Recently I took part in the Grow Qld Forum in Cloncurry, a QCL initiative focusing on the sustainability and growth of regional Queensland. It was refreshing to see that there was a big focus on the resilience of our youth and the growth of our towns. Whilst the potential of agriculture is a major factor in the development of our State and indeed Northern Australia, and rightly so, this dialogue cannot be held in a vacuum. It must accompany robust conversation around the ever increasing concern of declining population and growth in our rural and remote communities.
We need young families in our towns and on our properties to embrace industry development and move rural Queensland progressively and rigorously into the next generation. Unfortunately the steady population decline in rural and remote parts of the State over the past decade is a contradiction to this ideal. The main consideration for young families seeking to raise their children in the bush is weather their children will be ‘disadvantaged’ as opposed to an upbringing on the coast. If parents feel they are ‘sacrificing’ their child’s education by living rural, they simply won’t venture to the bush, and if they do, they certainly won’t stay.
Government and policy drivers must strive to make educating children in a rural and remote community a preferable option, and not one which involves sacrifice. We must be able to attract quality teachers to our schools, our children deserve nothing less. Students with special learning needs must be able to have access to the support and resourcing they require. Rural bus runs must be kept open until there is absolutely no other option. Parents who have no other choice than to send their children to boarding school must be able to do so without being financially crippled. If these goals aren’t met, we will continue to see local businesses close their doors. We will continue to see mums leaving the property to access education for their children. As families leave, they take vibrancy and potential with them, leaving an emptiness that is very hard to replace.
The foundation of long term development of rural Queensland, and indeed Northern Australia, must start with a strong plan to rebuild our rural communities, brick by brick. The next generation is the key to growth in agriculture, water, technology and industry as a whole. Population growth and industry development must go hand in hand. It is not possible for one aspiration to be achieved without the other.
- Kim Hughes, ICPA Qld President, Richmond