Heatwave Adaptation in Regional Australia: An Analysis of Local Government Policy

Community-based policies at the local level are crucial for advancing global initiatives aimed at addressing the impacts of climate change. This article critically examines a local government strategy designed to enhance heatwave adaptation in regional Australia. Drawing on climate justice and ecosocial work frameworks, a qualitative policy analysis was conducted on 14 publicly available government documents. The analysis identified three thematic categories: strategic framework, climate-adaptive infrastructure, and inclusive governance. While the strategy incorporated interventions aligned with principles of distributional, procedural, and recognitional justice, evidence providing details of the extent to which they were implemented was limited. Moreover, the exclusive reliance on government-produced documents raises concerns that underlying neoliberal and colonial assumptions were not explicitly challenged. Findings highlight the need for social work to expand its practice base through active participation in local climate policy and macro-level advocacy. Future research should move beyond policy analysis toward community-led, justice-oriented, and emancipatory methodologies.