Budget 2023-24: Supporting a strong, secure and sustainable regional Australia

Media Release from The Hon Catherine King MP

From Townsville to Tennant Creek, Broome to Bendigo and Nhulunbuy to Newcastle – the Albanese Government is investing in people who call regional Australia home.

This begins with a new strategic approach to delivering regional investment. Developing the Regional Investment Framework - outlined in the 2023-24 Budget - puts regions and the people who live in them, at the heart of decision making.

The Framework will establish a new regional development forum for Australian Government agencies, with regular engagement to better inform Commonwealth decisions. All regional investments must meet standards of merit and integrity, crucial to maintaining trust and confidence in government.

The Framework identifies four key priority areas to support regional development – investing in services, people, places and industry.

The 2023-24 Budget, invests heavily in these four priority areas.

Investing in Services

The 2023-24 Budget works to strengthen Medicare, relieve pressure on hospital systems, and ease the cost of living pressures for Australians, ensuring access to healthcare no matter your postcode or bank balance.

An historic investment of $3.5 billion will triple the Bulk Billing incentive - the largest increase in the 40-year history of Medicare – an immediate injection to benefit communities in regional, rural and remote Australia.

We’ll make common medicines cheaper. Australians in regional Australia will need half as many trips to the GP and pharmacist just to fill a repeat script for more than 300 Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme medicines used to treat chronic conditions, saving Australians up to $180 a year for every eligible medicine they buy.
 
Access to healthcare is a priority for regional Australia. We are also investing:

• $358.5 million for Medicare Urgent Care Clinics to support delivery of an additional 8 clinics, bringing the total commitment to 58 clinics around Australia, including Broome and Rockhampton. Clinics will be operating this year, open for longer hours and with no out-of-pocket costs.

• We’re also expanding After Hours Primary Care. And more Australians in regional and rural locations will benefit from longer telehealth consultations.

• We’ll reinvest savings into strengthening community pharmacies, including by doubling the rural maintenance allowance. We want our pharmacists to play a larger, more central role in their communities, with funding to provide many more vaccinations, deliver opioid dependency treatments and medication reviews in Aged Care.

• And commit $238.5 million to address inequities in cancer outcomes for First Nations people.

For regional families, the Government is also addressing critical shortages in Child Care and Teaching, to support and build a quality workforce. 

• $72.4 million to support Early Childhood Education and Care professional development.

• A further $9.3 million to the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan, with initiatives to increase the number of people choosing to become teachers, and ensure we keep existing teachers.

We will also deliver $40.4 million in additional funding for schools in Central Australia to increase school enrolment, student engagement and improve learning outcomes.
 
Plus, we will invest further in the Indigenous Boarding Providers grants program, supporting dozens of providers who host some 2,300 First Nations students from remote areas.
 
The Albanese Government continues work to ensure Regional Australians are connected, informed and safe. We are:

• Creating a new National Messaging System to help protect people and property – with targeted, real-time information to mobile phones during an emergency.

• Continuing delivery of free-to-air satellite television services to regional and remote Australia, including First Nations communities.

Investing in People

The 2023-24 Budget delivers impactful cost-of-living relief to regional Australians.

• Jobseeker and related working age payments will be increased by $40 and the Government will reduce the eligibility age for the higher JobSeeker rate for single people on the payment for 9 continuous months or more and who are 60 or over to 55 years or over.

• The Single Parenting Payment, will be expanded to cover principal carers with a youngest child under 14 years of age, benefiting around 22,000 people in regional and remote Australia.

• In addition, maximum rates of Commonwealth Rent Assistance will be increased by 15 per cent, benefiting around 300,000 people in Australia's regions. 

We are looking after our Aged Care Workforce, with a 15 per cent payrise – a record $11.3bn investment which will impact the some 4,000 aged care services taking care of our older Australians in rural, remote and regional Australia.

This Budget extends our commitment to our National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children - with a $589.3 million package, which includes a focus on First Nations women and children.
 
And we’re redesigning the Skills for Education and Employment program, to provide more pathways for Australians who want to access training, gain secure employment and career progression.
 
On top of our commitment to deliver 480,000 Fee-Free TAFE and vocational education places, we are:

• Committing $8.6 million over four years to design and implement the Australian Skills Guarantee, which will create opportunities for apprentices, trainees, paid cadets – and for women to work on major Government projects in regional Australia.

• Extending the Foundation Skills for Your Future Remote Community Pilots program, which currently supports people in 11 remote communities to better language, literacy, numeracy and digital literacy skills.

Investing in Places

The Albanese Government is making it easier for people to secure a safe and affordable home, no matter where they live.
 
We are expanding the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee from July 1, to any two eligible borrowers, such as friends and siblings, beyond married or de facto couples, and making it available to non-first home buyers if they haven’t owned a property in Australia in the last 10 years.

And we’re supporting more social and affordable housing by increasing the guaranteed liabilities of the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) by $2 billion, to support more financing through the Australian Housing Bond Aggregator.
 
The Albanese Government is also committing $200 million, to deliver real change for Australians experiencing disadvantage – with a range of initiatives and a new targeted framework.
 
