David King
David King's research interests are in human geography, especially migration and rural and urban development in the third world and Southeast Asia and the Pacific, and the socio-economic impacts of mines, especially the social impact of Ok Tedi mine, and roads and major developments. Research projects include the roles and functions of small towns and service centres, especially in the north Australia savannah, town planning and urbanisation in north Australia and South Pacific, census analysis, social and community planning, and disaster studies in North Queensland and the South West Pacific.
Brief description of research impact:
--State Planning Policy on Natural Hazards as a member of the Planning Institute of Australia. King had participated in the development of the bill that became the Queensland Integrated Planning Act. When the act was passed in 1997, he worked with Queensland Emergency Services to develop a state planning policy that is now a part of IPA.
--The Economic Costs of Disasters and COAG hazard mitigation review. King and his colleagues were involved in the flood workshops, mitigation and COAG advisory workshops convened by Bureau of Transport Economics (DoTARS) and EMA. Their work, case studies and research contributed directly to strategies for mitigation.
--Disaster Management Strategic Policy development. They have played an active role in the shift of emergency management from command and control to community engagement.