tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/regional-australia-2390/articlesRegional Australia – The Conversation2023-08-22T23:21:49Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2107162023-08-22T23:21:49Z2023-08-22T23:21:49ZWide verandas, picket fences or the CBD? How coastal cities near the capitals could ride post-COVID waves of growth<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543654/original/file-20230821-17-mca6ku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=11%2C0%2C3974%2C2653&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The COVID-19 pandemic triggered population <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/more-growth-regions-during-pandemic">growth in regions</a> at the expense of capital cities. Regional migration has since stabilised, but the pandemic has left its mark. Australians reassessed where they wanted to live and work. </p>
<p>Our <a href="https://imoveaustralia.com/project/project-outcomes/long-term-pandemic-impact-on-business-and-residential-location">research</a> released today shows Australian cities and regions are continuing to change beyond the initial pandemic impacts. It’s likely there will be a long-term effect on where we choose to live and work.</p>
<p>We found the pandemic has increased the attractiveness of regional cities that are large, coastal and close to a major capital city. Our research found most Australian households would prefer to live in such a regional city if they could find comparable work there. These preferences are likely to lead to two waves of decentralisation that drive growth in these cities.</p>
<p>We also predict the long-term impacts of the pandemic will be limited for regional cities that are either small, inland or far away from a capital city. </p>
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<img alt="aerial view of Geelong looking inland from the bay" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543656/original/file-20230821-23-3kdumc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543656/original/file-20230821-23-3kdumc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543656/original/file-20230821-23-3kdumc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543656/original/file-20230821-23-3kdumc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543656/original/file-20230821-23-3kdumc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543656/original/file-20230821-23-3kdumc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543656/original/file-20230821-23-3kdumc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Most households would prefer to live in a large regional coastal city, such as Geelong, if they can find suitable work there.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/lets-just-do-it-how-do-e-changers-feel-about-having-left-the-city-now-lockdowns-are-over-188009">'Let's just do it': how do e-changers feel about having left the city now lockdowns are over?</a>
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<h2>Businesses still love the CBD</h2>
<p>To discover the impacts of the pandemic on residential and business location choices, we surveyed over 2,900 households and 900 businesses Australia-wide in 2022 and 2023. We coupled this with extensive interviews and focus groups. We also examined multiple datasets. </p>
<p>We found businesses still want CBD locations in the largest capital cities. They believe regional centres lack access to the high-quality premises, labour and markets they need to succeed. </p>
<p>Businesses are willing to pay an extra $700 per square metre a year to be in a capital city CBD rather than a suburb in the same city. (This is significantly higher than current differentials in market rents). </p>
<p>The short-term impacts of the pandemic and lockdowns were especially harmful for businesses in capital city CBDs. Some 11% of these businesses reported downsizing, compared to 4% in regional cities. </p>
<p>However, we predict high levels of CBD vacancies that occurred through the pandemic won’t last. We found the underlying demand for commercial real estate in CBDs is still strong.</p>
<p>While <a href="https://population.gov.au/publications/statements/2022-population-statement">predictions</a> that Melbourne and Sydney will remain our most populous cities are strong, we have evidence that the pandemic has eroded their relative attractiveness. Brisbane has emerged as the most attractive destination for businesses. Adelaide and Perth have held steady, compared to pre-pandemic trends, and Melbourne and Sydney are now less favoured than before.</p>
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<img alt="View across river of Brisbane CBD at twilight" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543655/original/file-20230821-19-qnon0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543655/original/file-20230821-19-qnon0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543655/original/file-20230821-19-qnon0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543655/original/file-20230821-19-qnon0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543655/original/file-20230821-19-qnon0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543655/original/file-20230821-19-qnon0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543655/original/file-20230821-19-qnon0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Brisbane is emerging as a preferred location for businesses.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-havent-built-it-and-theyve-come-the-e-change-pressures-on-australias-lifestyle-towns-188228">'We haven't built it, and they've come': the e-change pressures on Australia's lifestyle towns</a>
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<h2>I’m working from home. Where will I get my coffee?</h2>
<p>In terms of where people prefer their homes to be, the pandemic has increased the relative long-term popularity of middle and outer suburbs, at the expense of inner-city neighbourhoods. Workers strongly prefer suburban locations roughly 10km from the CBD. People not in the workforce want much more distance between them and the CBD – they prefer around 20-35km.</p>
<p>Our research shows uptake of remote work has stabilised at 20-25%. This is much higher than the pre-pandemic levels of <a href="https://imoveaustralia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IMove-UniSA-WfH-Research-Project-FINAL-CLEAN.pdf">2-8%</a>. </p>
<p>With more people working from home, and more preferring suburban neighbourhoods and the quality of life they offer, our dependence on the retail shops and restaurants associated with inner-city life will be reduced. In the long term, this is likely to change the composition of CBDs and move some of these supporting services to the suburbs. In other words, the more time we spend at home, the more services we need nearby, including a range of local choices in barista coffee. </p>
<p>While Melbourne and Sydney remain our most populous cities, since the pandemic, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth have become Australia’s most popular capital city destinations for residents. With these cities being attractive to both residents and businesses, we are likely to see growth in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543646/original/file-20230821-25-3qb6yh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Conceptual framework of how pandemic-related long-term changes are likely to affect business and residential location patterns." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543646/original/file-20230821-25-3qb6yh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543646/original/file-20230821-25-3qb6yh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=266&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543646/original/file-20230821-25-3qb6yh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=266&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543646/original/file-20230821-25-3qb6yh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=266&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543646/original/file-20230821-25-3qb6yh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=335&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543646/original/file-20230821-25-3qb6yh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=335&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543646/original/file-20230821-25-3qb6yh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=335&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Conceptual framework of pandemic-related long-term changes that are likely to affect business and residential location patterns.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Source: Authors</span></span>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/regional-australias-time-has-come-planning-for-growth-is-now-vital-149170">Regional Australia's time has come – planning for growth is now vital</a>
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<h2>Two waves of decentralisation</h2>
<p>The combined effect of residential and business preferences means there are likely to be two waves of population decentralisation. Large coastal cities near the capitals are likely to benefit most from this.</p>
<p>In the short term, people not in the workforce and those with fully remote jobs will lead the first wave of population decentralisation. Without being tied to a work site, they are free to pursue the benefits of living in a regional location. </p>
<p>Then, as people move, jobs and businesses will follow. The result will be a second wave that includes a broad range of people, including those with jobs that cannot be done remotely.</p>
<p>These two waves of decentralisation will lead to population movement out of inner-city addresses, and growth in the suburbs. Large urban areas such as Sydney and Melbourne will continue to expand. Capital cities will swallow up surrounding smaller cities such as Wollongong and Newcastle. </p>
<p>And what about the wide verandas of our small, remote inland cities? Without industry diversification and government intervention, these places are unlikely to benefit from the predicted population and economic growth. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-small-rural-communities-often-shun-newcomers-even-when-they-need-them-199984">Why do small rural communities often shun newcomers, even when they need them?</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210716/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Akshay Vij receives funding from the Commonwealth of Australia as represented by the Department of
Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (DITRDCA); and the
iMOVE Cooperative Research Centre (CRC)</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lynette Washington does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Research on where businesses and households want to be points to growth in suburban and regional centres on the coast, with Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth also gaining ground on Sydney and Melbourne.Akshay Vij, Senior Research Fellow, University of South AustraliaLynette Washington, Research Fellow, UniSA Business, University of South AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2073122023-06-21T02:20:41Z2023-06-21T02:20:41ZCOVID didn’t change internal migration as much as claimed, new ABS data show<p>At its height, the COVID-19 pandemic <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/population-change-2020">disrupted</a> well-established patterns of migration within Australia. Reports of a <a href="https://newsroom.kpmg.com.au/covid-19s-impact-population-growth-regional-renaissance-melbourne-sydney-decline/">regional renaissance</a> suggested city dwellers were <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-02/abs-data-confirms-city-exodus-during-covid/13112868">moving to regional areas</a> in droves. The governments of Tasmania, South Australia and the Northern Territory were also keen to promote new migration flows to reverse long-standing declines in their shares of the national population.</p>
<p>Advice from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) that internal migration numbers were “<a href="https://population.gov.au/data-and-forecasts/key-data-releases/national-state-and-territory-population-september-2021">implausibly high</a>” received less attention. The ABS suspended these data releases due to this concern. Its latest <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/dec-2022#states-and-territories">population data release</a> uses a revised model for <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/detailed-methodology-information/information-papers/2021-census-update-net-interstate-migration-mode">net interstate migration</a>. </p>
<p>These data indicate a new normal rather than a renaissance for South Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania. </p>
<p>Internal migration losses for capital cities have also slowed.</p>
<iframe title="Components of population change by state and territory" aria-label="Grouped Column Chart" id="datawrapper-chart-dV3D1" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/dV3D1/2/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border: none;" width="100%" height="400" data-external="1"></iframe>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/lets-just-do-it-how-do-e-changers-feel-about-having-left-the-city-now-lockdowns-are-over-188009">'Let's just do it': how do e-changers feel about having left the city now lockdowns are over?</a>
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<h2>So what was going on?</h2>
<p>In reality, the data present a different story to the popular narrative. Pandemic-era <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/regional-internal-migration-estimates-provisional/latest-release">ABS data</a> for 2020 showed increased growth in non-metropolitan areas was due more to retaining residents than attracting new ones. </p>
<p>This is unsurprising. Much of Australia was in lockdown, restricting movement, and case numbers were highest in the capital cities. The historical main reasons for leaving regional areas – education and/or jobs – were no longer viable options. </p>
<p>In 2020, interstate migration fell by 29%. In 2021, it increased on paper by 45% compared with 2020. </p>
<p>However, the ABS advised this large increase was mainly due to people updating their addresses with Medicare during mass vaccination rollouts. The distorting effect of these belated updates prompted the ABS to suspend the release of regional internal migration estimates. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/2021-census-overcount-and-undercount/latest-release">under-counts and over-counts</a> identified from the 2021 census show just how far off estimates of population and migration were for some areas. The ABS has <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/detailed-methodology-information/information-papers/2021-census-update-net-interstate-migration-model">revised its methodology</a>, based on the census findings and updated Medicare data. </p>
<p>Last week, the ABS released details of its new assumptions for modelling interstate migration with the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/dec-2022#states-and-territories">latest population data</a> for the last quarter of 2022. Under this model, total interstate migration for 2022 fell 21%, compared with 2021, to levels similar to those of 2016. </p>
<p>As for movement between capital cities and regional areas within states, we have <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/regional-population/latest-release#key-statistics">data for four quarters</a> since March 2022 when the ABS resumed releases. (“Regional areas” include large centres like the Gold Coast, Geelong and Newcastle.) The numbers moving to greater capital cities have been increasing, and the numbers leaving have been declining. Even so, more people are still leaving capital cities than arriving (excluding overseas arrivals). </p>
<iframe title="Population changes by capital city for year to June 30 2022" aria-label="Grouped Column Chart" id="datawrapper-chart-ByYH4" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/ByYH4/2/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border: none;" width="100%" height="400" data-external="1"></iframe>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/has-covid-really-caused-an-exodus-from-our-cities-in-fact-moving-to-the-regions-is-nothing-new-154724">Has COVID really caused an exodus from our cities? In fact, moving to the regions is nothing new</a>
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<h2>What does this mean for state and territory populations?</h2>
<p>The revised data allow us to assess migration flows between states and territories for the last quarter of 2022 as well as back through time, including the pandemic. </p>
<p>In the peak pandemic year of 2020, South Australia recorded a net gain from interstate migration. The then premier <a href="https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/brain-drain-from-south-australia-reverses-again-abs-figures-show/news-story/3c7ebb08c67603a5f050dbcab2368d26">attributed</a> the reversal of the state’s brain drain to its “performance in containing COVID, accelerating industrial transformation and strong jobs growth”. </p>
<p>A closer look at the data shows the upward trend began well before the pandemic. The net loss due to interstate migration had decreased from -7,693 in 2017 to -2,885 in 2019. </p>
<p>The pandemic did accelerate this trend. Early in the pandemic, the net gain of 2,348 people in SA was driven by retention of people. Arrivals fell by 21.7%, but the decrease in departures was larger at 35.4%. In 2021, the net gain of 2,310 people was slightly smaller as arrivals increased by 43.6% and departures by 48.5%. </p>
<p>In 2022, however, the net gain was only 670 people. This suggests a return to net interstate migration losses is possible. </p>
<p>The revised data for the Northern Territory show a consistent net population loss to interstate migration of about 2,100 in the five years leading up to the pandemic. Then, in 2020, interstate arrivals fell considerably but departures fell even more. The result was a small net gain of 110. </p>
<p>When the territory’s borders reopened in 2021, both arrivals and departures surged to 1.5 times the average of the five years to 2020 at 16,992 arrivals and 19,298 departures. But in 2022 both figures wound back to 14% below the five-year pre-COVID average. Departures once again outstripped arrivals, by 2,120, very close to the average net loss of 2,306 for those five years.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/you-cant-boost-australias-north-to-5-million-people-without-a-proper-plan-125063">You can't boost Australia's north to 5 million people without a proper plan</a>
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<p>The Tasmanian government is refreshing its <a href="https://www.stategrowth.tas.gov.au/policies_and_strategies/populationstrategy">2015 Population Growth Strategy</a> and plans to appoint a <a href="https://www.premier.tas.gov.au/speeches/state-of-the-state-address">state demographer</a>. In November 2021, the then premier <a href="https://www.premier.tas.gov.au/speeches/ceda_state_of_the_state_address3">declared</a> people were “knocking on the door, and knocking loudly” to move to the state. This was not the case. </p>
<p>In 2020, interstate arrivals fell by 18% and departures by 28%. The state’s net gain was 2,633. For 2021, at the time of the vaccination rollout, arrivals increased by 39% and departures by 53%, resulting in a smaller net gain. For 2022, arrivals fell by 30% and departures by 16%, for a net loss of 941 people. </p>
<p>This reverses a seven-year period of interstate migration gains for Tasmania. With the lowest growth since 2015, the state has returned to the times before a population growth strategy. The level of natural increase (births minus deaths) is the lowest on record. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/tasmania-cant-only-rely-on-a-growing-population-for-an-economic-boost-91236">Tasmania can't only rely on a growing population for an economic boost</a>
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<h2>Getting the numbers right matters for us all</h2>
<p>Claiming a <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/property/covidinduced-renaissance-for-regional-property-spikes/news-story/2a2dc5295aa0c28decc3a76579668bea">population resurgence</a> may help promote confidence for regions experiencing challenges from population ageing, economic performance and/or remoteness. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-small-rural-communities-often-shun-newcomers-even-when-they-need-them-199984">Why do small rural communities often shun newcomers, even when they need them?</a>
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<p>The problem with such populist narratives is they may also jeopardise the development of good policy, programs and infrastructure for key services such as housing, health and education. Funding could end up going to areas with less relative need. </p>
<p>These narratives may also muddy the already <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/andrews-fires-warning-at-albanese-over-sweetheart-gst-deals-20230314-p5cryx.html">contentious distribution</a> of GST revenue to the states and territories. In addition, population numbers affect how many seats each state and territory has in the House of Representatives. </p>
<p>We need reliable and robust data to make informed decisions. This is why we should all take personal responsibility for promptly updating our home addresses with Medicare when we move. Although this might not seem urgent for individuals, not doing so may mean their share of services and infrastructure falls short of what it might otherwise be.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207312/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lisa Denny has received funding from the Tasmanian Department of State Growth in the past. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Taylor receives funding from the Northern Territory Department of Treasury and Finance. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>George Tan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The latest revised data challenge the popular narrative about a population renaissance for regional Australia and for states and territories that were losing residents to other parts of the country.Lisa Denny, Adjunct Associate Professor, Institute for Social Change, University of TasmaniaAndrew Taylor, Associate Professor, Northern Institute, Charles Darwin UniversityGeorge Tan, Lecturer in Population Geography, University of AdelaideLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2021402023-04-04T06:29:10Z2023-04-04T06:29:10ZMore than 650 refugees arrived in this regional town. Locals’ welcoming attitudes flipped the stereotype<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519179/original/file-20230404-28-9ynrlj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5317%2C3419&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>When we think of regional towns in Australia, some of us might think “close-knit”, “conservative”, or “resistant to change”.</p>
<p>Our <a href="https://www.ssi.org.au/images/insights/Community_attitudes_toward_refugee_settlement_in_Armidale_Report__2023_1.pdf">new research</a> flips these stereotypes.</p>
<p>Over four years, we examined a regional town’s attitudes before and after hundreds of refugees settled in the area. Our surveys found residents of Armidale, in northeastern New South Wales, started out reasonably positive about the settlement program, and became even more so.</p>
<p>Over time, they had fewer concerns about the impact of refugees on the town, more contact with the refugees, and more positive attitudes towards refugees and the settlement program.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-regions-can-take-more-migrants-and-refugees-with-a-little-help-121942">The regions can take more migrants and refugees, with a little help</a>
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<h2>Welcoming communities</h2>
<p>After a lengthy process, Armidale was chosen as a regional settlement location for Australia’s refugee program under the Turnbull government in 2017. Since 2018, the town has welcomed some 650 Ezidi refugees, boosting the town’s population by almost 3%.</p>
<p>Ezidis are a religious minority mostly from northern Iraq, Syria and Turkey, and are also known as Yazidis or Yezidis. They’ve faced persecution for centuries, including recently by Islamic State (or ISIS), who <a href="https://www.dhi.health.nsw.gov.au/transcultural-mental-health-centre-tmhc/resources/community-mental-health-profiles-and-information-resources/mental-health-of-syrian-conflict-refugees/yazidi-community#:%7E:text=The%20Yazidi%20people%20are%20an,subject%20to%20persecution%20for%20generations.">perpetrated genocide on the group</a> in the mid-2010s.</p>
<p>There are several elements in the equation for successful refugee settlement. Receptive, welcoming communities is one important part.</p>
<p>We documented shifts in the Armidale community’s attitudes towards refugee settlement through six successive surveys. Each surveyed about 200 residents, drawing a new sample each time.</p>
<p>Initially, the main concerns were whether there would be enough jobs, and whether local services were adequate.</p>
<p>Residents’ views changed significantly about how many refugees were OK to accept. The number of residents who believed the number was “too high” declined, and the number of people who thought it was “too low” increased.</p>
<p>But, of course, sentiment was not uniformly positive (or negative).</p>
<h2>Residents’ views on the number of refugees coming to Armidale over time</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519192/original/file-20230404-20-gl2zp5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519192/original/file-20230404-20-gl2zp5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=362&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519192/original/file-20230404-20-gl2zp5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=362&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519192/original/file-20230404-20-gl2zp5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=362&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519192/original/file-20230404-20-gl2zp5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=455&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519192/original/file-20230404-20-gl2zp5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=455&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519192/original/file-20230404-20-gl2zp5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=455&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The percentage of residents who thought the number of refugees coming to Armidale was ‘too high’ decreased over time.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.ssi.org.au/images/insights/Community_attitudes_toward_refugee_settlement_in_Armidale_Report__2023_1.pdf">University of New England and Settlement Services International</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We segmented the community to identify clusters of attitudes among like-minded people toward refugee settlement. Initially, there were four clusters, which we named “enthusiastic”, “positive”, “concerned” and “resistant”. Enthusiastic and positive formed the majority.</p>
<p>Over time, the positive clusters expanded, and the negative clusters reduced. By the final survey, our most negative cluster was, in fact, positive towards the refugees. We renamed it “cautious”.</p>
<p>Residents’ contact with Ezidis increased as time went on, and was overwhelmingly rated positively, with residents saying Ezidis were “friendly”, “grateful” and “polite”.</p>
<p>The final three surveys also re-interviewed participants from earlier surveys to examine changes in attitudes at the individual level. As with the community surveys, participants had more positive attitudes over time.</p>
<p>On average, the greatest change was among people who initially had reservations: those who started out negative became more positive. People who started out positive remained positive.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1430763936912080898"}"></div></p>
<h2>A model for regional settlement</h2>
<p>It’s tempting to think of Armidale as an outlier in regional Australia. Local talk was that Armidale was “special” – highly educated, multicultural, welcoming.</p>
<p>But when we <a href="https://scanloninstitute.org.au/research/mapping-social-cohesion">compared</a> Armidale with other similar areas in regional Australia, there were few differences.</p>
<p>Armidale was reasonably representative in socio-demographics and attitudes to immigration and multiculturalism. Contrary to expectations, Armidale actually rated slightly <em>lower</em> on social cohesion, and on having multicultural neighbourhoods. However, we found Armidale improved on all multiculturalism indicators during the settlement period.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/resettling-refugees-in-other-countries-is-not-reliable-nor-is-it-fair-so-why-is-australia-doing-it-162505">Resettling refugees in other countries is not reliable, nor is it fair. So, why is Australia doing it?</a>
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<p>Our research showed Armidale progressively adapting and embracing the refugee settlement program, challenging <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2018.01.014">stereotypes of regional Australia</a>.</p>
<p>The study occurred during a time of disruption to the Armidale community through the impact of a severe drought followed by the COVID pandemic. Nonetheless, the community became increasingly positive, a result that speaks to the hard work of many people and organisations, and the efforts and strengths of Ezidis to settle as they build a new chapter of their lives in Australia.</p>
<p>Indeed, if Armidale is representative of inner regional Australia, which it appears to be, our results are promising for refugee settlement in other regional towns.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/202140/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>SSI, University of Newcastle and the University of New England provided funding for the research reported in this article. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Stefania Paolini receives funding from the Australian Research Council.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tadgh McMahon works for SSI which receives funding from the Australian Government to provide settlement services to refugees. He is affiliated with Flinders University. </span></em></p>Over time, Armidale locals had more positive attitudes towards refugees and the regional settlement program.Sue Watt, Associate Professor in Psychology, University of New EnglandStefania Paolini, Professor, Department of Psychology, Durham UniversityTadgh McMahon, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1946242022-12-04T19:01:21Z2022-12-04T19:01:21ZHomeless numbers have jumped since COVID housing efforts ended – and the problem is spreading beyond the big cities<p>The numbers of people who are homeless have risen sharply across Australia, with soaring housing costs emerging as the biggest driver of the increase. The <a href="https://www.launchhousing.org.au/ending-homelessness/research-hub/australian-homelessness-monitor">Australian Homelessness Monitor 2022</a>, released today, reports that the average monthly number of people using homelessness services increased by 8% in the four years to 2021-22. That’s double the population growth rate over that period. </p>
<p>Just <a href="https://www.crisis.org.uk/ending-homelessness/homelessness-knowledge-hub/homelessness-monitor/england/the-homelessness-monitor-great-britain-2022/">as in other countries</a>, the 2020 COVID-19 emergency accommodation programs achieved <a href="https://theconversation.com/states-housed-40-000-people-for-the-covid-emergency-now-rough-sleeper-numbers-are-back-on-the-up-154059">sudden reductions in rough sleeping</a> in cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. But these remarkable gains were only temporary.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/states-housed-40-000-people-for-the-covid-emergency-now-rough-sleeper-numbers-are-back-on-the-up-154059">States housed 40,000 people for the COVID emergency. Now rough sleeper numbers are back on the up</a>
