Nationwide quest to unlock regional riches

Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Warren Truss and his Assistant Minister Michael McCormack will detail the ground-breaking plans to national media, today in Canberra.

The policy development process spearheaded by the two senior National Party MPs will be conducted throughout the year leading into a federal election that’s potentially due to be held, later this year.

Talks will be held with regional and farming communities and their leaders to provide vital input into potential Coalition election policies aimed at building on strategic, big-picture policy initiatives already underway.

That includes the Agricultural Competitiveness and Northern Development White Papers released in mid-2015 accompanied by multi-billion dollar funding commitments.

Mr McCormack told Fairfax Media the new regional enhancement program would also feed into the government’s existing initiatives “in the agricultural space” including opening up export opportunities and income streams, via new free trade arrangements, with China, Korea and Japan.

“We’re going to unlock potential in agriculture and innovate in other areas,” he said.

“I want to hear the ideas, concepts and success stories from regional Australia but also the pitfalls of what the government should not be doing.

“We want to hear about fresh ideas across regional Australia and then implement them in good future policy.”

Mr McCormack said the nationwide consultation process would commence in February in WA and Tasmania.

He said local community leaders, regional businesses, academic institutions and government organisations would be consulted through various forums including, one-on-one meetings, localised roundtables and community focus groups.

By August, a document or statement paper will be presented to federal cabinet detailing feedback on potential opportunities to grow regional economies, through innovation in areas like digital technologies that enhance service or product delivery, he said.

As examples, Mr McCormack cited Cooma based award winning online women’s retail fashion provider Birdsnest and the coffee-service delivery app 365Cups designed by a Wagga Wagga local, in his home-town.

“Working closer to the election – who knows when that will be - this initiative will form part of the framework for the Coalition’s regional Australia policy going into the election,” he said.

“The aim of the exercise is to strengthen economies and unlock innovative potential in regional Australia.

“That’s the focus of community discussions to be held throughout the nation throughout the year.”

Mr McCormack said the Coalition government had already invested heavily in the future of Australia’s regions – including via a record $50 billion infrastructure program.

But he said the Nationals and Liberals now wanted to go further on that mission and therefore wanted to “find those wonderful tales and success stories in regional Australia”.

“We want to know where people have succeed either by using technology, ideas and innovation to grow a small business into a large jobs or goods producer and service provider and to enhance on those success stories and indeed to replicate some of them across the nation,” he said.

“The lynchpin is agriculture but also there are many more opportunities and ideas in regional Australia which need to be explored, tweaked and enhanced and built upon to make these regions better and to ensure we make full use of technology and lobby for better technology and communications, which is also part of this initiative.”

Mr Truss is expected to separately announce today any specific funding allocation underpinning the new regional development policy initiative.

The National’s leader has been a strong advocate for regional Australia’s fortunes during the Coalition government’s first term.

While claiming his party has a strong track record on delivering for rural and regional Australia he’s also been open to improvement and building on existing programs or opportunities.

In administering the $50b infrastructure program, Mr Truss has already announced $300 million to commence the Inland Rail Project’s roll-out and the $500m roads black spot program while overseeing the $1b National Stronger Regions Fund to enhance regional infrastructure projects.

Mr Truss was also a heavy backer of the government’s accelerated depreciation measures for farmers that were announced in last year’s federal budget and broadly welcomed by industry, providing immediate tax write-offs for new fencing and water infrastructure and write-off over three years for fodder storage.