OUR REGIONS RISING POLICY HACK SUMMARY 2021 - ACALLFORANEWAPPROACHTO REGIONAL POLICY IN AUSTRALIA
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OUR REGIONS RISING POLICY HACK SUMMARY 2021 A CALL FOR A NEW APPROACH TO REGIONAL POLICY IN AUSTRALIA March 2021
INTRODUCTION
On 17 and 18 March 2021, the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) convened its National Summit Growing Regional
Australia – Shaping the Good Life, the flagship event in our Regions Rising national event series kindly sponsored
by NBN and Nutrien Ag Solutions.
The Summit brought some 300 delegates from across the nation. All levels of government were represented, as
well as industry, RDAs, academics and community groups who came together to hear from 45 speakers, all
experts in their field, and to participate in a rich cross-sharing of ideas.
The RAI invited delegates to participate in one of four policy hacks on issues of importance to regional
Australia. The four policy hack topics were:
JOBS AND
EMPLOYMENT
GROWING
BUILDING REGIONAL LEADERSHIP
RESILIENCE AUSTRALIA
HEALTH AND
EDUCATION
• Jobs and Employment: The number of job vacancies in regional Australia continues to rise, severely
impacting productivity and services. The Hack topic was chosen for participants to give input on what
changes are needed to ensure that Regional Australia’s vacancies are filled and skills needs are met.
• Building Resilience: 2020 was a year of unprecedented disasters, with bushfires, floods and a
pandemic hitting regional areas. Facing these dramatic shocks, participants were asked to give input on
the policy and program changes that are needed to strengthen and protect regional communities against
such impacts.
• Health and Education: These are long-standing but critical issues where inequalities between regional
and metropolitan Australia are apparent for a range of reasons. The Hack sought views on the policy
and program changes needed to ensure regional Australians can access more diverse health and
education services.
• Leadership: Real change needs leadership and real change for regional Australia needs regional
leadership. Participants were asked to discuss what needs to change to ensure that regional voices are
better heard by state and national policymakers.
REGIONS RISING POLICY HACK SUMMARY 2021 P a g e |2THE RESULTS
As a result of the Hacks, the RAI is pleased to present this summary of outcomes of those sessions. The 42
recommendations and policy solutions that follow come from a valuable source of collective-knowhow and
expertise.
Throughout each session three key cross-cutting themes emerged which represent a call to government to build
a new approach to regional development policy in Australia. Not surprisingly, these themes also resonated
throughout the two days of the RAI National Summit – Growing Regional Australia: Shaping the Good Life.
THEME 1: PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION
In each of the Hacks, there was a continued call for partnerships and more effective linkages. Regional decision-
makers see duplication and gaps and know that there is a better way. True partnerships are being called for,
ones which allow for genuine engagement. They can take a variety of forms:
• public/private partnerships
• national/state/regional partnerships
• partnerships among regions
• partnerships within the community
• partnerships which develop pathways, for example from school through to tertiary education and to
the workforce.
This is not a call for more opportunities to give input or the regional perspective, indeed some regional leaders
note how they have simply stopped giving input to centralised policy making, feeling that it is an exercise in
“ticking the box”. Rather, participants called for a change in mindset: to design, plan and enact policies and
projects together.
THEME 2: DATA ACCESS AND SUPPORT
The second cross-cutting theme that emerged from the Policy Hacks was a call for better access to data and
expertise to interpret and distil its meaning. There is a vast array of data available through existing
organisations, including the RAI, that can help fill knowledge gaps when trying to develop policy solutions. At
times, the data exists but it is not widely known, or its circulation and distribution is limited. Participants recognised
that good data is a necessary pre-requisite for the successful design of any plan or policy solution. Therefore,
support for more accessible channels that translate information and advice should be a priority for government.
THEME 3: STRATEGIC PLANNING AND FUTURE-PROOFING
In each Hack, participants called for longer-term, more strategic planning. We already know, for example, that
we need to do workforce planning to address future skills shortages and that comprehensive planning is needed
for disaster relief and recovery. Yet there is still the sense in some sectors that we are not sufficiently preparing
for the future. Regional Australia will be stronger if there is more deliberate focus on future planning, using the
expertise, knowledge and data that we already have.
REGIONS RISING POLICY HACK SUMMARY 2021 P a g e |3KEY POLICY HACK RECOMMENDATIONS
As a result of the Policy Hack 2021, 42 key recommendations were identified by participants throughout the
course of the four sessions. These are outlined below.