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<p>In the first major homelessness analysis spanning the COVID crisis years, we also show numbers have been rising in some parts of the country at rates far above the national trend. The problem has been growing especially rapidly in non-metropolitan areas. This trend is consistent with the boom in regional <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/aug/17/australias-regional-housing-boom-slows-but-housing-stress-still-a-major-concern">housing prices</a> and, more especially, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-30/rental-affordability-index-cost-of-living-australia-cities/101712026">rents</a> sparked by the pandemic.</p>
<iframe title=" Changes in homelessness service caseloads over 4 years" aria-label="Grouped Column Chart" id="datawrapper-chart-EQCKR" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/EQCKR/2/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border: none;" width="100%" height="400" data-external="1"></iframe>
<p>The homelessness that has long been a sad feature of our biggest cities has clearly spread to regional and rural Australia. </p>
<p>Many other patterns in the changing scale and nature of homelessness in Australia are ongoing trends that pre-date the 2020-21 public health emergency. This period appears to have had relatively little effect on these trajectories, which include a growing proportion of older adults, as well as First Nations peoples and those affected by mental ill-health. </p>
<p>As the chart below shows, <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/housing-affordability">unaffordable housing</a> is playing an increasing role in people becoming homeless.</p>
<iframe title="Reasons people seek homelessness services help" aria-label="Interactive line chart" id="datawrapper-chart-UN6WX" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/UN6WX/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border: none;" width="100%" height="450" data-external="1"></iframe>
<h2>Social housing programs are welcome but overdue</h2>
<p>The pandemic triggered significant and welcome commitments to social housing programs by the new federal government and some state governments. The recent federal budget confirmed funding for <a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/jim-chalmers-2022/speeches/budget-speech-2022-23">20,000 new social housing dwellings</a> over five years. </p>
<p>Several states had already announced a set of <a href="https://thefifthestate.com.au/innovation/residential-2/states-social-housing-boom-no-substitute-for-federal-funding-commitment/">self-funded programs of a similar scale</a> as part of their post-COVID economic recovery measures.</p>
<p>Social housing offers secure tenancies at below-market rents. It’s <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02673037.2018.1520819">a crucial resource</a> for both preventing and resolving homelessness.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/1-million-homes-target-makes-headlines-but-cant-mask-modest-ambition-of-budgets-housing-plans-193289">1 million homes target makes headlines, but can't mask modest ambition of budget's housing plans</a>
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<p>Together, these new programs will – at least temporarily – halt the long-term decline in social housing capacity. The sector’s share of the nation’s housing stock has been <a href="https://cityfutures.ada.unsw.edu.au/documents/689/Waithood_final.pdf">shrinking for most of the past 25 years</a>.</p>
<p>By our reckoning, the government programs should deliver a net increase of about 9,000 social rental dwellings in 2024. This will be the first year for decades in which enough dwellings will be built to maintain the sector’s share of Australia’s occupied housing stock.</p>
<p>But sustaining this achievement will require more funding beyond the current commitments. Otherwise, the decline will resume.</p>
<h2>Affordability is the big issue, but some need other help</h2>
<p>As a recent Productivity Commission <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/housing-homelessness/report/housing-homelessness.pdf">report</a> acknowledged, homelessness is primarily a housing problem. In <a href="https://www.communityhousing.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/PC-report-briefing-FINAL.pdf">its words</a>, “fundamentally, homelessness is a result of not being able to afford housing”. </p>
<iframe title="Increases in advertised rents and inflation, 2018 to 2022" aria-label="Interactive line chart" id="datawrapper-chart-iWVCX" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/iWVCX/2/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border: none;" width="100%" height="400" data-external="1"></iframe>
<p>While other reasons do contribute to some people becoming homeless, most people experiencing homelessness have no long-term need for personal support. And many who do have high support needs can access and keep tenancies when suitable affordable housing is available.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ive-been-on-the-waiting-list-for-over-20-years-why-social-housing-suitable-for-people-with-disabilities-is-desperately-needed-193455">'I've been on the waiting list for over 20 years': why social housing suitable for people with disabilities is desperately needed</a>
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<p>At the same time, the most disadvantaged rough sleepers may require a great deal of help to overcome their problems. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/eliminating-most-homelessness-is-achievable-it-starts-with-prevention-and-housing-first-151182">widely acclaimed</a> “housing first” model successfully does this. As <a href="https://www.iza.org/publications/dp/15678/making-it-home-evidence-on-the-long-run-impact-of-an-intensive-support-program-for-the-chronically-homeless-on-housing-employment-and-health">other recent research</a> emphasises, for many chronic rough sleepers helped into secure housing, withdrawing such support – even after three years – markedly increases their risk of becoming homeless again.</p>
<p>Australian governments need to better recognise the case for expanding the supply of permanent supportive housing. This involves integrating long-term affordable housing with ongoing support services where required.</p>
<p>Only a few such projects operate in Australia. There is no general framework to fund them, especially the support services. </p>
<p>Lengthy rough sleeping is typically a symptom of societal failure. All too often, for those affected, this failure starts from infancy.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/eliminating-most-homelessness-is-achievable-it-starts-with-prevention-and-housing-first-151182">Eliminating most homelessness is achievable. It starts with prevention and 'housing first'</a>
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<h2>Housing the chronically homeless pays for itself</h2>
<p>The Productivity Commission report <a href="https://www.communityhousing.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/PC-report-briefing-FINAL.pdf">advocated</a> a “high-needs-based [social] housing subsidy to ensure housing is affordable and tenancies can be sustained”. Logically, since this is essentially a social work (not social security) responsibility, it is the states and territories, and not the Commonwealth, that should bear the cost.</p>
<p>This may sound like a big ask for underfunded governments. But state and territory budgets stand to benefit from avoiding the costs that recurrent and chronic homelessness imposes on departments such as health and justice. As our <a href="https://theconversation.com/supportive-housing-is-cheaper-than-chronic-homelessness-67539">previous research shows</a>, we spend enormous amounts of public money responding to the consequences of leaving people in a state of chronic homelessness.</p>
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<p>A model for funding permanent supportive housing needs to be developed. Ideally, this process should involve all Australian governments, perhaps as part of discussions to advance the <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/brief/need-robust-australian-national-housing-and-homelessness-plan">National Housing and Homelessness Plan</a>. Federal Labor <a href="https://theconversation.com/1-million-homes-target-makes-headlines-but-cant-mask-modest-ambition-of-budgets-housing-plans-193289">pledged</a> this project will take shape in 2023.</p>
<p>More broadly, these deliberations must be underpinned by recognition that our current ways of developing, operating and <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-the-financialisation-of-housing-and-what-can-be-done-about-it-73767">commodifying</a> housing produce homelessness. A plan to end homelessness requires a plan to overhaul our housing system so it produces enough suitable and affordable housing for all Australians.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-market-has-failed-to-give-australians-affordable-housing-so-dont-expect-it-to-solve-the-crisis-192177">The market has failed to give Australians affordable housing, so don't expect it to solve the crisis</a>
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<p><em>The authors acknowledge research funder <a href="https://www.launchhousing.org.au/">Launch Housing</a>.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194624/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hal Pawson receives funding from Launch Housing, the Australian Research Council, the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute and Crisis UK.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Cameron Parsell receives funding from Launch Housing, as well as the Australian Research Council.</span></em></p>The main driver of homelessness in Australia is housing costs – post-COVID rents, house prices and interest rates are all much higher. To house everyone, the housing system needs a major overhaul.Hal Pawson, Professor of Housing Research and Policy, and Associate Director, City Futures Research Centre, UNSW SydneyCameron Parsell, Professor, School of Social Science, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1882282022-09-21T20:01:28Z2022-09-21T20:01:28Z‘We haven’t built it, and they’ve come’: the e-change pressures on Australia’s lifestyle towns<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/478241/original/file-20220809-26-jo3c4k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5455%2C2715&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Michael and Karen moved from Melbourne to Castlemaine, about 130km northwest of Victoria’s capital, in mid-2020 – using, like tens of thousands of Australians, the shift to remote work to make a larger lifestyle change. </p>
<p>They sold the small two-room inner-urban apartment they had bought in 2018 and bought a large three-bedroom home on a 1,200 square metre block in the historic goldfields town (population about 10,000).</p>
<p>“There’s an orchard, an amazing garden for growing veggies, and a good shed out the back,” enthuses Michael. “I have a room now for full-time remote work and a third bedroom for the baby, which is on its way.” He plans to convert the shed into a studio for Karen, an artist.</p>
<p>But not everything was easy. “The internet connection has been dropping in and out, repeatedly and for large durations,” Michael says. “I’ve had to use my phone’s 3G hotspot as a backup.”</p>
<p>We’ve tracked the experience of Michael and Karen along with 20 other households in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland <a href="https://apo.org.au/node/318612">to better understand</a> how the influx of “e-changers” to “lifestyle towns” is affecting infrastructure and social cohesion.</p>
<p>This demographic shift has long been predicted – facilitated by technology and the population stresses in major cities. But the pandemic accelerated the trend. </p>
<p>Slow internet speeds are just the tip of the <a href="https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/2022-regional-strengths-and-infrastructure-gaps-introduction">infrastructure pressures</a> being placed on hundreds of towns within a few hours’ drive of cities – the sweet spot for e-changers looking to combine city jobs with country town lifestyles. Others include health and education services, water security and, most urgently, housing availability and affordability. </p>
<p>Helen Haines, the independent federal member for the rural Victorian electorate of Indi, has put it <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/programs/the-business/2022-07-11/tourist-areas-crunched-by-demand-for-mobile-data/13968508">like this</a>: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>For a long time, when we talked about regional development, we said ‘build it and they will come’. Well we haven’t built it and they’ve come. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>It’s a challenge that will require cooperation between federal, state and local policy makers to resolve.</p>
<h2>Rise of the e-changers</h2>
<p>In 2016 demographer Bernard Salt described living in a country town while keeping a city-based job as <a href="https://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/documents/Super%20connected%20lifestyl%22e%20locations_nbn%20report_FINAL.PDF">the ultimate Australian lifestyle</a> choice:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Move to a lifestyle town, telecommute using broadband, and come into the city perhaps once a week for face-to-face meetings. Sounds pretty damn good to many Australians.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>He estimated about one in six Australians were interested in doing this. The major obstacle: having a job they could do from home. But based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data, he predicted the proportion of the workforce able to work from home would double from 4% in 2016 to 8% by 2026.</p>
<p>COVID-19 has dramatically changed that trajectory, with up to <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/research/completed/working-from-home/working-from-home.pdf">40% of the workforce</a> working from home <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/research/completed/working-from-home/working-from-home.pdf">during the pandemic’s peak</a>. </p>
<p>This, along with favourable interest rates, enabled tens of thousands to make the shift. Between July 2020 and June 2021 the population of regional Australia grew <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/regional-population/2020-21">by about 70,900</a>, while capital cities declined by 26,000 – the first time in 40 years that regional population growth outpaced the cities. </p>
<p>Most of this shift occurred in NSW and Victoria. Sydney’s population fell about 5,200, while the rest of the state increased by 26,800. Melbourne’s population declined by about 60,500, with the rest of the state picking up 15,700.</p>
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<p>Indicative of the e-change trend was the decline in the <a href="https://www.commbank.com.au/content/dam/caas/newsroom/docs/220829_RMIJuneReport_FINAL.pdf">median age</a> of those migrating away from the cities (from 38 to 34 in South Australia, from 37 to 33 in NSW, and smaller changes elsewhere). </p>
<h2>Looking at lifestyle hotspots</h2>
<p>Our research mostly focused on e-changers moving to “hotspots” – towns within a few hours’ commute of a capital city. But we also included some towns further afield, such as Broken Hill in far-west New South Wales and Rockhampton in central Queensland.</p>
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<p>We were interested in their experiences with remote work, given Australia’s fixed broadband speeds already lag behind most industrialised countries, ranking 65 of 182 countries on a <a href="https://www.speedtest.net/global-index">current global index</a>. Regional towns generally fare <a href="https://www.digitalinclusionindex.org.au/digital-inclusion-the-australian-context-in-2021/">even worse</a>.</p>
<p>Two households in our study did report better speeds but nine said slowness and bad connection limited their ability to use it for work. One recounted spending weeks chasing their service provider before it was discovered the copper wiring to their home had eroded. These problems are unlikely to get better in any area affected by heavy rainfall and flooding events.</p>
<h2>Gentrification hurting low-income residents</h2>
<p>A more fundamental issue for lifestyle towns is what growing populations mean for the attributes attracting e-changers in the first place. </p>
<p>In the Hunter Valley, Southern Highland and Shoalhaven regions of NSW, and in the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast areas in Queensland, house prices <a href="https://www.nab.com.au/content/dam/nabrwd/personal/loans/home-loans/property-market-reports/regional-migration-impacts-on-property.pdf">rose more than 35%</a> in the 12 months to January 2022. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Shoalhaven, about 200 km south of Sydney, is just within the 'sweet spot' for e-changers seeking a country lifestyle while keeping their city jobs." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/485792/original/file-20220921-21-1wjkec.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/485792/original/file-20220921-21-1wjkec.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485792/original/file-20220921-21-1wjkec.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485792/original/file-20220921-21-1wjkec.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485792/original/file-20220921-21-1wjkec.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485792/original/file-20220921-21-1wjkec.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485792/original/file-20220921-21-1wjkec.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Shoalhaven, about 200 km south of Sydney, is just within the ‘sweet spot’ for e-changers seeking a country lifestyle while keeping their city jobs.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<p>This has contributed to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-21/australia-is-in-the-grip-of-its-worst-rental-crisis/101453246">an unprecedented rental crisis</a>, displacing those on lower incomes and making it harder for local businesses to <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/other-industries/millions-of-dollars-lost-due-to-crisis-in-regional-australia/news-story/50fae4bc2b07446195dbc4ebddf9e4bd">fill job vacancies</a>. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.regionalaustralia.org.au/libraryviewer?ResourceID=98">discussion paper</a> published by the Regional Australia Institute in May 2022 noted that while regional Australia’s population grew by an average of 76,500 people a year in the decade to 2020, the number of homes approved for construction declined in five of those ten years. It argues that market forces alone are insufficient to address the problem. </p>
<p>Population influxes also risk altering the appealing character of lifestyle towns. The <a href="https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/surfcoasttimes/news/steep-growth-highlights-investment-needs/">population surge</a> in Torquay on Victoria’s Surf Coast, for example, has seen the once sleepy coastal town come to resemble an outer suburb of Geelong. </p>
<h2>Investment urgently needed</h2>
<p>Michael and Karen may not stay in Castlemaine. But they don’t plan to move back to Melbourne. They are considering Tasmania. They like working remotely, having more space and time for their young family, being closer to nature and the sense of community a country town offers.</p>
<p>All the evidence suggests hundreds of thousands more will follow their path, with hybrid and remote work <a href="https://wfhresearch.com">here to stay</a>. </p>
<p>Good planning and policy is needed to ensure this historic demographic shift does not overwhelm these towns. To maintain their livability and ability to accommodate remote work, they require urgent investment in telecommunications and transport infrastructure, health and education services and – most of all – housing.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/188228/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Julian Waters-Lynch received funding from the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) to conduct this research.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Glover received funding from the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) to conduct this research.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tania Lewis received funding from the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) to conduct this research.</span></em></p>The shift to remote work has led to a population boom for towns close to Australia’s major cities. That boom threatens to change what makes those towns so appealing.Julian Waters-Lynch, Lecturer in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Organisational Design, RMIT UniversityAndrew Glover, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Sustainable Urban Precincts Project, RMIT UniversityTania Lewis, Professor of Media and Communication and Co-Director, Digital Ethnography Research Centre, RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1880092022-08-26T04:36:25Z2022-08-26T04:36:25Z‘Let’s just do it’: how do e-changers feel about having left the city now lockdowns are over?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480536/original/file-20220823-24-ug4rqq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C283%2C4031%2C2685&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>In 2020, propelled by the pandemic and the push to work from home, thousands of Australian households made the decision to move from the city to the country. A significant swathe of these internal migrants were “e-changers”, workers holding on to their city jobs and working remotely. </p>
<p>During the thick of the lockdown period, as growing numbers of city slickers swapped their urban lifestyles to work in remote and rural settings, we <a href="https://accan.org.au/files/Grants/2022%20E-Change%20RMIT/ACCAN_Report_Final3web.pdf">undertook online interviews</a> with householders in <a href="https://www.nbnco.com.au/blog/career/australias-super-connected-lifestyle-locations">e-change coastal hotspots</a> and “lifestyle towns” in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. We were interested in their experiences of lifestyle migration, including the challenges facing these pioneers of remote working and living. We then spoke to our e-changers one year later to see how they fared.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/fancy-an-e-change-how-people-are-escaping-city-congestion-and-living-costs-by-working-remotely-123165">Fancy an e-change? How people are escaping city congestion and living costs by working remotely</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>One of the early pandemic e-changers was Charles and his partner. They relocated to a coastal location two hours’ drive from Melbourne in March 2020. </p>
<p>Before the pandemic Charles was a busy librarian in a large inner-urban university. Working in the buzzing heart of the city, his day job involved regular face-to-face engagement with academic staff and students in the library and across the campus. </p>
<p>Fast forward to today and Charles’s daily routine when working remotely looks very different. His workday – now largely spent online – is still extremely busy, but it might start with a surf and end with a walk on the beach. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477807/original/file-20220805-5528-m6dhww.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477807/original/file-20220805-5528-m6dhww.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=798&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477807/original/file-20220805-5528-m6dhww.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=798&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477807/original/file-20220805-5528-m6dhww.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=798&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477807/original/file-20220805-5528-m6dhww.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1003&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477807/original/file-20220805-5528-m6dhww.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1003&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477807/original/file-20220805-5528-m6dhww.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1003&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">These days a workday for Charles might start with a surf and end with a walk along the beach.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
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<p>To many, this scenario probably sounds like a dream lifestyle, especially for those of us who spent large chunks of the past two years under lockdown. But is the <a href="https://www.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/4159380/GMR_3.pdf">shift to remote regional work</a> as idyllic as it seems? What kinds of people decided to become e-changers? And what have their experiences been? </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/flexibility-makes-us-happier-with-3-clear-trends-emerging-in-post-pandemic-hybrid-work-180310">Flexibility makes us happier, with 3 clear trends emerging in post-pandemic hybrid work</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<h2>3 kinds of e-changers</h2>
<p>The e-changers in our <a href="https://accan.org.au/files/Grants/2022%20E-Change%20RMIT/ACCAN_Report_Final3web.pdf">study</a> were a diverse group of people with various motivations for moving to the country. We found three broad groups of e-changers, marked by different stages of life. </p>
<p>The first group – represented by older couples like Charles and Di – had often been planning a lifestyle change for some time, in early anticipation of retirement. </p>
<p>The second group were younger couples and singles. They were often motivated by a desire to live closer to natural amenities such as beaches, forests or mountains. Research manager Irene and her partner, for instance, moved from inner Melbourne to Mt Macedon in Victoria in May 2020. Irene recalled:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>We’d been talking about this for a while because we’re both from regional areas.
But after the first Melbourne lockdown, we thought ‘let’s just do it’, so we found a rental here. For us it was about having greater access to the outdoors – we both enjoy biking, hiking, running and climbing.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The third and largest group were households with dependent children. They were generally seeking more affordable and larger homes with space for their children to spend time outdoors. Kevin, an engineer whose family relocated from Sydney to Wollongong, is a good example of these aspirations:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>When we had our second child […] we wanted to buy a family house but were priced out of Sydney, so we cast our net around remote and regional areas – the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast, but Wollongong came top of the list based upon distance to my office, a more relaxed lifestyle, closer to beach and bush, good schools, good health care, wasn’t too small, wasn’t too large.</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480513/original/file-20220823-24-kli3rl.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480513/original/file-20220823-24-kli3rl.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480513/original/file-20220823-24-kli3rl.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480513/original/file-20220823-24-kli3rl.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480513/original/file-20220823-24-kli3rl.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480513/original/file-20220823-24-kli3rl.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480513/original/file-20220823-24-kli3rl.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">When Mick, a senior manager, and his wife moved to the country from Melbourne, he converted part of a farm shed into an office space.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-city-is-becoming-increasingly-digital-forcing-us-to-rethink-its-role-in-life-and-work-189118">The 'city' is becoming increasingly digital, forcing us to rethink its role in life and work</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Different groups, different outcomes</h2>
<p>We spoke with our e-changers one year later. How were they finding the experience of living a significant distance from the cultural life and amenities of a major city? </p>
<p>While they miss the cosmopolitanism and vitality of the city, Charles and Di are still enjoying the calmness, daily encounters with wildlife and close connection to neighbours in their small coastal locale. But they now rent an Airbnb in Melbourne for a couple of nights a week. These regular commutes enable them to reconnect with colleagues and get a dose of urban vibrancy. </p>
<p>By contrast, Irene and her partner have returned to Melbourne from Mount Macedon. While the e-change experience was a “fun break from the city and an experience of regional life”, Irene’s commitment to her career meant she wanted to be near her office. Lengthy commutes on the train – made worse by service cancellations and delays – made her city workdays long and tiring.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/it-seemed-like-a-good-idea-in-lockdown-but-is-moving-to-the-country-right-for-you-148807">It seemed like a good idea in lockdown, but is moving to the country right for you?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Long-term e-changers Kevin and his family have no regrets about the move. They cannot imagine returning to the city. For Kevin, the flexibility of working from home has enabled him to share more of the role of home care, such as cooking dinner and doing school drop-offs, with his partner, a busy healthcare worker. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>It’s [working from home] the way forward. I don’t think anyone’s gonna go back.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>However, for professionals like Kevin, living and working remotely still has some limitations in terms of access to transport and airports. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>We have to have access or a link to a major centre, whether through rail, public transport, so we never lose that ability to be able to go into a meeting in the city if they need to. And I think Australia is going to get better at that.</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480516/original/file-20220823-13-8jt4mz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480516/original/file-20220823-13-8jt4mz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=798&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480516/original/file-20220823-13-8jt4mz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=798&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480516/original/file-20220823-13-8jt4mz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=798&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480516/original/file-20220823-13-8jt4mz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1003&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480516/original/file-20220823-13-8jt4mz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1003&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480516/original/file-20220823-13-8jt4mz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1003&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Kevin enjoys working from home but hopes public transport access to the city will improve.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/188009/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tania Lewis received funding from The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) to conduct this research.
