On Thursday, April 10 Federal Nationals leader David Littleproud announced the $20 billion Regional Australia Future Fund.
The fund is poised to deliver a guaranteed annual funding stream in perpetuity for regional, rural and remote parts of the country.
According to the NRHA, the fund would improve health, aged care, childcare and infrastructure inequalities in regional areas.
NRHA chief executive Susi Tegen said it was time regional communities received some attention in the lead-up to the federal election.
“Rural, regional and remote populations make up 30 per cent, or 7.3 million people, of the country’s population,” she said.
“They bring in 70 per cent of Australia’s export income through agriculture, minerals, tourism, retail, services and manufacturing, 50 per cent of tourism income, and provide 90 per cent of Australia’s food.
“It is time these communities reap the fruits of their labour by being able to access the quality healthcare they deserve.”
Access to healthcare was ranked as the second-most important issue in Nicholls, according to a recent report by The Salvation Army.
A shortage of health professionals, availability of GPs, financial pressures and lack of bulk-billing clinics were among the reasons for community concern.
Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell said the fund would be invested in a range of projects across the country, including sporting facilities, roads and childcare.
“Whatever it is that the community decides... now we’ll have the bucket of money to be able to work out what we want to do as a community, and do it,” he said.
The NRHA called for all sides of politics to commit to investing in and prioritising the health of rural communities.
“We welcome this announcement by the Coalition and look forward to seeing if Labor matches, or indeed, exceeds it,” Ms Tegen said.
“In the end, it is the right thing to do, whether it is an election or not.”
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