Regional plan needs money

“We want the Federal Government to commit to selecting precincts and funding precincts,” NFF president Fiona Simson said of the billion-dollar plan, which nominates Shepparton as one of the 20 Australian hubs.

Federal Regionalisation Minister Bridget McKenzie supported the idea, but wasn’t able to commit any funds yet to the $1.4 billion plan.

Both leaders acknowledged there had been a “scatter gun” approach to regional development in recent years.

The national plan was launched at SPC in Shepparton on March 1, with representatives attending from the Business Council of Australia, Regional Capitals of Australia, University of Melbourne and the Committee for Greater Shepparton.

Ms Simson said the blueprint was all about collaboration, and to be successful would require the support of state and federal governments.

She noted the COVID-19 pandemic had accelerated a rush from metropolitan cities into regional areas, which was just a start to redress the city-rural population imbalance that had become an Australia-wide trend.

However, Ms Simson said new arrivals to some regions had found there was no housing, no childcare and health services were poor or lacking.

She said thousands upon thousands of Australians were recognising the endless potential of regional Australia and joining longer term residents in making their home in bush centres like Shepparton.

However, a government-led strategy to deliver for growing populations and to guarantee the regions’ vibrant futures, remained elusive.

“Our regional centres should be great places to live with affordable housing, social services, amenity and cultural opportunities — on par with that in urban Australia,” Ms Simson said.

“There must also be career and business opportunities.

“For example, places like Mount Gambier and Warrnambool, and surrounding regions, should be globally recognised centres of high-tech agriculture, food processing and manufacturing leading to the creation of thousands of new jobs in the process.

“COVID-19 has exposed Australia’s reliance on international imports for critical inputs, such as ag-vet products and fertiliser.

“Now is the time to invest seriously in the domestic manufacturing capability of our country and it just makes sense for these developments to make their home in regional Australia.”

The proposal puts the onus on National Cabinet to establish a framework, including local government, to develop a plan for 20 Regional Development Precincts.

“Research by the NFF confirms regional Australians are protective of the charm of their bush homes, but they are increasingly challenged by the skyrocketing cost and lack of availability of housing and access to critical services such as healthcare,” Ms Simson said.

Asked if she was disappointed the plan hadn’t been driven by governments, Ms Simson said good advocacy can take a long time and the NFF had been working with the Business Council of Australia for years and they had developed data to support this push.

“We’re looking for commitments, come the election.”

Asked if her government would stump up the $1 billion needed to make the plan a reality, Senator McKenzie said the report highlighted what she fundamentally believed and the government needed to invest in certain places over an extended period.

She said she would take these principles into future policy development.

The report has four recommendations: