VOHA recently made a submission to the Select Committee on Regional Australia for the Inquiry into Regional Australia. The Select Committee was appointed to inquire into and report on the following Terms of Reference:
- Examining the effectiveness of existing regional service delivery and development programs;
- Examining the contribution and role of regional Australia to our national identity, economy and environment;
- Promoting the development of regional centres, cities, towns and districts including promoting master planning of regional communities;
- Promoting private investment in regional centres and regional infrastructure;
- Examine the key drivers for unlocking decentralisation opportunities for both the private and public sectors;
- Promoting the competitive advantages of regional location for businesses;
- Investigate the development of capital city size regional centres in strategic locations and the benefits this offers regional cities, capital cities, the Australian economy and lifestyle;
- Examine the potential for new developments, towns and cities to be built in regional Australia;
- Examining international examples of nations who have vast and productive regional areas, which are sparsely populated;
- Examining ways urbanisation can be re-directed to achieve more balanced regional development;
- Identifying the infrastructure requirements for reliable and affordable health, education, transport, telecommunications, clean energy, water and waste in a new settlement of reasonable size, located away from existing infrastructure; and
- Consider other measures to support the ongoing growth and sustainability of regional Australia.
A copy of VOHA’s submission can be found HERE.