There are mixed reactions to whether the Federal Budget sufficiently meets regional and rural long-term needs - particularly when it comes to infrastructure and natural disaster repair. 

Let’s take a look at roads, for instance - the Rural Road Alliance was calling for an emergency funding package totaling nearly $5.5 billion, including a one-off injection of $1 billion over four years directed at regional road and infrastructure reconstruction for councils impacted by flooding and other natural disasters in the budget. 

The Government has dedicated nearly $976.7 million to its Road Safety Program, but provided just $250 million for road repair. 

The National Farmers Federation is less than impressed saying Calls for urgent funding to repair and improve Australia’s regional and rural road network have gone unanswered by the budget,” said National Farmers’ Federation President, Fiona Simson.  

“Over the past few months alone, devastating floods have swallowed crops and pastures and caused significant infrastructure damage, creating heartache for farmers and food shortages in our supermarkets. 

“The $250 million in new funding committed is barely a drop in the ocean in terms of what’s needed," she said.

“Repairing our roads means strengthening our connection to markets, making food more available and affordable for Australians. This is a missed opportunity to bring down costs in the food supply chain.” 

This budget is investing $200 million per year to support disaster risk reduction projects in regional Australia, under the Disaster Ready Fund, $236 million over 10 years to improve flood forecasting and warnings, and $231.8 million invested in Services Australia to establish a cost-effective emergency response capacity – ensuring the delivery of high-quality government services and payments, when customers need them the most. 

The budget also sees the extension of the Regional First Home Buyers Grant and incentives for buy-to-rent investors. 

While the Government says the Government’s $15bn National Reconstruction Fund and increases to jobseeker payments will also benefit regional and rural Australia. 

However, the Federal Opposition says that the budget will eventually create higher inflation which will have detriment on families all across Australia in the next 12-18 months. 

In what is not likely to go down well in regional Australia - the Government will also increase the Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge rate from 27.2c/l in 2023–24 to 32.4c/l in 2025–26.

This is expected to raise around $1.1billion, which will reduce expenditure on the fuel tax credit. With much agricultural produce moved by road, this change will have implications for transport costs. 

Meanwhile, The Regional Australia Institute has welcomed the establishment of a Regional Investment Framework in the Federal Budget. 

ABOVE: Liz Ritchie. Image: Regional Australia Institute. 

“We are delighted the proposed Regional Investment Framework closely reflects the RAI’s objective to ‘rebalance the nation’ and many of the targets within the RAI’s own 10-year plan for regional Australia: The Regionalisation Ambition 2032,” Regional Australia Institute (RAI) CEO Liz Ritchie said. 

She said a significant highlight of the budget were measures to address the current regional skills gaps and to develop the skills of the future 

“We welcome the additional $3.7 million invested in the National Skills Agreement, which includes a focus on bolstering training pathways for careers in the care sector - aged and early childhood care - skills so badly needed in regional Australia.

The RAI recognises the much-needed wage increase in aged care workers. 

“Regional and remote students are over-represented in the non-completion of apprenticeships and other vocational education. Therefore, the National Skills Agreement’s prioritisation of assisting students with barriers to completion, is highly positive.” 

“We also welcome the prioritisation of the national centre of excellence focussed on renewable energy.” 

The NFF also welcomed clarity on the Natural Heritage Trust’s $302.1 million over five years to support farmers’ transition to a low-emissions future and cautiously welcomed the Government’s investment in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) program.