Federal Election debate: Can Scott Morrison or Anthony Albanese build up regional Australia?

Many Aussies have fled our cities. But the regions need to move fast or risk losing people. See our online debate.

Regional Australia needs to move fast to capitalise on a Covid-led migration population boom – or risk losing people back to the cities.

That’s according to Rural Doctors Association of Australia chief executive Peta Rutherford, who told a Stronger Regions for All Australians pre-election forum hosted by The Weekly Times and the National Farmers’ Federation that the window of opportunity to get regional services and infrastructure up to scratch to retain this population migration was quickly closing.

National Farmers’ Federation president Fiona Simson, Regional Capitals Australia chairman Daniel Moloney and Rural Doctors Association of Australia chief executive Peta Rutherford joined James Wagstaff, editor of The Weekly Times, for a debate how the bush will suffer and how it needs more government support to grow. Watch the replay above.

There has been a significant rise in the number of city dwellers moving to regional Australia since the start of the pandemic, placing pressure on existing infrastructure, housing, services and telecommunications. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the population of regional Australia grew by 70,900 people during 2020-21 while capital cities recorded a decline of 26,000.

“I think (the migration) will be a temporary thing if we don’t actually continue and commit to it, and do the planning,” Ms Rutherford said. “One of the things we learn in health is that you never stop recruiting, you never stop that whole process, and we need to maintain that momentum, we need to invest in the planning so that we can continue to develop the regional migration.

Peta Rutherford, chief executive officer of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia. Picture: Photo Steve Pohlner

“If we think our job is done – we’ve had this huge spurt, well done everyone, we’ve ticked that box – it will quickly unravel. The momentum needs to continue, the planning needs to happen and the infrastructure investment needs to follow.”

National Farmers’ Federation president Fiona Simson said data from the Regional Australian Institute said that city residents that moved to the country generally stay for about seven years.

“Clearly we need to address that,” Ms Simson said.

“We need to plan and all get on board. Even though some of these things are long plays, we need to stay at it when we are looking at difficult issues around housing, around telecommunications, around infrastructure – it is going to require some significant spending in the regions and we are up against a population centre in the cities that is always going to have a bigger voice than us.”

Fiona Simson, president of the National Farmers Federation.

Regional Capitals Australia chairman and Ballarat mayor Daniel Moloney said it was important there “not be winners and losers” in the city versus regions debate.

“There have been some cities that have been growing throughout regional Australia prior to the pandemic, so for them it is not a fad and it has been a long and sustained situation,” Cr Moloney said.

“It really comes back to a strategic mindset, being quite clear on those cities we do want to see grow, those we are comfortable with staying the same size, but either way the nation of Australia was founded on fairness and equity and providing basic services across the board.”

Originally published as Federal Election debate: Can Scott Morrison or Anthony Albanese build up regional Australia?