</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Glover received funding from The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) to conduct this research.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Julian Waters-Lynch received funding from The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) to conduct this research. </span></em></p>Can we now work from anywhere with an internet connection? We interviewed workers who left the city but held onto their jobs to see how they fared. One year on, some had no regrets. Others moved back.Tania Lewis, Professor of Media and Communication and Co-Director, Digital Ethnography Research Centre, RMIT UniversityAndrew Glover, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Sustainable Urban Precincts Project, RMIT UniversityJulian Waters-Lynch, Lecturer in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Organisational Design, RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1858602022-07-08T01:54:21Z2022-07-08T01:54:21ZHow a new art project in Bathurst is embracing the many identities of the town<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473105/original/file-20220707-20-pccfb0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4031%2C3017&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Kate Smith</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>For many, Bathurst’s Mount Panorama is exclusively a car racing venue. For Indigenous Australians it is a place called Wahluu, where First Nations women once offered their sons for tribal initiation. </p>
<p>It is a cherished Wiradyuri territory that hosts dreaming and creation stories. Earlier this year, further development on the site <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2021/05/03/wahluu-womens-site-be-protected-says-federal-environment-minister">was blocked</a>, with the federal government acknowledging the cultural significance of the location for the Wiradyuri people.</p>
<p>In some respects, the conflicting identity of Bathurst’s mountain can be reconciled through the forms of masculinity it represents: the male-centric sport of car racing – so central to the town’s present-day image – and the rite of passage of young Aboriginal men into adulthood.</p>
<p>Now, a new art project, <a href="https://kateofthesmiths.com.au/fast-cars-dirty-beats/">Fast Cars & Dirty Beats</a> is navigating these cultural differences by fostering a sense of community.</p>
<p>Created by artistic director Kate Smith, Fast Cars & Dirty Beats embraces Mount Panorama’s/Wahluu’s dual identity that, for some, is representative of a cultural divide between black and white Australia. Smith’s vision is not culturally constrained, but rather expressive of a location that is complex and multicultural.</p>
<p>Liaising with Bathurst Wiradyuri Elders, Smith and her artistic collaborators have developed a series of community-focused projects revolving around the cultural significance of Wahluu/Mount Panorama. </p>
<p>One of these initiatives, Mountain Tales, was launched on the first of July as part of Bathurst’s Winter Festival. Mountain Tales is the culmination of a year-long community engagement connecting local schoolchildren, teachers and parents with skilled craftspeople and musicians, fashioning decorative lanterns and the cultivation of a drumming community.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-are-regional-arts-and-why-do-they-matter-34862">Explainer: what are 'regional arts' and why do they matter?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<h2>A lantern procession</h2>
<p>Although it was raining for the July launch, more than 300 locals formed a dramatic lantern procession on the cold winter’s night. </p>
<p>I was swept up in the pageantry unravelling across the CBD, eventually settling at Bathurst’s historical <a href="https://tremainsmill.com/">Tremain’s Mill</a>. Here the community proudly displayed their beacons of light, paying homage to the Chinese presence in Bathurst since the 1800s. </p>
<p>Supporting the procession, Rob Shannon’s drummers created a collective heartbeat, fostering a sense of joy and belonging.</p>
<p>After this ceremony of light and sound, members of the community told stories about the significance of Mount Panorama/Wahluu. Yarns were shared concerning the mountain being a place where locals experienced a first kiss or participated in some youthful skylarking.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473106/original/file-20220707-22-kkwl50.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A paper lantern in the shape of a car." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473106/original/file-20220707-22-kkwl50.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473106/original/file-20220707-22-kkwl50.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473106/original/file-20220707-22-kkwl50.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473106/original/file-20220707-22-kkwl50.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473106/original/file-20220707-22-kkwl50.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473106/original/file-20220707-22-kkwl50.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473106/original/file-20220707-22-kkwl50.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Cars are central to Australia’s image of Bathurst – but they’re not the whole story.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Kate Smith</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Wiradyuri Elder Wirribee Aunty Leanna Carr-Smith explained to the group how the area plays host to both women’s and men’s business. But such stories are only for the ears of Indigenous women and men. </p>
<p>There is a secrecy about Wahluu. Some stories are off limits to white Australians. </p>
<h2>Wiradyuri Ngayirr Ngurambang – Sacred Country</h2>
<p>The most breathtaking project launched at the Mountain Tales event is Aunty Leanna/Wirribee and Nicole Welch’s collaboration with Smith, <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/4hanss4771t8aim/SacredCountryV6_withAudio.mp4?dl=0">Wiradyuri Ngayirr Ngurambang – Sacred Country</a>, a film emblazoned across Tremain’s Mill.</p>
<p>The old mill precinct is a reminder of colonisation and its violence. For this occasion it operated as a backdrop through which Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians connected. Beaming the film’s panoramic landscapes across this built environment juxtaposed the two cultures.</p>
<p>Considering the urgency of global warming, the film brings together drone footage of Wahluu/Mount Panorama and aerial photography of other Indigenous landscapes in the region. It is an ethereal perspective. The soundscape is as rich and textured as the landscape, conveying an extraordinary, yet fragile, beauty.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473108/original/file-20220707-12-yw20iu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Film still." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473108/original/file-20220707-12-yw20iu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473108/original/file-20220707-12-yw20iu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=516&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473108/original/file-20220707-12-yw20iu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=516&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473108/original/file-20220707-12-yw20iu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=516&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473108/original/file-20220707-12-yw20iu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=649&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473108/original/file-20220707-12-yw20iu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=649&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473108/original/file-20220707-12-yw20iu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=649&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Projected onto the wall of Tremain’s Mill, Wiradyuri Ngayirr Ngurambang – Sacred Country is a meeting of Indigenous landscapes with colonial Australian history.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Kate Smith</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Wiradyuri Ngayirr Ngurambang – Sacred Country also explores shared understandings between First Nations and non-First Nations women. Their interracial connection is enacted through a seamless editing style that bridges the Tarana landscape to the Wahluu/Macquarie River, and then eventually to Wahluu/Mount Panorama. </p>
<p>The film’s boundless landscapes evoke an all-embracing hospitality that traverses cultural differences. Sometimes the imagery creates vaginal shapes that feminises the country. The land and its creatures come across as alive and vibrant.</p>
<p>Sky and earth are mirrored, inspiring our contemplation of eternity and the Indigenous custodianship of Country. </p>
<p>Departing later that night, I pondered eternity. One lifetime is nothing compared to 65,000 years of Indigenous connection to Country. This awareness was both profound and comforting. But the night of collective celebration and storytelling also encouraged me, and no doubt others, to delight in life’s briefest moments.</p>
<p><em>Wiradyuri Ngayirr Ngurambang – Sacred Country is playing at Tremain’s Mill, Bathurst, until July 17.</em> </p>
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<em>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/buried-tools-and-pigments-tell-a-new-history-of-humans-in-australia-for-65-000-years-81021">Buried tools and pigments tell a new history of humans in Australia for 65,000 years</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/185860/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Suzie Gibson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>For many Australians, Bathurst is defined by car races. But as Fast Cars & Dirty Beats demonstrates, the town is much more complex and multicultural.Suzie Gibson, Senior Lecturer in English Literature, Charles Sturt UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1804002022-03-31T02:47:29Z2022-03-31T02:47:29ZThe budget hands out $21 billion for ‘regional Australia’, but a quarter of it is going to a single project in Queensland<p>This years’s budget has offered up “unprecedented” funding for regional Australia, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/mar/29/australia-federal-budget-2022-infrastructure-regional-regions-barnaby-joyce-hunter-fitzgibbon-lingiari-durack">according to</a> the Morrison government’s budget sell. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://budget.gov.au/2022-23/content/download/glossy_regions.pdf">headline figure</a> is A$21 billion and is widely assumed to be <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/payback-for-net-zero-gas-coal-dam-and-green-funds-flow-for-nationals-20220330-p5a99m.html">part of the deal</a> Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce made with Prime Minister Scott Morrison in exchange for backing the Liberals’ net zero emissions plan late last year.</p>
<p>More than $20 billion of additional investment in Australia’s regions sounds like a lot of money. But at the same time, regional Australia is a big place. </p>
<p>What will this money do? How might it be received by voters?</p>
<h2>What’s the $21 billion for?</h2>
<p>The funding includes $3.7 billion for fast rail, $1 billion to protect the Great Barrier Reef, $678 million to seal roads on the Outback Way, and $1.3 billion on mobile and broadband coverage.</p>
<p>But instead of spreading the money thinly across the country, there is a heavy investment in a small number of big projects.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1508806196844974083"}"></div></p>
<p>The lion’s share of the funding is swallowed up by four major projects. About $7 billion is set aside “turbocharging” four regions the government says already create wealth for Australia. These are: the Pilbara in Western Australia, North and Central Queensland, the Northern Territory, and the Hunter region in New South Wales (perhaps surprisingly, these areas include very few key marginal seats). </p>
<p>In fact, just one project accounts for a quarter of all new expenditure.</p>
<p>This is the $5.4 billion for construction of the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2022-03-23/townsville-hells-gates-dam-north-queensland-morrison/100931270">Hells Gates Dam</a> near Townsville, and a further $1.7 billion for water and supply chain infrastructure to support agriculture in the surrounding region. </p>
<p>Once complete, Hells Gates is expected to deliver enough water to support 60,000 hectares of irrigation and $1.5 billion per year in increased agricultural output. A 2018 <a href="https://www.hellsgatesproject.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Feasibility-Executive-Summary_Web-Version.pdf">feasibility study</a> estimated it would create 12,647 construction jobs and 4,673 ongoing jobs, although concerns have been raised about the environmental impact on the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/mar/23/morrisons-green-light-for-queenslands-hells-gates-dam-threatens-great-barrier-reef-experts-warn">Great Barrier Reef</a>. </p>
<h2>The Hells Gates fine print</h2>
<p>The Hells Gates project is ambitious, but there’s a long way to go before construction is confirmed and money starts to flow. </p>
<p>With an election around the corner, the Coalition will be hoping regional voters see this commitment as a great example of government planning, rather than a distraction from more immediate needs. Whatever the business case, stumping up $7 billion plus for dam building and irrigation in the Burdekin is going to make the investments in other regions look positively anaemic. </p>
<p>Many regional voters may be left wondering how the government’s claim to be strengthening the regions with $21 billion to ensure they have the critical transport, water and communications infrastructure they need to grow adds up when so much of that investment is going into one region.</p>
<h2>What’s left out?</h2>
<p>We confront much the same issue in relation to the $1 billion to safeguard the Great Barrier Reef. Considering this investment is spread over ten years and addresses both marine and land-based management, as well as research, it’s arguably quite modest. </p>
<hr>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/poor-policy-and-short-sightedness-how-the-budget-treats-climate-change-and-energy-in-the-wake-of-disasters-180179">Poor policy and short-sightedness: how the budget treats climate change and energy in the wake of disasters</a>
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<p>It also begs the question why similar investment isn’t flagged to safeguard the <a href="https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/management/managed-areas/world-heritage-areas/current/wet-tropics">Wet Tropics of Queensland</a> (located in the marginal seat of Leichhardt) and all the other Australian ecosystems threatened by global environmental change.</p>
<p>Part of the answer is there is already money allocated in the budget for a suite of environmental and natural resource management programs. There is $27 million flagged for agricultural biodiversity stewardship and an extra $27 million for Commonwealth National Parks. But is the right amount of funding going to the right places? </p>
<h2>Beyond the headline figures</h2>
<p>In principle, regional Australians benefit just like anyone else from <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-cost-of-living-budget-cuts-spends-and-everything-you-need-to-know-at-a-glance-180124">budget measures</a> designed to ease cost-of-living pressures and provide essential services. They will likely benefit more than most city-based Australians from the temporary <a href="https://theconversation.com/poor-policy-and-short-sightedness-how-the-budget-treats-climate-change-and-energy-in-the-wake-of-disasters-180179">reduction in fuel excise</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Prime Minister Scott Morrison visiting a farm, outside of Townsville in 2019." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/455411/original/file-20220331-14-thus03.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/455411/original/file-20220331-14-thus03.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/455411/original/file-20220331-14-thus03.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/455411/original/file-20220331-14-thus03.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/455411/original/file-20220331-14-thus03.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/455411/original/file-20220331-14-thus03.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/455411/original/file-20220331-14-thus03.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Prime Minister Scott Morrison visiting a farm, outside of Townsville in 2019.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Cameron Laird/AAP</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The more time you spend in the budget documents, the more programs you find that are relevant to regional Australia but haven’t been labelled as such. </p>
<p>There is more than $600 million to expand the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/indigenous-rangers-program-doubles-with-636-million-boost-20220323-p5a79w.html">Indigenous Ranger Program</a> over the next six years. This will support the employment of an additional 1,089 Indigenous Rangers and formation of 88 new ranger groups. These will overwhelmingly be located – and contribute to improved natural and cultural resource management – in regional areas.</p>
<p>The Home Guarantee Scheme will be expanded and modified to include a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-30/regional-home-guarantee-and-new-builds-in-federal-budget/100950734">Regional Home Guarantee</a> intended to help 10,000 eligible applicants into new homes in regional locations.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/people-and-issues-outside-our-big-cities-are-diverse-but-these-priorities-stand-out-110971">People and issues outside our big cities are diverse, but these priorities stand out</a>
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<p>If it is successful, the <a href="https://www.industry.gov.au/data-and-publications/2022-critical-minerals-strategy">Critical Minerals Strategy</a> ($200 million over five years) will help diversify the Australian mining sector. Whether this helps regional workers will depend on the extent of automation, where jobs are located, and how much reliance is placed on fly-in, fly-out workers. We can’t take it for granted that the mere fact of economic activity leads to good employment or regional development outcomes.</p>
<p>Look beyond the fanfare about large infrastructure projects like Hells Gates, and what we are left with is a largely business-as-usual budget for regional Australia. The overarching narratives of transformational investment and water security fail to capture this continuity while, at the same time, offering a vision that excludes most regions. </p>
<h2>What might this mean for voters?</h2>
<p>What might this mean come election time?</p>
<p>The Coalition may fancy its chances of picking up a marginal seat like Hunter (held by Labor on a <a href="https://antonygreen.com.au/2022-federal-electoral-pendulum/">margin of 3%</a>), but most seats in the regions targeted for “turbocharged” growth are considered safe. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Voters at polling booths on election day." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/455414/original/file-20220331-16-emva90.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/455414/original/file-20220331-16-emva90.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/455414/original/file-20220331-16-emva90.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/455414/original/file-20220331-16-emva90.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/455414/original/file-20220331-16-emva90.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/455414/original/file-20220331-16-emva90.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/455414/original/file-20220331-16-emva90.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">The big regional spend does not appear to be about targeting key marginal seats.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Bianca De Marchi/AAP</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The main exceptions are Kennedy in North Queensland, held by the Katter Australia Party on 13.3%, and Herbert, centred on Townsville, which is held by the Liberal National Party on 8.4%. But travel north to Leichhardt, held by the LNP on a margin of 4.2%, and people are asking “what’s in the budget for us?”</p>
<p>Whatever the electoral strategy here, it’s not sandbagging marginal seats. In fact, it risks leaving voters in more marginal seats feeling ignored. </p>
<p>Big infrastructure spending is more likely to be about selling the Coalition’s credentials on economic recovery and nation-building. Whether this message cuts through may depend on whether voters believe the strategy will work, and whether they trust the Coalition to deliver it.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/180400/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Stewart Lockie receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund, and the Reef Trust Partnership/Great Barrier Reef Foundation.</span></em></p>Look beyond the fanfare about large infrastructure projects like Hells Gate and what we are left with is a largely business-as-usual budget for regional AustraliaStewart Lockie, Director, The Cairns Institute, James Cook UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1686552021-10-05T01:02:54Z2021-10-05T01:02:54Z‘It’s almost like you have to leave’: young people from regional areas face a big stigma if they don’t move to the city<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/423260/original/file-20210927-124838-fap3uu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Dave Hunt/AAP</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Young people moving to the city has been a serious dilemma for regional Australian communities for decades.</p>
<p>Between 2011 and 2016, <a href="http://www.regionalaustralia.org.au/home/the-big-movers-understanding-population-mobility-in-regional-australia/">about 180,000</a> regional Australians between 20 and 35 years old moved to capital cities, although around 30% of them eventually returned to a regional area.</p>
<p>The reasons for what researchers term “youth outmigration” are varied, from seeking education and employment opportunities, to the lure of an urban lifestyle. This can have a negative impact on the communities left behind, including local workforce ageing, impact on the local economy and availability of services. </p>
<p>But what about the young people who don’t go? </p>
<h2>New research</h2>
<p>As part of a three-year study of this phenomenon, 50 young people were interviewed from three regional areas of Australia — Griffith in NSW, Port Hedland in Western Australia, and Port Lincoln in South Australia. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 34.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Young people wait at traffic lights to cross the road." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/423284/original/file-20210927-23-tb7py9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/423284/original/file-20210927-23-tb7py9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/423284/original/file-20210927-23-tb7py9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/423284/original/file-20210927-23-tb7py9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/423284/original/file-20210927-23-tb7py9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/423284/original/file-20210927-23-tb7py9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/423284/original/file-20210927-23-tb7py9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Not all young people from regional areas actually want to move to the city.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Mick Tsikas/AAP</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>The study aimed to better understand the reasons why young people leave these areas, choose to stay in their hometowns, or return to their hometowns having left for a period of time. </p>
<p>The three locations were chosen because each is experiencing net youth outmigration despite increasing economic investment, online study options, and business sponsorship schemes such as Regional Development Australia’s <a href="https://growourown.org.au/">Grow Our Own</a>. Partnerships between industry and government like this are part of an effort to keep young people in their regional areas.</p>
<h2>Young people explain why they stay</h2>
<p>Interviews suggest the reasons Australian young people choose to stay or go had more to do with emotions and identity than money, education, or job opportunities. For example, young people who stay reported feeling safe and comfortable in the country:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I think country towns, they have more security, and more like a family feel. I think there’s a level of intimacy in the relationships you develop in the community.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Others talked about feeling unsafe and stressed in cities: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>I was not confident to go to the city and live by myself. I am a big fan of wider populations, not the city. I would go down for a holiday and to go shopping, but I am not a big fan of crowds.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Others again said they wanted peace and stability:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I like my peace and quiet, and I also like to have good space around me. I don’t like hearing cars all the time. I am not big on change.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Young people also described their country or regional lifestyle as a positive thing, worth staying for: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>All my life I have always grown up seeing old people having a yard, and they have their roses and their chickens or have their dogs and their cats, and they seem more content, like they have more of a purpose in the country — they can grow their own vegetables here.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>The stigma of staying</h2>
<p>But despite wanting to stay, this decision was not straightforward. Interviewees spoke of a cultural expectation, starting in childhood, that when you reach adolescence, you needed to go to “the big smoke” to go to university:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I think the pressure [to leave] probably came from the school sector more so than family […] when I think back, I think the schooling sector put the weighting on going to university.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This was reinforced by others in the community, who expected the younger people to leave. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>If you were just waiting at the train station or something like that, they’d say “when are you leaving?” Everyone just assumes that you will.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Young people reported the pressure to leave came from schoolteachers who had had a positive experience of city life, or from parents who wanted their children to have “a better life”.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>When I got the [local] job, I was too scared to tell my parents. They really wanted me to go to uni.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Interviewees spoke of how staying in their home areas was equated with failure. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>It’s almost like you have to leave, if you’re going to be successful.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>A small shift could make a big difference</h2>
<p>What if instead of asking a regional young person “when are you leaving?”, we asked “what are your plans?”? </p>
<p>What difference might that small shift in emphasis make, so regional youth feel free to make a home wherever they feel safe and comfortable, and not according to prior assumptions and expectations? </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Young people at a cafe." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/423262/original/file-20210927-125255-1n55l38.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/423262/original/file-20210927-125255-1n55l38.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/423262/original/file-20210927-125255-1n55l38.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/423262/original/file-20210927-125255-1n55l38.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/423262/original/file-20210927-125255-1n55l38.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=511&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/423262/original/file-20210927-125255-1n55l38.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=511&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/423262/original/file-20210927-125255-1n55l38.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=511&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Young people interviewed say they feel pressure to move to metropolitan areas from a young age.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Dan Peled/AAP</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Policymakers and regional community leaders should understand there can be complex emotional reasons behind young people’s migration decisions, and that they can feel pressured to leave or judged for staying. </p>
<p>Turning the tide of young people leaving their regional area might be as much about shifting community attitudes and expectations as it is about creating local employment opportunities.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/168655/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Candice Boyd receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p>Interviewees spoke of an expectation, starting in childhood, that when you grow up, you need to go to “the big smoke”.Candice Boyd, ARC DECRA Fellow in Human Geography, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1677862021-10-03T18:59:27Z2021-10-03T18:59:27Z‘It’s given me love’: connecting women from refugee backgrounds with communities through art<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421258/original/file-20210915-19-o4o0x9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=50%2C25%2C5570%2C3724&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Leah Moore/Anglicare North Coast</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Women from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Syria, Iraq and other countries are settling in <a href="http://www.regionalaustralia.org.au/home/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/2019_RAI_Toolkit_Supporting_Material-1.pdf">regional Australian communities</a>. Adjusting to life in a new home involves facing many challenges — but finding a sense of belonging can help the settlement process. </p>
<p>For those who have experienced trauma, including women from refugee backgrounds, creative arts can enhance <a href="https://www.fmreview.org/fragilestates/andemicael">well-being</a>, improve social connections and promote a sense of belonging. Connecting through creativity also <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10464-014-9691-x">builds bridges</a>, addressing fears of newcomers and communities around refugee settlement. </p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07256868.2021.1971170?src=&journalCode=cjis20">our recent study</a>, we looked at the experiences of refugee and migrant women in regional Australia, as they shared their work in community art exhibitions. We wanted to learn about the different benefits engaging in creative arts can provide for newcomers as they navigate their new lives.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/422047/original/file-20210920-55213-xx2lu3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Embroidered chickens" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/422047/original/file-20210920-55213-xx2lu3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/422047/original/file-20210920-55213-xx2lu3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=597&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422047/original/file-20210920-55213-xx2lu3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=597&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422047/original/file-20210920-55213-xx2lu3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=597&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422047/original/file-20210920-55213-xx2lu3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=751&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422047/original/file-20210920-55213-xx2lu3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=751&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422047/original/file-20210920-55213-xx2lu3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=751&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The workshops both harnessed existing skills, and developed new skills.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">pointshineshoot/Anglicare North Coast</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The research collaboration with Anglicare Northcoast’s Three Es to Freedom program focused on <a href="https://josi.org.au/articles/abstract/10.36251/josi.138/">fostering community connections</a> to enhance social inclusion and achieve personal goals. Established in 2016, the program has supported 142 women from 36 countries. In the creative arm of the program, women undertook workshops with local community artists, harnessing existing skills and developing new ones. </p>
<p>At exhibitions in Coffs Harbour and Lismore in northern NSW, and the Gold Coast, women exhibited stories, textile works and installations alongside photographs of themselves.</p>
<h2>Enhancing well-being and confidence</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-clearer-view-on-the-healing-power-of-the-arts-20216">therapeutic value</a> of creative arts practice, <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/2/e025465.abstract">especially for refugees</a>, is well known. Art can provide a means of self-expression and advocacy, and promote good feelings, especially for those who have experienced trauma. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-clearer-view-on-the-healing-power-of-the-arts-20216">A clearer view on the healing power of the arts</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>These positive experiences were reflected by the women when they considered what drawing, painting and sewing offered them. One woman told us the creativity “got me out of my depression, it’s given me love”. </p>
<p>The women made intricate circular textile works telling stories from their childhood. They created a group “story cloth” where they painted symbols to represent their personal journeys. They also made a large installation from feathers featuring inspirational words like “strong” and “free” to show their resilience. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/422046/original/file-20210920-19-15s62zg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Women drawing on the ground" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/422046/original/file-20210920-19-15s62zg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/422046/original/file-20210920-19-15s62zg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=347&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422046/original/file-20210920-19-15s62zg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=347&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422046/original/file-20210920-19-15s62zg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=347&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422046/original/file-20210920-19-15s62zg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=436&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422046/original/file-20210920-19-15s62zg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=436&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422046/original/file-20210920-19-15s62zg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=436&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The women made a large canvas ‘story cloth’ to share their personal journeys.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Mandy Hughes</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>It isn’t just about the creative process itself. The women’s enjoyment was enhanced by coming together as a group with shared experiences. One participant said: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>sometimes if you are not happy it helps you. You come to group. You go home and you have lost the negative things you were feeling and that makes you happy. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>The women supported each other, learnt about each other’s cultures and taught each other new skills, including special sewing techniques from their cultures. </p>
<p>Drawing on existing skills, learning new skills and gaining confidence encouraged the women to sell their work in various local markets and pop up shops. One woman became known in the broader community for her excellent dressmaking skills and set up her own business. These new initiatives presented a way forward for women who had previously been denied employment opportunities. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/422049/original/file-20210920-48792-1cb42sd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Black and white photo, three women surrounded by trees." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/422049/original/file-20210920-48792-1cb42sd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/422049/original/file-20210920-48792-1cb42sd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422049/original/file-20210920-48792-1cb42sd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422049/original/file-20210920-48792-1cb42sd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422049/original/file-20210920-48792-1cb42sd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422049/original/file-20210920-48792-1cb42sd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422049/original/file-20210920-48792-1cb42sd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Professional photos were also displayed alongside the artwork, such as this one of women enjoying the local community garden.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Leah Moore/Anglicare North Coast</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Alongside creating their own work, the women were photographed by professional photographers. The women dressed in traditional costumes, sat for formal portraits or were photographed enjoying themselves in the community garden. As one woman told us:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Yes, they were beautiful. It looks like for me a bit shy, but when I look at it, it made me happy to see that all the ladies changed in the photos.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Feeling heard</h2>
<p>Another important part of this project was the public-facing exhibition. Knowing people were interested in learning about their lives and their culture increased the women’s feelings of empowerment and encouraged them to pursue their goals.</p>
<p>One woman told us:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I was very happy when I saw many people coming. I am very happy with my story displayed there, my story about my childhood, unforgettable memories […] I can show people what my tradition is about, so they can know my country.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Attendees wrote messages to the women on paper birds and posted them on the exhibition walls.</p>
<p>The words “welcome” and “friendship” were commonly found, as well as drawings of love hearts and peace doves. This conversation between the artists and visitors served as a bridge between migrants and their new community. One participant said the positive comments “made us feel the community was open to us”.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/422051/original/file-20210920-17-1gn4gz2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A crowded party" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/422051/original/file-20210920-17-1gn4gz2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/422051/original/file-20210920-17-1gn4gz2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422051/original/file-20210920-17-1gn4gz2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422051/original/file-20210920-17-1gn4gz2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422051/original/file-20210920-17-1gn4gz2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422051/original/file-20210920-17-1gn4gz2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/422051/original/file-20210920-17-1gn4gz2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Art can help foster important community relationships.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">andthetrees/Anglicare North Coast</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10361146.2013.840769?casa_token=x6yMdygbgDIAAAAA:IKvN2-lwXa7DLZAFumkvWeGm7cwdB3rU_u88sZW9jq8fOe49ZAtL2Ok-tuqqXCeR2pG6StzlHZF35A">Negative perceptions</a> of asylum seekers and refugees continue in Australia. Exhibitions like this one can create meaningful, personal encounters with people from different cultures, promote empathy and prompt social action. Australian communities can use art to welcome newcomers, investing in <a href="https://www.proquest.com/openview/d02edf3968904940eab751007c10cf2e/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=886360">bridging community connections</a> and enabling <a href="https://theconversation.com/refugees-are-integrating-just-fine-in-regional-australia-101188">successful settlement</a>. </p>
<p>As one visitor to the Stories of Freedom exhibitions wrote: “[thank you for] sharing your stories […] and adding your beautiful soul to Australia”. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/refugees-are-integrating-just-fine-in-regional-australia-101188">Refugees are integrating just fine in regional Australia</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/167786/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mandy Hughes consults for Anglicare North Coast, through Southern Cross University.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Barbara Rugendyke consults for Anglicare North Coast, through Southern Cross University. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Louise Whitaker consults for Anglicare North Coast, through Southern Cross University and is a member of Ballina Region for Refugees </span></em></p>Across three exhibitions in NSW and Queensland, we studied how creating and sharing art can build community connections.Mandy Hughes, Lecturer in sociology and social science course coordinator, Southern Cross UniversityBarbara Rugendyke, Adjunct Professor in Human Geography, Southern Cross UniversityLouise Whitaker, Senior Lecturer, Southern Cross UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1674392021-09-16T20:07:09Z2021-09-16T20:07:09ZLocal, face-to-face support offers a lifeline for uni students in regional and remote Australia<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421298/original/file-20210915-12-5udrwi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=229%2C0%2C1572%2C1046&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">CUC Far West</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>For university students living out of reach of a campus and studying online, the growing presence of <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/regional-university-centres">Regional University Centres</a> is proving to be a lifeline in times of COVID-19. An early evaluation shows these centres in regional and remote Australia are highly effective in supporting students who have been historically under-represented at university and are at high risk of not completing courses. As one student said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I probably would not have persisted with the course if I had not seen [their centre’s learning skills adviser] to help me.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Managed locally by indepedent, not-for-profit boards formed from community members, the number of centres has grown to 26 around the country. These centres collaborate with universities to offer face-to-face learning communities for students in regional and remote areas. Within each centre are quiet study spaces, computers, internet, study support and the company of peers. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-can-put-city-and-country-people-on-more-equal-footing-at-uni-the-pandemic-has-shown-us-how-164492">We can put city and country people on more equal footing at uni — the pandemic has shown us how</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421261/original/file-20210915-25-nejmvi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Map of Australia showing distribution of 26 Regional University Centres" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421261/original/file-20210915-25-nejmvi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421261/original/file-20210915-25-nejmvi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421261/original/file-20210915-25-nejmvi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421261/original/file-20210915-25-nejmvi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421261/original/file-20210915-25-nejmvi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=531&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421261/original/file-20210915-25-nejmvi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=531&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421261/original/file-20210915-25-nejmvi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=531&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.dese.gov.au/regional-university-centres">Department of Education, Skills and Employment</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Why are these centres needed?</h2>
<p>People in regional and remote Australia are <a href="https://apo.org.au/node/98861">about half as likely</a> as those living in major cities to have a university qualification. This educational divide starts early, with high school students from these areas being about <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/quality-schools-package/independent-review-regional-rural-and-remote-education">30% less likely</a> on average to complete year 12 than their city-based peers. </p>
<p>Yet <a href="https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/167">research indicates</a> this is not because these young people don’t want to go to university. Both the <a href="https://theconversation.com/four-barriers-to-higher-education-regional-students-face-and-how-to-overcome-them-49138">cost</a> and the physical and emotional <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1755458618302226?via%3Dihub">disruption of leaving home</a> are the key <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/publications/community-influence-university-aspirations/">barriers</a> for students and their families. </p>
<p>The pandemic has led to a greater <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/practice/covid-19/">appreciation and expansion of online learning</a>. It has given more regional and remote <a href="https://ajet.org.au/index.php/AJET/article/view/5504">students of all ages</a> the flexibility to stay and study within their local communities. Studying regionally is also <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/access-and-participation/resources/national-regional-rural-and-remote-tertiary-education-strategy-final-report">more likely to lead to regional work</a>, which boosts the local economy.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-regional-universities-and-communities-need-targeted-help-to-ride-out-the-coronavirus-storm-143355">Why regional universities and communities need targeted help to ride out the coronavirus storm</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The shift to online learning has thrust the challenges of online study into the spotlight. Until recently only a minority experienced these challenges. Now there is more awareness of the need to improve support for online students, including those outside major cities.</p>
<p>The challenges of online learning include <a href="https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=5524">technology and internet connectivity</a> problems, which are more likely in regional and remote Australia. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10371656.2018.1472914">Isolation</a> from teachers and other students can be another barrier. </p>
<p>Regional University Centres are helping students to overcome these challenges.
