The National Farmers’ Federation says $1.4 billion is needed to develop precinct plans for 20 regional centres to encourage more businesses to relocate from metropolitan centres.
The NFF launched its Regional Development Precincts project at SPC’s Shepparton headquarters, with NFF president Fiona Simson saying it was time to capitalise on the growing number of Australians moving to regional towns.
“Our regional centres and surrounding communities should be great places to live with affordable housing, social services, amenity and cultural opportunities – on par with that in urban Australia. There must also be career and business opportunities.
“Places like Mount Gambier and Warrnambool, and their adjacent towns and villages, 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,” Simson said.
NFF’s proposal puts the onus on national cabinet to establish a framework that includes local government to develop a plan for 20 Regional Development Precincts.
“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,” she said.
Simson said at least $1.4 billion in new funding was needed to ensure the plan was implemented.
Nearly 30 industry and community groups contributed to the proposal, along with local government, federal and state agencies.
Simson said, “Rural local governments are acutely aware of both the challenges their communities face and their potential but are financially constrained by a more-often-than-not small rate base.
“The tangible support of state and federal governments to address these would be a game-changer for the identified towns and, undoubtedly, many more rural regions.”
Simson said the proposal wasn’t about turning regional towns into metropolitan city replicas.
“The goal is for Australians and Australian business to be no more than 90 minutes from the services they need to thrive personally and financially, and that businesses have access to infrastructure that can get people and goods around the country and around the world.
“But regional Australians are increasingly challenged by the skyrocketing cost and lack of availability of housing and access to critical services such as healthcare.
“This proposal makes the case for real collaboration across all tiers of government to achieve bona fide solutions to housing, education and health,” Simson said.
“A real, impactful plan for regional Australia, based on developing the economic capability and availability and quality of critical services, goes to the heart of the NFF’s goal for agriculture to be a $100 billion industry by 2030,” she added.
The NFF’s 20 proposed Regional Development Precincts
Queensland
- Roma
- Toowoomba
- Emerald
- Gladstone
New South Wales
- Central West – Orana Region
- Riverina Region
- New England – North West Region
- Northern Rivers – Lismore, Ballina, Casino
Victoria
- Latrobe Gippsland Region
- Mildura
- Shepparton
- Warrnambool
South Australia
- Mount Gambier
- Port Lincoln
Tasmania
- West & North-West (Burnie/Devonport)
Western Australia
- Greater Geraldton
- Kalgoorlie-Boulder
- Esperance
- Merredin
Northern Territory
- Tennant Creek
See NFF's Regional Development Precincts proposal here
