New Thinking for a Resilient Regional Australia
Queensland should rethink its big projects for a big country approach. Regional jobs that depend on project investment without generating local income are not sustainable. Small business and community must be restored to centre stage in development strategy.
Forced decentralisation of government agencies out of Canberra is unlikely to be a viable strategy for regional development. Stronger long term partnerships between the Commonwealth and the regions is a better alternative.
A study by the Productivity Commission into “the geographic impacts of the transition of the Australian economy following the resources investment boom” is highly relevant to a raft of policy agenda shaping the future of our regions.
With the right strategies regional communities can build their resilience, begin the low carbon transition while also adapting to climate change.
Queensland Premier Anastacia Palaszczuk rightly suggests that northern New South Wales would be better served by a state government based in Brisbane, but she is far less persuasive arguing that…
The Paris Accord 2015 was the ”end of the beginning” in humanity’s quest to mount an effective response to man-made climate change
Increased professionalism and innovation on farm, more cooperation among farmers, a focused strategic role for government, and a clearer positive pitch to urban Australia will help farming win long term.
Only the optimists have the attitude necessary to ensure our communities see it through the tough times, becomes more capable of setting their own horizons, and creates a opportunities that well serve future generations of regional Queenslanders.
So how do we create the strategies to match our attitude?
