The treechange trend has done wonders to revitalise local towns since the pandemic, but is a drop in the ocean in replacing the workers lost to border closures. Narromine is making moves to take matters into their own hands with their own immigration program. 

The unfortunate reality of the nation’s incredibly low unemployment rate is thousands of job vacancies across the country, and businesses being forced to shut down as a result. 

Narromine Shire Council Mayor Craig Davies is eager to reignite a once successful immigration plan, even if just on a local level.

“It is very early, there’s no doubt about that. We tried with the former (immigration) minister, Mr Alex Hawke, and it got nowhere,” Cr Davies said. 

“For the last two and a half years we’ve had no people coming into the country. When the former federal government was skyting about the fact that they had 3.9 per cent employment…of course they hadn’t had any immigration programs,” Cr Davies said.

To get the ball rolling, Narromine has engaged Regional Development Australia (RDA) Orana to bring 100 tradesmen to come to a Narromine facility that is being developed. 

House shortage provides a bump in plan

While their goal for their own immigration program is so far just a dream, the local housing situation is now preventing their progress. 

Narromine was recognised last year by the government as a suitable region for investment in housing, infrastructure, and extra facilities.

Although Narromine’s growth of long-term dwellers is thriving from the treechange era, an increase of temporary workers to assist in providing those facilities is the only way forward, as well as temporary housing to go with them.

“We’re full to the brim in terms of housing…we are building houses quicker than we ever have,” Cr Davies said. 

In the last 18 months, Narromine has sold around 100 residential blocks. 

The fastest they’ve ever built houses, however, isn’t fast enough, with red tape stopping projects in their tracks. 

“It appears that they are working against us, not with us,” Cr Davies said.

Cr Davies is hopeful that the new government’s perspective will be better suited to the region’s growth, with plans to engage ministers about the solutions they are seeking through increased immigration. 

“I just hope the next minister - and I believe they are well aware of the situation - takes a much more proactive and enlightened approach to immigration and regional development,” Cr Davies said. 

“Without it, we will never see those benefits in the bush…this is a once in a generation opportunity for us to grow.”