At each of the centres, they can study, link up with other students, have access to high-speed internet and information technology and get help with their study skills. </p>
<p>Of the 26 centres across Australia, 13 are operating within the <a href="https://www.cuc.edu.au/">Country Universities Centre</a> (CUC) network. A student at one these centres said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I have unreliable internet as I live 20km from town. Having access to CUC has helped so much. I am more motivated to continue with my studies because I love going there.” </p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Young man working at a computer" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421303/original/file-20210915-27-wkk5bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421303/original/file-20210915-27-wkk5bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421303/original/file-20210915-27-wkk5bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421303/original/file-20210915-27-wkk5bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421303/original/file-20210915-27-wkk5bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421303/original/file-20210915-27-wkk5bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421303/original/file-20210915-27-wkk5bv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The centres provide students with IT facilities and high-speed internet in areas where connectivity is often poor.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">CUC Parkes</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/will-australias-digital-divide-fast-for-the-city-slow-in-the-country-ever-be-bridged-60635">Will Australia's digital divide – fast for the city, slow in the country – ever be bridged?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Early evaluations show centres are effective</h2>
<p>The number of Regional University Centres has steadily increased around the country since 2018. This growth has been fuelled by community willpower and funded by a combination of governments and local industry. Early evidence from CUC evaluations is starting to show the positive impact on students. </p>
<p>One example is the <a href="https://www.cuc.edu.au/all_news/how-cuc-is-supporting-regional-students-to-succeed/">Learning Skills Advisor (LSA) program</a> begun in 2020 to provide generic academic skills sessions across the CUC network. The first in-house evaluation provides an interesting snapshot of the students who came to LSA sessions from March 2020 to July 2021, and of the impact of the program in general. </p>
<p>Students from government equity categories were strongly represented. They included students from low socioeconomic status (SES) (72%) and Indigenous (9%) backgrounds. As well, 53% were the first in their families to be at university, 65.5% were aged 25 and over, and 46% were studying part-time. </p>
<p>Other <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/publications/opportunity-online-learning-improving-student-access-participation-success-higher-education/">research</a> tells us that part-time, mature-age, low-SES, Indigenous and online students have been historically under-represented at university. If they do manage to get to university, they are more likely to withdraw without qualification. </p>
<p>The recent snapshot tells us the centres are reaching the students most at risk.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Two female students at a Regional University Centre" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421265/original/file-20210915-13-z1tz3g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421265/original/file-20210915-13-z1tz3g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=386&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421265/original/file-20210915-13-z1tz3g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=386&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421265/original/file-20210915-13-z1tz3g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=386&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421265/original/file-20210915-13-z1tz3g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=485&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421265/original/file-20210915-13-z1tz3g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=485&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421265/original/file-20210915-13-z1tz3g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=485&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Regional University Centres are reaching groups of students who have been under-represented in higher education.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.dese.gov.au/newsroom/articles/keeping-it-local-regional-university-centres">Department of Education, Skills and Employment</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/where-are-the-most-disadvantaged-parts-of-australia-new-research-shows-its-not-just-income-that-matters-132428">Where are the most disadvantaged parts of Australia? New research shows it's not just income that matters</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Student feedback is very positive</h2>
<p>The positive impacts of the LSA program are clear. The evaluation found:</p>
<ul>
<li>93% of participating students reported feeling more confident about their studies</li>
<li>96% were more motivated</li>
<li>97.5% achieved higher grades</li>
<li>95% were more likely to continue with their studies. </li>
</ul>
<p>Students said they found the practical information helpful. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I learned about different ways to look up information. There were ideas about how to arrange information and structure essays more efficiently.” </p>
<p>“I learned to reference as I go, add the reference to my bibliography as I found the source.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1427425555834564630"}"></div></p>
<p>As students’ confidence improved, so did their grades and their motivation to continue. Their responses make this clear:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Managed a HD/D average. I attribute this to the support I have received from [LSA].”</p>
<p>“Gave me the edge on exam day.”</p>
<p>“My confidence is up and my marks are following suit.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>They also valued having a space to study, with the facilities they need:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Perfect study space, away from distractions and everything that is needed right in the one place.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>These preliminary evaluation findings are highly encouraging. They show that the right type of <a href="https://studentsuccessjournal.org/article/view/1312">locally available</a> support can encourage and motivate regional and remote students. Building their confidence and skills helps them to persist and succeed. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1267263474381381632"}"></div></p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/new-research-shows-there-is-still-a-long-way-to-go-in-providing-equality-in-education-80136">New research shows there is still a long way to go in providing equality in education</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>A more formal evaluation of the CUC student experience is under way. The results are due to be published in early 2022. </p>
<p>The early results indicate that Regional University Centres are <a href="https://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/en/publications/pathway-to-success-for-rural-higher-education-students">successfully complementing</a> the online education universities are providing. The physical space, technology and face-to-face support the centres offer are making a difference. </p>
<p>This is a win-win, not only for students and universities, but also for the economic, social and educational capital of regional, rural and remote communities. </p>
<hr>
<p><em>The author acknowledges the help of Monica Davis, CEO, and Chris Ronan, Equity & Engagement Director, of the Country Universities Centre in the writing of this article.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/167439/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Cathy Stone consults with Country Universities Centre in her capacity as an independent consultant and researcher. She is also a researcher/author in other work cited within this article. </span></em></p>Community-run centres in regional and remote Australia are having positive impacts on students who were historically under-represented at university and at high risk of dropping out.Cathy Stone, Conjoint Associate Professor, School of Humanities & Social Science, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1609322021-06-20T20:17:03Z2021-06-20T20:17:03ZNSW on a slow track to fast trains: promised regional rail upgrades are long overdue<p>We have seen a succession of reviews, plans and election promises of faster and better train services for regional New South Wales, home to one <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/about-nsw/key-facts-about-nsw">third of the state’s population</a>, in recent years. Yet little had been heard from the state government on track works to allow new trains to travel faster until April 29 this year. This was when Premier Gladys Berejiklian <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/people-said-couldn-t-be-done-premier-says-nsw-on-track-for-faster-rail-network-20210428-p57n5n.html">told</a> a Sydney conference that serious regional development will need faster rail (trains moving at 150-200km/h on upgraded track with some straightening of track) and fast rail (speeds of 200-250km/h on new dedicated track).</p>
<p>The promised <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/people-said-couldn-t-be-done-premier-says-nsw-on-track-for-faster-rail-network-20210428-p57n5n.html">outcomes</a> include Sydney to Newcastle by rail in an hour rather than two-and-a-half hours, 25 minutes taken off Sydney-Wollongong and Sydney-Gosford train trips and travel between Sydney and Goulburn in under an hour instead of two-and-a-half hours for express trains. Details are still awaited on which lines will take priority and the scope of this work.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-can-halve-train-travel-times-between-our-cities-by-moving-to-faster-rail-116512">We can halve train travel times between our cities by moving to faster rail</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>These developments have been years in the making. In late 2018, the NSW government <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/a-fast-rail-future-for-nsw">announced</a> international expert Andrew McNaughton would advise the government how best to deliver a fast rail network to connect Sydney to regional centres. Four lines were identified:</p>
<ul>
<li>north to the Central Coast, Newcastle and beyond</li>
<li>west via Lithgow to Orange/Parkes</li>
<li>southern inland to Goulburn/Canberra</li>
<li>southern coastal to Wollongong/Nowra. </li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/406664/original/file-20210616-3785-1vkid69.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Map showing routes of four fast rail lines between Sydney and regional NSW" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/406664/original/file-20210616-3785-1vkid69.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/406664/original/file-20210616-3785-1vkid69.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406664/original/file-20210616-3785-1vkid69.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406664/original/file-20210616-3785-1vkid69.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406664/original/file-20210616-3785-1vkid69.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406664/original/file-20210616-3785-1vkid69.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406664/original/file-20210616-3785-1vkid69.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The four fast rail lines connecting Sydney to regional NSW.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/a-fast-rail-future-for-nsw">A fast rail future for NSW/NSW government</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This followed a 20-Year Economic Vision for Regional NSW (recently <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/a-20-year-economic-vision-for-regional-nsw-refresh">refreshed</a>), which included a commitment to “make regional travel faster, easier and safer between and within regional centres, and to metropolitan areas”.</p>
<p>Transport for NSW also released a <a href="https://future.transport.nsw.gov.au/plans/greater-newcastle-future-transport-plan">Greater Newcastle Future Transport Plan</a> in 2018. The plan outlined track work to enable trains to travel at higher speeds (with new ones now being delivered). This work included “reducing track curvature, deviations and realignments, removal of level crossings, junction rearrangement and better segregation of passenger and freight services”. </p>
<p>There have also been three studies of NSW track upgrades co-funded by the <a href="https://www.nfra.gov.au/">National Faster Rail Agency</a>.</p>
<p>In the lead-up to the March 2019 NSW election, funding was announced for a limited suite of track upgrades on the four main lines linking Sydney to regional NSW. The government also raised expectations of a new line from Eden to Cooma and the reinstatement of the line from Cooma to Canberra. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-nsw-election-promises-on-transport-add-up-112531">How the NSW election promises on transport add up</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h7bMvkP5yLM?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">A NSW government video outlining the promise of fast rail in late 2018.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Much slow running of regional trains on each of the four main lines from Sydney is on sections of track that, about 100 years ago, were reconstructed with less steep climbs than 19th-century track. This allowed steam locomotives to handle heavier loads, but came at the expense of extra length and more curves. </p>
<p>Such track now slows down modern <a href="https://edisontechcenter.org/Dieseltrains.html">electric and diesel trains</a>. The table below shows the extent of the problem in NSW. It also shows indicative time savings from reverting to straighter track alignments (found in most cases by <a href="http://railknowledgebank.com/Presto/home/home.aspx">simulation work</a> by my co-researcher, Max Michell).</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/406669/original/file-20210616-15-1dgzn0o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Table showing time savings from straighter track alignments on NSW regional rail lines" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/406669/original/file-20210616-15-1dgzn0o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/406669/original/file-20210616-15-1dgzn0o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406669/original/file-20210616-15-1dgzn0o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406669/original/file-20210616-15-1dgzn0o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406669/original/file-20210616-15-1dgzn0o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406669/original/file-20210616-15-1dgzn0o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406669/original/file-20210616-15-1dgzn0o.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Table: The Conversation. Data: Author provided</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Other states acted decades ago</h2>
<p>Following track-straightening works between Brisbane and Cairns for faster and heavier freight trains, in 1998 Queensland Rail introduced a tilt train operating at speeds of up to 170km/h between Brisbane and Rockhampton. The train was well received and by 2002 had carried <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_Tilt_Train">1 million passengers</a>.</p>
<p>In 2004, new <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prospector_(train_service)">Prospector diesel rail cars</a> were introduced to allow Perth-Kalgoorlie services to operate up to 160km/h with an average of 100km/h. </p>
<p>Victoria’s Regional Fast Rail Project was mostly completed by 2006. Following track upgrades on four lines to Bendigo, Ballarat (with deviations to improve train times), Geelong and Gippsland, new V/Locity trains travel at 160km/h. Within five years, patronage on these services had <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_Fast_Rail_project">doubled</a>. </p>
<p>Victoria has followed up with two further extensive track upgrading programs, each with significant federal funding. The first was <a href="https://www.victrack.com.au/projects/past-projects/regional-rail-link">Regional Rail Link</a> (2009-15). Currently, at a cost of over A$4 billion, <a href="https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/regional-rail-revival">Regional Rail Revival</a> is upgrading every regional line in the state.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/this-is-how-regional-rail-can-help-ease-our-big-cities-commuter-crush-81902">This is how regional rail can help ease our big cities' commuter crush</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What about a decent service to Canberra?</h2>
<p>Sydney-Canberra train services are too few and too slow. High-speed rail options with trains capable of 250km/h or more on dedicated track for Sydney to Canberra, and beyond, have been studied extensively since 1984. In 1998, SpeedRail received in-principle support from the Howard government but that did not extend to financial support.</p>
<p>The uptake of bus travel – one operator offers a service on the hour for 12 hours a day – suggests more and faster train services would be well received. </p>
<p>In 2020, Infrastructure Australia listed an upgrade of this rail link as a “<a href="https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/map/sydney-canberra-rail-connectivity-and-capacity">priority initiative</a>”.</p>
<p>The train service linking Australia’s largest city with the national capital has been <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6747301/the-case-for-fast-rail-from-canberra-to-sydney/">taken to task</a> by many commentators. It was recently well described as a “<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw-signals-renewed-focus-on-privatisation-will-go-it-alone-on-fast-rail-20210429-p57nl4.html">national disgrace</a>”. By way of contrast, New York to Washington DC has many more trains, which are <a href="https://www.amtrak.com/alternative-to-buses-new-york-city-washington-dc-train">much faster than buses</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="train at station" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/406895/original/file-20210616-3629-11rfibv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/406895/original/file-20210616-3629-11rfibv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=389&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406895/original/file-20210616-3629-11rfibv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=389&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406895/original/file-20210616-3629-11rfibv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=389&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406895/original/file-20210616-3629-11rfibv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=489&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406895/original/file-20210616-3629-11rfibv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=489&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406895/original/file-20210616-3629-11rfibv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=489&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The slow rail service between Sydney and Canberra has been dubbed a ‘national disgrace’.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/express-train-canberra-sydney-central-station-556274326">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Back to New South Wales</h2>
<p>NSW has a <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw-charges-ahead-with-107-billion-infrastructure-pipeline-despite-record-deficit-20201117-p56fan.html">A$107 billion</a> “infastructure pipeline”. However, on a population basis, Sydney with its metros and motorways is getting much more than its fair share. Regional NSW is getting left behind. </p>
<p>The imbalance is increasing. The late 2020 budget allocated billions for the Sydney West Metro and preconstruction work on the <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-another-huge-and-costly-road-project-really-sydneys-best-option-right-now-136836">dubious Western Harbour Tunnel project</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-another-huge-and-costly-road-project-really-sydneys-best-option-right-now-136836">Is another huge and costly road project really Sydney's best option right now?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Many NSW regional communities increasingly consider that their major party MPs haven’t had their best interests at heart. This is one reason for the election in 2019 of four lower house members from minor parties plus one independent. In the recent Upper Hunter byelection, the combined primary vote for the ALP and the Nationals was <a href="https://pastvtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/SB2101/la/upper-hunter/fp_summary_report.html">just over 50%</a>. </p>
<p>Serious track work is now needed to lift NSW regional train speeds to those enjoyed in other states. As the Illawarra Rail Fail group sang in this YouTube video, regional NSW needs more trains and faster travel times to get us on our way.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4S3Xqzpz4Fk?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">The Illawarra Rail Fail group has been campaigning for years for better services to the south coast.</span></figcaption>
</figure><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/160932/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Philip Laird owns shares in some transport companies and has received funding from the two rail-related CRCs as well as the ARC. He is affiliated, inter alia, with Action for Public Transport (NSW), the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, the Railway Technical Society of Australasia and the Rail Futures Institute. The opinions expressed are those of the author. </span></em></p>Regional NSW, home to a third of the state’s population, is still waiting for the promise of faster train travel to be delivered. Other states improved their regional services years ago.Philip Laird, Honorary Principal Fellow, University of WollongongLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1603532021-05-06T20:07:59Z2021-05-06T20:07:59ZPrint isn’t dead: major survey reveals local newspapers vastly preferred over Google among country news consumers<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/399132/original/file-20210506-23-1nottkk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Newspaper readers in rural and regional Australia are five times more likely to go directly to their local newspaper website than Google or Facebook for local information, and almost 10 times as likely to go to their local news website over a council website for news and information. </p>
<p>Nearly two-thirds of local newspaper readers also indicate policies affecting the future of rural and regional media would influence the way they vote at the next federal election. </p>
<p>These are some of the key findings of a national survey of almost 4,200 Australian country newspaper readers we recently conducted as part of a <a href="https://www.localnewsinnovation.org">project to drive greater innovation</a> in the rural and regional media landscape.</p>
<p>Many small newspapers in Australia faced closure after their advertising budgets shrunk during the global pandemic, while others moved to digital-only editions to cut costs. </p>
<p>In our survey — the largest conducted of country press audiences in Australia — we found local newspapers still play a vital role in providing information to residents in these communities, even with the proliferation of news available on Facebook and Google. </p>
<p>This is a significant finding, given how much focus has been placed on the role of the tech giants as a central point for digital news and information. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Australia is targeting Google and Facebook with new law." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/399134/original/file-20210506-15-1342t30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/399134/original/file-20210506-15-1342t30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399134/original/file-20210506-15-1342t30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399134/original/file-20210506-15-1342t30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399134/original/file-20210506-15-1342t30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399134/original/file-20210506-15-1342t30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399134/original/file-20210506-15-1342t30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Australia’s new law aimed at forcing Google and Facebook to pay for news content has been fiercely opposed by the tech companies.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Mark Lennihan/AP</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The federal government recently implemented a <a href="https://www.acma.gov.au/news-media-bargaining-code">mandatory news media bargaining code</a> that forces tech companies like Facebook and Google to pay news producers for content that appears on their platforms. </p>
<p>Last week, the <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/country-press-australia-members-can-collectively-bargain-with-google-and-facebook">ACCC</a> granted interim approval for Country Press Australia to negotiate with the tech giants on behalf of its 160 newspapers. </p>
<p>This funding is desperately needed to help support publishers of credible, reliable local news who are losing the <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b0fd5e6710699c630b269b1/t/5f72ab571a997804d003891e/1601350523294/ADI+Policy+Briefing+Paper+-+New+approach+needed+to+save+rural+and+regional+news+providers+in+Australia.pdf">advertising dollar</a> to social media platforms — but for some, it still may not be enough. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/as-facebook-ups-the-ante-on-news-regional-and-elderly-australians-will-be-hardest-hit-155557">As Facebook ups the ante on news, regional and elderly Australians will be hardest hit</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Resistance to local papers going online only</h2>
<p>Our survey also reveals just how passionate people are about local newspapers in rural and regional Australia — that is, the print version. In fact, the majority of <a href="https://countrypressaustralia.com.au">country press audiences</a> (71%) prefer to read their local paper in print than online.</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/399125/original/file-20210506-17-1bsvqsf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/399125/original/file-20210506-17-1bsvqsf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=432&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399125/original/file-20210506-17-1bsvqsf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=432&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399125/original/file-20210506-17-1bsvqsf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=432&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399125/original/file-20210506-17-1bsvqsf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=543&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399125/original/file-20210506-17-1bsvqsf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=543&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399125/original/file-20210506-17-1bsvqsf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=543&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>Many respondents expressed resistance to their newspaper being made available in digital format only. They offered comments such as: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>There is always room for improvement, but if this newspaper went digital, I would not be interested. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>And this from another:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The day it goes digital only will be the day I stop reading it.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Our survey also found that respondents overwhelmingly (86%) view a printed copy of their newspaper as an essential service for their community. </p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/399126/original/file-20210506-16-f9zb9t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/399126/original/file-20210506-16-f9zb9t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=640&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399126/original/file-20210506-16-f9zb9t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=640&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399126/original/file-20210506-16-f9zb9t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=640&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399126/original/file-20210506-16-f9zb9t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=804&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399126/original/file-20210506-16-f9zb9t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=804&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399126/original/file-20210506-16-f9zb9t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=804&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>This accords with our <a href="https://theconversation.com/local-newspapers-are-an-essential-service-they-deserve-a-government-rescue-package-too-135323">previous research</a> that has advocated for the federal government to recognise the vital importance of the printed paper to regional communities.</p>
<p>While the average age of our survey respondents was 60-61, this demographic will continue to represent a large portion of local news readership for many years. </p>
<p>This means local news organisations need strategies to aid the transition for all audiences into digital formats and/or advocate for the survival of the printed product in the interests of social connection and democracy.</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/399127/original/file-20210506-14-1d93m52.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/399127/original/file-20210506-14-1d93m52.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=562&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399127/original/file-20210506-14-1d93m52.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=562&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399127/original/file-20210506-14-1d93m52.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=562&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399127/original/file-20210506-14-1d93m52.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=706&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399127/original/file-20210506-14-1d93m52.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=706&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/399127/original/file-20210506-14-1d93m52.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=706&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Age NewsSource graph.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<h2>Locals want a say in the future of their papers</h2>
<p>Our survey also found 94% of respondents want a much bigger say about government policies and decisions affecting the future of local newspapers. This finding sends a message to policymakers to rethink their strategies for engaging the public in ideas to support the future of local media.</p>
<p>When it comes to solutions for struggling rural and regional media outlets, our survey found:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>audiences believe local newspapers should be collaboratively funded by a range of relevant stakeholders (media companies, advertisers, subscribers, social media, government and philanthropic organisations) to ensure their future</p></li>
<li><p>while some media lobbyists and academics — both in Australia and <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/topics/about-your-tax-return/tax-return/completing-a-tax-return/deductions-credits-expenses/deductions-credits-expenses/digital-news-subscription/list-qualifying-digital-news-subscriptions.html">overseas</a> — have called for newspaper subscriptions to be made tax deductible, 71% of respondents are not in favour of such initiatives </p></li>
<li><p>respondents also overwhelmingly said any additional government funding for local news should be used to employ more local journalists (71%) over increasing digital connectivity (13%) and digital innovation products (17%).</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/local-news-sources-are-closing-across-australia-we-are-tracking-the-devastation-and-some-reasons-for-hope-139756">Local news sources are closing across Australia. We are tracking the devastation (and some reasons for hope)</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>The voices of loyal readers must be heard</h2>
<p>Our findings also reaffirm that local newspaper audiences are loyal and develop life-long connections with newspapers wherever they live and work. As an 88-year-old man from Victoria said, </p>
<blockquote>
<p>I have always looked forward to the local paper, and whilst the format is now different, it is still a ‘must’ to catch up on whatever is happening in my town.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>While there have been Senate inquiries into the future of <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/senate/future_of_public_interest_journalism/publicinterestjournalism">public interest journalism</a>, <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/Mediadiversity/Submissions">media diversity</a> and the <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/ABC_Amendment_Bill/Interim_Report">role of the ABC in regional and rural areas</a>, the public submissions to these important policy discussions are lacking the voices of local newspaper readers like our respondents.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/local-newspapers-are-an-essential-service-they-deserve-a-government-rescue-package-too-135323">Local newspapers are an 'essential service'. They deserve a government rescue package, too</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>This is not because people in the bush don’t care, but because such formal mechanisms are arguably not the best way to engage with and listen to media audiences beyond the major cities. </p>
<p>What is clear from our research is local independent newspapers really matter to their audiences, and many loyal readers are ready to defend them at the ballot box.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/160353/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kristy Hess is a chief investigator on projects funded by The Australian Research Council.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lisa Waller receives funding from The Australian Research Council</span></em></p>The majority of country press audiences prefer to read their local paper in print than online. In fact, many said they would stop reading their papers if they went digital only.Kristy Hess, Associate Professor (Communication), Deakin UniversityLisa Waller, Professor of Digital Communication, RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1560312021-03-01T05:12:14Z2021-03-01T05:12:14ZRenewables need land – and lots of it. That poses tricky questions for regional Australia<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/386894/original/file-20210301-15-14u409x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3866%2C2089&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Renewable energy capacity in Australia is <a href="https://www.aemo.com.au/-/media/Files/Electricity/NEM/Planning_and_Forecasting/ISP/2019/Draft-2020-Integrated-System-Plan.pdf">expected to</a> double, or even triple, over the next 20 years. There is one oft-overlooked question in this transition: where will it all be built?</p>
<p>Many renewable energy technologies need extensive land area. <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230284417_Optimal_turbine_spacing_in_fully_developed_wind_farm_boundary_layers">Wind turbines</a>, for instance, cannot be located too close together, or they won’t work efficiently.</p>
<p>Some land will be in urban areas. But in the transition to 100% renewable energy, land in the regions will also be needed. This presents big challenges, and opportunities, for the farming sector.</p>
