Regions need a new approach and genuine empowerment

But greater accountability is only part of the solution. What is needed is a genuine commitment to empower communities.

Regions themselves know what is best for their community. Local communities have an impressive reserve of creativity and enthusiasm but often lack the resources to put it to work. The role for the Commonwealth is to support community champions who have solutions which stack up.

Rather than a centralist, top-down approach to regional development, Labor is committed to a location-specific approach.

It’s an approach which works.

As Minister for Employment, Education and Training I established the Area Consultative Committees (ACCs) to better match training programs with local needs. I appointed local business and community leaders with a genuine commitment to their region to chair them.

With leadership from the regions and resources from government, 300,000 jobs were placed in the last six months of Labor’s term in office. If it worked in one portfolio, why not others?

Interestingly, the Government kept the ACC network in place but they have not maximised the network’s potential to devolve decision-making to regions.

Labor will maximise that potential. Labor will create Regional Development Australia (RDA) to build the capacity of the ACCs and create a stronger and more participatory regional development network. They will be better able to develop strategic plans to determine regional priorities in partnership with the local community and will be better resourced so they can plan for the longer term.

They will also play an essential role in identifying their regional infrastructure priorities and the national infrastructure council to be set up by Labor, Infrastructure Australia, will be required to consult with them.

The network does not serve to replace local government but to value-add it. Local governments across Australia recognise the need to achieve regional outcomes to find opportunities and meet challenges. RDA will build the invaluable partnerships across shire boundaries between public, private and community sectors.

This is happening already in some regions but we must ensure all regions benefit from regional partnerships.

Regional Development Australia will also provide a forum for people who wish to make a significant contribution to their local community but who wish to do so through a mechanism other than by being elected to government. We must continue to support them.