The Liberal and Nationals government very clearly understands this, and the response to the House of Representatives Select Committee on Regional Development and Decentralisation’s Regions at the Ready: Investing in Australia’s Future report demonstrates our strong and ongoing commitment. The report is the result of a 12-month inquiry into best-practice approaches to regional development, and raises some complex issues.

Australia’s regions are incredibly vibrant and diverse, generating more than 30 per cent of our annual GDP. That’s why I’m committed to developing a strategic, long-term plan to ensure our regions continue to support a growing population and play a key role in the nation’s economic growth.

For too long, regional development has been considered in isolation. When thinking about regional development, we need to consider how population and migration planning, and jobs and skills growth policies may contribute. Getting this right and adopting a fresh approach to growing our regions strategically requires a careful look at what is currently a complex policy approach.

That’s why as part of the government’s response we are establishing an expert panel to undertake a targeted assessment of the key issues identified. The expert panel will be asked to develop a regional framework which considers local leadership and collaboration, current investment in the regions and how this could better support strategic regional growth across the nation.  

We know the regions have a leading role to play in supporting a growing population and the nation’s economic growth. That’s why the government continues to back them. Developing and growing our regions also needs to encapsulate decentralisation, including private sector investment and relocation as well as considering a future regional deals model. Also through the population strategy by supporting internal migration and strategic international immigration to address severe employment shortages in some regions. 

But in order to achieve success supporting migration in regional communities, it’s critical we get the fundamentals right.

A survey conducted by the Australian National University released last month, showed 70 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with a statement requiring some new migrants in Australia to live in regional towns or cities for a period of time.

What is evident from successful cases of migrant resettlement - such as the Karen in Nhill, the Filipino population at Pyramid Hill, the Sikhs in Coffs Harbour or the Yazidis in Wagga Wagga - is a handful of key contributing factors, most importantly local job prospects. It’s also enablers such as infrastructure, connectivity and access to essential services, as well as strong backing from the community. This is fundamental to getting it right and a local, nuanced approach to each region is required.

For years, regional communities have been crying out for more doctors, for doctors who understand their needs.

We have a strong record in delivering essential services, including through delivery of the $550 million Stronger Rural Health Strategy where there will be more local training opportunities for our future doctors. And, through the government’s Regional, Rural and Remote Education Strategy, we continue to back our regional universities and opportunities for students to meet the skills, research and development needs of industry. We’ve also delivered $75 billion in infrastructure investment across the country and are doing more to grow regional connectivity and communications. We're backing small businesses so they can thrive and create more local jobs and investment.

Since 2013 we’ve delivered more than 1200 federal government jobs to the regions.

But decentralisation is more than just relocating government agencies to the regions. And by getting the settings right, we will attract more private sector investment outside of capital cities and create sustainable regional economies while also reducing congestion in our cities.

Regions at the Ready identified great examples of corporate relocation. In Victoria, True Foods in Maryborough and Hoffman Engineering in Bendigo has resulted in many local benefits and added value to the local economy. The Business Council of Australia is also having positive discussions with its members about the benefits of going regional. The business sector, too, is looking for strategic, co-ordinated investment from government in enabling infrastructure, connectivity and essential services.

Growing regional economies and developing our regional capitals creates more opportunities and potential from which the entire nation will benefit. 

As a Nationals Senator, my heart lies in the regions. There are exciting prospects across our regions; through a more co-ordinated and considered approach, we can support them to remain safe, prosperous and sustainable over the long term.

Bridget McKenzie is Nationals Senator for Victoria and minister for Regional Services, Sport, Local Government and Decentralisation.