<p>Two important factors lie at the heart of a smooth transition. First, we must recognise that building renewable energy infrastructure in rural landscapes is a complex social undertaking. And second, we must plan to ensure renewables are built where they’ll perform best.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Aerial view of solar farm" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/386896/original/file-20210301-15-mxmf96.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/386896/original/file-20210301-15-mxmf96.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386896/original/file-20210301-15-mxmf96.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386896/original/file-20210301-15-mxmf96.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386896/original/file-20210301-15-mxmf96.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=564&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386896/original/file-20210301-15-mxmf96.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=564&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386896/original/file-20210301-15-mxmf96.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=564&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Australia’s renewable energy expansion will require plenty of space – most of it in the regions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Bringing renewables to the regions</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9789811594953?wt_mc=Internal.Event.1.SEM.ChapterAuthorCongrat">My research</a> has examined how much land future energy generation will require, and the best way to locate a 100% renewable electricity sector in Australia. </p>
<p>A National Farmers Federation <a href="https://nff.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/NFF_A4_Regionalisation-Agenda_2021_V7-compressed_1.pdf">paper</a> released last week called for a greater policy focus on renewable energy in regional Australia. It said so-called renewable energy zones should “be at the centre of any regionalisation agenda” and that this would give the technology a competitive advantage.</p>
<p>Hosting renewable energy infrastructure gives farmers a second income stream. This can diversify a farming business and help it withstand periods of financial pressure such as drought. An influx of new infrastructure also boosts regional economies. </p>
<p>But successfully integrating renewables into the agricultural landscape is not without challenges.</p>
<h2>A wicked problem</h2>
<p>Renewable energy enjoys widespread <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/aug/06/most-australians-want-more-renewables-to-help-lower-power-prices-poll">public support</a>. However its development can lead to social conflicts. For example, opposition to wind wind farms, often concentrated at the local level, can be <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421516304888?via%3Dihub">motivated by concerns</a> about:</p>
<ul>
<li>perceived health impacts</li>
<li>changes to the landscape</li>
<li>damage to wildlife</li>
<li>loss of amenity</li>
<li>reduced property values</li>
<li>procedural fairness.</li>
</ul>
<p>A proposed A$2 billion wind energy development on Tasmania’s King Island shows the difficulties involved in winning community support. The project was eventually <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/b-king-island-wind-farm-scrapped/news-story/8fb4923b62e2c13a53dcd47552b0c051">scrapped</a> in 2014, for economic reasons. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421516304888?via%3Dihub">Research</a> showed how despite the proponents TasWind using a “best practice” mode of community engagement, the proposal caused much social conflict. For example, the holding of a vote served to further polarise the community, and locals were concerned that the community consultation process was not impartial.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/against-the-odds-south-australia-is-a-renewable-energy-powerhouse-how-on-earth-did-they-do-it-153789">Against the odds, South Australia is a renewable energy powerhouse. How on Earth did they do it?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The local context was also significant: the recent closure of an abattoir, and associated job losses, had increased the community’s stress and sense of vulnerability. This led some to frame the new proposal as an attempt by a large corporation to capitalise on the island’s misfortune. </p>
<p>The King Island experience has all the hallmarks of a “<a href="https://nnsi.northwestern.edu/wicked-problems-what-are-they-and-why-are-they-of-interest-to-nnsi-researchers/">wicked problem</a>” – one that is highly complex and hard to resolve. Such problems are <a href="https://www.apsc.gov.au/tackling-wicked-problems-public-policy-perspective">common in policy areas</a> such as land-use planning and environmental protection. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="People protest against wind farm proposal" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/386897/original/file-20210301-19-14vly6t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/386897/original/file-20210301-19-14vly6t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386897/original/file-20210301-19-14vly6t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386897/original/file-20210301-19-14vly6t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386897/original/file-20210301-19-14vly6t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386897/original/file-20210301-19-14vly6t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386897/original/file-20210301-19-14vly6t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Achieving community consensus on wind farm developments can be challenging.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Daniel Mariuz/AAP</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Wicked problems typically involve competing perspectives and interests. Often, there is no single, correct solution that works for everyone. For example at King Island, the abattoir closure did not mean all locals considered the wind energy proposal to be the answer. </p>
<p>When seeking to address complex policy problems, such as building renewable energy in regional areas, the <a href="https://www.apsc.gov.au/tackling-wicked-problems-public-policy-perspective">best approach</a> involves:</p>
<ul>
<li>collaboration between all affected parties, including people beyond the property where the infrastructure will be located </li>
<li>relationship-building between all those involved, to allow each to see the other’s perspective</li>
<li>shared decision-making on whether the infrastructure will be built, and where.</li>
</ul>
<p>Competition for land is <a href="https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9789811594953?wt_mc=Internal.Event.1.SEM.ChapterAuthorCongrat">intensifying</a> around the world, especially as the population grows. High consumption levels in the West require ever-more land for resources such as food, and land degradation is rife.</p>
<p>To help alleviate this pressure, renewable energy developments may need to co-exist with other land uses, such as cattle <a href="https://edlenergy.com/project/wonthaggi/">grazing</a> around wind turbines. And in many cases, renewable energy should not be built on the most productive cropping land.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Cows graze in front of wind turbines" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/386898/original/file-20210301-23-1oh7r0x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/386898/original/file-20210301-23-1oh7r0x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386898/original/file-20210301-23-1oh7r0x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386898/original/file-20210301-23-1oh7r0x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386898/original/file-20210301-23-1oh7r0x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386898/original/file-20210301-23-1oh7r0x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386898/original/file-20210301-23-1oh7r0x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Cattle grazing and wind turbines can co-exist.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Mick Tsikas/AAP</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Recipe for success</h2>
<p>A successful energy transition will require strategic, long-term planning to determine where renewable generation is best located. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261916309400?casa_token=MQLjNzEVIzsAAAAA:cxKgbE30d72eWV_Uj71SNS1mjGz4QDf0uD5LPDG8wiZh3qlcvCxNf7lnhnBKitTx-xO-kJIf5LOS">Our research</a> indicates that while many places in Australia have renewable energy potential, some are far better than others. Wind energy is usually best located near the coast, solar farms in arid inland regions and rooftop solar power in densely-populated eastern Australia.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-electricity-transmission-system-and-why-does-it-need-fixing-147903">What is the electricity transmission system, and why does it need fixing?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Traditionally, Australia’s electricity grid infrastructure, such as high-voltage transmission lines, has been located around coal-fired generators and large population centres. Locating renewables near this infrastructure might make it cheaper to connect to the grid. But those sites may not be particularly windy or sunny.</p>
<p>Australia’s electricity grid should be upgraded and expanded to ensure renewables generators are located where they can perform best. Such strategic planning is just what the National Farmers Federation is asking for. Improved connectivity will also help make electricity supplies more reliable, allowing electricity to be transferred between regions if needed.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4XlSkoDq0k?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<h2>Making renewables do-able</h2>
<p>The economic and environmental benefits of renewable energy are well known. But without social acceptance by communities hosting the infrastructure, the clean energy transition will be slowed. There is more work to be done to ensure new renewables projects better respond to the needs of regional communities. </p>
<p>And to ensure Australia best fulfils its renewable energy potential, electricity grid technology must be upgraded and expanded. To date, such planning has not featured prominently enough in public conversation and government policy. </p>
<p>If Australia can overcome these two tricky problems, it will be well on the way to ensuring more reliable electricity, the best return on investment and a low-carbon energy sector.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/people-need-to-see-the-benefits-from-local-renewable-energy-projects-and-that-means-jobs-138433">People need to see the benefits from local renewable energy projects, and that means jobs</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/156031/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Bonnie McBain received funding from the Australian Research Council Linkage Grant (LP0669290) to undertake some of the work reported in this article.</span></em></p>The transition to 100% renewable energy will require a lot of land – mostly in regional Australia. This presents big challenges, and opportunities, for the farming sector.Bonnie McBain, Lecturer, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1491702020-11-22T18:55:34Z2020-11-22T18:55:34ZRegional Australia’s time has come – planning for growth is now vital<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368111/original/file-20201108-17-w56i17.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=306%2C7%2C1405%2C914&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Are regional cities like Toowoomba about to become hot property?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Toowoomba,_CBD.jpg">Porgo, Wikipeida</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Australian governments have always wanted thriving regional cities, but policy innovations with this goal in mind have a <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-dangerous-fantasy-diverting-population-growth-to-the-regions-105052">bad history</a>. Planned well, regional cities have huge potential to generate <a href="https://theconversation.com/bust-the-regional-city-myths-and-look-beyond-the-big-5-for-a-378b-return-79760">national economic growth</a> while improving <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-average-regional-city-resident-lacks-good-access-to-two-thirds-of-community-services-and-liveability-suffers-131910">livability and sustainable development</a>. </p>
<p>Governments want strong economies, diverse job opportunities and growing populations in regional cities. The Commonwealth’s <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/cities/city-deals/index.aspx">City Deals</a> and <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/cities/smart-cities/plan/index.aspx">Smart Cities Plan</a> have recently renewed focus on these priorities.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cities-policy-goes-regional-90856">Cities policy goes regional</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-dangerous-fantasy-diverting-population-growth-to-the-regions-105052">main policy problem</a> for regional cities has been creating enough employment opportunities to attract residents from capital cities. Unexpectedly, the COVID-driven trend towards <a href="https://www.remoteyear.com/blog/what-is-remote-work">remote working</a> may have delivered a solution. </p>
<p>Suddenly, the potential of digital technology for working remotely is being embraced. Many people could live in regional cities while working remotely for employers elsewhere. If this trend continues, regionalism could well become the newest phase of Australian urbanism.</p>
<h2>An urban country dominated by capitals</h2>
<p>An urban country emerged from <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/urban-history/article/abs/australian-urban-history-a-progress-report/3740C0E5729075AB694AA58F4B81C895">as early as the 19th century</a> as modern Australia took shape. Almost 90% of Australians now live in cities, making us one of the most urbanised countries in the world. <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/2071.0%7E2016%7EMain%20Features%7ESnapshot%20of%20Australia,%202016%7E2">More than two-thirds are in the capital cities</a>; relatively few live in regional cities. </p>
<p>The east coast capitals developed first. Other capitals followed, along with industrial cities like Newcastle and Geelong. Regional cities grew at different speeds; some have <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballarat">longer histories</a> than <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_Coast,_Queensland#History">others</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370462/original/file-20201119-21-a8cxhi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Map showing distribution of population centres around Australia" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370462/original/file-20201119-21-a8cxhi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370462/original/file-20201119-21-a8cxhi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=592&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370462/original/file-20201119-21-a8cxhi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=592&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370462/original/file-20201119-21-a8cxhi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=592&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370462/original/file-20201119-21-a8cxhi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=744&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370462/original/file-20201119-21-a8cxhi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=744&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370462/original/file-20201119-21-a8cxhi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=744&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Most of Australia’s population is clustered around a few big urban centres.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/2071.0main+features1132016">ABS Census of Population and Housing</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/bust-the-regional-city-myths-and-look-beyond-the-big-5-for-a-378b-return-79760">Bust the regional city myths and look beyond the 'big 5' for a $378b return</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The nationwide shift to suburbia started in the early 20th century and has accelerated since. The “Australian Dream” of owning a free-standing family home in the suburbs remains <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-16/housing-affordability-whats-happening-to-great-australian-dream/8694330?nw=0">dominant</a>. It drives the relentless expansion of outer suburbs, especially around the large capitals. </p>
<p>Decades of constant suburbanisation and expansion of capital cities fuelled the rise of <a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-cities-and-their-metropolitan-plans-still-seem-to-be-parallel-universes-87603">metropolitan Australia</a>. Here, expanding outer suburbs extend into surrounding hinterlands before eventually connecting with neighbouring cities and towns. Metropolitan Melbourne, Greater Sydney and South-east Queensland are examples. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368108/original/file-20201108-23-i5byup.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368108/original/file-20201108-23-i5byup.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368108/original/file-20201108-23-i5byup.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368108/original/file-20201108-23-i5byup.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368108/original/file-20201108-23-i5byup.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368108/original/file-20201108-23-i5byup.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368108/original/file-20201108-23-i5byup.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A bird’s eye view of metropolitan Australia.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Leon Brooks, Pixnio</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-cities-and-their-metropolitan-plans-still-seem-to-be-parallel-universes-87603">Australian cities and their metropolitan plans still seem to be parallel universes</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Urban consolidation, focused on increasing the density of urban cores and inner suburbs, is another recent phase of Australian urbanism. It is <a href="https://theconversation.com/vested-interests-behind-city-shapers-often-subvert-higher-density-policies-74244">promoted</a> as an efficient way to improve the availability and mix of urban housing, while slowing unsustainable sprawl. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/media-picture-of-urban-consolidation-focuses-more-on-a-good-scare-story-than-the-facts-58044">broad uptake</a> of urban consolidation across Australia is one of the main reasons inner-urban living became desirable in recent times.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368112/original/file-20201108-15-ujmr92.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368112/original/file-20201108-15-ujmr92.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368112/original/file-20201108-15-ujmr92.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368112/original/file-20201108-15-ujmr92.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368112/original/file-20201108-15-ujmr92.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=513&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368112/original/file-20201108-15-ujmr92.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=513&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368112/original/file-20201108-15-ujmr92.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=513&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Gasworks is an urban consolidation project in Newstead, Brisbane.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Kgbo, Wikipedia</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A common thread through the phases of Australian urbanism is that the overwhelming concentration of people and jobs in capital cities has been <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-dangerous-fantasy-diverting-population-growth-to-the-regions-105052">difficult to reverse</a>. Until now, migrating to a regional city and bringing your job with you was a distant dream for most workers and policymakers. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-dangerous-fantasy-diverting-population-growth-to-the-regions-105052">Australia's dangerous fantasy: diverting population growth to the regions</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Departures and arrivals</h2>
<p>Things may be about to change for regional cities. A <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/exodus-from-australian-cities-as-coronavirus-pushes-people-to-the-regions/news-story/09ef690c2847484f7e9777fd1ca5ce43">new trend</a> of people relocating from capital cities to regional areas appears to be gaining momentum. </p>
<p>This new internal migration creates a unique opportunity for governments to grow regional cities and stimulate economies. </p>
<p>Regional cities will <a href="http://www.regionalaustralia.org.au/home/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Lighting-Up-our-Great-Small-Cities_Report.pdf">benefit from expanding populations</a>. More people will generate new cultural attractions, more social opportunities and greater vibrancy. </p>
<p>City revenues will rise as more taxes and rates start to flow through. Policymakers can then deliver much-needed <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-average-regional-city-resident-lacks-good-access-to-two-thirds-of-community-services-and-liveability-suffers-131910">liveability improvements</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-average-regional-city-resident-lacks-good-access-to-two-thirds-of-community-services-and-liveability-suffers-131910">The average regional city resident lacks good access to two-thirds of community services, and liveability suffers</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Policy innovations for regional cities should focus on quickly delivering quality housing and social infrastructure such as schools and hospitals. Care must be taken to ensure rapidly rising rents and <a href="https://theconversation.com/its-not-just-the-buildings-high-density-neighbourhoods-make-life-worse-for-the-poor-82070">gentrification</a> don’t displace existing residents. Displacement of regional city residents was a big <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.5172/rsj.19.3.211">problem during the mining boom</a>.</p>
<p>Regionalism also presents opportunities and challenges for the capital cities. <a href="https://info.propertycouncil.com.au/property-australia-blog/office-vacancy-rates-reflect-strong-base-settings">Growing vacancy rates</a> for residential, commercial and retail space could become permanent. Falling populations and fewer workers will hurt some sectors. Sunk investment in infrastructure, including public transport, might be unrecoverable if projected user numbers don’t materialise.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/if-more-of-us-work-from-home-after-coronavirus-well-need-to-rethink-city-planning-136261">If more of us work from home after coronavirus we'll need to rethink city planning</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Even if some residents leave capital cities, others will still arrive. There will probably be distinct demographic differences between the two groups. Most of those leaving will be established professionals with occupations they can continue remotely. Most arrivals will likely be interstate and overseas migrants, as well as graduates looking for entry-level professional roles. </p>
<p>For the next few years at least, the option to work regionally for a capital city employer is likely to be negotiated and earned, rather than automatic. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/it-seemed-like-a-good-idea-in-lockdown-but-is-moving-to-the-country-right-for-you-148807">It seemed like a good idea in lockdown, but is moving to the country right for you?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Regional future demands adaptable planning</h2>
<p>The coming years will definitely not be business as usual for Australian cities. The rise in remote working will bring <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-has-changed-our-sense-of-place-so-together-we-must-re-imagine-our-cities-137789">transformative changes</a>. </p>
<p>It will not be enough to just plan for growth in regional cities. It is imperative to plan well, plan strategically and plan for the long term.</p>
<p>The move towards regionalism will have financial, social and environmental impacts. Established urban patterns may no longer hold. Policy responses will have to be innovative, flexible and dynamic.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368109/original/file-20201108-21-7i2xd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/368109/original/file-20201108-21-7i2xd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=207&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368109/original/file-20201108-21-7i2xd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=207&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368109/original/file-20201108-21-7i2xd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=207&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368109/original/file-20201108-21-7i2xd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=260&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368109/original/file-20201108-21-7i2xd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=260&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/368109/original/file-20201108-21-7i2xd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=260&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Gold Coast, once a regional holiday destination, is now Australia’s sixth-largest city.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Vape Fuse, Flickr</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Governments may need to activate special regulatory and legal arrangements to effectively manage trends towards regionalism. The innovative frameworks for regional development in recent <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/cities/city-deals/index.aspx">City Deals</a> are illustrative of new policy approaches to shaping regionalism.</p>
<p>We see a shift in the distribution of some planning and development powers between tiers of government to prioritise certain projects. Changes will have to be justified by economic, environmental or social objectives. Even if necessary, it might cause controversy, upheaval and legal challenges. </p>
<p>Governments will need to be strategic, diplomatic and brave to maximise future opportunities for regional and capital cities. Recognising that regionalism looks like the newest phase of Australian urbanism is a good start.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/149170/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tony Matthews has received funding from the Australian Research Council, CSIRO and the Queensland Government. He is affiliated with the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Planning Institute of Australia. He is an Ambassador for Planet Ark and a spokesperson for Greener Spaces, Better Places (formerly 202020 Vision). </span></em></p>The pandemic has driven Australian workers and their employers to embrace the option of working remotely. And that has opened people’s eyes to the possibilities of living in regional Australia.Tony Matthews, Senior Lecturer in Urban and Environmental Planning, Griffith UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1481832020-10-19T04:08:13Z2020-10-19T04:08:13ZAs holidaymakers arrive, what does COVID-19 mean for rural health services?<p>At the start of the pandemic, health services in regional cities and small towns braced for a tsunami of cases. Many worried the patient transport system between hospitals would fail, and each hospital would be left to fend for itself. Small hospitals planned makeshift intensive care departments with improvised long-term ventilators. And health-care teams drilled themselves in how they would manage a COVID-positive patient who was deteriorating.</p>
<p>Fortunately, in Australia, these dire predictions were wrong (at least for now). But they could have been right. Rural areas are not immune to COVID-19. In the United States, the current <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/rural-infection-rate-surpasses-metro-americas-all-time-high/2020/10/15/">rural infection rate</a> is higher than has ever been recorded in metropolitan areas. A <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/08/rural-hospital-coronavirus-covid-19-louisiana-new-orleans">Louisiana hospital</a> described exactly the makeshift intensive care scenario we feared in Australia. Rural patients are more vulnerable too, as the community is older with more chronic health problems.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/rural-america-is-more-vulnerable-to-covid-19-than-cities-are-and-its-starting-to-show-140532">Rural America is more vulnerable to COVID-19 than cities are, and it's starting to show</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<p><iframe id="VZI68" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/VZI68/4/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>In rural Australia, dealing with the pandemic has been more like whack-a-mole than an overwhelming wave. Outbreaks occurred around meatworks, local hospitals, and super-spreaders travelling from hotspots.</p>
<p>So, what have we learned so far about the impact of COVID-19 on rural health, and how can we maintain effective rural health care as tourism ramps up?</p>
<h2>We must work together</h2>
<p>A pandemic lays bare pre-existing structural problems. It exposes the lack of formal channels for rural clinicians to communicate across disciplines and across regions. It reveals the barriers between clinicians in the hospitals and bureaucrats in regional and city offices.</p>
<p>But it also provides an opportunity to connect these groups. During the pandemic, health services across different regions and states shared <a href="https://acem.org.au/getmedia/3ecc6790-6751-478a-9114-080040282476/Rural-Emergency-Toolkit-v1-0">local solutions</a>. Public health, hospital, community care and inter-hospital services created joint protocols. New communication channels must be maintained and ready for activation if cases increase. </p>
<p>Local knowledge remains important. Embedding local health workers in contact-tracing teams is a strength of <a href="https://theconversation.com/where-did-victoria-go-so-wrong-with-contact-tracing-and-have-they-fixed-it-147993">NSW’s pandemic defences</a>.</p>
<p>As the Victorian town of Shepparton discovered last week, local outbreaks cause an immediate and massive demand for <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/shepparton-goes-quiet-as-community-sweats-on-test-results-20201015-p565io.html">testing</a>. Using local media to keep rural communities up to date enhances the remarkable support already shown for quarantine measures.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1317265509222473728"}"></div></p>
<p>Teleconferencing between clinicians has expanded, as it has between clinicians and patients. It is best and most geographically equitable when it adds to face-to-face local care.</p>
<p>But it may also detract from enabling the best care when it <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/we-couldn-t-believe-it-woman-bleeds-to-death-in-nsw-hospital-with-no-doctors-on-site-20201011-p563z1.html">replaces</a> clinicians on the ground. One possible example is that of a woman who died in the emergency department of a regional NSW hospital in September. No doctors were present in person, having been replaced by telehealth treatment outside business hours.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/where-did-victoria-go-so-wrong-with-contact-tracing-and-have-they-fixed-it-147993">Where did Victoria go so wrong with contact tracing and have they fixed it?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<h2>Self-reliance and silent hypoxia are a bad combination</h2>
<p>Identifying patients before they become critically ill is crucial to rural acute care. This is true for COVID-19. The disease has a reasonably <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMcp2009575?query=featured_coronavirus">predictable path</a> of early fever, improvement, and then a sometimes <a href="https://theconversation.com/tested-positive-for-covid-19-heres-what-happens-next-and-why-day-5-is-crucial-143687">rapid deterioration in the second week</a>. For all but large regional centres, this means COVID-19 is managed in the community. Deteriorating patients need to be transferred early.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, COVID-19 has a horrible trick. It can cause extremely low levels of blood oxygen without a patient feeling unwell or breathless, or realising their oxygen levels are critically low. This is called <a href="https://www.health.com/condition/infectious-diseases/coronavirus/silent-hypoxia">silent hypoxia</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A person with a pulse oximeter on their finger, measuring their blood oxygen levels" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/364142/original/file-20201019-13-sq3yn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/364142/original/file-20201019-13-sq3yn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364142/original/file-20201019-13-sq3yn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364142/original/file-20201019-13-sq3yn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364142/original/file-20201019-13-sq3yn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364142/original/file-20201019-13-sq3yn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364142/original/file-20201019-13-sq3yn0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Many rural health services have used remote oxygen monitoring tools so clinicians can check in on patients recovering at home.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>It’s a problem everywhere, but it may be <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2023540">worse in rural areas</a>. Patients often visit regional hospitals at a later stage of their illness due to self-reliance, distance to care, and a poorer understanding of the health system. By the time a rural COVID-19 patient thinks they are unwell enough to attend, they may already be close to dying.</p>
<p>Rural health services have had to adopt policies of regular local and remote checking-in for COVID-19 patients, especially in the second week. Telephone and internet connections are not always enough, so many hospitals have bought oxygen-monitoring tools for patients to use at home.</p>
<h2>Maintaining normal services is difficult</h2>
<p>COVID-19 need only infect a few staff at regional hospitals to make service delivery impossible. In <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-12/what-can-victoria-learn-tasmania-coronavirus-covid19-response/12445736">northwest Tasmania</a>, Australian Defence Force members had to replace infected and quarantining staff in mid-April.</p>
<p>Even without an outbreak, COVID makes it difficult to maintain normal operations. Health services relying on fly-in fly-out staff have struggled when staff can no longer travel freely across quarantine lines from the city or across state borders. Exemptions were given but the approval process was slow and many staff still had to do periods of self-quarantine, meaning many staff found it too difficult. Mechanisms to replace or increase staff may still be needed for regions with outbreaks.</p>
<p>Although rural hospitals have been spared the overwhelming numbers of COVID-19 seen in Melbourne hospitals, the extra precautions required to manage patients who could potentially have COVID-19 are draining. Maintaining services reliant on supplies at the end of the supply and logistics chain is slower and challenging. Like metropolitan staff, rural staff are feeling <a href="https://www.nswrdn.com.au/site/index.cfm?module=news&pagemode=indiv&page_id=1072042&pageReload=yes">fatigued</a> and requiring extra mental health support.</p>
