Australia is a vast country with a diverse environment and communities isolated by great distances. Its peoples have cultural diversity, educational and economic circumstances, health needs, services and social structure. Therefore, the wellbeing issues experienced and their impact on the lifestyle of different Australian populations also differ based on these factors. This is certainly true for rural Australia. The most significant factor impacting rural Australia has been changes in the economic viability of primary production, one of Australia's largest sources of income (Australian Government, 2008), affected by globalization, deregulation, privatization and reduction/withdrawal of services, increasing costs of production and ever-unpredictable environmental conditions (Australian Catholic Social Welfare Commission Secretariat, 2000). This can be generalized into this basic explanation: most primary production takes place in rural Australia. When producers (e.g. farmers/ranchers/miners) do not earn enough income from their business to generate a profit, they reduce their expenses. The drop in profits can be caused by many factors, for example: a poor seasonal harvest, a drop in the prices of their products in the market, an increase in production or transportation costs, among other reasons. There are various options available to producers in these circumstances, but the most common is to restructure their business by reducing the staff they employ and reducing expenses by reducing purchases of new equipment, goods or services. This reduction in expenses impacts the supply of businesses in the region that depend on this custom for their profits. These other companies must then change the way they...... middle of paper ...... (1999). Students from rural and isolated schools and their higher education choices. Higher Education Council, National Employment, Education and Training Council, Commissioned Report No. 63. Melbourne: Commonwealth of Australia. Parliament of Australia: Senate Committee Report (2004). Chapter 14, Rural and Regional Communities. Retrieved May 8, 2010 from http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/clac_ctte/completed_inquiries/2002-04/poverty/report/c14.htmWeeks, W & Quinn, M. (2000). Change and the impact of restructuring on Australian families: an introduction to key themes. Issues facing Australian families: Social services are responding. Longman. Wilkinson, R., Kawachi, I. and Kennedy, B., 1998, Mortality, social environment, crime and violence. In: Bartley, M., Blane, D. and Davey Smith, G. (eds.). The sociology of health inequalities. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.