Regional areas of Australia, including the Western Plains, are critical to the future of the nation according to the 2023 Intergenerational Report.

The Report is a government document that projects the outlook of the economy and the Australian Government’s budget a long way into the future - to 2062-63, to be exact.

Positivity around regions has to do with the aim to transition to a net-zero economy and the prediction that 90 per cent of jobs in this sector will be based in regions.

The term "net zero economy" refers to an economy that aims to balance the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere with an equivalent amount removed from the atmosphere.

The Regional Australia Institute (RAI) is the nation’s first and only independent think tank dedicated to empowering Australia’s regions.

RAI CEO Liz Ritchie said supporting regional Australia is critical to the success of the nation’s overall productivity gains.

“Regional Australia has always played a key role in Australia’s productivity, driving key output industries like agriculture, fishing, mining, and manufacturing,” Ms Ritchie said. “The transition to net zero will again see regional Australia in productivity’s driving seat, however this time, we have some major handbrakes, the result of decades of neglect."

Ms Ritchie said that lack of housing supply and diversity, chronic labour and skill shortages and poor access to medical services, childcare and aged care services are all holding regional Australia back.

“If we want to aim to be a clean energy superpower, supporting our growing populations in regions should be a first priority,” she said.



The RAI said demand for life in regional Australia has never been higher. Sydney remains the largest population shedder, accounting for 94 per cent of capital city net outflows in the 12 month period to June 2023, up from 66 per cent a year ago.

Second on the list of destinations is the Mid-Western Regional LGA, which recorded more than three-fold increase due to a high inflow from other regions.

"City to regional net-migration has been positive for the last two census periods showing that COVID was no blip," Ms Ritchie said. "Net-migration is still around 16 per cent higher than what it was pre-COVID."

“One in five Australians say they are considering a move to the regions, that is almost three million Australians thinking about city life differently."

In their ten year Regionalisation Ambition 2032 framework, the RAI say regionalisation is the key to rebalancing the nation.

“One in five Australians say they are considering a move to the regions, that is almost three million Australians thinking about city life differently.

“If we can meet and support this demand, we will bring the skills and services to our regions that are needed to drive the industries of the future and meet Australia’s productivity aspirations.”

 The RAI will release its first progress report into its Regionalisation Ambition 2032 at the Regions Rising National Summit – Shifting Our Gaze to be held in Canberra on 13-14 September.