<p>This is a problem as people move to rural areas for holidays and business. Even in normal years, health services in coastal and other tourist towns are busiest when the population swells in summer. With bookings of holiday accommodation <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-27/nsw-covid-restrictions-see-sydney-travellers-head-regional-coast/12701876">booming</a> in many areas, rural health services may be facing their busiest and most tiring part of the pandemic. If holidaymakers feel leaving the city means leaving behind the risk of infection and the need to socially distance, the results in some rural towns may be catastrophic.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/148183/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Timothy Baker receives funding from Alcoa of Australia. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Cameron Knott is affiliated with Australia New Zealand Intensive Care Society and is Deputy Chair of the Victorian Regional Committee of the College of Intensive Care Medicine (Australia and New Zealand).</span></em></p>Rural patients’ self-reliance means they often wait until it’s too late to visit hospital, while the closing of state borders has restricted the movement of some fly-in fly-out health workers.Timothy Baker, Associate Professor and Director, Centre for Rural Emergency Medicine, Deakin UniversityCameron Knott, Honorary Clinical Lecturer, Department of Critical Care & Rural Clinical School, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1422742020-08-17T20:12:00Z2020-08-17T20:12:00ZCensus year is the time to work together on a national settlement strategy<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/352843/original/file-20200814-16-7wt2j8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=6%2C19%2C4275%2C2824&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/aerial-view-housing-estate-queensland-showing-35327632">Warren Chan/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>COVID-19 has raised many questions about how we plan our cities. The issues affect all of us, whether you are in Perth or 3,300 kilometres away in Sydney. Common issues suggest a common approach, but how might we achieve that?</p>
<p>Common approaches require a common understanding and by chance next year, 2021, is <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/2089.0">census year</a>. The output from the census is one of the most important inputs to city and regional planning. It’s an opportunity for planners to directly reference the detailed data of the people and households of the communities that make up Australia. </p>
<p>The issues the COVID-19 pandemic has confronted us with raise the question of what other common-ground issues could be explored.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-has-changed-our-sense-of-place-so-together-we-must-re-imagine-our-cities-137789">Coronavirus has changed our sense of place, so together we must re-imagine our cities</a>
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<h2>Why do this?</h2>
<p>Interestingly, an “alignment of the stars” is occurring to some degree.</p>
<p>The Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) is <a href="https://www.planning.org.au/policy/national-settlement-strategy">calling for a national settlement strategy</a>. Among other things the institute suggests a national settlement strategy should:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>express long-term growth and liveability outcomes - nationally and for the states and regions</p></li>
<li><p>provide a context for a national population policy</p></li>
<li><p>set performance measures for liveability and productivity outcomes. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>A core benefit would be better-targeted infrastructure funding.</p>
<p>But the states and territories have already signed off on <a href="https://www.planning.org.au/policy/national-settlement-strategy">57 regional and capital city plans</a>. We need to think a little about what these plans mean – we cannot just stick them together. We need to understand where the common connections and objectives are.</p>
<p>As planning is a state responsibility, the states must drive this process. However, the states have a poor record of collaboration on strategic planning matters. Yes, we see a few good connections from time to time, but not a deliberative collaboration on city and regional planning issues.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2004C00469">constitution</a> does not provide the federal Parliament with powers to make laws relating to planning. However, the federal government has sought to deliver city outcomes, through the current <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/cities/city-deals/">City Deals</a> as well as, <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure/pab/files/NUPBP_Complete.pdf">in the past</a>, the <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/96849/1/Investing-in-Australian-Cities-v1-3.pdf">Building Better Cities</a> program and the <a href="http://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/p52401/mobile/ch05s02.html">National Urban and Regional Development Authority</a>.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/urban-policy-could-the-federal-government-finally-get-cities-47858">Urban policy: could the federal government finally ‘get’ cities?</a>
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</em>
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<p>Our common understanding and approach must therefore start and finish with collaboration by the states, with Commonwealth support. </p>
<h2>Common planning themes already exist</h2>
<p>Most Australian capital cities have developed metropolitan plans. The current plans were generally developed in 2017-18. With plans often reviewed every five years, some deep-dive research aligned with the 2021 census would sit well with that timing. </p>
<p>My review of the main themes of each capital city plan reveals areas of commonality (very few across all), as well as some clear local considerations.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/351929/original/file-20200810-20-kyc268.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Table showing main themes of capital city plans divided into common themes and local themes" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/351929/original/file-20200810-20-kyc268.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/351929/original/file-20200810-20-kyc268.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=705&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351929/original/file-20200810-20-kyc268.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=705&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351929/original/file-20200810-20-kyc268.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=705&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351929/original/file-20200810-20-kyc268.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=886&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351929/original/file-20200810-20-kyc268.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=886&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351929/original/file-20200810-20-kyc268.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=886&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Regional Australia accounts for most of the nation’s land area, and most regions have completed regional plans. It’s equally important, then, to identify and understand common issues and approaches outside the capital cities. </p>
<p>Gaining a common understanding of all issues and opportunities in the regions is a greater challenge than for the capital cities because of the diversity and scale of regional areas. But there are clearly many common issues, including water security, telecommunications coverage, growth and change, transport, access to services, and bushfires and floods, to name a few.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/people-and-issues-outside-our-big-cities-are-diverse-but-these-priorities-stand-out-110971">People and issues outside our big cities are diverse, but these priorities stand out</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Planning for a COVID-19 world</h2>
<p>In addition, many papers and articles have been published on the performance of cities and what issues city plans need to respond to in a COVID-19 world. Key issues include: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>the <a href="https://theconversation.com/cities-will-endure-but-urban-design-must-adapt-to-coronavirus-risks-and-fears-135949">management and design of public spaces</a></p></li>
<li><p>the <a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-and-walking-can-help-drive-australias-recovery-but-not-with-less-than-2-of-transport-budgets-142176">need for cycling and walking networks</a> for journeys to work, recreation and exercise</p></li>
<li><p>the <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-more-of-us-work-from-home-after-coronavirus-well-need-to-rethink-city-planning-136261">implications of working from home</a>.</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/were-at-a-fork-in-the-road-do-we-choose-neighbourhoods-to-live-work-and-play-in-138949">We're at a fork in the road: do we choose neighbourhoods to live, work and play in?</a>
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<p>The initial planning response has been to <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-pm-wants-to-fast-track-mega-projects-for-pandemic-recovery-heres-why-thats-a-bad-idea-136838">fast-track development proposals</a> to maximise the opportunities for the market to respond. </p>
<p>Infrastructure investments have also included more projects supporting <a href="https://theconversation.com/physical-distancing-is-here-for-a-while-over-100-experts-call-for-more-safe-walking-and-cycling-space-137374">walking, cycling</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-cant-let-coronavirus-kill-our-cities-heres-how-we-can-save-urban-life-137063">public spaces</a> in line with what we have learned from the impacts of COVID-19.</p>
<p>It’s increasingly clear <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-things-you-need-to-know-about-todays-economic-statement-143088">economic recovery is going to take time</a>. A common research agenda could be used to better inform a national infrastructure agenda directed to stimulating economic activity and thus jobs.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-may-live-to-regret-open-slather-construction-stimulus-139967">We may live to regret open-slather construction stimulus</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What is it we need?</h2>
<p>Ultimately, we need agreement on the understanding behind a set of common issues, and on how we respond. The key here is a common understanding. Differences in the planning systems across the states represent a technical, not substantive, issue which each state would deal with in an implementation phase. </p>
<p>To enhance the prospects of agreement between the states on settlement issues, a research agenda linked to the 2021 census date is a prime opportunity to start a dialogue. A collaborative approach to planning across the states can occur at any time, but the opportunity to align research with the census comes around only once every five years.</p>
<p>While the census is a year away, that doesn’t leave much time to establish a joint research agenda. </p>
<p>The first critical task is simply coming together and agreeing to work collaboratively. This requires commitment to understanding both the challenges and opportunities, as well as working jointly on responses. We need to learn to walk (understand) before we start to run (plan).</p>
<p>The emergence of a <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-the-national-cabinet-and-is-it-democratic-135036">national cabinet</a> suggests these unique times call for new ways of doing things. Now is the time for the planning profession to add its strategic insights into cities and regions to support Australia’s recovery.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/142274/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Halvard Dalheim runs his own consultancy, Halvard Dalheim City Planning Advisory Service Pty Ltd. He is a member of the Planning Institute of Australia and the Urban Land Institute, Asia Pacific.</span></em></p>Australia lacks a coherent national approach to planning where settlement and growth happens. It’s time to take stock of our cities and regions and work together to improve outcomes across the nation.Halvard Dalheim, Practitioner in Residence, The Henry Halloran Trust, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1433552020-08-09T20:12:40Z2020-08-09T20:12:40ZWhy regional universities and communities need targeted help to ride out the coronavirus storm<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/351670/original/file-20200806-18-17ckwgu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=164%2C5%2C1436%2C937&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.facebook.com/usqedu/photos/usqs-main-campus-is-located-in-toowoomba-come-and-visit-us-and-experience-all-th/10156410166848453">USQ/Facebook</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Australian universities are expected to lose billions of dollars in revenue due to the impacts of COVID-19. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-19-what-australian-universities-can-do-to-recover-from-the-loss-of-international-student-fees-139759">estimated lost revenue</a> from international students alone is A$18 billion by 2024. While all universities are affected, regional universities and communities are the most vulnerable.</p>
<p>Regional communities have limited resources, so their universities play a pivotal role in their economies. These universities must adjust to the rapidly changing circumstances and government policy changes, or risk jeopardising regional economic growth and jobs. Without targeted government support for these smaller universities, the long-term impacts on regional communities could be devastating. </p>
<p>The Regional Universities Network (<a href="http://www.run.edu.au/">RUN</a>) includes CQUniversity, Southern Cross University, Federation University Australia, University of New England, University of Southern Queensland, University of the Sunshine Coast and Charles Sturt University. CQUniversity, where <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/may/23/regional-universities-push-to-trial-a-return-of-international-students-to-australia">39% of students</a> are international students, has a revenue shortfall of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-11/central-queensland-university-to-cut-jobs/12233482">A$116 million</a> for 2020. Charles Sturt University (<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/may/23/regional-universities-push-to-trial-a-return-of-international-students-to-australia">32% international students</a>) faces a loss of about <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-05/charles-sturt-university-job-cuts-flagged-due-to-covid-19/12214920">A$80 million</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/351674/original/file-20200806-42399-10p6ggb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Charles Sturt University campus at Bathurst, NSW" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/351674/original/file-20200806-42399-10p6ggb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/351674/original/file-20200806-42399-10p6ggb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=327&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351674/original/file-20200806-42399-10p6ggb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=327&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351674/original/file-20200806-42399-10p6ggb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=327&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351674/original/file-20200806-42399-10p6ggb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=411&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351674/original/file-20200806-42399-10p6ggb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=411&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351674/original/file-20200806-42399-10p6ggb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=411&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Charles Sturt University has announced cuts to courses and jobs because of its deficit.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/geoffwhalan/38249215815/in/photolist-21gXehc-21cYnxx-GS8NhV-e1GYAV-ZuoUVq-ZJXe8j-2iEYBih-2iEUnVj-2gMiwBv-2gMiwJQ-2idaon7-bZokcG-fcgHMF-27qxes5-fcgQvz-KmQAMU-pdAkNK-2iEUnT5-266TSnH-21HLLYd-YEzfSV-266TRF2-ZtT2zt-fcweAo-fGDybe-6yKWz3-p1sJc1-fGW5Mb-24wf3YE-fcgMRi-2idaojG-6yKX2u-fcwaDs-DGveLS-8vqHEN-fcgKYp-oWtthF-q3W68A-8vqJiu-oWuCcb-nBUxqi-86yeHH-qy1Voa-4LURju-8vnF94-8vqHA5-fcvNFh-8vqHJQ-oWuk6g-6yFRQ6">Geoff Whalan/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What are the regional economic impacts?</h2>
<p>All universities face job losses as a result of COVID-19. But the impacts of these job losses are greatest for regional economies. </p>
<p>RUN chair Helen Bartlett <a href="http://www.run.edu.au/cb_pages/news/regional_loading.php">told</a> a federal parliamentary committee hearing in May:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Job losses from regional universities have a significant impact on regional communities when there are few alternatives for professional employment locally.</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/351513/original/file-20200806-20-1o4vtrc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="RUN chair Helen Bartlett" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/351513/original/file-20200806-20-1o4vtrc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/351513/original/file-20200806-20-1o4vtrc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351513/original/file-20200806-20-1o4vtrc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351513/original/file-20200806-20-1o4vtrc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351513/original/file-20200806-20-1o4vtrc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351513/original/file-20200806-20-1o4vtrc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351513/original/file-20200806-20-1o4vtrc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The RUN chair, Professor Helen Bartlett, notes that when regional universities shed jobs their local communities have few professional employment alternatives.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.usc.edu.au/about/usc-news/news-archive/2020/february/university-welcomes-next-vice-chancellor">USC News</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>She <a href="http://www.run.edu.au/cb_pages/news/regional_loading.php">called</a> on the government to double the annual regional loading funding of A$74 million. </p>
<p>Regional universities educate around <a href="http://www.run.edu.au/cb_pages/news/economic_impact_Nous.php">115,000</a> students each year. That’s about 9% of enrolments at Australian public universities.</p>
<p>A <a href="http://www.run.edu.au/resources/RUN%20Economic%20impact%20report%20final.pdf">2018 study</a> found regional universities inject A$1.7 billion a year into their local economies. And seven out of ten graduates go on to work in regional areas.</p>
<p>Regional universities also <a href="http://www.run.edu.au/cb_pages/news/RUN_conference_promo.php">contribute</a> over A$2.1 billion and more than 14,000 full-time jobs to the national economy.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/351503/original/file-20200806-20-vh52zr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/351503/original/file-20200806-20-vh52zr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/351503/original/file-20200806-20-vh52zr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=60&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351503/original/file-20200806-20-vh52zr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=60&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351503/original/file-20200806-20-vh52zr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=60&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351503/original/file-20200806-20-vh52zr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=75&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351503/original/file-20200806-20-vh52zr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=75&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351503/original/file-20200806-20-vh52zr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=75&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/351507/original/file-20200806-22-7dr4f5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Table showing the three main effects of regional universities on their regions" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/351507/original/file-20200806-22-7dr4f5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/351507/original/file-20200806-22-7dr4f5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351507/original/file-20200806-22-7dr4f5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351507/original/file-20200806-22-7dr4f5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351507/original/file-20200806-22-7dr4f5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=632&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351507/original/file-20200806-22-7dr4f5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=632&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351507/original/file-20200806-22-7dr4f5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=632&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.run.edu.au/resources/RUN%20Economic%20impact%20report%20final.pdf">'The economic impact of the Regional Universities Network'/RUN</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-universities-could-lose-19-billion-in-the-next-3-years-our-economy-will-suffer-with-them-136251">Australian universities could lose $19 billion in the next 3 years. Our economy will suffer with them</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What is the government doing?</h2>
<p>In April the federal government guaranteed A$18 billion in university funding this year to help the sector through the coronavirus crisis. It also provided A$100 million in regulatory fee relief.</p>
<p>The chair of Universities Australia, Deborah Terry, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/apr/12/australian-universities-warn-covid-19-relief-package-not-enough-to-stop-21000-jobs-losses">welcomed</a> this as a “first step”. However, she warned an estimated 21,000 jobs would still be lost.</p>
<p>In June, the government announced the <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/job-ready">Job-ready Graduates Package</a>. It plans to lower student fees for selected courses (and raise others) to encourage study for what the government deems to be jobs of the future.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-government-is-making-job-ready-degrees-cheaper-for-students-but-cutting-funding-to-the-same-courses-141280">The government is making ‘job-ready’ degrees cheaper for students – but cutting funding to the same courses</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Extra support <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/job-ready/better-university-funding-arrangements">announced</a> for regional universities includes:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>3.5% growth in Commonwealth Grant Scheme funding to regional and remote campuses</p></li>
<li><p>A$5,000 payments for students from outer regional, remote and very remote areas who transfer to Certificate IV study or higher, for at least one year</p></li>
<li><p>a new A$500 million-a-year fund for programs that help Indigenous, regional and low socioeconomic status students get into university and graduate</p></li>
<li><p>A$48.4 million in research grants for regional universities to partner with industry and other universities to boost their research capacity</p></li>
<li><p>A$21 million to set up new <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/regional-university-centres">regional university centres</a></p></li>
<li><p>guaranteed bachelor-level Commonwealth-supported places to support more Indigenous students from regional and remote areas to go to any public university.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The government has also <a href="https://ministers.dese.gov.au/tehan/national-priorities-and-industry-linkage-fund-working-group">promised</a> a A$900 million industry linkage fund. The aim is to help universities build stronger relationships with STEM industries and provide work-integrated learning opportunities.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/new-modelling-shows-the-importance-of-university-research-to-business-132442">New modelling shows the importance of university research to business</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What does this mean for regional universities?</h2>
<p>The Regional Universities Network welcomed the package. Bartlett <a href="http://www.run.edu.au/cb_pages/news/reform_package.php">said</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Lowering the cost of the student contribution for courses such as nursing, allied health, teaching, agriculture, engineering, IT and maths should encourage greater uptake by regional students in these areas. It is estimated that there should be more places in the regions. More graduates from our universities will produce more graduates to work in regional Australia in areas of skills need.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>As the COVID-19 economic battle is ever evolving, the tertiary education sector must be vigilant. Spending should be prioritised to make it equitable for all universities and their communities. Decision-makers need to be aware of the key issues affecting the success of tertiary education in the regions and their dependent communities. </p>
<p>Regional engagement activities and programs, backed by increased funding, improve the prospects of successfully weathering the COVID-19 storm. Regional universities can deliver national benefits, by overcoming skill shortages and meeting local workforce needs, while contributing to public and private community services such as schools and health services. </p>
<p>The government package is important for all universities, but this support is the only means of regional universities surviving. If they are not supported and are forced to close, regional education and economies will suffer for many years.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/143355/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mehmet Aslan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>All universities face job losses. But the impacts of these job losses are greatest for regional communities.Mehmet Aslan, Honorary Fellow, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of WollongongLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1397562020-06-08T19:49:50Z2020-06-08T19:49:50ZLocal news sources are closing across Australia. We are tracking the devastation (and some reasons for hope)<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/340284/original/file-20200608-176554-12crejs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The Yarram Standard and Great Southern Star, both of which have covered South Gippsland for well over a century, <a href="https://www.crikey.com.au/2020/05/25/regional-newspaper-describes-pain-closure/">won’t be returning</a> from their coronavirus-enforced suspensions. </p>
<p>The two papers are the latest in a growing number of news outlets to close their doors. The economic fallout associated with the virus has been described as an “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/apr/09/coronavirus-us-newspapers-impact">extinction event</a>” for the media – and news outlets in suburban, regional and rural areas are being particularly hard hit. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/another-savage-blow-to-regional-media-spells-disaster-for-the-communities-they-serve-139559">Another savage blow to regional media spells disaster for the communities they serve</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>These challenges have renewed interest in the phenomenon of “news deserts”: towns, communities and local government areas where the supply of news appears to have been reduced to nothing. </p>
<p>In June 2019, <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Digital%20platforms%20inquiry%20-%20final%20report.pdf">the ACCC estimated</a> there were 21 news deserts around Australia, 16 of them in rural and regional areas. This number has almost certainly grown in the period since.</p>
<p>The loss of local news is a concern. Local papers fill a special role in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.5172/rsj.2012.21.2.126">building community spirit and social cohesion</a> in a way that metropolitan papers do not. <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1329878x16648390">Research shows</a> that civic leaders believe local media does a better job of reflecting the needs of communities than state or national media. </p>
<p>The closure of local newspapers has also been <a href="https://www.cjr.org/united_states_project/public-finance-local-news.php">linked to higher borrowing costs and financial waste in local government</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08997764.2013.785553">decreasing voter turnout and higher incumbency rates for elected officials</a>.</p>
<h2>The Australian Newsroom Mapping Project</h2>
<p>As a researcher at the Public Interest Journalism Initiative, I have been tracking changes in news production and availability for the <a href="https://piji.com.au/research/the-australian-newsroom-mapping-project/">Australian Newsroom Mapping Project</a>. </p>
<p>Our approach is simple: we are displaying what has changed in news production and availability in Australia since January 2019. </p>
<p>The changes we are capturing include </p>
<ul>
<li><p>the entire closure of a masthead or withdrawal from broadcast license areas </p></li>
<li><p>the closure of a specific newsroom </p></li>
<li><p>changes to publication or broadcast frequency</p></li>
<li><p>the end of print editions. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>We have logged over 200 contractions since the end of March alone, clear evidence of the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/another-savage-blow-to-regional-media-spells-disaster-for-the-communities-they-serve-139559">swift and savage force</a>” with which COVID-19 has affected news. </p>
<hr>
<p><iframe id="tc-infographic-490" class="tc-infographic" height="400px" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/infographics/490/d41c5a2c0a39f9624f37608b4f8495b26c876d13/site/index.html" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<hr>
<p>Two types of change stand out: a greatly accelerated shift to digital-only publishing and the closures of newsrooms, particularly in regional New South Wales. Between them, these two types of change represent about two-thirds of all entries in our data.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/local-newspapers-are-an-essential-service-they-deserve-a-government-rescue-package-too-135323">Local newspapers are an 'essential service'. They deserve a government rescue package, too</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Australian Community Media, publisher of about 160 newspapers in regional and rural areas, has closed most of its non-daily papers <a href="https://www.maitlandmercury.com.au/story/6722552/updated-hunter-newspapers-shuttered-due-to-coronavirus-downturn/?cs=17267">until the end of June</a>. How many of them reopen next month is a big question: many of the changes in our data that were first described as temporary have become permanent. </p>
<p>News Corp’s <a href="https://www.newscorpaustralia.com/news-corp-australia-announces-portfolio-changes/">recent announcement</a> that dozens of community newspaper titles will be digital-only is the highest-profile example, but far from the only one.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1249895122663170048"}"></div></p>
<h2>It’s not all gloomy news</h2>
<p>Though the map overwhelmingly indicates declining news availability, we are also gathering information about growth. </p>
<p>In Murray Bridge, South Australia, for example, a journalist furloughed from the Standard continued local coverage <a href="https://murraybridgenews.substack.com/">through his own initiative</a>. In <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-22/wimmera-mallee-news-to-launch-horsham-times/12273328">Horsham</a> and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-24/rival-publisher-fills-void-after-acm-newspaper-closure-in-ararat/12178372">Ararat</a>, Victoria, rival publishers from nearby areas stepped in to fill the coverage gap with new papers. </p>
<p>And in the year prior to COVID-19, News Corp opened a dozen new digital community sites, including in regional centres like Wollongong and Newcastle. </p>
<p>Some of the contractions logged on our map have also improved as communities rally around their local papers. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/torresnews/">Cape and Torres News</a> in northern Queensland, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2020/apr/16/coronavirus-closed-a-broken-hill-newspaper-but-the-community-fought-to-save-it">the Barrier Daily Truth</a> in Broken Hill, New South Wales, and <a href="https://bunyippress.com.au/">The Bunyip</a> in Gawler, South Australia, are just a few examples of papers that have been able to return due to public support. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1251327799786262528"}"></div></p>
<h2>The challenge of news data maps</h2>
<p>Any research is only as good as its data, and it is an enormous challenge to build a complete database of all news production across Australia. Missing a single publication can be the difference between listing a region as a news desert and not.</p>
<p>To be manageable, <a href="https://www.usnewsdeserts.com/">similar projects</a> focus on commercial newspapers at the expense of other media, recognising the role print still has as the primary source of original news. This approach can provide a misleading picture in places where radio, TV or digital news are dominant. </p>
<p>There is also the question of where entries go on a map. We place geographic markers according to either the location of the newsroom or somewhere in the community that it primarily serves. That approach makes sense, but can misrepresent the scale of the problem. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-closure-of-aap-is-yet-another-blow-to-public-interest-journalism-in-australia-132856">The closure of AAP is yet another blow to public interest journalism in Australia</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>For instance, the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/win-shuts-down-five-newsrooms-as-regional-broadcasters-struggle-20190619-p51zdz.html">closure of the WIN TV newsroom</a> in Wagga Wagga, NSW, last June affected the entire Riverina, but is represented on our map as only a small red dot in the city.</p>
<p>It is possible to overcome these problems, but to do so is enormously resource intensive. </p>
<p><a href="https://newsecosystems.org/njmap/">A new project</a> at Montclair University in the US, for example, is mapping local news in New Jersey, including variables such as coverage areas, population density and income. The researchers are analysing the content of each media outlet to determine if the towns it says it is covering are actually showing up in its stories. </p>
<p>The scale of the work required to establish a reliable map just for New Jersey seems overwhelming, and it is hard to imagine how much money and time a research team would need to replicate it nationally.</p>
<h2>Feeling ‘in the dark’ when local newsrooms close</h2>
<p>Building other variables into our data, such as population density or journalism jobs statistics from the ABS, is an appealing idea that could bring more nuance to our project. </p>
<p>The underlying data for our work is <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19dJYVMpE0ZdgnGsaQvbbI7jcWAhgCovK?usp=sharing">open to public scrutiny</a> and we have benefited enormously <a href="mailto:newsmap@piji.com.au">from submissions</a>, which help us gain better insight into local media across the country.</p>
<p>Readers sometimes reach out to tell me about the importance of their local paper for community life. One reader of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DungogChronicle/">Dungog Chronicle</a> in Dungog, NSW, which closed in April, wrote</p>
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<p>its closure diminishes our strength as a community, our identity as a Shire, and our willingness to take part in local decision-making. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>The newspaper was first published in 1888 and covered the city for more than 130 years. The reader told me,</p>
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<p>There is less spring in our step without the Chronicle. It has been a faithful conduit for all local news for the 30+ years that I have been here, and I feel in the dark without it.</p>
</blockquote><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/139756/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gary Dickson is the Research and Projects Manager for the Public Interest Journalism Initiative, where he runs the Australian Newsroom Mapping Project. He is a member of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance.
