The 2011–12 Budget: investing in Australia's regions

The Government is delivering over $4.3 billion of initiatives commencing 1 July 2011 to ensure that individuals and communities across regional Australia share in the nation's prosperity.

$1.8 billion over six years to provide critical infrastructure upgrades to hospitals and health services for regional Australians through the Health and Hospitals Fund regional priority rounds.

$500 million over five years to strengthen regional higher education and vocational education and training institutions, through the regional priorities round of the Education Investment Fund.

$109.9 million over four years for universities with regional campuses through increased and better targeted loading payments to regional areas.

$916 million for the first projects under the Regional Infrastructure Fund to help unlock the economic potential of our regions.

$1 billion over five years through the Regional Development Australia Fund to finance infrastructure projects that best fit the economic and community needs of the regions.

Building on our existing investments

These initiatives build on existing commitments that are strengthening Australia's regions, including:

$22 billion of investments in transport infrastructure;
world–class telecommunications infrastructure provided by the National Broadband Network;
over $5 billion for school infrastructure in regional areas through Building the Education Revolution;
$690 million to regional higher education, training and research infrastructure through the Education Investment Fund;
$1.1 billion of investments in regional areas under Rounds 1 and 2 of the Health and Hospitals Fund, including $560 million to establish 21 regional cancer centres; and
strengthening national education policies to ensure they meet the needs of regional students.