JOBS AND EMPLOYMENT
1. Initiate programs for school leavers to ensure 2. Provide tools to regional students to enable them
they have the right tools to be “work-ready”. to build their digital brand.
3. Local Councils to form partnerships with industry 4. Schools and local industries to promote local jobs
and education providers to map out future skill to students at both a primary and secondary
requirements and build employment pathways. level.
5. Build capacity of local training providers to
deliver courses locally that align with local skill 6. Promote regional job opportunities to
shortages. metropolitan workers and school students.
7. Promote the RAI’s Liveability Toolkit to regional
leaders to help improve the attractiveness of 8. Establish a new National Regional Housing
regional towns and cities to the workforce they Guarantee to improve housing affordability.
are trying to attract.
9. Design a program to support older residents to 10. Review the National Rental Affordability Scheme
transition to smaller dwellings. to ensure home ownership is more accessible.
11. Local Councils to investigate options to release 12. Metropolitan universities to deliver regional
land for residential purposes. internships for students.
14. Establish Regional Jobs Expos at metropolitan
13. Implement HECS relief for regional graduates.
universities.
15. Enable small to medium regional businesses to 16. Enable seasonal roles to be transformed into
access professional Human Resource services to year-long positions across multiple local
help fill job vacancies. businesses–and ensure this includes visa holders.
18. Australian businesses and government need to
commit to better internal workforce strategies
and policies that better support flexible and
17. Introduce small business incentives to hire and
remote work, including the development of an
keep new staff.
all-roles-flex policy, and continue to support
career advancement pathways for remote
workers.
19. Government and industry to support the
20. Undertake a retention opportunity cost business
establishment of RAI’s Employer of Choice for
case which establishes the need for change and
Regional Australia which recognizes outstanding
more flexible work practices.
contribution to supporting Regionalisation.
REGIONS RISING POLICY HACK SUMMARY 2021 P a g e |4BUILDING RESILIENCE
21. Establish a Community Navigator role in all Local 22. Provide enhanced local training programs to
Government Areas (LGA’s) to ensure local support the increase in the number of counsellors
actions are delivered in the event of disaster. available in regional towns and cities.
23. Establish a digital ‘vault’ to protect information 24. Develop a standardized national definition of
at an individual and community level. rural and regional.
25. Develop and maintain a national heatmap of 26. Establish a Regional Grants Office to provide
Australia to allow for regional risk profiling by information to regional communities, with
disaster to enhance planning capabilities. facilitator positions to introduced at a local level.
27. Establish longer term disaster support systems
and programs, recognizing long-term impacts.
HEALTH AND EDUCATION
28. Provide career guidance and outreach to high 29. Increase regional capacity to deliver training
school and primary school students in regions to and qualification programs for health and
increase their knowledge of opportunities in education roles.
education and health roles.
30. Guarantee post-study work placement priority 31. Further support the rollout of Regional University
for regional students. Hubs.
33. Increase the number of English language
32. Increase university placements for medical programs available in regions to support
students at accredited regional universities. migrants.
34. Ensure policy development and support for 35. Provide training programs to medical
migrants to establish small business (such as practitioners and support staff to enhance
medical clinics) in regional areas. Telehealth capability in regional areas.
36. Conduct a national audit of allied health
professionals in regional areas
LEADERSHIP
37. Establish and support grass-roots decision-
making mechanisms which will leverage local 38. Establish a framework for regions to identify their
voices and can identify regional issues and priorities and articulate them to government.
funding priorities.
39. Leverage and ensure that regional voices are
represented at the highest levels, through 40. Support one national body which prevents
supporting existing structures such as the RDA’s regional issues being fragmented, duplicated and
and RAI which have invested in frameworks, more costly for government.
networks and capital with all stakeholders.
42. Ensure that regions have even greater access to
41. Work toward the concept of network leadership,
relevant and timely data by supporting existing
beyond simply building the leadership capacity
organisations that provide data and insights at
of individuals.
local, state and national.
REGIONS RISING POLICY HACK SUMMARY 2021 P a g e |5WHAT NEXT?
Timing is critical and these three themes and recommendations will feed into the RAI’s work on Regionalisation.
At the RAI, we know a plan is needed that outlines the pathway forward for an optimal future that is more
equitable, balanced, and sustainable – where population, productivity and participation are more evenly
spread throughout the nation.