The Public Interest Journalism Initiative's board of directors includes Eric Beecher, publisher of Private Media and Solstice Media, and Karen Mahlab AM, publisher of Pro Bono News.</span></em></p>According to the Australian Newsroom Mapping Project, there have been 200 contractions of news operations since March. But ‘news deserts’ were a growing problem long before coronavirus.Gary Dickson, Sessional tutor, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1353232020-04-01T06:32:30Z2020-04-01T06:32:30ZLocal newspapers are an ‘essential service’. They deserve a government rescue package, too<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/324524/original/file-20200401-66120-18t0w98.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The coronavirus pandemic has spawned a lexicon of its own. We have had to quickly incorporate words like “self-isolation” and “social distancing” into our everyday language to navigate it. </p>
<p>“<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-actually-are-essential-services-and-who-decides-135029">Essential service</a>” is another one. In fact, it is one of the most commonly used and somewhat confusing keywords to emerge from our leaders’ press conferences. This is because it has taken on new significance and is being defined in particular ways. </p>
<p>So what constitutes essential news and information services?</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/newsletter"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/320030/original/file-20200312-116261-a6ugi0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=90&fit=crop&dpr=2" alt="Sign up to The Conversation" width="100%"></a></p>
<h2>Small newspapers closing and going digital-only</h2>
<p>News Corporation <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/news-corp-suspends-print-editions-of-community-newspapers-20200401-p54fxv.html">has announced</a> it will suspend the printing of 60 community newspapers in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia from next week. They will become digital-only products.</p>
<p>News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller said in a <a href="https://www.newscorpaustralia.com/news-corp-australia-to-suspend-community-print-titles/">statement</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>the impact of COVID-19 on the community print titles came on top of the toll on media from the refusal of digital platforms to pay publishers to use their content.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The News Corp statement is one of several such <a href="https://www.sunraysiadaily.com.au/1098449/sunraysia-daily-to-suspend-printing-stand-down-staff?fbclid=IwAR3AeSKr6nsEpyA9zsq8e8jBM7oJQik3F9xlFQ-OICKJiGKaV1ylCLJ8MqE">announcements</a> in recent weeks as dozens of local and community newspapers have closed across the country, from the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/1390343767/posts/10216971823033039/">Torres Strait</a> to <a href="https://indaily.com.au/news/2020/04/01/sa-country-newspaper-closes-indefinitely-and-messenger-stops-printing/">Gawler</a>, South Australia, and many more in the US, UK and New Zealand.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1244912085680586757"}"></div></p>
<p>This news has barely made the headlines amid the coronavirus crisis, and there has been little talk of a rescue package for newspapers that have shut their doors in these unprecedented times. </p>
<h2>What qualifies as ‘essential’ information?</h2>
<p>As researchers undertaking an <a href="https://disruptr.deakin.edu.au/society/country-press-survival-the-focus-of-newly-funded-research-project/">ARC Linkage project</a> on media innovation in partnership with Country Press Australia, our attention is now focused on understanding what qualifies as an “essential” news and information service. </p>
<p>We are also studying the lengths to which Australians are prepared to go to protect their media from the economic devastation stemming from the coronavirus. </p>
<p>If newspapers are to innovate and flourish beyond the pandemic, they need to be acknowledged and supported as an essential service. </p>
<p>Yet, there are mixed messages about what might be considered “essential information” platforms. For the government, essential information seems to be limited to what it tells an elite group of journalists at Canberra press conferences and what it posts on its “<a href="https://www.australia.gov.au/">COVID-19 essential information</a>” website. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/after-a-dark-decade-for-australias-regional-newspapers-a-hopeful-light-flickers-116359">After a dark decade for Australia's regional newspapers, a hopeful light flickers</a>
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</em>
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<hr>
<p>At the same time, Prime Minister Scott Morrison is sending mixed messages about the value of social media. On one hand, the government has launched a massive social media advertising campaign on coronavirus; on the other, he is saying platforms such as Twitter are “<a href="https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6142423186001">breeding grounds for gossip and nonsense</a>”.</p>
<p>This inconsistency and confusion only adds to the uncertainty about what the government considers “essential information” channels that people should go to for reliable news.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1245234489145487362"}"></div></p>
<h2>What can be done to protect local newspapers?</h2>
<p>What we <a href="https://www.macmillanihe.com/page/detail/Local-Journalism-in-a-Digital-World/?K=9781137504760">already know</a> is that local journalism (especially newspapers) matters to the public. And right now, local audiences need professionally produced news that is socially and geographically relevant. </p>
<p>On a national scale, “essential coronavirus information” is available via government websites and major news outlets. </p>
<p>But if you live in regional or remote Australia, you need news on the local businesses and services that have been affected by the virus and infection rates specific to your patch. Local papers also deliver stories about how friends and neighbours are coping and supporting each other.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/without-local-papers-regional-voices-would-struggle-to-be-heard-26620">Without local papers, regional voices would struggle to be heard</a>
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</em>
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<p>Intervention is needed to protect these newspapers from disappearing altogether. Already, there have been <a href="https://www.meaa.org/mediaroom/unlock-regional-publishers-funds-now-to-keep-newspapers-alive/?mc_cid=e42c3b73e3&mc_eid=5d154cd5ed">calls</a> for the government to tap into an existing $40 million innovation fund to support small and regional publishers through the crisis. </p>
<p>We also suggest the government should consider making newspaper subscriptions (print and digital) tax-deductible. </p>
<p>As small businesses, many local newspapers will be eligible for existing tax relief such as the <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/economics/jobkeeper-some-tips-and-traps-for-business-owners-and-employers/news-story/3bf4e8ade8dcccaac6ce4b7bb44fd4cc">JobKeeper allowances</a> designed to keep their employees in work. </p>
<p>But our early research indicates there are other ways for governments and major companies to get behind regional and rural newspapers and deem them essential services. </p>
<p>Government advertising spending has dropped dramatically in the past five years across country newspapers. This had represented a major chunk of their revenue. Instead, government advertising funds are often redirected to social media with little regard or thought about the consequences in the wider media ecology. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-closure-of-aap-is-yet-another-blow-to-public-interest-journalism-in-australia-132856">The closure of AAP is yet another blow to public interest journalism in Australia</a>
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<p>Such communication strategies overlook the fact the local printed newspaper is still an essential service for many in local communities, particularly the elderly who are arguably most at risk from COVID-19. </p>
<p>Protecting these news outlets should be at the forefront of any government communication plan when there is a vital need to keep people informed and connected, and fake news and misinformation is rife.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Australian media and communication academics are also sending mixed messages. They are calling for the survival of public interest journalism while taking research funding from the predatory news platforms Google and Facebook, which are widely recognised for destroying the health of news ecosystems throughout the world. </p>
<p>In Australia, two <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Future_of_Public_Interest_Journalism/PublicInterestJournalism/Report">parliamentary</a> <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Communications/BroadcastingandProduction/Report">inquiries</a> and a landmark <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/publications/digital-platforms-inquiry-final-report">report</a> by the ACCC and News Corporation have all concluded that Facebook and Google are no friends to Australia’s small newspapers. </p>
<p>Yet strangely, these juggernauts are being <a href="https://www.canberra.edu.au/research/faculty-research-centres/nmrc/research/regional-journalists-what-do-they-need">positioned</a> as saviours of local news. </p>
<h2>Social dimension of local papers</h2>
<p>If coronavirus has an upside, it is reminding us of the essential importance of social order and connection at both institutional and individual levels. </p>
<p>One of the most prominent images from the coronavirus coverage in Italy over the past few weeks has been the <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/coronavirus-italy-latest-obituary-newspaper-lombardy-death-toll-a9403016.html">obituary and death notices</a> in the Lombardy region, highlighting the continued central role the local media plays in important rituals and life events. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1238860068457779206"}"></div></p>
<p>The newspapers under threat during the crisis connect people well beyond matters of politics and public interest. </p>
<p>Our research shows that, in fact, it is often the social dimension of these newspapers that matters most. They are also bridges to the local advertisers deeply affected by this crisis, such as retail shops, cafes and restaurants. This matters to people in regional communities – and it’s time we acknowledged that.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/135323/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kristy Hess has received funding from the Australian Research Council, Country Press Australia and the Edward Wilson Trust</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lisa Waller has received funding from the Australian Research Council, Country Press Australia and the Edward Wilson Trust. </span></em></p>Small newspapers across Australia are closing or going digital-only in the economic fall-out from the coronavirus pandemic. This is what we need to do to save them.Kristy Hess, Associate Professor (Communication), Deakin UniversityLisa Waller, Professor of Digital Communication, RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1219422019-08-16T02:39:12Z2019-08-16T02:39:12ZThe regions can take more migrants and refugees, with a little help<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288262/original/file-20190816-136199-7lqozz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=275%2C98%2C1352%2C840&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Attraction and retention: the key issues to get more immigrants to settle in regional Australia.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/toowoombarc/40122374263/">Flickr/Toowoomba Region</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The federal government wants to boost the number of migrants moving to regional areas in Australia to fill job vacancies and reduce the pressure on our cities.</p>
<p>That’s why the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, David Coleman, this week asked the Joint Standing Committee on Migration to look into and report on <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/joint/migration">migration in regional Australia</a>.</p>
<p>He’s called on anyone to make a submission by September 20 and the Committee intends to hit the road for a series of public hearings.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/dog-whistles-regional-visas-and-wage-theft-immigration-policy-is-again-an-election-issue-113557">Dog whistles, regional visas and wage theft – immigration policy is again an election issue</a>
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</em>
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<hr>
<p>The <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Migration/RegionalMigration/Media_Releases">government says</a> only about one in five people who came to Australia between 2006 and 2011 settled in regional areas. So what are the challenges to encourage more migrants to settle in regional Australia?</p>
<h2>Bush vs city</h2>
<p>Australia is one of the most urbanised nations in the world with <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/D3310114.nsf/home/Interesting+Facts+about+Australia%E2%80%99s+population">67% of the population living in capital cities</a>, with <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1819/Quick_Guides/PopulationStatistics">migrants more urban than non-migrants</a>.</p>
<p>The two key issues for encouraging more migrants to regional areas are attraction and retention.</p>
<p>For skilled migrants this means <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/federal-budget/immigration-cuts-and-regional-visas-to-ease-strain-on-sydney-and-melbourne/news-story/da7de88690966d4c202ab0d372a5b253">new visa pathways to regional settlement</a>. Two were announced earlier this year, the <a href="https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/regional-migration/news/new-regional-visas">Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa and the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa</a>, both with a pathway to permanent residency at the end of three years. This is a big incentive, since permanent residency is the main goal of most temporary migrants.</p>
<h2>Staying in the regions</h2>
<p>The key factors that impact on retention of migrants who settle in regional and rural Australia are employment, children’s education, lifestyle, availability of services and the warmth of the welcome from locals.</p>
<p><a href="https://web-tools.uts.edu.au/projects/detail.cfm?ProjectId=2006000310">Findings</a> from a national survey of 915 skilled migrants who settled in regional and rural Australia in 2008 found about two thirds liked their jobs.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288250/original/file-20190816-136186-1y815t6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288250/original/file-20190816-136186-1y815t6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288250/original/file-20190816-136186-1y815t6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=441&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288250/original/file-20190816-136186-1y815t6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=441&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288250/original/file-20190816-136186-1y815t6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=441&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288250/original/file-20190816-136186-1y815t6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=554&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288250/original/file-20190816-136186-1y815t6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=554&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288250/original/file-20190816-136186-1y815t6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=554&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Job satisfaction of migrants.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">New immigrants in regional and rural Australia: attraction and retention, by Jock Collins and Branka Krivokapic-skoko (2008)/Rural and Regional Industries Research Council</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>About two in three said the community had made them feel very welcome. The reputation of the Australian bush being populated with red necks who don’t like migrant newcomers is myth rather than reality.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288251/original/file-20190816-136230-1f0vpij.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288251/original/file-20190816-136230-1f0vpij.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288251/original/file-20190816-136230-1f0vpij.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=390&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288251/original/file-20190816-136230-1f0vpij.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=390&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288251/original/file-20190816-136230-1f0vpij.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=390&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288251/original/file-20190816-136230-1f0vpij.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=490&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288251/original/file-20190816-136230-1f0vpij.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=490&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288251/original/file-20190816-136230-1f0vpij.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=490&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">How welcome migrants feel.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">New immigrants in regional and rural Australia: attraction and retention, by Jock Collins and Branka Krivokapic-skoko (2008)/Rural and Regional Industries Research Council.</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Most skilled migrants were satisfied with medical services, schools and entertainment available in their regional and rural community. Telecommunication services were rated less highly while transport services were a source of great dissatisfaction.</p>
<h2>Regional refugee success</h2>
<p>For refugees, their primary settlement location is decided by the Australian government. Regional cities such as Toowoomba and Logan in Queensland, Wagga Wagga, Wollongong and Coffs Harbour in New South Wales and Shepperton in Victoria have settled many refugees.</p>
<p>What does the research tell us about refugee migration to regional Australia?
The classic success story is that of the <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/au/en/pages/economics/articles/economic-social-impact-karen-resettlement.html">Karen people from Myanmar who settled in Nhill</a> in western Victoria, many of whom find <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-24/study-reveals-refugees-boosting-nhill-economy/6417620">employment at the Luv a Duck factory</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.uts.edu.au/research-and-teaching/our-research/centre-business-and-social-innovation/research/projects-0">Research</a> was done in 2018 with 111 newly-arrived adult refugees from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan who settled in Queensland regional cities of Toowoomba and Logan. It <a href="https://theconversation.com/refugees-are-integrating-just-fine-in-regional-australia-101188">found</a> most like living there, feel safe, feel the locals were very friendly towards them and that their children had a good future in Australia. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288252/original/file-20190816-136186-4jtvlu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288252/original/file-20190816-136186-4jtvlu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288252/original/file-20190816-136186-4jtvlu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=318&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288252/original/file-20190816-136186-4jtvlu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=318&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288252/original/file-20190816-136186-4jtvlu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=318&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288252/original/file-20190816-136186-4jtvlu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288252/original/file-20190816-136186-4jtvlu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288252/original/file-20190816-136186-4jtvlu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The friendliness of locals according to migrants.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.uts.edu.au/research-and-teaching/our-research/centre-business-and-social-innovation/research/projects-0">Jock Collins and colleagues</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Most refugees who flee their homeland to begin the risky and dangerous journey to Australia do so in order to provide a safe place for them and their family. They hope to settle in a good place to bring up their children.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/refugees-are-integrating-just-fine-in-regional-australia-101188">Refugees are integrating just fine in regional Australia</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.uts.edu.au/research-and-teaching/our-research/centre-business-and-social-innovation/research/projects-0">research found</a> the migrants feel their neighbourhoods in Brisbane, Toowoomba and Logan were good places to bring up children.</p>
<p>Nearly all adult refugees – and their children – feel very safe in regional and metropolitan Queensland. Incredibly all of those refugee adults living in Toowoomba feel it is a safe place to live.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288253/original/file-20190816-136213-1hyca37.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288253/original/file-20190816-136213-1hyca37.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288253/original/file-20190816-136213-1hyca37.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=327&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288253/original/file-20190816-136213-1hyca37.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=327&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288253/original/file-20190816-136213-1hyca37.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=327&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288253/original/file-20190816-136213-1hyca37.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=411&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288253/original/file-20190816-136213-1hyca37.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=411&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288253/original/file-20190816-136213-1hyca37.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=411&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">How safe migrants felt their neighbourhood was.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.uts.edu.au/research-and-teaching/our-research/centre-business-and-social-innovation/research/projects-0">Jock Collins and colleagues</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Getting a job</h2>
<p>Employment is the real challenge for any attempt to redirect more refugees and skilled migrants to regional Australia. The critical issue for keeping refugees in regional cities such as Toowoomba and Logan is getting a job.</p>
<p>At first glance the research doesn’t seem too positive in this regard.</p>
<p>Only 13.8% of refugees in Logan and 13.2% in Toowoomba had been able to find a job in 2018. But most of these refugees had settled in the previous 12 months so most were still learning English and had not yet began looking work.</p>
<p>But these refugee families were also surveyed in 2019 and the improved employment results seem encouraging for refugee retention.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288255/original/file-20190816-136190-fo4nzb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288255/original/file-20190816-136190-fo4nzb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288255/original/file-20190816-136190-fo4nzb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=370&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288255/original/file-20190816-136190-fo4nzb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=370&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288255/original/file-20190816-136190-fo4nzb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=370&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288255/original/file-20190816-136190-fo4nzb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288255/original/file-20190816-136190-fo4nzb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288255/original/file-20190816-136190-fo4nzb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Job prospects of migrants in Queensland.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Jock Collins</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Overall the research supports the push for increasing skilled and humanitarian migration to regional Australia, with the proviso that more needs to be done on the employment front to encourage retention.</p>
<p>One policy that should be explored in this regard relates to <a href="https://www.lowyinstitute.org/publications/private-and-community-sector-initiatives-refugee-employment-and-entrepreneurship">migrant and refugee entrepreneurship</a>. Many refugees have experience in <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-refugees-overcome-the-odds-to-become-entrepreneurs-85091">running their own business</a> prior to settling in Australia. </p>
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<p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-refugees-overcome-the-odds-to-become-entrepreneurs-85091">How refugees overcome the odds to become entrepreneurs</a>
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<hr>
<p>Supporting them to establish a business in regional Australia by introducing proven programs such as Settlement Services International’s <a href="http://www.ssi.org.au/services/ignite">Ignite Small Business Start-ups</a> refugee program would assist them to create their own jobs and employment for others as well as revitalising the economy of the regional cities.</p>
<p>The biggest threat to increasing temporary migration to regional Australia is wage-theft and exploitative employment experiences. A <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/business-advice/legal/wage-theft-regional-fwo/">recent intervention</a> by Fair Work Australia found that of 1,300 regional businesses visited by inspectors, one-in-five (22%) were found to be stealing wages from their workers.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/121942/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jock Collins receives funding from the Australian Research Council. Settlement Services International is an industry Partner for two ARC Linkage Grants.</span></em></p>Migrants who’ve settled in regional Australia find jobs, get on with the locals and feel safe. So the government wants to know how to encourage more migrants to move there.Jock Collins, Professor of Social Economics, UTS Business School, University of Technology SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1162772019-05-26T19:31:30Z2019-05-26T19:31:30ZThe forgotten people in Australia’s regional settlement policy are Pacific Islander residents<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276242/original/file-20190523-187182-wwdab4.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Tongans gathered in the Sunraysia centre of Mildura to celebrate the Tongan team's victory over Lebanon in the Rugby League World Cup in November 2017.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Established migrant communities in regional and rural areas are often ignored in favour of policies focused on attracting new intakes of skilled migrants. A striking example is the <a href="http://www.devpolicy.org/pacific-farmworkers-in-australia-20180206/">substantial population of Pacific Islanders in horticultural areas in Australia</a>. </p>
<p>They are largely unacknowledged or even invisible to policymakers in Canberra. Their working-age children now struggle to move beyond the seasonal, precarious horticultural work their parents do. Appropriate supports could help them increase their skills and make a valuable contribution to the rural economy.</p>
<p>Since the mid-1990s, the Australian government has tried to tackle problems on two fronts – congestion in urban areas, and population decline and associated labour shortages in rural areas – through diverse migration schemes. </p>
<p>In March this year the Morrison government launched a <a href="https://www.pm.gov.au/media/plan-australias-future-population">plan for Australia’s future population</a>. It emphasised skilled migration as a means of “ensuring regional communities are given a much-needed boost”. The plan includes new regional visas for skilled workers and scholarships for domestic and international students to study in regional tertiary institutions. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/settling-migrants-in-regional-areas-will-need-more-than-a-visa-to-succeed-114196">Settling migrants in regional areas will need more than a visa to succeed</a>
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<h2>A neglected community</h2>
<p>The rhetoric around settling people in regional areas tends to neglect the untapped potential of migrant populations that already live there. <a href="https://www.latrobe.edu.au/social-inquiry/research/current-research-projects/pacific-islanders-in-regional-victoria-visitors-migrants-and-overstayers">Our research in the Sunraysia region</a> shows Pacific people have been largely trapped in seasonal farm work since they began moving there in the 1980s. </p>
<p>The government’s lack of acknowledgement of these established communities was evident in its planning and introduction of the <a href="https://www.jobs.gov.au/seasonal-worker-programme">Seasonal Worker Program</a>. Their potential to provide pastoral care for temporary workers from the Pacific islands was neglected. In both the <a href="https://docs.jobs.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/pswps_-_final_evaluation_report.pdf">2011 final evaluation of the Pacific Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme</a> and the <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/%7E/media/02%20Parliamentary%20Business/24%20Committees/244%20Joint%20Committees/Migration/Seasonal%20Worker%20Program/Report/Full%20report.pdf?la=en">2016 report of the parliamentary inquiry into the Seasonal Worker Program</a> this is seen as the responsibility of approved employers. </p>
<p>However, such “official” pastoral care is insufficient. We have found settled communities are supporting workers in getting health care and often provide them with food and other supplies.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276259/original/file-20190524-187179-1vjwm30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276259/original/file-20190524-187179-1vjwm30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276259/original/file-20190524-187179-1vjwm30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276259/original/file-20190524-187179-1vjwm30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276259/original/file-20190524-187179-1vjwm30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276259/original/file-20190524-187179-1vjwm30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=507&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276259/original/file-20190524-187179-1vjwm30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=507&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276259/original/file-20190524-187179-1vjwm30.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=507&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Pacific people are active members of churches in regional Victoria and provide pastoral care to members of their community.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But the government has seen the settlers in negative terms, as potentially encouraging Pacific people employed through the Seasonal Worker Program to overstay their visas. This claim was made, for instance, in a 2016 call for expressions of interest in research for the <a href="https://www.cardno.com/projects/labour-mobility-assistance-program-lmap/">Labour Mobility Assistance Program</a>. </p>
<p>Rather than relying only on bringing in new waves of skilled migrants, <a href="https://theconversation.com/forcing-immigrants-to-work-in-regional-areas-will-not-boost-regional-economies-in-the-long-run-96852">most of whom stay for the required period then move to the cities</a>, why not focus on resolving structural problems and increasing the skills of those who already live there? This would mean tackling the barriers the local Pacific populations face, including their relative invisibility in regional communities.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/forcing-immigrants-to-work-in-regional-areas-will-not-boost-regional-economies-in-the-long-run-96852">Forcing immigrants to work in regional areas will not boost regional economies in the long run</a>
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<p>In regional Australia, social services are directed mainly to new migrant and refugee arrivals, as well as Indigenous Australians. Some of our Pacific research participants said their communities’ needs remain largely unmet. A Tongan community leader we interviewed in Mildura raised two questions that prevent Pacific people from accessing support in Sunraysia: “Are you a refugee? Are you an Indigenous [person]?”</p>
<p>A high school principal echoed this point. She knew who to contact when she needed support for Koorie students or students from a “Muslim background”, but eligibility criteria often excluded Pacific youth from these services. </p>
<p>Many Pacific young people in Sunraysia express a strong desire to remain in their home towns, yet feel they face significant barriers to entering the workforce. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276256/original/file-20190524-187189-nv8hmg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276256/original/file-20190524-187189-nv8hmg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276256/original/file-20190524-187189-nv8hmg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=453&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276256/original/file-20190524-187189-nv8hmg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=453&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276256/original/file-20190524-187189-nv8hmg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=453&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276256/original/file-20190524-187189-nv8hmg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=569&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276256/original/file-20190524-187189-nv8hmg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=569&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/276256/original/file-20190524-187189-nv8hmg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=569&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Pacific youth in Sunraysia who attended our workshop in 2017 brainstormed the advantages and disadvantages of living in regional and urban areas.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Their teachers confirm that Pacific youth are less likely to be considered for apprenticeships. They need targeted programs to ensure they get skills training that will broaden their employment opportunities.</p>
<p>Yet their <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-14/an-pacific-islanders-missing-out-on-tertiary-education2c-study/5453382">rates of participation in TAFE and university are low</a>. This is partly due to their lack of knowledge about their options. </p>
<p>In a workshop with teachers they also told us some Pacific students come to high school with insufficient literacy and numeracy skills. Early support could have overcome this problem.</p>
<h2>The problems are structural</h2>
<p>Much of the debate about employment relies on the idea of individual empowerment, which assumes academic achievement leads to skilled work. However, <a href="https://theconversation.com/youth-unemployment-local-communities-essential-for-helping-young-people-find-work-56673">David Farrugia argues</a> that youth unemployment rates will not decline without overcoming structural problems in regional Australia. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/youth-unemployment-local-communities-essential-for-helping-young-people-find-work-56673">Youth unemployment: local communities essential for helping young people find work</a>
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<p>An example of these problems in Sunraysia is that some local industries that give workers stable hourly rates <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/apr/02/pacific-workers-not-backpackers-should-do-australias-regional-work-world-bank">prefer to employ working holidaymakers or backpackers</a>. This leads migrants and second-generation youth to work in more precarious piece-rate farm jobs. The local advocacy body for employing settled workers told us the preference for working holidaymakers is linked to their connections with other industries such as accommodation providers that benefit from this transient population.</p>
<p>Despite being born and raised locally, and in many cases being Australian citizens, Pacific youth experience significant discrimination and marginalisation. Like their parents’ generation they are <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radio-australia/programs/pacificbeat/pacific-islanders-in-rural-australia-struggling-to/8693102">stigmatised as “fruit pickers”</a>. </p>
<p>Many of them come to see farm work as the only option if they stay in the area. And even that is becoming increasingly precarious because they have to compete with temporary workers, such as those in the Seasonal Worker Program, working holidaymakers and irregular migrants.</p>
