As the trusted national voice for Regional Capitals, Government is listening to RCA and its members.
The impact of our advocacy work and strength of our united voice was evidenced in the 2024-2025 Federal budget, where a number of our key priority areas and initiatives received funding as outlined below:
|
POLICY AREA |
RCA ASK |
OUTCOME |
| Arts and Culture | 1. Enhance the role of arts, culture and creative activities and equitable distribution of funding in regional Australia | * $8.6 million for the Revive Live program to support small to medium music events and festivals
* A review of the financial sustainability of arts training organisations (Arts8), resulting in an additional $117.2 million over four years. |
| Regional Infrastructure | 1. Continued funding of the Growing Regions Program – $1 billion over four years – including a stream exclusive to regions. | * $600 million for the Growing Regions Program and $400 million for the regional specific Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program (announced in the previous year’s budget – rounds ongoing) |
| Local Roads | 1. Increased Roads to Recovery Funding
2. Increased funding and scope for Black Spot program |
* Roads to Recovery increased from $500 million to $1 billion a year
* New $200 million Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program * Increased Black Spot funding from $110 million to $150 million per year. |
| Regional Airports | 1. Re-establish the Regional Airport Fund – $500 million over four years | * Re-establishment of the Regional Airport Fund – $40 million over three years. |
| Regional Housing | 1. Continued funding for the Housing Support Program | * Establishment of the $500m Housing Support Program |
| Housing Skills | 1. Increasing skilled migration
2. Scholarships and subsidies for degrees and training in skills shortage areas 3. Greater investment in technical education and apprenticeships |
*$88.8 million to deliver 20,000 additional Fee-Free TAFE and VET places in courses relevant to construction, including increased access to pre–apprenticeship programs.
* $1.8 million to deliver streamlined skills assessments for around 1,900 migrants from comparable countries who wish to work in Australia’s housing construction industry. |
The re-establishment of the Regional Airport Program followed strong representations from RCA and while the initial investment of $40 million is welcome, RCA chair, Albury City Council Mayor, Kylie King, said RCA will work with Government to increase that investment in order to bridge the current service and infrastructure gaps.
2024-2025 Priorities
RCA will continue actively seeking opportunities to influence and contribute to national policy, programs and guidelines on behalf of our members while also continuing our involvement in stakeholder forums including –
- Departmental National Urban Policy Consultative Forum;
- Departmental Regional and Remote Housing Roundtable;
- Ministerial Regional Roundtable; and
- Federal Peak Body Alliance for Regionalisation.
Some of our key priorities for 2024-2025 include –
- National Urban Policy: Ensuring there is a place for regional cities in the national urban policy.
- Regional Housing: Continuing to advocate for a fair share of the housing funding, programs and initiatives included in the Federal budget including –
- A regional stream of the Housing Support Program with guidelines to allow for a flexible approach to project delivery; and
- The establishment of a Housing Innovation Program.
- Regional Airports: Working with Government following the release of the Aviation White Paper to build on the initial commitment of $40 million over three years for the Regional Airport Fund; and
- Immigration: Continuing to provide a strong voice and recommendations on the Federal Government’s Supporting Strong and Sustainable Regions Review of Regional Migration settings discussion paper.
Provide feedback on the Review of Regional Migration settings HERE