This Budget is also investing in safer communities with:

• Up to $200 million per year to support disaster risk reduction projects in regional Australia, under the Disaster Ready Fund.

• $236 million over 10 years to improve flood forecasting and warnings.

• $231.8 million invested in Services Australia to establish a cost-effective emergency response capacity – ensuring the delivery of high-quality government services and payments, when customers need them the most.

We remain focused on keeping communities well connected.
 
The Albanese Government is committed to our 10-year, $120bn Infrastructure Pipeline. But we will clean up an unsustainable backlog we inherited with an independent review, to ensure we have a nation-building investment pipeline – with projects that provide regional connectivity, liveability and safety.

Other initiatives include:

• Funding of up to $95 million a year for the Bridges Renewal Program.

• $500 million for the Roads to Recovery Program.

• 33 Remote Roads Upgrade Pilot Program projects to be delivered in 2023 and 2024.

• And, $43.6 million to deliver the National Road Safety Action Grants Program over 3 years, building on the Government’s commitment to improve road safety for all Australians.

The Budget also builds on the $250 million landmark plan for A Better, Safer Future for Central Australia, delivering the next phase of initiatives including in infrastructure, health, education and engagement for ‘at risk’ First Nations Youth.

We are also committed to lock in Commonwealth funding contribution to support the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games – including $935 million over 10 years towards 16 new or upgraded Games venues. This will benefit regional location including Barlow Park in Cairns and the Toowoomba Sports Ground.

And we continue to invest in the environment and culture, which make our regions unique.

This Budget invests $355.1 million over four years to end the neglect of Commonwealth National Parks, funding which will create local jobs. And $439.2 million over five years to support programs that repair World Heritage properties, restore Ramsar wetlands and conserve threatened species and ecosystems.

Plus, dedicated funding of $286 million under our landmark National Cultural Policy: Revive. This includes targeted initiatives in regional arts, including protecting First Nations knowledge and cultural expressions.

Investing in Industry and Local Economies

The Government is making future-focused investments, recognising the significant contribution Australia’s regions makes to securing a productive and sustainable future for the nation.

This budget allocates over $1.4 billion through the Powering the Regions Fund to support industrial decarbonisation and develop new clean energy industries in the regions, through three new streams of grants.

Building on this work, we will legislate a national Net Zero Authority to ensure the workers, industries and communities that have powered Australia for generations, can seize the opportunities of Australia’s net zero transformation.

Regional Australia will also benefit from new opportunities in the emerging hydrogen sector, and the Government has allocated $2bn to establish Hydrogen Headstart – to help underwrite large-scale renewable hydrogen projects through competitive hydrogen production contracts.

We are committed to ensuring Australia is a country that makes things, including through the Government’s $15bn National Reconstruction Fund, which will transform Australia’s industry and economy, creating secure, well-paid jobs in regional areas – with investments in seven priority areas, including value-add in resources, value-add resources, value-add in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, transport and renewables and low emissions technology.

The Albanese Government continues its support of our strategically significant critical minerals projects, establishing the Critical Minerals International Partnerships Program and extending funding for the Critical Minerals office, to created continued economic opportunity for regional Australia.

And we are delivering on an election commitment to Australia’s agriculture sector - investing $1bn over four years, to strengthen the national biosecurity system. 

We’ll create a new, sustainable and accountable funding model that will help minimise disruption and economic loss through outbreaks, support better yields through lower damage to produce and provide new access to markets, through greater biosecurity assurance and reputation.

The Budget also commits:

• $40.6 million over four years to continue the Indigenous Rangers Biosecurity Program, supporting a strengthened biosecurity system in Northern Australia.

• $302.1 million over five years through the National Heritage Trust to reduce the agriculture sector’s emissions, build climate resilience, enhance market access and improve environmental outcomes.

We are also growing and expanding the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme by strengthening domestic operations and enhancing oversight, without compromising safeguards that ensure vulnerable workers are adequately protected. 

Budget 2023-24: Strengthening Australia's $120 billion infrastructure pipeline

Media Release from The Hon Catherine King MP

The 2023-24 Federal Budget delivers real nation building through a genuine review of Australia’s infrastructure investment pipeline, and bold new measures for Australia's cities and suburbs.

Infrastructure Investment Program

A 90-day independent review of the Infrastructure Investment Program will ensure that we are investing in projects that are truly nationally significant – to make sure that freight keeps moving, that people can get home safely from work and that the connections between our cities and our regions are strong.

Under the Liberals and Nationals, the number of infrastructure projects in the pipeline blew out from 150, to almost 800.  Projects were left without adequate funding, resources or genuine commitment.

The Albanese Government is keeping the $120 billion rolling 10-year pipeline - and every dollar remains in the budget. But it would be irresponsible to move ahead, without fixing the backlog. This review will allow all levels of government time to consider the projects that are actual priorities, and assess their cost and deliverability in the current climate. The process will help to lay firm foundations to build a more sustainable, credible pipeline of investment.

The review has the support of the states and territories and will be undertaken by Mr Reece Waldock AM, Ms Clare Gardiner-Barnes and Mr Mike Mrdak AO, who all have extensive expertise in land transport infrastructure.

