Australia's regional centres: are they part of the nation's network of cities or only when it matters politically? (original) (raw)

Impressions of Regional Australia

Susan Thompson in Planning Australia: An Overview of Urban and Regional Planning paints a rather troubling picture of the state of the regions. More than anything, it seems to be a problem characterised by a lack of clarity over what actually constitutes a region and as a result sound regional development policy. Hence, I envisage a "tragedy of the commons" type of scenario with blurred boundary lines and somewhat ambiguous ownership of land and natural resources. The geography of the regions and regionalism is a vague concept which has meant everything and nothing to many different scholars over time. Indeed, this raises the question, If it means everything and nothing to everyone, then what does it actually mean? In 2012 I was dumbfounded to return to Western Australia – one of the largest states in the world. Why Western Australia was not broken down into more manageable, smaller states such as the South West or the Kimberley remains beyond me. Nonetheless, most leading thinkers in the field are now of the view that regional development is chiefly concerned with using the land responsibly, and as a consequence achieving maximum benefit for livelihoods -- maximising socioeconomic performance, if you will. However, this notion is soon simplistically contrasted with the view that regional development entails "everything beyond capital cities". And so there seems to be this massive disconnect with Australia's heartland, which comprises 70% of the nation's surface area and forms the direct backbone of modern civilization in the city. Having travelled somewhat extensively in the regions myself, crisscrossing all but two 'states' (Tasmania and the ACT), I can attest to the fact that modernisation has been a bit slow to touch down in rural areas. But perhaps the most important insight comes from spatial units: using a clearly defined region as a unit of analysis for evaluating different regions and their varying degrees of economic integration across the world – a unit of analysis for determining where the region sits in its development. Not quite dissimilar to global cities, this concept is proving particularly vital in an increasingly globalised world where the regions are constantly being subjected to the vagaries in the volume of world trade. In other words, the international business cycle. The major causative factors for this development are, for one thing, the downturn in emerging economies of China and Brazil and, for another, the renewed rise of protectionism and ever so stochastic breakdown of inefficient trade restrictions such as tariffs, subsidies and quotas. Uncertain international geopolitics and economic circumstances awaiting the regions may well spell calamity in terms of socioeconomic well-being, but the good news is that ongoing productivity improvements can give the regions a competitive edge. The inherently politically charged nature of the regions, although inevitable given the staggering amounts of wealth at stake is, in my opinion, given undue consideration. For stable management of Australia's regions will require not only solid policies and sustained efforts from planners which go beyond the four year election cycle but a consistent strategic direction as well. Granted, the sheer scale and geographical enormity of the regions, in itself, has led many a scholar to ponder whether triple-bottom-line, "sustainable" regional development is realistic -- indeed, if it is attainable at all. Well, one thing's for sure. As the discrepancy between lofty policy intentions and actual outcomes becomes ever increasing, and as the global city hype gradually subsides, the indispensable importance of the world's city-regions and their ecological resilience should doubtless come to the fore.

Alternative Futures for Australia’s Peri-Urban Regions

Regional communities are growing rapidly in Australia, with the population of Melbourne's peri-urban region increasing at 2 per cent a year. Despite this, Australia has a weak tradition of regional planning with two thirds of the population concentrated in capital cities. This paper builds on the authors' previous research into peri-urban regions by testing alternative future scenarios. Using a case study of Melbourne's peri-urban region, an area under intense development pressure, the research explores the capacity for regional growth under a range of different spatial scenarios. The scenarios include 'business as usual', the concentration of growth in major regional cities, and dispersing growth in a network of smaller towns. The methodology employs a geographical information system model and iterative policy decisions. Each scenario is reported on the basis of the location of new population and jobs, and implications for agricultural and urban land consumption, housing needs, infrastructure requirements, and socio-demographic profiles. Scenarios also relate development pressure on rural land and natural resources to development options for regional cities and towns by examining the capacity for transferring development rights from rural land holdings to townships. The paper places regional development scenarios in the context of the dominant Australian paradigm of major city population concentration, and outlines comprehensive regional planning as an alternative to the metropolitan primacy of Australia's cities.

Dividing Societies: The Socio-Political Spatial Implications of Restructuring in Australia

Australian Geographical Studies, 2001

This paper reviews trends over the last two to three decades in the socioeconomic divisions in Australia, focusing on their spatial dimensions. It provides empirical evidence that our society is dividing on multiple dimensions-including shifts in industry and occupational structure, income distribution, the incidence of poverty. And it demonstrates that the differentiations across space in socioeconomic phenomena also have complex multiple dimensions, which are explained inadequately by a 'city/bush' dichotomy popularly espoused by politicians and reported in the media. Processes of globalisation, economic restructuring and employment shifts, and changing patterns of population movement are combining to create stark differentials between places both within the major cities as well as in regional Australia. As demonstrated by the recent One Nation phenomenon, voter backlash is strong, and it too has specific spatial characteristics.

The big movers: understanding population mobility in regional Australia

Regional Australia Institute, 2020

Independent and informed by both research and ongoing dialogue with the community, the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) develops policy and advocates for change to build a stronger economy and better quality of life in regional Australia-for the benefit of all Australians. The RAI was established with support from the Australian Government. DISCLAIMER AND COPYRIGHT This research report translates and analyses findings of research to enable an informed public discussion of regional issues in Australia. It is intended to assist people to think about their perspectives, assumptions and understanding of regional issues. No responsibility is accepted by RAI Limited, its Board or its funders for the accuracy of the advice provided or for the quality of advice or decisions made by others based on the information presented in this publication. Unless otherwise specified, the contents of this report remain the property of the Regional Australia Institute. Reproduction for non-commercial purposes with attribution of authorship is permitted.

National population plan for regional Australia

2019

People 'vote with their feet' and many are showing strong preferences for living in regions.  Enhancing liveability in regions will increase this flow naturally-reducing pressure on capital cities.  International migrants already play a key role in maintaining populations in small communities in regional Australia.  Active strategies to match migrant workers with employment needs are working well in many small communities and this can easily be enhanced.  More than 400,000 Australians moved from capital cities to regional destinations between 2011 and 2016.  Sydney has seen net internal migration outflows over the last four years.  Spreading projected capital city population growth into regional cities has net economic gains for Australia.  Outer urban economies of major cities are much more like nearby regional cities than inner city areas-though with double the commute times and house prices.  Outer urban economies have a weak connection with the high performing inner city areas.  Infrastructure spending is strongly weighted to solving problems in capital cities rather than enhancing liveability in regional towns and cities.  There is no need to force people to move to regions to reduce pressure on capital cities. Rebalancing of population-supporting infrastructure from urban fringe to regional cities will rebalance flows as well. Supporting economic diversification and liveability in regional cities will address the perception that they are inferior, and this will also rebalance the flows.

Analysis of Socioeconomic Advantage and Disadvantage in Australia's Large Non-Metropolitan Regions

2005

Australia's large regional cities and towns display wide variation in how they are adjusting to the socio-economic transitions that have occurred over the past decade. In terms of socio-economic advantage and disadvantage these changes, which are often associated with globalization, wider economic and technological restructuring, changing demographics of the population and shifts in public policy are not evenly dispersed across