Call for regional Australia statement …

“The Government must demonstrate that it is listening to the people who live in regional Australia”

Independent Member for Indi, Cathy McGowan AO, presented her first Private Member’s Bill last night, calling on the Treasurer to publicly release and table a regional Australia statement with each budget and mid-year economic and fiscal outlook report.

“This amendment Bill answers the call from my community, calling on the government, when formulating policy, to ensure that regional impact statements are prepared and accompany every budget, every year,” Ms McGowan said.

“The Government needs to listen to regional Australia. I want the Treasurer, Joe Hockey, to seriously consider this important obligation to regional Australia.”

Ms McGowan outlined the reasons behind the need for a regional impact statement.

“In regional Australia, Government initiatives often have a disproportionate effect on communities due to a lack of infrastructure,” Ms McGowan said.

“This is clearly evident where patchy and non-existent mobile phone coverage or internet connections and little or no access to public transport limit the day to day life of communities.

“Additionally, the lack of access that people living in regional communities have to government services due to cost, and long travel distances and the cost of living and doing business in regional communities can have a negative impact.”
Cathy McGowan AO: The Voice for Regional Australia