More than 30 CEOs from the most influential peak bodies in the country joined forces in Canberra on Tuesday, for the historic launch of the National Alliance for Regionalisation.

Established by the Regional Australia Institute (RAI), CEO Liz Ritchie says this new Alliance is the first of its kind in this country, spanning business, health, education, infrastructure and environment.

It aims to better position the regions to reach their potential.

“It’s no secret regional kids are still behind their metro-counterparts at school,” she said.

“Employers are struggling to get staff – yet migration levels are significantly lower in regions. Towns are crying out for doctors, but kids in the country are less likely to finish high school.

“Despite these challenges, regional Australia remains the engine room of our national economy but it’s not firing on all cylinders.

“In September, the RAI launched the Regionalisation Ambition 2032 – a 10-year framework to rebalance the nation.

“The Alliance will advance the targets within the Ambition and advocate for the policy priorities needed to create a fairer, more prosperous, more balanced regional Australia.

“The launch marks a significant milestone for the nine million people living in our regions.

“This powerful cohort of leading peak bodies and for-purpose organisations will work to help bring the RAI’s Regionalisation Ambition 2032 to life,” Ms Ritchie said.

“By viewing these critical issues through the collective lens of the Alliance, we will progress solutions that have hampered growth in regional Australia for decades.

“The Alliance will provide knowledge sharing and national leadership to ensure the 20 targets and aspirations set out in the Ambition remain relevant and central to decisionmaking for regional Australia over the next decade.

“It will adopt a system-thinking approach in viewing regional development within this country, working together to see more than 11 million people living prosperously in regional Australia by 2032.

“While each organisation has its individual policy priorities, it will work collectively to progress issues of commonality such as regional housing, worker shortages, regional education, and migration.”

Targets within the Regionalisation Ambition 2032 include:

• Increasing regional Australia’s contribution to national output, boosting Australia’s GDP by an additional $13.8 billion by 2032;
• Reducing the recruitment difficulty rate in regional Australia to below 40%;
• Halving the population classified as living in a regional childcare desert (to below two million);
• Increasing rental vacancy rates in regional areas to above 3%; and ensure building approvals keep pace with population growth; and
• Increasing the percentage of students in regional Australia who achieve at or above the minimum standard NAPLAN testing, equal to metropolitan students, across each year level.

“After more than 11 years of research, we know you can’t solve the jobs crisis without addressing housing, the skills deficit without improving education standards and healthcare in regions can’t be improved without focussing on digital connectivity,” Ms Ritche said.

“All these issues are interlinked, complex and equally important.”

Mike Mrdack AO was announced as the Chair of the National Alliance for Regionalisation, a former Secretary of the Department of Communications and the Arts and Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development.

“I am delighted to welcome to the position as his experience in regional development in the country is second to none and we welcome him to the position,” Ms Ritchie said.

For further information about the National Alliance for Regionlisation, go to www.rebalancethenation.com.au.

This article appeared in the Corryong Courier, 23 March 2023.