THE regions have never had it so good with billions of dollars in government funding available to finance robust community investments stimulating social and economic growth throughout the nation, according to Regional Australia Minister Simon Crean.
Mr Crean is currently in charge of rolling out the $10 billion deal for Regional Australia - struck between the Federal government and Independent MP’s Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott after the 2010 hung Federal election.
More than half way through that process, Mr Crean says initiatives like the $1 billion Regional Australia Development (RDA) fund are giving renewed hope to long-suffering rural Australians.
They have faced the death of a thousand cuts from decades of seemingly endless scaling back and rationalisation of government programs for health, education, infrastructure and other critical services.
But the tide seems to be turning now, albeit slowly, under the Independent lead, Labor government.
In an extensive interview with Fairfax Agricultural Publishing drilling down into the government’s rural and regional performance during its current term of office, Mr Crean said voters would understand the key differences between genuine regional investments and the type of pork barrelling programs delivered by the Coalition in past years.
He said rural Australians have long demanded, and are now receiving the benefits of an effective funding program, that extends beyond three year election cycles.
It delivers long-term, sustainable economic and social benefits through strategic infrastructure projects and other sound initiatives, developed in partnership with grass roots community groups, with agriculture and farming also benefitting.
“I don’t think there’s been a more exciting time for regional development,” Mr Crean said.
“Look at some of the initiatives that we’ve been able to do through the RDA fund.
“Airport upgrades, social infrastructure and economic infrastructure, combined with what were doing with broadband and roads and through the hospitals fund and the education fund makes this is the biggest investment ever in the history of the country in regional development.
“That’s what’s exciting and that’s what I’m proud of and come the time of the next election that’s what we’ll be judged on.”
Mr Crean said in rolling out the $1 billion RDA fund in partnership with the 55 RDA Committees nationwide, the Federal government had also succeeded in forging stronger relationships with the various State, Territory and local governments.
“We can always do more together and we need to co-ordinate better,” he said.
“I talk about joining the dots across Federal programs like the broadband, health, education and commerce but you have to join the dots with State programs also.”
But Federal Nationals Leader Warren Truss remains unconvinced about the RDA program’s benefits.
He says most of the funding will be derived from the Mineral Resource Rent Tax (MRRT) but is yet to surface.
Mr Truss said the majority of RDA Funding was also being spent in capital cities, around Perth airport in particular, despite being branded a regional program.
“By far the biggest project - taking over half of all of the money so far - is committed to building the roads around Perth airport,” he said.
“Those roads need to be built and we will fund them out of the roads budget.
“But it’s making a complete mockery of Labor’s program to say that somehow that’s a regional project.”
Mr Truss said when questioned on the issue in Federal parliament, Mr Crean said he intended to spend more RDA money in the cities.
“Now that is not my view of a regional development program,” he said.
“I’ve got no objection to import projects in the cities and suburbs and government funding for those projects but don’t pretend that it’s regional development.”
But Mr Crean expressed clear annoyance and objected strongly with Mr Truss’ analysis that Perth airport wasn’t a regionally important project.
He said the entire nature of WA’s current economy and construction related future growth was built around a fly-in fly-out workforce.
“There is an argument down the track as to how big these communities and how sustainable they are for the ongoing operations,” he said.
“That’s why I’ve said to (WA Nationals Leader) Brendon Grylls in the West I’m happy to talk about the Pilbara cities strategy in the same way as we’ve developed the east Kimberley package and I’m happy to look at a similar based location approach around Geraldton and the Gascoigne region,” he said.
“But the Perth airport is fundamental because else how do you get the people up and back?"
Mr Crean said it was important to understand the recent history of regional development in Federal politics.
He said former Labor Prime Minister Gough Whitlam set up the Department of Urban and Regional Development but it was abolished by Liberal leader Malcolm Fraser after gaining power.
He said other Labor Prime Ministers, Bob Hawke and Paul Keating, established the Area Consultative Committees to assist regional development through a clear structure.
But that system was abolished by long-serving Liberal Leader John Howard when he came to power, he said.
Mr Crean said former National Party leader John Anderson stated there was no constitutional role for the Commonwealth in regional development.
“That’s the National Party,” he said.
“Well if they don’t stand for regional development, what the hell do they stand for?