Major Projects Business Case Fund

Additional funding of $200 million will replenish the Major Projects Business Case Fund (MPBCF).

The MPBCF funds the development of major project business cases, to engage early on the next phase of strategically significant projects.

This commitment will help to support the Government’s refreshed approach to funding future major land transport infrastructure projects, through facilitating earlier engagement in the planning stage and ensuring the broader Commonwealth objectives are considered as projects are developed.

National Urban Policy

After decades of inaction, the 2023-24 Budget delivers a bold agenda for urban Australia – ensuring the Australian Government is, once again, a trusted partner in building better cities and suburbs. The Albanese Government will develop a comprehensive National Urban Policy to address urgent challenges facing our major cities – from equitable access to jobs, homes and services, to climate impacts and decarbonisation.

This policy reform will be matched with new programs – Thriving Suburbs and Urban Precincts and Partnerships – ensuring urban communities can partner with the Australian Government to deliver essential community infrastructure and precinct-level development.

• The Thriving Suburbs Program is being funded with $200 million over two years from 2024-25 to provide merit-based and locally driven grants that address shortfalls in priority community infrastructure in urban and suburban communities.

• The $150 million urban Precincts and Partnerships Program will support transformative investment in urban Australia based on the principles of unifying urban places, growing economies and serving communities.  This program will fund both the development of precincts through facilitating planning, design and consultation, leading to business cases for investment-ready proposals, as well as a stream to support delivery of larger scale precinct projects. 

Together, these programs will deliver best-practice investment in urban infrastructure, connecting people and communities to services and opportunities that improve liveability and inclusion.
 
The Australian Government will once again listen to experts, convening the Urban Policy Forum to advise the Minister on the latest thinking in innovation, planning, property, design and sustainability.
 
A new Cities and Suburbs Unit (CSU) will be established to deliver this work, including the State of the Cities reports, which provide an accurate and up-to-date picture of life in our cities. The CSU will also have oversight on National Cabinet urban planning matters to be discussed in Planning Ministers’ Meetings.
 
We want more Australians to enjoy life closer to home, help decarbonise our cities, and improve both community connections and economic productivity.
 
The 2023-24 Budget will also:

• Lock in the Albanese Government’s funding contribution for important infrastructure that will be at the heart of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and leave an enduring Games legacy.  The Government will invest up to $2.5 billion for the Brisbane Arena development and up to $935 million in contributions for a further 16 new or upgraded venues to be jointly funded in partnership with the Queensland Government.

• Deliver $240 million to support development at Macquarie Point in Hobart. This investment is a broader urban renewal precinct, including construction of affordable housing and Macquarie Point Stadium.

• Match Tasmanian Government funding of $65 million, for upgrades to the UTAS Stadium in Launceston.

National Road Safety

The Albanese Government is committed to Vision Zero – zero deaths and serious injury due to road crashes, by 2050. We want all road users in Australia to get home safely from every journey, no matter the distance travelled. Improving regional and remote road safety are two priorities identified in the National Road Safety Strategy 2021–2030.
 
This Budget will provide:

• Funding has been allocated to maintain the $110 million-per-year Black Spot Program to work with state, territory and local governments to improve road safety across the nation.

• Allocation of $43.6 million for the new National Road Safety Action Grants Program (NRSAGP) over four years from 2022-23. The NRSAGP provides non-infrastructure grants to help implement the National Road Safety Action Plan 2023–25 with a focus on First Nations road safety, vulnerable road users, community education and awareness, technology, innovation, research and data. 

• Also $16.5 million to the Car Safety Ratings Program to improve testing protocols for new light vehicles and provide safety evaluations for used vehicles.

• Continual delivery of road safety improvements through the Road Safety Program, with $976.7 million available across 2023–24 and 2024–25, building on the more than 1,400 projects delivered to date.

The Albanese Government is committed to working with governments and communities to support urban and regional Australia to be more productive, more resilient, and more liveable into the future.

Have your say on how best to welcome key workers to regional NSW

Share your experiences of essential services and ideas on how to best welcome key workers to regional NSW communities.

Many regional NSW communities are experiencing a shortage of key workers, including teachers, healthcare workers and police.

To help more key workers move and settle in to regional communities, the NSW Government is piloting a service called The Welcome Experience.

By matching and connecting new key workers with local people and resources, the service helps the newcomers settle in and feel at home in their new community faster.

They’d like to hear from regional communities to help improve this service and support regional essential services.

Have your say

How do you experience essential services in your community?

Share your experiences of local services and your ideas on how we can best welcome key workers to regional communities.

Take the survey and share your ideas through the link below.

The consultation is open for contributions until 28 May 2023.

Spirit of the Bush Photography Competition back for 2023

Rural Aid’s Spirit of the Bush photography competition started in 2020 and has been the source of beautiful photo’s of rural Australia, most not seen before. These photos have produced beautiful calendars each year which has been a great source of fundraising to give back to these rural communities.

