THERE are large swathes of regional Australia that haven't voted in a Labor MP since the turn of the century, but the party has a unique opportunity to change the hearts and minds of rural voters in the coming months.
Political pundits say much of the former government's massive rural infrastructure splurge remains in the October budget and if Labor heeds the policy advice of the Regional Australia Institute will give an indication of the party's rural credentials.
Regional Development Minister Catherine King emphasised the government's regional policy would be "collaborative", built on "partnerships" and "transparency".
"One of the things that's been missing from regional policy at a federal level for a long time is that we haven't actually had one," Ms King said.
Despite its public commitment to growing the regions, Labor is reviewing the billions of dollars in rural funding promised by the Coalition, believing much of it to be pork barrelling - an accusation partially supported by an auditor-general report.
Ms King has vowed to redesign the Building Better Regions fund to prevent pork barrelling. But Nationals leader David Littleproud said in many regional areas, pork barrelling wasn't a dirty word, it was a "way to square the ledger".
Mr Littleproud said redesigning the regional grant program was an excuse to slash funding from the bush in the upcoming budget.
"There is over $21 billion we put in our budget [for the regions], the big litmus test will be if they keep that spending," Mr Littleproud said.
"That will be the final test to answer the question; are they going to govern for all Australia, or will 30 per cent of us become forgotten Australians?"
Australian National University emeritus professor John Warhurst said in many parts of regional Australia the "political battlelines may be too entrenched" for Labor to breach.
The best opportunity to convert sceptical voters was in the growing regional cities, Prof Warhurst said, and the RAI's recently released Rebalancing the Nation policy document was a good starting point.
RAI chief executive Liz Ritchie said Labor was broadly supportive of the organisation's proposals, which were backed by more than a decade's worth of data, but the government was yet to set its regional policy framework.
"I know they're going through a deep review [of regional funding] and until they get to the other side it's hard to have commentary on [Labor's rural credentials]," Ms Nash said.
Rob Clayton, chief executive of one of the nation's largest agricultural companies Nutrien, said he was optimistic about Labor's approach to the regions.
"I don't think history is always a predictor of what's going to happen next," Mr Clayton said.
"The [Regional Development] Minister is here today and that's a good sign that at least they're listening. I don't want to pre-empt what their decisions are going to be, and maybe I'll have a different opinion when the announcements are made.
"They're making the right noises. We'll wait and see what comes after."
Jamieson Murphy
Newcastle Herald news director and business reporter. Interested in any and all yarns. Whisper g'day mate to me at jamieson.murphy@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Newcastle Herald news director and business reporter. Interested in any and all yarns. Whisper g'day mate to me at jamieson.murphy@austcommunitymedia.com.au
