Motivational postures and compliance with environmental law in Australian agriculture

Motivational posture theory is applied and extended to the context of Australian agriculture and environmental regulation. Regulatory failure in this area has been observed but little was known of the compliance attitudes and behaviours of farmers prior to this study. Agriculture covers over 60% of Australia’s land surface so this information is vital if environmental sustainability is to be achieved. A mail survey of 5235 farmers across Australia was conducted to examine motivational postures and attitudes to government, environmental problems, environmental laws and regulations and farm management behaviours. Four postures are empirically derived: one associated with compliance, here labelled “Aligned”, and three associated with non- or creative compliance: one Disengaged, one Game playing and one Resistant. Analysis of the characteristics of each group demonstrates that motivational postures are related to place, jurisdiction and degree of regulatory alignment: the degree of agreement between regulatees and regulators on the latter’s role and on the content, process and aims of regulatory interventions. Game players eschew a role for government. The Aligned support both government and regulations. Postures were predictive of beyond compliance behaviour. The Aligned were more likely to undertake beyond compliance behaviours and Game players least likely. Fiscal limitations were identified as restricting beyond compliance behaviours by many farmers. Environmental regulations are often contentious and therefore these findings may be helpful to authorities to more effectively engender compliance so that on-ground outcomes may be secured.