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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On March 15 and 16, a delegation from Regional Capitals Australia went to Canberra to meet with a number of federal ministers to discuss Regional Capitals Australia’s policy positions.

In light of recent ministerial changes and indication of new policy announcements for regional Australia and Australian cities, the focus of the meetings highlighted the significant role regional capitals have in both of these areas.

Take a look at our policy positions:

• Strong regional capitals are fundamental to regional development.
• Regional capitals are economic gateways central to nation building.
• Regional capitals will allow Australia to grow sustainably.
• Regional capitals are at the forefront of international trade opportunity

The delegation met with the following stakeholders:

• Senator the Hon Fiona Nash MP
  Minister for Regional Development, Rural Health and Regional Communications,

• Office of The Hon Barnaby Joyce MP Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Agriculture and Water,

• Mr Andrew Giles MP
  Lead on Transport and Cities for Australia Labor Party,

• Ms Melissa Price MP,

• Senator The Hon Matthew Canavan MP
  Minister for Northern Australia,

• Office of The Hon Darren Chester MP
  Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and

• The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][cq_vc_sidebyside card1avatar=”image” card1image=”3099″ dividertype=”icon” dividericon=”openiconic” divider_icon_openiconic=”vc-oi vc-oi-aperture” dividerfontsize=”1.5em” dividerwidth=”50px” dividerheight=”50px” dividerbg=”#f5ab35″ dividercolor=”#ffffff” card2content=”Peter Bettess (General Manager of Planning and Tourism, City of Greater Geelong), Cr Rod Kendall (Wagga Wagga City Council), Melissa Price MP (Member for Durack), Mayor Shane Van Styn (City of Greater Geraldton), Cr Peter Long (City of Karratha)” cardstyle=”lightgray” contentwidth=”80%”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][cq_vc_sidebyside card1avatar=”image” card1image=”3099″ dividertype=”icon” dividericon=”openiconic” divider_icon_openiconic=”vc-oi vc-oi-aperture” dividerfontsize=”1.5em” dividerwidth=”50px” dividerheight=”50px” dividerbg=”#f5ab35″ dividercolor=”#ffffff” card2content=”Peter Bettess (General Manager of Planning and Tourism, City of Greater Geelong), Cr Rod Kendall (Wagga Wagga City Council), Senator the Hon Fiona Nash (Minister for Regional Development, Regional Communications and Rural Health), Cr Peter Long (City of Karratha), Mayor Shane Van Styn (City of Greater Geraldton)” cardstyle=”lightgray” contentwidth=”80%”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][cq_vc_sidebyside card1avatar=”image” card1image=”3099″ dividertype=”icon” dividericon=”openiconic” divider_icon_openiconic=”vc-oi vc-oi-aperture” dividerfontsize=”1.5em” dividerwidth=”50px” dividerheight=”50px” dividerbg=”#f5ab35″ dividercolor=”#ffffff” card2content=”Cr Rod Kendall (Wagga Wagga City Council), Mayor Shane Van Styn (City of Greater Geraldton), Senator the Hon Matt Canavan MP (Minister for Northern Australia), Cr Peter Long (City of Karratha), Peter Bettess ((General Manager of Planning and Tourism, City of Greater Geelong)” cardstyle=”lightgray” contentwidth=”80%”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The final Senate hearing into the ‘future role and contribution of regional capitals to Australia’ was held on Friday 4th March in Canberra.

The program included representatives from various government and government-affiliated bodies that have a vested interest in regional development.

The final hearing heard from Mr Jack Archer, Chief Executive Officer of the Regional Australia Institute (RAI), Ms Phillipa Power, Executive Director of Policy from the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development (DIRD) and Clr Mathew Dickerson representing as Chair of Evocities, Mayor of the City of Dubbo and as an RCA Board member and Infrastructure Australia’s Mr Stephen Alchin, Executive Director, Planning and Mr Jeremy Parkinson, Director, Project Advisory.

Since August last year, Senators have reviewed 85 submissions and attended four hearings taking place around the nation in Geelong, Launceston, Geraldton and Townsville. During their travels Senators have had the opportunity to see first-hand how our regional capitals contribute to the liveablity and economic development of Australia.

Regional Capitals Australia is eagerly awaiting the release of the final report.

Last week Infrastructure Australia released its first long-term Australian Infrastructure Plan. For the first time a clear role for Australia’s regional capital cities was identified.

This is not surprising; Australia’s regional capital cities jointly generate $225 billion every year – that is more than 15 per cent of national economic activity.

Additionally, nearly eight million people – or one-third of Australians – reside in or access the services and infrastructure located in a regional capital.

We agree with Infrastructure Australia that regional capitals, should be considered national economic assets. Equally, we agree with the report’s recommendation that growing regional capital cities should be efficient, liveable and productive centres that are a priority for the Australian Government.

To enable this growth to occur Infrastructure Australia also recommended that long-term infrastructure plans should be created for regional Australia.

Regional Capitals Australia (RCA), an alliance of 30 regional councils, has been making this case for some time. However, we know that for any regional infrastructure plan to be successful, a key component will be identifying the infrastructure needs of regional capital cities.

Investing in better productivity infrastructure in these cities will continue to add billions of dollars to the country’s bottom line.

Together we are calling for the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development to build a list of national strategic projects in regional capitals that boosts the productivity and increases the liveability of cities.

Once this is done, we recommend that a Regional Capitals Productivity Fund be created to ensure these projects are funded.

There are national benefits to this action. Infrastructure Australia recommends that part of the solution to turning the tide on Australia’s $53 billion congestion bill is fostering long-term population growth in Australia’s smaller cities in a bid to ease the squeeze on infrastructure in the five metropolitan cities.

For population growth to occur in regional capitals, the Government must invest accordingly.

Investing in the right infrastructure in regional capitals will contribute directly to regional capitals’ economies; providing jobs, increasing value-add spending in our service sector and the availability of skills in the region.

The new Minister assisting the Prime Minister on Cities, The Hon Angus Taylor, has made positive comments that regional capitals are “absolutely squarely” in focus for the government’s thinking about cities. We are calling on the government to ensure there is also strong consideration to plan for infrastructure that will continue to make all our regional capital cities, liveable, competitive and productive for the benefit of our residents and for all Australians.

For More Information:
Rachael Sweeney
Project Manager – Regional Capitals Australia
0422 067 858
secretariat@regionalcapitalsaustralia.org

The Australian Labor Party’s cities task force will begin a ‘listening tour’ across regional cities in January.

The tour will be lead by task force Chair Andrew Giles, Member for Scullin, and begin in Newcastle, one of 50 regional capitals in Australia.

Labor has stated that regional cities are central to Labor’s nation building agenda, so the party wants to hear directly from communities about how to bring their cities vision together with unique local needs.

Labor is welcoming suggestions on which cities should be visited; feedback can be provided by visiting www.andrewgiles.com.au/bettercities