Having heard the call for more collaborative partnerships, better data access and support, and more strategic
planning, the RAI is developing a National Regionalisation Framework. Taking findings and recommendations
from the Policy Hacks together with a wide research and consultation process, the Framework will draw together
key issues to develop a single cohesive plan for strengthening regional Australia and our nation.
The National Regionalisation Framework will be a key focus at the RAI National Summit in 2022.
POLICY HACK PARTICIPANTS
All 300 Policy Hack participants have been provided with a full copy of the results. To obtain a full copy of the
19 page document, please contact the RAI by emailing info@regionalaustralia.org.au or calling 02 6260 3733.
The RAI would like to acknowledge the contributions of attendees from the following organisations:
• ABC • Committee for Ballarat
• Advance Cairns • Committee for Geelong
• AgriFutures Australia • Committee for Greater Shepparton
• Albury City Council • Conscious Enterprise
• Artist / Charles Sturt University • Department of Education, Skills and Employment
• Australia Post • Department of Home Affairs
• Australian Rural Leadership Foundation • Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional
• Australian Broadcasting Corporation Development and Communications
• Australian Farm Institute • Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions/
• Australian National University (ANU) Regional Development Victoria
• Berrigan Shire Council • Department of Regional Development,
• Better Internet for Rural, Regional and Remote Manufacturing and Water
Australia (BIRRR) • Department of Regional NSW
• Better Managers Trust • Department of Social Services
• Brand Tasmania • Dept of Jobs Precincts and Regions (DJPR)
• Bridge Hub • Developing East Arnhem Limited
• Bureau of Communications, Arts & Regional • East Gippsland Shire Council
Research • Edwina Marks Consulting
• Buy From the Bush • Essential Energy
• Capricorn Enterprise • Expedia Group
• Central Highlands Development Corporation • Futureye
• Central NSW Joint Organisation • Galambila Aboriginal Health Service
• City of Karratha • Glen Innes Severn Council
• CIVITAS Solutions • Glenelg Shire Council
REGIONS RISING POLICY HACK SUMMARY 2021 P a g e |6• Goondiwindi Regional Council • Regional Development Australia Adelaide Hills,
• GPEx Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island Inc.
• Greater Hume Council • Regional Development Australia Darling Downs
• Greater Whitsunday Alliance (GW3) and South West Inc
• Gunnedah Shire Council • Regional Development Australia Eyre Peninsula
• Heritage Bank • Regional Development Australia Limestone Coast
• Hughes et al • Regional Development Australia Murray Inc
• Immigration Partners • Regional Development Australia Pilbara
• Integrated DESIGN group • Regional Development Australia Riverina
• Isolated Children Parents Association of Australia • Regional Development Australia Southern Inland
(ICPA) • Regional Development Australia Yorke & Mid
• KardiaHR North
• Korea Local & State Government Office • Regional Development Australia: Orana
• GAoK Oceania • Regional Development, Local Government and
• Mid-Western Regional Council Regional Recovery Division
• Moyne Shire Council • Regional Intelligence & Local Government
• Multicultural Australia • Regional Universities Network (RUN)
• Multicultural NSW • Regional University Hub Cooma
• Murray River Study Hub • Rockhampton Regional Council
• Murray valley sanctuary Refugee Group • Rural City of Wangaratta
• Narrabri Shire Council • SARRAH
• National Australia Bank Limited • Singleton Council
• National Rural Health Commissioner • Southern Grampians Shire Council
• NBN Co. • Study Toowoomba
• NT Department of Trade Business and Innovation • Tatiara District Council
• Nutrien Ag Solutions • Telstra
• Outback Alliance • Temora Shire Council
• Pilbara Universities Centre • The Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA
• Pointer Remote • The Exchange
• Program Implementation and Drought • The Social Producers
• QUT Digital Media Research Centre • The Treasury
• RDA Central and Western QLD • Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise
• RDA Mid North Coast • TransGrid
• RDA Northern Inland • Uni Hub Spencer Gulf Inc
• RDA Orana • University of Southern Queensland
• RDA Riverina • University of Sydney
• Regional Arts Australia • Upper Spencer Gulf Common Purpose Group Inc.
• Regional Australia Institute • Whitsunday Regional Council
• Regional Development Australia - Hume • Wimmera Development Association
• Regional Development Australia - Mackay Isaac
Whitsunday
REGIONS RISING POLICY HACK SUMMARY 2021 P a g e |7You can also read
