Release of comprehensive draft Regional Development Policy for WA [Audio/Visual]

The policy promotes regional areas as desirable places to live, work and invest. [13secs/553KB]

It's important that the community has ownership of the new regional development policy. [10secs/430KB]

7/7/99

The State Government has taken a significant step in securing the future of regional Western Australia with the release today of a comprehensive draft Regional Development Policy for the State.

The draft policy will be open for public comment until September 3.

The policy sets out 23 key objectives and 87 strategies to maximise regional development opportunities and make real improvements in living standards and opportunities for families and businesses in regional areas.

Major goals include building stronger, more adaptive communities and maximising investment and development opportunities.

The draft policy was launched in Southern Cross today by Regional Development Minister Hendy Cowan, who said regional people had been involved in its formation, with a series of workshops and meetings held in regional areas over a three-month period last year.

Mr Cowan said a number of themes were evident throughout the document.

"The promotion of regional areas as desirable places to live, work and invest is paramount, along with providing appropriate resources to enable regional communities to drive their own destiny more effectively," he said.

"Other key objectives include improved access to technology, providing employment and training opportunities, provision of social and economic infrastructure, funding for community projects and support for new and existing businesses."

Mr Cowan said regional communities were already achieving great things in Western Australia.

"Much of our economic wealth is derived directly from regional activities. In fact, with just 27 per cent of the population, regional Western Australia contributes 87 per cent of the State's exports, now worth over $24 billion," he said.

"The new policy reflects the State Government's commitment to assisting regional areas achieve further growth and capitalise on new development opportunities.

"At the heart of the policy is the recognition that regional development is an investment, not a cost."

Some of the key strategies include:

• intensive marketing of regional areas to attract people and businesses and to maximise investment opportunities;
• improved access to information and technology and training in the use of technology;
• identifying and overcoming gaps in regional service delivery;
• a focus on Aboriginal economic development;
• initiatives to identify and address cost of living issues;
• greater support for community-based groups;
• support for regional businesses;
• development of regional information databases;
• greater decentralisation of decision-making to the regional level;
• the introduction of regional development objectives and regional performance measures for all Government agencies;
• development of a State of the Regions Report to document progress in achieving the policy goals and provide information on all aspects of regional living, including service delivery, economic performance, demographic details and quality of life measures.

Mr Cowan said Western Australia had not previously had a comprehensive policy outlining the principles of regional development, nor had it had a whole-of-government approach to achieving outcomes for regional areas.

"The Regional Development Policy aims to fill that gap and provide a blueprint for the sustainable development of regional areas in the short, medium and longer term," he said.

The Minister urged communities to take the opportunity to attend regional policy forums and submit comments on the draft policy.

"This will ensure that the final document truly reflects the needs and aspirations of people living and working in regional areas," he said.

Mr Cowan will address Regional Policy Forums, commencing in Southern Cross and Narrogin today, to outline the draft policy to local communities. Forums will also be held in Mandurah (July 20), Geraldton, Meekatharra and Carnarvon (July 21), Karratha and Kununurra (July 22), Broome (July 23), Kalgoorlie and Esperance (July 28) and Bunbury and Albany (July 30).

A summary of the key strategies and directions of the draft policy is available from the Department of Commerce and Trade by calling 9327 5666 or Freecall: 1800 628 767.

Copies of the full text of the draft policy are also available on request or from the policy website: http://www.wa.gov.au/regional/policy.

Media Contacts: Peter Jackson (Minister's office) 9222 9595

Deputy Premier Hendy Cowan launches the draft Regional Development Policy at Southern Cross in WA's Wheatbelt.

Mr Cowan visits the Southern Cross Telecentre after the policy launch. Improved communications is a key issue in the strategy.