Statement 1: Budget Overview (Continued)
Sustainable communities
The Government understands that some communities are feeling the pressures of congestion and urban growth. The key to relieving pressure on these communities is delivering balanced growth across our regions and major cities.
This is why the Government's sustainable Australia strategy makes $4.3 billion of investments in regional hospitals, health care, universities and roads — to lift living standards outside the big capitals, provide the best services closer to home, and help regional communities reach their potential.
The Government will invest:
- $1.8 billion to renew regional health infrastructure, expand regional hospitals and support training in regional hospitals, providing families in regional Australia with confidence they will be able to access the health care they need, when they need it;
- $609.9 million for investment in regional higher education and vocational education and training projects, providing a real choice to school leavers in regional areas on where they advance their education;
- $916 million for the first projects to be funded from the Regional Infrastructure Fund to help unlock the economic potential of our regions;
- $1 billion through the Regional Development Australia Fund to finance infrastructure projects that best fit the economic and community needs of the region — from bridges, to child care centres to sporting facilities;
- $29.2 million to improve strategic planning for regional and coastal high growth centres, reducing red tape for business and fast‑tracking investment; and
- $11.5 million to support regional cities to promote the benefits and opportunities of living away from the capital cities.
On top of this, in this Budget the Government will invest an additional $10.1 million to develop new sustainability indicators for Australia and report progress against these indicators.
All of this is in addition to the National Broadband Network, which will help connect regional families, communities and businesses — reducing the tyranny of distance, changing the way Australians live and work, and offering new opportunities in areas like health and education.
The Government will also invest in making living in outer urban areas more sustainable and liveable through a National Urban Policy, including investing:
- $100 million to encourage the development of employment hubs in outer suburbs, to promote local jobs closer to residential areas. It also will support local infrastructure to attract employers, targeting areas with the highest travel times;
- $61 million for managed motorways that allow more efficient use of our road infrastructure, bringing mums and dads home from work faster; and
- $20 million to support demonstration projects for urban renewal in our inner cities.
The Prime Minister will also begin a rigorous COAG process that asks state premiers to lead the development of Commonwealth‑State reforms that are of particular relevance to their jurisdiction, whether it be labour mobility in the west or easing congestion in capital cities in the east.
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