Prioritising indicators of cumulative socio-economic impacts to characterise rapid development of onshore gas resources

Rapid development of coal seam gas (CSG) extraction in Australia has been accompanied by significant socioeconomic impacts. Measures of these impacts, which are needed for planning and policy processes, can be captured in terms of indicators. The utility and practicality of using indicators in this way is explored here. This literature review establishes lessons for selecting a salient, credible and manageable suite of indicators that could be monitored to assess the cumulative social and economic impacts of CSG development in Queensland's Western Downs Regional Council local government area. This analysis suggests the process of establishing indicators is itself an exercise in inclusive dialogue and learning that must be focused on adaptation to the local context. It will benefit from collaboration among multiple stakeholders as well as technocratic input; and from applying an integrative, multi-dimensional framework capable of capturing local and regional scales and both quantitative and qualitative perspectives. Making such an inclusive, iterative, multi-faceted process manageable with limited resources necessitates a process of prioritising.