May 2024
Australia’s National Local Government Newspaper
Building life in the backyard The Barossa Council is helping to build biodiversity in backyards by giving away native plants to local property owners.
Barossa Bushgardens’ nursery coordinator Penny Devlin and volunteer Libby Eglinton with an example of the native tubestocks, ready to be given away.
Residents can simply bring their rates notice to Barossa Bushgardens between 1 May and 30 June and access five free native plants per property as part of the initiative. Limited to 300 people across the council area, the native tubestocks are offered on a first-in-first-served basis strictly during the promotion period – no early birds. Mayor Bim Lange said the program, now in its third year, was in direct response to feedback from the community. “In addition to the replanting work we have been undertaking, we want to keep encouraging people to plant natives in their garden as another way to intentionally and proactively make a difference,” Mayor Lange said. “Local species are water wise, low maintenance and provide habitat, shelter and food for wildlife like native bees, birds, insects and small mammals. This means you can spend less time in the garden while reaping the rewards of a beautiful green space.” The Barossa’s Best Native Garden Competition also returns to help celebrate the region’s finest green thumbs. Avid gardeners, whether experienced or beginners, are invited to email images of how they are using native plants at home for a chance to win plants from Barossa Bushgardens and some extra gardening goodies.
Regional priority The Federal Government needs to continue its focus on developing and supporting the regions, according to a regional advocacy group. The Regional Australia Institute (RAI), the nation’s first and only independent think tank dedicated to building robust regional economies, believes the government needs to prioritise long-term investment in planning, infrastructure and services needed to support growing communities. According to RAI CEO Liz Ritchie new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows the estimated resident population of regional Australia reached 9.78 million in June 2023, an increase of more than six per cent since 2018. Ms Ritchie said people living in regional Australia now made up nearly 40 per cent of the national population and investment and planning in services, supports and infrastructure must reflect this. “Regional Australia is growing at a rate that hasn’t been seen for decades. It is undergo-
ing not only a significant demographic change but will also be at the centre of an unprecedent economic evolution, as the nation’s transition to net zero emissions unfolds. Whilst regional communities have matured in recent years, the supports needed to assist them have not,” Ms Ritchie said. “Housing stocks are under immense pressure in many communities, 3.7 million regional Australians still live in a childcare desert, and too many regional residents struggle to access a GP. “It is why the RAI has developed the Regionalisation Ambition – a 10-year, 20-goal framework for regional Australia, to better plan for and invest in the growth of regional Australia. We know it will take a coalition of people to shift the dials on those goals, but government plays a critical role. “Developing a National Population and Set-
tlement Plan would help to enable analysis of high-growth scenarios and their implications for planning, industry growth, and infrastructure and service provision. It would provide a cohesive plan for not only regional Australia’s future, but the nation as a whole.” The Institute has welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment to several regionally focused initiatives in the past year, including the establishment of a Regional Investment Framework, the restoration of the ‘State of the Regions’ report, the development of a Regional Jobs and Skills Roadmap and a dedicated regional migration strategy. Ms Ritchie said the RAI is pleased to continue partnering with the government on big policy initiatives, but a coordinated approach to ensure investment, population and migration, infrastructure, jobs and skills, and housing policies worked in unison was needed.
“Many of the government’s plans for our nation’s future rely upon regional Australia doing the heavy lifting. If we don’t start planning for the impacts of this pipeline, we foresee major shortages, undersupply and dissatisfaction amongst our regional communities, with little to no legacy at the end. We need a system in place that speaks to the hearts and minds of regional Australians,” Ms Ritchie said. “The Future Made in Australia Act, another worthy policy initiative, has the potential to direct and deepen regional Australia’s role as the engine room of the nation’s renewable energy effort and play a key part of Australia’s manufacturing renaissance, but this will backfire if staff cannot be found, and they have nowhere to call home. Australians want to live in our regions and they continue to vote with their feet, why aren’t we planning for this future?”