This year, the photograph categories include:

• Family

• Community

• Mates

• Faces

• Eyes

• Tough

• Golden Hour (Sunrise/Sunset)

• All things Rural

The competition opens at 8am March 22th 2023 (AEST) and closes at 5pm May 29th 2023 (AEST).

Each entry must be high resolution and landscape and by submitting you grant Rural Aid a non-exclusive licence to use this photo on social media and print media.

Twelve photographs will be selected by a panel of judges and will be featured in next year’s 2024 calendar.

Each winner will receive an AUD$250 prepaid visa card and a copy of the 2024 calendar once it is created.

Guidelines released for new regional grants program

Grant guidelines have now been released for the first round of the Australian Government’s new $600 million Growing Regions Program, with expressions of interest to open on July 5 this year.

The program will invest in critical regional infrastructure and community projects across regional and rural Australia through two $300 million funding rounds – with a second round to follow Round 1.

Local government entities and not-for-profit organisations will be able to apply for grants of between $500,000 and $15 million through the program, which will be open, competitive and merit-based.

The grants can be used to cover up to 50 per cent of eligible project costs, with lower co-funding requirements in place to support First Nations, disaster-affected and remote applicants to make their projects a reality.

By funding community and economic infrastructure projects in rural and regional Australia, the program will drive economic prosperity, enhance liveability, bolster social inclusion and support local amenity.

Further information on the program, including the Round 1 guidelines, is available at www.infrastructure.gov.au/territories-regions-cities/regional-australia/growing-regions-program.

More funding for local road infrastructure priorities

The Australian Government is delivering on an election commitment to provide an extra $250 million dollars for road projects in rural, regional and outer-urban areas under Phase 4 of the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.

Phase 4 of the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program has already delivered $500 million to Australian councils to deliver priority local road and community infrastructure projects in their region, creating jobs and long-lasting benefits for communities. 

The additional $250 million investment is available to councils classified as rural, regional or outer-urban to spend on road projects.

466 of Australia’s 550 councils will benefit from this extra funding committed to by Labor at the last election.

The Government has drawn on the Australian Classification of Local Governments, as a robust framework underpinning the determination of eligible councils for this additional $250 million in funding.

In March, the Government extended project construction timelines for Phases 1–3 of the program. Councils across Australia will now have until 30 June 2024 to complete works, giving them a much-needed extra year on the LRCI construction timeframes for all three phases.

Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King MP said:

“We are delivering our election commitment of a further $250 million through Phase 4 to prioritise road upgrades in regional, rural and outer urban areas.

“We know many councils across the country are struggling to maintain and improve their local road networks – especially following repeated flooding and other natural disasters in recent times.

“We have listened to councils and are standing stand side-by-side with local governments to support them in their vital role in delivering critical infrastructure for their communities.”

Individual council allocations are available on the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program website.

Rex announces investment in dovetail electric aviation

Regional Express (Rex) has announced it had taken a 20 per cent stake in Dovetail Electric Aviation (Dovetail) which is pioneering the conversion of turbine powered aircraft to electric, emission-free propulsion.

The equity participation agreement formalises the strategic partnership between Rex and Dovetail and builds on the Memorandum of Understanding between the two companies which was unveiled on 21 July, 2022.

Rex will appoint one of its Board members to sit on the Board of Dovetail.

The Australian-headquartered Dovetail recently received a $3 million grant from the Federal Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) program. This will facilitate Dovetail’s development of electric propulsion systems for aircraft used on regional routes operated by Rex and other regional airlines.

Dovetail also recently announced the successful completion of initial ground tests involving a small-scale Electric Propulsion System (EPS) to spin a three blade propeller for the first time.

Rex is Australia’s largest independent regional and domestic airline operating a fleet of 61 Saab 340 and 7 Boeing 737-800NG aircraft to 58 destinations throughout all states in Australia. In addition to the airline Rex, the Rex Group comprises wholly owned subsidiaries Pel-Air Aviation (air freight, aeromedical and charter operator), the Australian Airline Pilot Academy with campuses in Wagga Wagga and Ballarat, and propeller maintenance organisation, Australian Aerospace Propeller Maintenance. Rex is also a 50% shareholder of National Jet Express (NJE), a premier Fly-In-Fly-Out (FIFO), charter and freight operator.

Nominations open for the National Economic Development Awards for Excellence

Enter the National Economic Development Awards for Excellence for your chance to shine a light on your innovative economic development work and win one of these prestigious awards.

Preparing a submission is free, simple and open to all economic development practitioners in Australia. You are also welcome to enter multiple categories. 

Awards are open for nominations in the following 12 categories:

1. Economic Development Strategic Thinking

2. Economic Development Marketing and Promotion

3. Economic Development Through Partnerships and Collaboration

4. Economic Development Initiatives - Regions Under 15,000 Residents

5. Economic Development Initiatives - Regions Over 15,000 Residents

6. Economic Development Recovery & Resilience

7. Economic Development Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

8. Economic Development - Sustainability & Economic Transformation

9. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Entrepreneurship & Inclusive Economic Development

10. The Peter Chaffey Economic Development Leadership Award (Economic Development Practitioner - over 30 years old)

11. Economic Development Rising Star Leadership (Economic Development Practitioner - up to 30 years old)

12. Economic Development Community Champion Award

Submissions can be made for projects delivered from 1 January 2022 to 30 June 2023 (18 month period).

