Local and Regional Committees of the Priority County Area Program Prior to 1980. Priority Country Area Program Evaluation Series: Occasional Paper.

The report examines and documents the part played by certain local and regional committees in the operation of the Priority Country Area Program (PCAP) in South-West and Central Queensland prior to 1980. Two original studies are described: one concerned with the Local Advisory Committees (LACs) in South-West Priority Country Area and the other with the Regional Committee, operating in the Central Priority Country Area. Because the studies were conducted independently and there were differences of methodology and approach, separate descriptions of the topics have been retained in the appropriate sections of the report. The last section compares findings presented in the two reports and examines subsequent developments in PCAP committee structures. Additionally, this last section locates the origins of PCAP committee structure within the context of the overall development of the program. Principal findings relating to the Central Regional Committee, LACs, and general areas include: The Central Regional Committee model was judged relatively successful by the majority of informants; LACs saw a lack of status and cohesion, breakdowns in contact and communication with the State Committee; and during 1978 and 1979, submissions from LACs and Central Regional Committee accounted for approximately 30% of the total expenditure on new submissions. (Author/AH)