Investing in regional Australia...
Australia's regions are essential to our national economy, wellbeing and identity.
Over 8 million Australians live outside our major capital cities and two‑thirds of the nation's export earnings are generated in the regions.
The devastation across the country due to severe flooding, cyclones and bushfires has demonstrated the resilience of the Australian community — and how essential this resilience is in difficult times.
The Australian Government is working with the states, territories and local communities to support recovery and reconstruction, and to build more resilient communities in the future.
The Government is committed to empowering regional Australia to reach its full potential and become even stronger and more sustainable in the years ahead.
The 2011–12 Budget supports strong, resilient and creative regional communities through measures targeting health, education and skills, workforce participation, infrastructure, environmental sustainability and improved delivery of government services.
These measures build on the Government's record of investment in regional communities, with the Government recognising that strong, prosperous regions are essential for a strong, prosperous Australia.
That is why the Government has made investing in regional Australia a priority for this Budget even as we face the challenge of bringing the budget back to surplus by 2012–13.
In short, the Government is investing today to secure a sustainable future, including through building the infrastructure that regional Australia needs.