Applications close on Friday 12 May 2023

Winners will be announced at a gala event during the National Economic Development Conference (NEDC23) in Karratha on 23 August 2023.

Government empowering Australians through a holistic approach to online safety

The Australian Government’s response to the House of Representatives Inquiry into Social Media and Online Safety has been tabled by the Minister for Communications.

The response comprehensively outlines the Government’s holistic online safety agenda and three immediate priorities.

Effectively implementing and reviewing the Online Safety Act

The Government is working with Australia’s online safety regulator, the eSafety Commissioner, to ensure the Online Safety Act 2021 (the Act) is implemented effectively. The Act, which came into effect in January 2022, sets out Australia’s world-leading online safety framework comprising of complaints schemes to respond to harmful content, mechanisms to improve transparency, and a new set of industry codes to address illegal and seriously harmful content online.

The Government has also committed to bring forward the independent statutory review of the Act, which will be completed in this term of government. With the online environment constantly changing, an early review will ensure Australia’s legislative framework remains responsive to online harms and that the eSafety can continue to keep Australians safe from harm.

Tackling gaps in the current legislative framework

While the Online Safety Act includes some mechanisms to address more extreme forms of hate speech and material that incites violence or promotes crime or terrorism, it does not provide the eSafety Commissioner with specific powers in relation to online hate or vilification. Action to address this harm is long overdue. The Albanese Government will consider what else can be done to address group hate speech online.

The Government’s holistic response to harms in the online environment also includes:

• Strengthening digital and media literacy by making eLearning products from the Alannah & Madeline Foundation freely available to all schools.

• Providing the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) with powers to combat dis- and misinformation and improve transparency under the voluntary industry code.

• Committing to a new long-term, whole-of-government approach to reduce Australians’ losses to scams, including through strengthening industry codes and the establishment of a National Anti-Scams Centre.

• Consulting with state and territory governments to introduce mandatory minimum classification ratings of M (Mature) for games with loot boxes that can be purchased and R18+ (Restricted) for games that contain simulated gambling.

This is in addition to the Government’s efforts to protect Australians using dating apps from sexual violence and abuse. Minister Rowland has issued a detailed information request to the top ten online dating services used by Australians about the extent of harms occurring on their services and what they are doing to address them. The industry’s response to the request will inform the Government’s development of further policy options, including regulation, if needed.

Supporting cross-government coordination on the regulation of online harms

The Albanese Government is committed to improving cross-government coordination of online harms to ensure they are dealt with successfully and effectively. The Government will convene a new bi-annual forum for Federal Ministers with responsibility for online harms to discuss cross-cutting issues, and complement the work of the Digital Platform Regulators Forum.

The Government response can be accessed here.

Public consultation open on life-saving alerting technology for electric vehicles

More Australians than ever before are driving electric vehicles, with the numbers almost doubling in 2022, from 44,000 EVs on our roads, to more than 83,000.

As the popularity of electric vehicles grows, we are committed to ensuring they are safe for both the driver and all other road users.

Consultation is now open on the potential mandate of life-saving acoustic vehicle alerting systems (AVAS) for light electric vehicles (EVs) in Australia.

This technology allows EVs to produce an external sound, alerting vulnerable road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, to their approach - thereby decreasing the risk of a collision.

This is particularly important for the blind and low-vision community, whose members rely on sound to negotiate the road network independently.

A survey by the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) found that people in this community felt particularly vulnerable on roads due to EVs, with 35 per cent reporting they had experienced a collision or near-collision with an EV.

This technology is already mandated across most major vehicle markets, including the European Union, United Kingdom, Japan, Korea, China and the United States.

A cost-benefit analysis for mandating AVAS in light EVs in Australia, supported by independent analysis by MUARC and advice from manufacturers, indicates that 65 lives could be saved and 5,000 injuries avoided over a 35-year period.  

As this analysis only covers pedestrian trauma, the benefits for Australian communities will likely be far greater – given AVAS technology will also reduce the risk of crashes involving other road users, particularly cyclists.

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts has released an Impact Analysis consultation paper to seek the public’s views on this technology, the costs and benefits, as well as its implementation. 

While all submissions are welcome, feedback is being specifically sought on areas including:

1. Support for the proposed introduction of AVAS for new light EVs

2. The cost-benefit analysis, including the assumptions on effectiveness of the technology

3. Concerns on functional and performance requirements, test requirements, or implementation

4. Applicable vehicle categories, implementation timeframes, and alternative standards

5. The feasibility of mandating AVAS for heavy vehicles in the future

Consultation on the AVAS Impact Analysis paper is open until Friday, 26 May 2023.

To view the paper or to make a submission, please visit: Have your say | Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts

Clean Energy Capacity Study Discussion paper

The Australian Government has commissioned Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) to undertake a capacity study on the workforce needs for Australia’s transition to a clean energy economy. The capacity study will build on existing research and deepen our understanding of the clean energy sector.

Making a submission

JSA welcomes feedback on the discussion paper from all interested parties. You can submit responses to the questions in this paper and/or provide supplementary information and views by emailing the Clean Energy Capacity Study team at CleanEnergyWorkforce@jobsandskills.gov.au.

Submissions will remain open until 5.00pm AEST Tuesday 2 May 2023.

Nearly $900,000 in federal funding for rural, regional and remote COVID recovery projects

The Australian Government has partnered with the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) to provide $897,755 through 53 grants to support COVID-19 recovery in communities in rural, regional and remote parts of Australia.

This funding is part of FRRR’s largest ever small grants round, which will see 176 community groups share over $2.3 million in grants in total.

The COVID-19 recovery grants will support community projects ranging from $10,000 to up to $50,000, and are distributed through the Australian Government-funded Strengthening Rural Communities – Rebuilding Regional Communities (RRC) stream.

The funding will help communities deliver projects including:

• Providing practical assistance, wellness activities and a community garden to enhance the COVID-19 recovery of 117 Aboriginal families in New South Wales.

• Delivering a creative dance festival to increase tourism in a town recovering from bushfires in Victoria.

• Constructing a new hanger at an aeronautical museum to run a job training program for students to restore vintage aeroplanes in Queensland.

• Encouraging greater community participation by seniors by providing upgrades to cooling and heating at a local arts facility in South Australia.

• Enabling connection to back up power generators for a medical centre in a severe storm-prone area of Western Australia.

• Expanding training and purchasing more life-saving equipment for a surf club in Tasmania.

The Australian Government has committed $5 million from 2022 to 2024 to FRRR for the RRC stream.

A full list of grant recipients and more information about the RRC program is available at https://frrr.org.au/rural-groups-awarded-a-record-breaking-2-3-million/.

Griffith Easter Party Welcomes a Huge Program of Events in 2023

Griffith Easter Party is just around the corner, with many of your favourite events scheduled to return this year, ensuring a great weekend for the whole family.

The fun kicks off on Thursday 6 April, with canapes, cocktails and live entertainment at Cocoa & Bean, while Griffith Exies will also be offering a great night out - book your place at the bistro for a delicious meal and enjoy the live entertainment.

Good Friday will host the Bacchus on the Lake fun run, and will see the return of Pioneer Park Action Day, one of Griffith’s best family days out, where the park comes to life!

Be sure to add this one to your list as it is full of fun kid’s activities, market stalls, vintage machinery, demonstrations, entertainment, food and beverages.

Finish your day with a Good Friday feast at the Exies Annual Seafood Buffet where you can indulge in a selection of fresh seafood.

Get your shopping fix at the Banna Avenue Sidewalk Sale on Easter Saturday morning where the main street will be bursting with sales - grab a coffee from one of the many local cafes and pick up a bargain while supporting local retailers.

One of Griffith’s most popular events, the Griffith Vintage Festival, will be back on Saturday afternoon featuring live music and an array of local wine and food. Always a hit amongst the locals, the event offers something for everyone to enjoy.

Returning to the program this year on Easter Saturday is Blood, Sweat & Beers, which is set to be bigger and better! Run by local business Grainmother Brewing Supplies, the family friendly event will feature children’s entertainment, the best street eats and live music from local bands, as well as showcasing a variety of craft beers. Held in the Burley Griffin Community Gardens, the event was a huge success in 2022 and is bound to be even more popular this year – be sure to get your tickets early to avoid disappointment.

Easter Sunday is all about family, wine and food. Kicking off at Piccolo Family Farm, you can explore the producer and artisan market stalls, coffee, food and music. While there make sure you catch a glimpse of their Visitor Experience Centre and cellar door.

You will be spoilt for choice over the whole weekend in finding a winery event or tasting experience at one of the many amazing cellar doors. On Sunday in particular, you will need to book ahead for De Bortoli Wines annual Celebrazione festivities, Berton Wines’ Easter Sunday Sessions or a relaxing afternoon in the sun at Yarran Wines Live in the Vines until Sunset!

Griffith Mayor, Councillor Doug Curran said Easter really is a wonderful time in Griffith.

“It is great to see so many events returning this year, and to be welcoming some exciting new activities for the entire family to enjoy this Easter,” said Councillor Curran.

“Easter is such a fantastic time in Griffith and I encourage you to make sure you support the local operators and make this an unforgettable Easter for all.

“With so much going on in Griffith, I would like to encourage everyone to book ahead and plan the weekend in advance - check out the program for more information,” he added.

Transitioning Well | Workplace Mental Health Coaching

The NSW Government has partnered with Transitioning Well to deliver a coaching service to help NSW businesses create a mentally healthy workplace. Through confidential one-on-one sessions, your coach will help address issues or identify risks to mental health within your business and give you practical tools and strategies to manage them. They can also help fine-tune any existing initiatives you have in place. 

Topics you could discuss include but aren’t limited to: 

• coping with stress or overwhelm 

• resolving workplace conflict 

• managing staff who have poor mental health 

• improving workplace culture

• creating a workplace mental health policy

• responding to incidents.

