber, and tell her, let her paint an inch thick, to this favour she must come." Though not a professional jester, I am keenly aware of the ephemeral character of the work of Professors of Government and Public Administration, or at least of this particular one; though Festsehriften may be said to "lay it on thick", they cannot altogether disguise the rather plain face beneath. I am glad to be fortified by having the more distinguished countenance of Robert Parker alongside me, and I mean that.     

LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION AND POVERTY STATUS AMONG RURAL AND URBAN WOMEN WHO HEAD FAMILIES

This paper examines differentials in the propensity to be living in poverty among women who head families with minor children. Characteristics of mothers are examined for four subgroups: residents of central cities, suburbs, small towns, and rural areas. Using Public Use Microdata Sample data from the 1980 Census, results are presented using Multiple Classification Analysis. After controlling for the effects of mother's race, marital status, education, work status, and ages of her children, single mothers in central cities and smaIl towns have the highest rates of poverty (48% and 45% respectively), closely followed by those in rural areas (41%). Suburban single mothers are least likely to live in poverty (33%).
Results show that employment status is the strongest predictor of poverty, followed by education and marital status. A subanalysis of women who work full-time reveals major differences in earned income, with suburban women earning the highest incomes, followed by women living in central cities, then rural areas and, finally, small towns. A decomposition of this difference reveals that about two-thirds of the difference is due to pay scales, and only one-third due to the structure of occupational opportunity.