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Regional Australia: Making a Difference

Regional Budget Highlights

Budget measures totalling $1.8 billion over the next four years will be provided for programmes and services targeted to regional Australia. The initiatives highlighted in this section are covered in more detail in the main body of this Statement, as well as in the Budget papers. A financial summary of highlights is to be found at Appendix 1. Budget highlights for 2000-01 include:

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

The Budget delivers a $309.4 million extension of the Agriculture - Advancing Australia package over four years, originally unveiled by the Government in September 1997. Key features include:

• a $167.5 million programme, Skilling Farmers for the Future, that combines the existing FarmBis and Property Management Planning programmes to help farmers improve their skills in business and natural resource management;


• a $111.2 million extension and enhancement of the Farm Family Restart Scheme;


• a new $18.2 million two-year on-farm innovation and diversification pilot programme to encourage the adoption of new technology/production techniques;


• a $22.3 million boost to Australia's capacity to protect plant and animal health against exotic pests and diseases; and


• a new Dairy Regional Assistance Programme which will provide $15 million in 2000-01 and for the following two years to ameliorate the potential impact of dairy industry deregulation on regional communities dependent on the industry.

Communications, Information Technology and the Arts

The Budget contains initiatives designed to ensure that Australia's communications and information technology sectors continue to take up the opportunities offered by new technologies, to create new employment, educational, social and entertainment opportunities for all Australians - regardless of where they live. Initiatives include:

• an extensive programme of support for regional commercial television stations to assist them in meeting the costs of rolling out digital television in non-metropolitan areas. Up to $260 million will be spent over 13 years, including $22.6 million in 2000-01; and


• a $10 million Regional Communications Partnership with the new owner of the National Transmission Network to assist community-based self-help retransmission groups obtain access to network sites in regional and remote areas by subsidising the commercial fees payable. These groups then retransmit commercial and national television and radio services to smaller communities that would not otherwise have had access. The Federal Government and the new owner of the Network are each contributing $5 million.

Education, Training and Youth Affairs

The Budget delivers on a key initiative for people in regional, rural and remote areas - alleviating the costs of educating their children. Greater support for educating children in isolated areas will be provided by increasing the Assistance for Isolated Children's Scheme basic boarding allowance, second home allowance and distant education allowance, as well as the ABSTUDY School Fees Allowance.

Family and Community Services

The Budget confirms funding of $240 million over four years for the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy, about half of which will be spent in regional Australia. The Strategy will establish new partnerships to strengthen families and communities and will improve access to key services for regional and rural Australians. Measures in this Budget include:

• the Stronger Families Fund;


• early intervention, parenting and family relationships support;


• greater flexibility and choice in child care; and


• a longitudinal study of Australian children.

The Budget also delivers improved access to the Youth Allowance for student children of farmers and small business operators. The discount applying to farm and small businesses' assets under the assets test is increased from 50 to 75 per cent.

Health and Aged Care

The Budget delivers a $562.1 million package over four years that provides a comprehensive response to the health disadvantages faced by people in regional, rural and remote Australia. It will deliver more doctors and better health services through:

• changes to general practitioner (GP) vocational training to favour rural areas;


• an expansion of the Regional Health Services Programme;


• new scholarship schemes for medical students who agree to practice in rural areas;


• a medical specialist outreach programme taking specialists to the bush;


• support for rural general practitioners ;


• support for the employment of community-based, allied health professionals;


• a new programme targeting chronic disease in rural areas;


• a new Rural Pharmacy Maintenance Allowance to support existing pharmacies, as well as start-up assistance for new pharmacies in areas of need;


• a new support programme to help secure the viability of small rural private hospitals; and


• grants to improve the viability of small rural aged care facilities.

Prime Minister and Cabinet

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission

The Budget provides a major enhancement of the Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) Scheme by the addition of 1,500 places in 2000-01 for regional and remote areas.

Transport and Regional Services

Equitable access to services, and increasing recognition of the significance of regional Australia to the nation's future, are features of this Budget. New measures include:

• $2 million over three years for Australia's Year of the Outback - 2002, which will celebrate the ethos of the bush through a major celebration of outback history, culture and achievements in 2002;


• an additional $2.9 million each year to ensure that service delivery standards for the Indian Ocean territories, where possible, are comparable with similar communities on the mainland; and


• $22 million in 2000-01 ($69 million over four years) to upgrade infrastructure required for the delivery of mainland-equivalent services in the Indian Ocean territories to help foster the social and economic capacity of these communities.

Treasury

Australian Taxation Office

A new fuel grant scheme will cost around $500 million over the next four years which will benefit consumers of petrol and diesel in non-metropolitan and remote areas. Under this scheme:

• a grant will be paid to fuel retailers for sales to consumers in non-metropolitan areas with a higher rate of grant provided for sales in remote areas; and


• in addition to the excise reduction, the scheme will ensure that prices for petrol and diesel in non-metropolitan and remote areas need not rise with the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax.