Why the ‘invisible’ population of Robinvale is a challenge for ag

Census “undercounting” in a small Murray River town could have a big impact on agriculture and investment in northwest Victoria.

The “undercounting” of the population of a small Victorian town in the 2021 census could have a big impact on agriculture and investment in the region, industry leaders say.

Robinvale, in northwest Victoria, recorded a population of 3740 in the 2021 census, an 11 per cent increase on the 3313 people recorded in 2016.

Swan Hill Rural City Council mayor Jade Benham said the number was “disappointing”, and could impact the availability of services such as policing, health services and housing.

Receiving the census count “was like losing the grand final by a point. It was really disappointing,” Ms Benham said.

Ms Benham said the official count was not a true representation of the population of the area, which the council estimated was about 8000.

“We have a town of 8000 people at our quietest time and we don’t have a 24-hour police station,” she said.

“This is a matter of public health and safety.”

The council’s population estimate is based on a study it commissioned in 2019 which tracked resident numbers using bank records and water usage data.

Sunraysia Mallee Ethnic Communities Council chief executive Andrew Kilroy said Robinvale was the “multicultural hub of Sunraysia” and many residents may have been missed by the census due to their irregular living arrangements and difficulty reading and writing English.

He said many residents who worked in the region on farms were living on farms in cars and caravans, and some residents “may not want to be found” due to mistrust of the government or visa status.

UNDERCOUNT INCREASES BUSINESS RISK

Select Harvest chief executive Paul Thompson says the limited health services available in Robinvale are a business risk.

Business leaders in the region say limited services pose a risk to safety.

Select Harvests chief executive Paul Thompson said running a business in an area such as Robinvale meant navigating higher risks.

“In the case of an emergency, nine times out of 10 you need to get yourself to Mildura (more than an hour away),” he said.

“From a business perspective, our No.1 priority is safety. When an event happens, we’ve got to be more prepared to do the heavy lifting as a company, and that can be anything from someone suffering from a mental health issue or a physical injury,” Mr Thompson said.

“You can’t ignore risk issues and infrastructure deficiencies. At the end of the day, it becomes more challenging to justify investments in those regions (with fewer services),” he said.

“If this was happening in Liverpool in Sydney or Thomastown in Melbourne, people would be outraged at the level of service.”

Major almond producer Select Harvests employs about 250 people during peak harvest season. In a health emergency, there is one full-time GP based in Robinvale and limited ambulance services.

The ‘undercounting’ of Robinvale’s population in the 2021 census means businesses will continue to struggle with limited services, industry leaders say.

Robinvale Euston Business Association acting chair Ben Rogers said low official population numbers turned some companies off investing in the region.

“There is a lot of investment in Robinvale. But if you look at some of the bigger franchises who want to have a certain population base for their franchise to be viable, when they look at the census data, they may not able to justify a business,” Mr Rogers said.

“As a local resident and business owner I certainly see that there is justification to continue to invest in Robinvale but people reading the census data may see a different picture.”

‘NOT THE NORMAL WORK OF A COUNCIL’

Swan Hill Rural City Council community services director Bruce Myers said a shortage of housing was crippling the town, and without external investment the council had been forced to build properties itself.

“To have housing built you need people wanting to invest, and if there is a perception that the community isn’t growing, it’s hard to get people to build houses,” Mr Myers said.

Swan Hill council is in the process of building eight houses in an attempt to address some of the housing shortage.

“Building houses isn’t normally something local council does, but it just shows how important this issue is,” Mr Myers said.

“There is development here in horticulture and agriculture, and services haven’t kept up with that.”

The Weekly Times contacted the Australian Bureau of Statistics but did not receive a response.