Labor Leader Anthony Albanese on priorities for Geelong
Development of the regions to “harness the untapped potential” should be a focus of the federal government in the economic recovery from COVID-19, Labor leader Anthony Albanese says.
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Regional development to “harness the untapped potential” should be a focus of the federal government in the economic recovery from COVID-19, Anthony Albanese says.
In a speech to be delivered on Wednesday in New South Wales, the federal Opposition Leader is expected to say there is “massive potential” for growth in clean energy and advanced manufacturing.
“We need to rebuild the training system and TAFE must be at its core. That is why a Labor government will create Jobs and Skills Australia,” a draft of the speech says.
“It will protect the jobs of the present and prepare regional Australians for the jobs of the future.”
Mr Albanese is expected to hint at Labor’s national broadband policy by saying the Morrison government’s rejection of fibre-to-the-premises broadband was “another lesson from coronavirus”.
“World-class communications technology can literally banish the tyranny of distance as a handbrake on growth in regional and rural areas,” the draft says.
“We have learnt that many Australians can be just as productive working from their homes as they are in large offices in central business districts.”
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Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles said Mr Albanese recognised how important regional Australia was for the nation’s prosperity and recovery post-COVID.
“It makes sense that the regions, including Geelong, will be a big focus for Labor ahead of the next federal election. And for communities like Geelong we will focus on jobs and quality service delivery in the region,” Mr Marles said.
Mr Albanese is due to say priorities for regional growth need to come from within communities “not to them” from government.
In the draft of his speech, Mr Albanese says regional communities are diverse and have potential to “drive huge economic growth in the coming decades”.
Originally published as Labor Leader Anthony Albanese on priorities for Geelong