<p>Enabling the full participation of Pacific youth in more stable and skilled employment would contribute to the regional economy and improve social cohesion. But the policy focus is still on how to bring in new migrants. Population planning needs to have a long-term perspective and for regional areas a focus on the needs of the well-established migrant populations is crucial.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>Dean Wickham, executive officer of <a href="http://www.smeccinc.org">Sunraysia Mallee Ethnic Communities Council</a>, contributed to our research project and writing this article.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/116277/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Helen Lee receives funding from the Australian Research Council (Linkage Project) and La Trobe University Research Focus Area (Transforming Human Societies). </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Makiko Nishitani does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A greater focus on the well-established migrant populations and second-generation youth is crucial when planning for the social and economic well-being of rural and regional areas.Makiko Nishitani, Lecturer, La Trobe UniversityHelen Lee, Professor of Anthropology, La Trobe UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1162762019-05-03T06:11:28Z2019-05-03T06:11:28ZWhat a local newspaper means to a regional city like Newcastle<p>The Newcastle Herald has won eight Walkley awards for journalistic excellence over the past seven years. This includes a Gold Walkley for the groundbreaking reportage that led to Australia’s royal commission into institutional responses to child sex abuse. It has told stories of national and international importance.</p>
<p>But this local newspaper, serving the NSW regional city of Newcastle and the surrounding Hunter region, is not profitable enough for Nine Entertainment Co, which acquired it in the takeover of Fairfax Media last year.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/media-files-what-does-the-nine-fairfax-merger-mean-for-diversity-and-quality-journalism-102189">Media Files: What does the Nine Fairfax merger mean for diversity and quality journalism?</a>
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<p>Nine has offloaded it and the rest of Fairfax’s Australian Community Media (ACM) division, comprising about 160 regional news titles, 130 community-based news websites and 650 editorial staff. </p>
<p>But this is the best news the staff of the Newcastle Herald have had for a long time. There’s a cautious optimism among both staff and readers that the newspaper (which began as the Newcastle Chronicle and Hunter River District News in 1858) could undergo – like the city itself – revitalisation.</p>
<h2>Cautious optimism</h2>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/272289/original/file-20190502-103063-pwor6g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/272289/original/file-20190502-103063-pwor6g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=863&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/272289/original/file-20190502-103063-pwor6g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=863&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/272289/original/file-20190502-103063-pwor6g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=863&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/272289/original/file-20190502-103063-pwor6g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1084&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/272289/original/file-20190502-103063-pwor6g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1084&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/272289/original/file-20190502-103063-pwor6g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1084&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">The Newcastle Herald, Saturday December 8, 2018.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">The Newcastle Herald</span></span>
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<p>The new owner is a consortium of former Fairfax real estate supremo Antony Catalano and the Thorney Investment Group, a company that “concentrates on producing <a href="https://www.thorneyopportunities.com.au/news-announcements">absolute returns for shareholders</a> over the medium to long term”.</p>
<p>Catalano has said he plans to “grow the business, not shrink it to greatness”. He has assured Herald staff that he is about “hiring, not firing”. That’s comforting following cutbacks and two brutal rounds of redundancies in the past seven years. </p>
<p>Yet these inspiring assurances may prove hard to keep. </p>
<p>Newspapers – and journalism more generally – still face structural headwinds. Neither platform prophets nor philanthropists have found a dead-cert solution to the dried-up rivers of gold once richly fed by classified and display advertising streams. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-decision-to-paywall-nzs-largest-newspaper-will-affect-other-media-116152">How the decision to paywall NZ's largest newspaper will affect other media</a>
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<p>The ACM division is still profitable, but its revenue in the first half of the 2019 financial year was down 8% on the previous year (A$194.1 million, against A$212.1 million), with advertising revenue down 13% (to A$121.2 million). </p>
<p>So optimism about the benevolence of the Herald’s new owner must be cautious indeed.</p>
<h2>Benefiting the community</h2>
<figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/272273/original/file-20190502-103049-1hdomjp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=27%2C22%2C1496%2C2129&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/272273/original/file-20190502-103049-1hdomjp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=850&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/272273/original/file-20190502-103049-1hdomjp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=850&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/272273/original/file-20190502-103049-1hdomjp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=850&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/272273/original/file-20190502-103049-1hdomjp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1068&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/272273/original/file-20190502-103049-1hdomjp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1068&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/272273/original/file-20190502-103049-1hdomjp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1068&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Newcastle Herald, Monday, October 22, 2018.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">The Newcastle Herald</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But optimistic we must be. Research provides empirical evidence to support just how important a local newspaper is to a local community.</p>
<p>According to a US study published in the <a href="https://www.cjr.org/united_states_project/public-finance-local-news.php">Columbia Journalism Review</a> in 2018, local government becomes more wasteful without a local newspaper. </p>
<p>The researchers compared local government costs in counties where a newspaper had closed with demographically comparable counties still with a newspaper. It’s evidence media scrutiny is essential to governments being kept accountable.</p>
<p>Local media coverage is also associated with better informed voters and higher voter turnouts, the study’s authors suggest.</p>
<p>Good local journalism sees, knows and cares about the local community. It reflects that community’s history, present and where its future might lie. </p>
<h2>Setting the agenda</h2>
<p>This is certainly the case with the Newcastle Herald.</p>
<p>Newcastle is the nation’s second-biggest non-capital city, with a population of about 325,000; the population of the Greater Hunter Region is about 625,000. The Newcastle Herald is the only newspaper serving the region six days a week. </p>
<p>As such the newspaper plays a significant role in setting the news agenda for other local media.</p>
<p>Journalists and production staff at remaining commercial news outlets in Newcastle all operate – in the words of one senior newsroom contact – on the smell of an oily rag. Repeated savage cuts and increased networking have played their part in reducing commercial radio bulletins to rip-and-reads of the day’s Herald. Even the ABC has decreased the number of local radio bulletins it provides. </p>
<p>The Newcastle Herald clearly influences the city’s only local commercial television news bulletin (from NBN Television, owned by Nine Entertainment). </p>
<h2>Local, original stories</h2>
<p>The Herald has maintained its relevance largely because of the local, original stories it has pursued. It has done this despite its own newsroom being slashed, with a third of the journalists it had seven years ago.</p>
<p>Its much admired reporting on child sexual abuse (the Catholic diocese of Newcastle-Maitland was a hotspot of crimes and cover-ups) is just one example. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/review-spotlights-revealing-story-of-child-abuse-in-my-home-town-and-maybe-yours-53955">Review: Spotlight's revealing story of child abuse in my home town – and maybe yours</a>
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<p>The paper has also led the way with coverage of the <a href="https://www.theherald.com.au/story/5309813/a-catastrophe-for-some-women-pelvic-mesh-report/">medical traumas of local women</a> that propelled a <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/MeshImplants">Senate inquiry</a> into pelvic mesh devices in 2017. </p>
<p>It also exposed the story of Cabbage Tree Road, a cluster of 50 cancer cases near a drain carrying toxic chemicals from the Williamtown RAAF base. The Herald’s reporting came from journalists knocking on the door of every home on the road. (The NSW Health Department <a href="https://www.theherald.com.au/stry/5229588/outcry-as-study-dismisses-williamtowns-cancer-cluster-fears/?cs=6099">has dismissed</a> there being a link.) </p>
<p>Investigative journalism is expensive to produce. No other local commercial outlet in the area has the resources to do public-interest and accountability journalism. They all rely on the Newcastle Herald to set the agenda. </p>
<p>For the good of Newcastle and dozens of other local regional and rural communities, we can only hope the Herald’s new owner can do better than its last.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/116276/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Paul Scott is a paid contributor to the Newcastle Herald</span></em></p>Being sold off is the best news the staff and readers of the Newcastle Herald have had for a long time.Paul Scott, Lecturer, School of Creative Industries, Faculty of Education and Arts, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1151542019-05-02T03:06:46Z2019-05-02T03:06:46ZIssues that swung elections: rural voters get a voice and topple a government in 1913<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/271698/original/file-20190430-136781-1np9smz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Prime Minister Andrew Fisher meets farmers in Murgon, Queensland, in 1913</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Queensland State Archives, Digital Image ID 3057</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>With taxes, health care and climate change emerging as key issues in the upcoming federal election, we’re running a series this week looking at the main issues that swung elections in the past, from agricultural workers’ wages to the Vietnam War. Read other stories in the series <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/issues-that-swung-elections-69985">here</a>.</em></p>
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<p>One of the forthcoming federal election’s many questions is how rural Australians will vote. On issues such as climate change, coal seam gas extraction, water management and basic decency in politics, voters in regional Australia are disillusioned. The old certainties of rural politics seem to be breaking down, and there is a heightened sense that the long-established structures amplifying country voices are no longer working.</p>
<p>More than a century ago, rural Australia was in a similar state of flux over how farmers should engage with state and federal politics. The 1913 federal election was a pivotal moment in the contest of ideas about what sort of polity and society rural Australians wanted. The alliances that emerged from the election led to the formation of the Country Party, the precursor to today’s National Party.</p>
<p>The 1913 election was called by the Labor prime minister, <a href="http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/fisher-andrew-378">Andrew Fisher</a>, a former coal miner and avid trade unionist. Fisher first served as PM in 1908-09, leading a minority government. When he attained a comfortable majority in both houses of the parliament at the <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1617/FederalElectionResults">1910 election</a>, he initiated an ambitious reform program that included liberalising disability and old age pensions, introducing maternity allowances and workers’ compensation, and enacting a <a href="http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/num_act/lta1910211910117/">progressive land tax</a> on the unimproved value of the largest rural properties. </p>
<p>It was a considerable record on which to seek another term of government, but also contained elements that would galvanise resistance in rural Australia.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/271700/original/file-20190430-136803-vkre8o.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/271700/original/file-20190430-136803-vkre8o.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=642&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271700/original/file-20190430-136803-vkre8o.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=642&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271700/original/file-20190430-136803-vkre8o.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=642&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271700/original/file-20190430-136803-vkre8o.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=807&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271700/original/file-20190430-136803-vkre8o.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=807&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/271700/original/file-20190430-136803-vkre8o.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=807&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Prime Minister Andrew Fisher ran into considerable opposition to his reform agenda prior to the 1913 federal election.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">State Library of South Australia (PRG 280/1/3/289)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Developments in rural Australia</h2>
<p>At the time, the New South Wales Farmers and Settlers Association (FSA) was emerging as a powerful and effective voice, claiming to represent farmers, both large and small. By 1914, it would boast 430 branches across the state. </p>
<p>The FSA executive opposed any form of land tax, even on the largest landholders, on suspicion that a Labor government would one day impose it on all farmers. However, farmers still struggling to acquire a “living area” were sympathetic to the Labor Party’s agenda, as many were once shearers or rural labourers. </p>
<p>When a resolution was proposed at the FSA conference in 1907 that would bar members of the Labor Party from joining the organisation, a Jerilderie delegate objected that such a motion would “<a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/238080204?searchTerm=%22splits%20in%20families%22&searchLimits=exactPhrase=splits+in+families%7C%7C%7CanyWords%7C%7C%7CnotWords%7C%7C%7CrequestHandler%7C%7C%7CdateFrom=1907-01-01%7C%7C%7CdateTo=1907-12-31%7C%7C%7Csortby">cause disastrous splits in families the members of which included supporters of both organisations</a>”. During that same period, senior members of the FSA executive resigned rather than renounce Labor sympathies.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/issues-that-swung-elections-the-credit-squeeze-that-nearly-swept-menzies-from-power-in-1961-115140">Issues that swung elections: the 'credit squeeze' that nearly swept Menzies from power in 1961</a>
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</p>
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<p>By 1913, another issue had intensified the FSA executive’s antagonism towards Labor: the increasingly active Rural Workers Union (RWU).</p>
<p>The conservative government of George Reid, which held power in Australia from August 1904 to July 1905, had excluded large numbers of rural labourers from the federal <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C1904A00013">Conciliation and Arbitration Act</a> of 1904, arguing that the seasonal and unstructured nature of agricultural work made formal schedules of pay and conditions impractical. </p>
<p>The Labor Party contested this view, and in 1910, Fisher’s government amended the act to include rural workers. The RWU then sought registration with the Court of Conciliation and Arbitration as a first step towards achieving an industrial award mandating minimum wages and conditions of employment. </p>
<p>Then, in early 1913, the RWU began negotiating with the powerful Australian Workers Union, which represented shearers and shearing shed hands, with the aim of amalgamating into one big rural union. </p>
<p>This provoked significant disquiet in FSA branches. The FSA executive, led by the articulate and politically astute farmer Robert Patten, redoubled its efforts to energise and expand its membership among small-scale farmers and their families, encouraging them to align themselves firmly on the side of capital.</p>
<h2>The 1913 election</h2>
<p>In the midst of these developments, Fisher called an election for the middle of 1913. He was opposed by <a href="http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/cook-sir-joseph-5763">Joseph Cook</a> who, like Fisher, was a British migrant with a coal mining background.</p>
<p>Cook entered the new federal parliament in 1901, and by 1909, had become deputy leader in <a href="http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/deakin/in-office.aspx">Alfred Deakin’s</a> Commonwealth Liberal Party – a new, anti-Labor coalition, or “fusion,” of members formerly associated with Free Trade and Protectonist alliances. (It was also a predecessor of the modern Liberal Party.) Cook then became leader of the opposition when Deakin resigned in January 1913.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cultivating-a-nation-why-the-mythos-of-the-australian-farmer-is-problematic-106517">Cultivating a nation: why the mythos of the Australian farmer is problematic</a>
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<p>Fisher presented six referendum questions to the electorate to coincide with the 1913 election. Each was designed to extend Commonwealth powers in light of the High Court’s unsympathetic rulings on aspects of his reform agenda. All six proposals were rejected by a slim margin – a sign the electorate was perhaps wary of the pace and breadth of Fisher’s reform agenda. </p>
<p>In the election itself, the country vote would prove to be crucial. </p>
<p>Like the referendums, the <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1112/12rp06/12rp06a">House of Representatives election</a> was tight. The main parties were separated by only 9,000 of the 1.85 million total votes cast. </p>
<p>Labor entered the election holding nine more seats than the opposition, picking up seats in the big cities and Victorian regional centres of Bendigo and Ballarat. But in rural areas, the Liberal Party prevailed, picking up four Labor seats alone in Victoria.</p>
<p>In New South Wales, the FSA endorsed supporters of its platform running as opposition candidates in seven seats. Four of them deposed sitting Labor Party members, including Patten, who defeated the pro-Labor independent <a href="http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/lyne-sir-william-john-7274">William Lyne</a> in Hume. It was the last seat declared, and Cook won government with <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116096900?searchTerm=hume%20patten%20lyne&searchLimits=notWords%7C%7C%7CrequestHandler%7C%7C%7CanyWords%7C%7C%7Cl-state=New+South+Wales%7C%7C%7CexactPhrase%7C%7C%7CdateTo=1913-12-31%7C%7C%7CdateFrom=1913-06-01%7C%7C%7Csortby=dateDesc%7C%7C%7Cl-category=Article">a majority of one</a>. </p>
<p>But Cook’s victory was short-lived. By the time he had selected a speaker, his majority had disappeared, and Australians would be back at the polls by mid-1914, just as war broke out in Europe.</p>
<p>The election would have a longer-lasting legacy with the organisation of rural voters into a sizeable – and powerful – voting bloc with a dedicated, conservative presence in federal politics. The Country Party emerged as an independent and distinctly rural voice during the war and held the federal balance of power by 1922.</p>
<p>Australia’s population was already drifting to the cities when the Country Party formed, but that has not prevented the rural vote from continuing to exert a strong, often disproportionate, influence on Australian politics.</p>
<p>As in 1913, the 2019 election could prove to be a decisive moment in shifting rural political alliances, with broader consequences.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/115154/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>This research is supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship.</span></em></p>In the early 20th century, voters in rural Australia began to organise politically for the first time – and proved crucial to the ousting of the reformist Labor government in 1913.Peter Woodley, PhD candidate, School of History, Australian National UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1141902019-04-01T19:10:36Z2019-04-01T19:10:36ZGovernment’s population plan is more about maximising ‘win-wins’ than cutting numbers<p>The Morrison government’s new <a href="https://www.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/publications/planning-for-australias-future-population.pdf">population plan</a> will have little effect on Australian population growth. Appropriately, it looks to reduce the concentration of this growth in our biggest cities and to raise the benefit-to-cost ratio of population change more broadly.</p>
<p>Australia’s population is growing at <a href="https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/">five times the average rate for more developed countries</a>. That’s mainly because of its net (immigration minus emigration) migration rate. For 2010-15 Australia’s net migration rate was the second <a href="https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Migration/">highest</a> (after Saudi Arabia) in the world for a country with over 10 million population. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266665/original/file-20190331-70999-1mkv1nx.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266665/original/file-20190331-70999-1mkv1nx.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266665/original/file-20190331-70999-1mkv1nx.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266665/original/file-20190331-70999-1mkv1nx.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266665/original/file-20190331-70999-1mkv1nx.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266665/original/file-20190331-70999-1mkv1nx.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266665/original/file-20190331-70999-1mkv1nx.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266665/original/file-20190331-70999-1mkv1nx.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Net overseas migration to Australia 1948-2017 (break in line is because of a change in the measurement series).</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">ABS, Historical Population Statistics</span></span>
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</figure>
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<p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/settling-migrants-in-regional-areas-will-need-more-than-a-visa-to-succeed-114196">Settling migrants in regional areas will need more than a visa to succeed</a>
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<p>Net overseas migration, currently <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/0/D56C4A3E41586764CA2581A70015893E?Opendocument">240,100</a> a year, is high compared to historical levels. It is four times the 58,000 “replacement” rate needed to keep our population above the current <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs%40.nsf/94713ad445ff1425ca25682000192af2/1647509ef7e25faaca2568a900154b63?OpenDocument">25.3 million</a>, assuming the current fertility rate and life expectancy stay the same.</p>
<p>The major elements of net overseas <a href="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/research-and-statistics/statistics/visa-statistics/live/net-overseas-migration">migration</a> are:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>permanent migrants granted visas under the <a href="https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/migration-program-planning-levels">Migration Program</a> (skilled and family combined) and the <a href="https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/refugee-and-humanitarian-program/about-the-program">Humanitarian Program</a></p></li>
<li><p>temporary migrants who stay in Australia for at least 12 months in a 16-month period, mainly students, working holidaymakers and other work-related temporary visa holders</p></li>
<li><p>New Zealand and returning Australian citizens</p></li>
<li><p>(minus) permanent and temporary emigrants.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The reduction in the <a href="https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/migration-program-planning-levels">Migration Program ceiling to 160,000</a> is small relative to the previous 190,000 ceiling. And it’s a tiny cut relative to the <a href="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/research-and-stats/files/report-migration-program-2017-18.pdf">162,417 places actually filled</a> for 2017-18. This reduction may affect the number who stay in Australia on temporary visas (or without any current visa), and will have flow-on effects on births, deaths and emigration. </p>
<p>Bottom line, the reduced ceiling won’t change population growth much.</p>
<h2>Adding to pluses, reducing minuses</h2>
<p>Well-targeted increases in immigration can raise <a href="https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol31/11/31-11.pdf">labour force participation</a> and <a href="https://wol.iza.org/articles/how-immigration-affects-investment-and-productivity-in-host-and-home-countries/long">productivity</a>, <a href="https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol31/11/">slow population ageing</a> and <a href="http://research.treasury.gov.au/external-paper/shaping-a-nation/">increase per person taxation revenue</a>. This is partly because of the young, working-age profile of new immigrants. </p>
<p>For the same reason, higher immigration, and hence population growth, <a href="https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/newsroom-and-events/reports-and-publications/assesing-effects-of-long-term-travel-behaviour-changes">increases peak-hour transport use in total and per head</a>. </p>
<p>Population growth also adds to need for all sorts of goods and services, including <a href="https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Research-and-Demography/Demography/Population-projections">housing</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-you-worry-about-a-schools-shortage-it-really-depends-on-where-you-live-53296">education</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0011916414006511">water</a>. Larger city size is associated with <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0265813516649955">higher congestion time delay</a> and cost. Other growth-related issues include public <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/the-big-squeeze-overcrowding-gets-worse-on-melbourne-trains-trams-20181003-p507kw.html">transport</a> <a href="https://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/bitstream/2123/15285/2/Final%20Accepted%20Crowding%20Measures%20_%205%20Sept%202012.pdf">crowding</a>, increased housing <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/13242/AHURI-Final-Report-281-Housing-supply-responsiveness-in-Australia-distribution-drivers-and-institutional-settings.pdf">density</a>, house price <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2019/sp-gov-2019-03-06.html">inflation</a>, concerns about housing <a href="https://theconversation.com/life-in-a-windowless-box-the-vertical-slums-of-melbourne-41181">quality</a>, school place <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/school-boom-hundreds-of-students-left-without-classrooms-20180207-h0vhvu.html">shortages</a>, and loss of <a href="https://theconversation.com/paving-our-market-gardens-choosing-suburbs-over-food-4419">farmland</a> and native <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004896971632188X">biodiversity</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/city-planning-suffers-growth-pains-of-australias-population-boom-75930">City planning suffers growth pains of Australia's population boom</a>
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<p>A “best” choice of location to house increased population based on one criterion sometimes can be a “worst” based on another. For example, locating new housing in CBD areas near to opportunities for work, shopping and other activities may be “best” for reducing car use, but “worst” in terms of locally available, affordable sites for new schools with spacious, ground-level playgrounds. </p>
<p>Good population policy should look for “win-win” solutions that take away the minuses of population growth and add to its pluses.</p>
<h2>Easing the big city squeeze</h2>
<p>In <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/3218.02017-18?OpenDocument">2018</a>, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane combined accounted for 51% of Australia’s population, 67% of population growth and 72% of net overseas migration. ABS mid-range <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/5A9C0859C5F50C30CA25718C0015182F?Opendocument">projections</a> show Sydney’s population reaching 9.7 million in 2066, Melbourne’s 10.2 million and Brisbane’s 4.8 million. These are challenging prospects. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/migrants-want-to-live-in-the-big-cities-just-like-the-rest-of-us-113911">Migrants want to live in the big cities, just like the rest of us</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Responding to a large <a href="http://csrm.cass.anu.edu.au/research/publications/big-australia-small-australia-diverse-australia-australia-s-views-population">majority view</a>, the government’s plan aims to reduce city population growth, congestion and other pressures. It intends to fill job vacancies in regional Australia by settling immigrants there and developing transport and other infrastructure. </p>
<p>The proportion of people in the 55-69 age range is much higher outside the capital cities and in Hobart and Adelaide than in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. This means Baby Boomer retirements can be expected to result in higher percentages leaving the workforce outside the four largest cities, and a related need to recruit migrant (and Australian resident) replacements for these retiring workers. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266664/original/file-20190331-71003-1varew4.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266664/original/file-20190331-71003-1varew4.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266664/original/file-20190331-71003-1varew4.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266664/original/file-20190331-71003-1varew4.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266664/original/file-20190331-71003-1varew4.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266664/original/file-20190331-71003-1varew4.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266664/original/file-20190331-71003-1varew4.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266664/original/file-20190331-71003-1varew4.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">ABS, 2016 Census</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The government’s <a href="https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/migration-program-planning-levels">proposed measures</a> include:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/migration-program-planning-levels">23,000</a> Migration Program places for regional migration schemes</li>
<li>extension of Temporary Graduate Visas for former international students at regional university campuses</li>
<li>4,720 scholarships attached to study at regional campuses. </li>
</ul>
<p>The <a href="https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/regional-sponsor-migration-scheme-187/regional-postcodes">definition of “regional”</a> is broad. It extends from sparsely populated inland areas to the Sunshine Coast (2017-18 growth rate <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/B7616AB91C66CDCFCA25827800183B7B?Opendocument">2.58%</a>), the NSW Central Coast, Geelong and all of Adelaide. <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/student-data">Current international student locations</a> suggest Adelaide will at first gain the most from the changes for “regional” international students. </p>
<h2>Children, a pointless answer</h2>
<p>Places in the skilled migration program include spouses and children, as well as primary applicants. The population plan proposes to allocate extra skilled migration points to applicants without dependants. </p>
<p>This change should reduce the immediate effect of the cut to the Migration Program on labour supply (and travel to work), and additions to (currently large) school age groups. Down the track, this will reduce new entrants to the labour market and could add to births in Australia, as immigrants who were childless when they arrived <a href="https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol25/6/25-6.pdf">have children</a> later in life. </p>
<p>Fertility and mortality receive only passing mention in the population plan. In retrospect, fluctuations in the fertility rate have been artefacts of changes to the ages of childbirth. There is <a href="https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol25/6/25-6.pdf">no clear evidence</a> of substantial and sustained increase to lifetime family size for Australia. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australians-want-more-children-than-they-have-so-are-we-in-the-midst-of-a-demographic-crisis-81547">Australians want more children than they have, so are we in the midst of a demographic crisis?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>There is no need to increase fertility to prevent Australia’s population falling. Even if our fertility rate were to halve our population would remain above 25 million, as long as net migration and life expectancy did not fall.</p>
<h2>Research needed to better match migration with needs</h2>
<p>Welcome recognition of the <a href="http://www.australianpopulationstudies.org/index.php/aps/article/view/36">need for research</a> and consultation to inform policy is apparent from the government’s proposed Centre for Population to “pursue opportunities to improve data and research on population and facilitate collaboration on population planning across Commonwealth, State, Territory and Local governments”. </p>
<p>A majority of migrants <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ajs4.36">work in the mostly professional occupations</a> that skilled migration is designed to supplement. However, a substantial minority work in less-skilled occupations that have never been eligible occupations for visas, or else are unemployed. </p>
<p>Achieving a <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0197918318815608">better match between migrant employment outcomes and national employment priorities</a> is desirable. This requires improvements to <a href="http://www.australianpopulationstudies.org/index.php/aps/article/view/36">data availability</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266692/original/file-20190331-177171-14qn3ef.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266692/original/file-20190331-177171-14qn3ef.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266692/original/file-20190331-177171-14qn3ef.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266692/original/file-20190331-177171-14qn3ef.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266692/original/file-20190331-177171-14qn3ef.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266692/original/file-20190331-177171-14qn3ef.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266692/original/file-20190331-177171-14qn3ef.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266692/original/file-20190331-177171-14qn3ef.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">ABS, 2016 Census</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Other key areas the Centre for Population might study include:</p>
<ul>
<li>improvement of population and transport use forecasting</li>
<li>harmonising change to skilled migration numbers with change to domestic graduate numbers</li>
<li><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11113-018-9482-4">retention</a> and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12546-011-9079-9">employment</a> of immigrants in <a href="https://theconversation.com/settling-migrants-in-regional-areas-will-need-more-than-a-visa-to-succeed-114196">regional</a> areas</li>
<li><a href="https://theconversation.com/refugees-are-integrating-just-fine-in-regional-australia-101188">settlement experiences</a> in regional Australia of new movers from overseas and from Australia’s cities</li>
<li>prospects for change to the significant gender imbalance of <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330774866_Submission_on_Migration_Program_2019-2020">most</a> occupations into which skilled migrants are recruited, and the implications for Australia’s future need for immigration.</li>
</ul><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/114190/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>In 2018 Nick Parr received funding from the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.. </span></em></p>Population growth has pros and cons, and the Morrison government’s plan is less about a change in immigration numbers than about increasing the benefits and minimising the costs.Nick Parr, Professor and Demographer, Macquarie UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.