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Australia will face significant choices over the next few years if we want to continue our economic success over the past quarter of a century.
How we manage the growth of our population and the changes in our economy will determine whether we continue to prosper. The future of our regions will be shaped by this.
First, it is clear to me that significant growth in our network of regional cities is crucial for regions to thrive in an Australia that is expected to reach 50 million people by 2050.
Although the potential of these regions is an important reason for their growth, the need to manage density, costs and congestion in our larger cities will bring about this change.
If the regions are also growing rapidly as the country's population increases, the pressure on our larger cities will be manageable and we can make our cities and regions the most livable places in the world.
We must take the lead, so it is important for our network of cities to start planning and engaging their communities.
Regional cities with populations approaching the 100,000 mark should begin to wonder how they will succeed, in places where 300,000 people live.
Our largest regional cities, such as Newcastle, Wollongong, Canberra and Geelong, should consider growth that leaves them almost the size of Adelaide and Perth mid-century.
This will bring new and serious opportunities not only to these cities, but also to the regions of which they are part. The surrounding cities will also grow and develop, just as we have seen areas around our big cities.
Labor markets will become increasingly diversified with well-paying jobs and larger and better quality education and health facilities.
More and more companies with global operations will be located in these regions, attracting talent from Australia and around the world. To ensure the future of our regions, we must also integrate the next generation into our rural communities.
To ensure the future of our regions, we must also integrate the next generation into our rural communities.
It's about helping the next generation of entrepreneurs build on the strengths of these economies, while helping another wave of immigrants connect with rural opportunities and drive renewal in our cities.
New initiatives like Cultivate Farms are helping a new generation get into farming. Locally-driven migration strategies have also proven successful in communities such as Nhill, Hamilton and Dalwallinu.
Models for doing so have been created. The challenge now is to invest at the national level to scale up and gain impact. Along with facilitating the next wave of Australians in the region to join our communities, some regions will have to face major economic changes.
The closure of coal-fired power plants and the ramp-up of new regional power plants through renewable energies and industrial investments is an economic change that will radically change many regions.
The hunter I come from is one of the countries that is planning serious changes, starting with the closure of the Liddell power station over the next few years.
The opportunities for industrial development are enormous if we can transform energy supply and labor in these places while attracting new investment.
The first partnerships between energy companies, local communities, governments and international investors will be essential to ensure the future of these places.
Do not forget that the hunter has already done so with BHP and that Australia has generally registered many successes in this type of changes, especially compared to the United Kingdom and the United States .
This badessment leads me to conclude that we must begin serious planning for a larger and better regional Australia.
This is my last public contribution as CEO of the Regional Australia Institute and it is a great privilege to help build this organization from scratch.
RAI is one of the few national institutions to work exclusively and independently for the benefit of the regional communities.
I've been continually inspired by what I've seen creating people in our communities.
This leaves me optimistic about our future, despite the inevitable big changes ahead.
Jack Archer Regional Director Australian Institute
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