REGIONAL & RURAL AUSTRALIA

Background

Farmers are the backbone of regional and rural communities. They’ve helped feed all of us, through both droughts and floods. Yet farmers and country people have increasingly been taken for granted by major political parties.

Policy

Better support farmers and regional and rural Australia.

Policy Methods (Federal & State)

To help achieve this Sustainable Australia Party will:

Increase its commitment to agricultural research and development, including through greater support for regional universities and TAFE.

Achieve greater agricultural product commercialisation, regional processing and value adding opportunities.

Better promote the financial, health and environmental benefits of local primary products.

primary products. Encourage the re-allocation of Australian investment capital , including superannuation funds, into agriculture and regional development including value-adding manufacturing (see JOBS & ECONOMY policy).

, including superannuation funds, into agriculture and regional development including value-adding manufacturing (see JOBS & ECONOMY policy). Implement fair trade policies that address unsustainable cheap imports that unfairly compete with local produce (see JOBS & ECONOMY policy).

policies that address unsustainable cheap imports that unfairly compete with local produce (see JOBS & ECONOMY policy). Encourage population decentralisation and regional revitalisation, including through regional tax concessions , for inland areas experiencing population decline (see JOBS & ECONOMY and SUSTAINABLE POPULATION & IMMIGRATION policies).

, for inland areas experiencing population decline (see JOBS & ECONOMY and SUSTAINABLE POPULATION & IMMIGRATION policies). Establish 'job guarantee' programs (especially for youth and the long-term unemployed) that includes opportunities for employment and training in conservation land management in regional (see REGIONAL & RURAL AUSTRALIA policy) and Aboriginal (see A&TSI policy) communities (see JOBS & ECONOMY policy).

(especially for youth and the long-term unemployed) that includes opportunities for employment and training in conservation land management in regional (see REGIONAL & RURAL AUSTRALIA policy) and Aboriginal (see A&TSI policy) communities JOBS & ECONOMY Further develop land stewardship funds to support relevant farmers and rural landowners to help manage biodiversity values on their properties, including areas that are either high conservation value and/or unsuitable or marginal for agricultural use.

to support relevant to help manage biodiversity values on their properties, including areas that are either high conservation value and/or unsuitable or marginal for agricultural use. Further develop community opportunities for employment and training in conservation land management in regional and rural communities where there is high unemployment and low educational attainment, with underutilised labour skilled in practical outdoor work.

in regional and rural communities where there is high unemployment and low educational attainment, with underutilised labour skilled in practical outdoor work. Recognise the adverse effects of fracking and mining on agricultural land and communities, by imposing a moratorium (see ENERGY policy).

Further develop humane reduction and eradication programs for high-risk feral species.

Subsidise the reintroduction of larger abattoirs in Australia in order to offer viable alternatives to live animal exporting, minimise animal cruelty, value-add to commodity exports and help secure the livelihood of people in regional and rural Australia.

Better fund the ABC's regional and rural services to both provide a stronger voice for a fair share of government services and to better educate city-dwellers as to regional, rural and remote community issues.

Related policies

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