REGIONAL AUSTRALIA NEEDS ITS OWN WHITE PAPER
June 3, 2013
The importance of regional Australia to the future of our nation has never been properly grasped by the Rudd and Gillard Governments
It’s an insult that not a single Cabinet Minister lives in regional Australia, and if the Coalition wins the next election, we must ensure that regional Australia resumes its rightful place – front and centre of every decision that the Federal Government makes.
We need a concerted effort from the next Federal Government to reinvest in the future of regional Australia, including East Gippsland.
As regional MPs, we’ve all got some ideas about how this should happen. But I believe we need more than a collection of policies, plans and concepts that individuals from across regional Australia may bring to the negotiating table in different portfolios.
Regional Australia needs its own White Paper.
The development of a ‘Regional Australia White Paper’ would allow for a more holistic approach to government policies on regional development and provide a blueprint for the future.
It could be used to identify the current barriers to regional growth and highlight the opportunities for regional Australia to play an even bigger role in the nation’s prosperity.
Such a white paper would assist regional MPs in arguing the case for government investment in our communities. It would be an objective assessment of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing regional Australia and provide a comprehensive road map for the future.
It’s remarkable that there’s never been a Regional Australia White Paper and it’s needed now to help answer some of the complex questions we face about infrastructure upgrades; linking into Asian markets; overcoming skill shortages; delivering health and education services efficiently; and helping young people achieve their full potential.
There is a great news story to be told about regional Australia but too often the story in the metropolitan media is about floods, fires, droughts and population loss.
As community leaders, we need to sell the story better about the extraordinary business and employment opportunities which exist in regional Australia and the lifestyle advantages we can offer, particularly in East Gippsland.
This weekend’s open day organised by East Gippsland Marketing is a great example of the local community taking a leadership role in spreading the good news.
The good news story is about quality of life and a better work-life balance away from the congestion of our major cities.
Adding a few more lanes on freeways in our cities won’t solve the productivity problem when many regional centres could double in size with little, if any, impact on the quality of life enjoyed by residents.
Regional Australia should not be viewed as a problem – it is a big part of the solution to our nation’s challenges.
A Regional Australia White Paper would help build the case for further strategic investment in critical infrastructure and key services to drive growth in regional areas.
Many regional cities are already experiencing significant growth and trend is expected to continue.
With the right level of support from governments at all levels and with the right policy framework, regional areas can play an even bigger role in the future of our nation.