Benefits include:

• Address any workplace issues such as stress, burnout, change, customer aggression or having difficult conversations.

• Take action to create a mentally healthy workplace critical to business profitability and productivity.

• Assist business owners and leaders with resources, tools, and referrals to address mental health in the workplace.

• Provide access to support services for the business or workers.

• Resources, tools, and referrals suitable to business needs.

Who is Transitioning Well?

The coaches at Transitioning Well are highly trained experts in workplace mental health, with a core focus on working with organisations to help their people live well and work well. 

Transitioning Well’s workplace psychologists have been delivering the coaching service for over a year, helping businesses achieve great outcomes. 

What is a workplace psychologist?

A workplace psychologist is a psychologist who works in a workplace setting to support leaders and organisations to improve their processes and practices to promote healthier organisations. Workplace psychologists have experience in working with organisations and can understand the unique factors that shape well-being in this setting. 

The service is for business leaders in: 

NSW business with 1 to 200 employees, or; 

A not-for-profit organisation of any size. 

This includes if the business has employees in NSW but their Head Office is in another state or overseas. 

Once-in-a-generation opportunity to get Australian rail back on track

An historic agreement has been signed between Australian governments and rail industry stakeholders to bring our nation’s rail network into the 21st century.

The Australian and Victorian Governments, as well as the Australasian Railway Association on behalf of senior rail industry leaders, have signed the ground-breaking Memorandum of Cooperation to make rail more competitive and interoperable across Australia.

This agreement will see rail play a bigger role in the national economy while delivering more freight and passenger services for Australians.

Since federation, rail has run as a series of independent rail networks, often receiving upgrades and new technologies at different times from different suppliers. This has led to a range of critical issues impacting national rail productivity and innovation, such as:

• the use of different rail gauges, signalling systems, rolling stock and safe working arrangements, which are an economic handbrake requiring costly work-arounds

• differences in how we run trains, manage rail crew and invest in new rolling stock

• experienced rail workers being isolated to geographic areas based on these differing technologies, compounding rail skills shortages.

Improving national rail interoperability is also one of the National Cabinet's five priorities for collective action. Infrastructure and Transport Ministers agreed to a number of productivity and safety measures in December, including:

• setting a small number of critical national rail standards

• aligning the different train control and signalling technologies used along the eastern seaboard

• reducing the burden that different rail approaches have on drivers, crew and maintenance workers

The Memorandum of Cooperation commits rail operators, builders, manufacturers and transport ministers to work together to make rail more interoperable, particularly for any future major rail investments.

This builds on the Albanese Government’s commitment to delivering the National Rail Manufacturing Plan, to support a nationally coordinated approach that will grow the rail manufacturing sector and create skilled manufacturing jobs.

The government will shortly appoint a National Rail Advocate and Rail Industry Innovation Council to support the plan and drive genuine change in Australian rail manufacturing, including bolstering supply chains and building domestic capabilities.

Food Agility | Framework for Sustainability Reporting

Food Agility has teamed up with Charles Sturt University and Sustainable Food Lab on a new project to understand and manage natural capital and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.

The Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems created by the project team will be road-tested on the Global Digital Farm in Wagga Wagga, which will become an open and accessible benchmark for effective sustainability reporting in agrifood.

The project team includes members from the Food Agility CRC, Charles Sturt University, the Cool Soil Initiative, and Sustainable Food Lab.

HumeLink Project March 2023 Update

What is HumeLink?

HumeLink is a once in a generation investment in Australia’s energy capability, increasing the amount of renewable energy that can be delivered to consumers, and helping Australia to move towards a net zero future.

It will be one of the nation’s largest energy infrastructure projects, with about 360 km of 500 kV overhead transmission lines connecting Wagga Wagga, Bannaby and Maragle and new or upgraded infrastructure at four substations.

HumeLink is critical to bringing more affordable, reliable and renewable energy to the grid and is a priority project for the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and the Commonwealth and NSW Governments.

The March 2023 HumeLink Community Newsletter is now available. This issue includes:

• Landscape character and visual amenity

• What’s been happening in the community

Powerful new Alliance champions regional Australia

More than 30 CEOs from the most influential peak bodies in the country have today (21 March 2023) joined forces in Canberra, for the historic launch of the National Alliance for Regionalisation.

Established by the Regional Australia Institute (RAI), CEO Liz Ritchie says this new Alliance is the first of its kind in this country, spanning business, health, education, infrastructure and environment. It aims to better position the regions to reach their potential.

“It’s no secret regional kids are still behind their metro-counterparts at school. Employers are struggling to get staff – yet migration levels are significantly lower in regions. Towns are crying out for doctors, but kids in the country are less likely to finish high school,” Liz Ritchie said.

“Despite these challenges, regional Australia remains the engine room of our national economy – but it’s not firing on all cylinders.

“In September, the RAI launched the Regionalisation Ambition 2032 – a 10-year framework to rebalance the nation. The Alliance will advance the targets within the Ambition and advocate for the policy priorities needed to create a fairer, more prosperous, more balanced regional Australia.

