During the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s, the mainland states embarked on a range of consultations, data-gathering  agreements and policy analyses to consider the future of the inland pastoral zone. The various programs were animated partly by concern about biodiversity protection and conservation generally, partly about land degradation, and partly about reports of poor economic viability. Many worthy reports were published but for one reason or another, most of these programs were closed down. Royal Society of Queensland member David Marlow  and Jason Alexandra have published must-read articles on the waste when effective institutions are abolished in the Society's journal, volume 124.

Readers are referred to the pages under the Rural Policy heading on The Royal Society of Queensland's website. Note especially the Draft National Strategy for Rangeland Management and the Principles for Sustainable Resource Management in the Rangelands. Also see the Queensland Science Network, especially the link to modern condition and trend monitoring, the Australian Terrestrial Biodiversity Assessment 2002 and the Queensland Government's Long Paddock "providing seasonal climate and pasture condition information to the grazing community".

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