“Today’s launch marks a significant milestone for the 9 million people living in our regions. This powerful cohort of leading peak bodies and for-purpose organisation will work to help bring the RAI’s Regionalisation Ambition 2032 to life,” Liz Ritchie said.

“By viewing these critical issues through the collective lens of the Alliance, we will progress solutions that have hampered growth in regional Australia for decades.

"The Alliance will provide knowledge sharing and national leadership to ensure the 20 targets and aspirations set out in the Ambition remain relevant and central to decision-making for regional Australia over the next decade.

“It will adopt a system-thinking approach in viewing regional development within this country, working together to see more than 11 million people living prosperously in regional Australia by 2032.

“While each organisation has its individual policy priorities, it will work collectively to progress issues of commonality – such as regional housing, worker shortages, regional education, and migration,” Liz Ritchie said.

Targets within the Regionalisation Ambition 2032 include:

• Increasing regional Australia’s contribution to national output, boosting Australia’s GDP by an additional $13.8 billion by 2032;

• Reducing the recruitment difficulty rate in regional Australia to below 40%;

• Halving the population classified as living in a regional childcare desert (to below 2

million);

• Increasing rental vacancy rates in regional areas to above 3%; and ensure building

approvals keep pace with population growth; and

• Increasing the percentage of students in regional Australia who achieve at or above

the minimum standard NAPLAN testing, equal to metropolitan students, across each

year level.

“After more than 11 years of research, we know you can’t solve the jobs crisis without addressing housing, the skills deficit without improving education standards and healthcare in regions can’t be improved without focussing on digital connectivity. All these issues are interlinked, complex and equally important.

Mike Mrdack AO was today announced as the Chair of the National Alliance for Regionalisation, the former Secretary of the Department of Communications and the Arts, and Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development.

“I am delighted Mr Mrdack has accepted the position of Chair and will lead the Alliance. His experience in regional development in the country is second to none, and we welcome him to the position,” Liz Ritchie said.

Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories Kristy McBain will deliver an opening address to the Alliance members.

“We thank Minister McBain and the Albanese Government for their continued support for regional Australia. The Alliance will seek to continue this engagement with the Government to further the actions and priorities that will contribute to the Ambition's targets,” Ms Ritchie said.

“Australia is one of the most urbanised nations in the world, yet we know that urbanisation and mega-cities are not the right trajectory for our nation – our modelling tells us that a more balanced nation is better for the productivity and liveability of not just regional communities, but the nation as a whole,” Liz Ritchie said.

“Not only is regionalisation a sound strategy for strengthening Australia’s economy, it’s a broader strategy for shaping a stronger future for our country’s wellbeing and living standards, our resilience to economic shocks and natural disasters, and our capacity to manage a changing demographic.

“We have set our ambition to Rebalance the Nation, and to accomplish this requires all of Australia – government, industry and community – to work collaboratively. Today, we have taken a significant step forward in achieving that.

“Planning for a stronger Australia means planning for a prosperous, inclusive and resilient regional Australia and I wish to thank all organisations involved today for taking a seat at this historic table,” Liz Ritchie concluded.

The founding members of the National Alliance for Regionalisation include:

• Australian Communications Consumer Action Network

• Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute

• Australian Industry Group

• Australian Local Government Association

• Australian Medical Association

• Australian Regional Tourism

• Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth

• Australian Rural Leadership Foundation

• Business Council of Australia

• Council of Small Business Organisations Australia

• Country Education Partnership

• Engineers Australia

• Insurance Council of Australia

• Master Builders Australia

• Migration Institute of Australia

• Minerals Council of Australia

• National Catholic Education Commission

• National Farmers' Federation

• National Rural Health Alliance

• National Rural Women's Coalition

• Planning Institute of Australia

• Real Estate Institute of Australia

• Regional Arts Australia

• Regional Australia Institute

• Regional Avia􀆟on Association of Australia

• Regional Capitals Australia

• Regional Universities Network

• Royal Far West

• Royal Flying Doctor Service

• Rural Councils Victoria

• Rural Doctors Association of Australia

• Welcoming Australia

For further information about the National Alliance for Regionlisation, go to www.rebalancethenation.com.au .

The Regionalisation Ambition 2032 was launched at the RAI Summit in Canberra in September 2022.

Planning the Future of the Energy Workforce

If your business is in or supporting the energy sector in Australia, you can now take part in the first Australian Energy Employment Report survey.

Australia currently lacks data to understand energy sector jobs, the people in those jobs and their skills, and forecast how these jobs are changing.

The Australian Government are addressing this gap through the delivery of the Australian Energy Employment Report (AEER), a national survey of businesses and organisations in the Australian energy sector.

The survey closes 30 April 2023.

Voting open for National Awards for Local Government

Entries for the 2023 National Awards have now closed, and it’s time to vote!

All votes can be made via the online platform: bit.ly/voteNALG20233.

The National Awards are an opportunity to bring recognition to your council's innovative and exciting initiatives, and this year’s awards will be presented in Canberra in June 2023.

 The winner of each category will be the eligible initiative which receives the most votes during the voting period. Honourable mentions may also be recognised in some or all categories.

 Voting closes: Friday 14 April 2023.