REGIONAL PLANNING
ADVANCE CAIRNS PRIORITIES 2021/22
POPULATION AND MIGRATION STRATEGY COUNCIL: ALL TNQ STATE ELECTORATE: ALL TNQ FEDERAL ELECTORATE: KENNEDY, LEICHHARDT
THE ISSUE In 2018 Australia’s population reached 25 million people, two decades earlier than predicted, which has put unprecedented pressure on metropolitan capitals. Significant population growth in capital cities has created a settlement imbalance, leading to sizable infrastructure investment in cities and an infrastructure deficit in the regions. While population growth has been centred on capital cities, Australian residents are showing they want to live in regional areas with more than 400,000 people choosing to relocate from the city to the regions in the five years to 2016. COVID-19 has accelerated this trend, with net migration to regional areas 5% higher in 20201. Migration away from capital cities has predominantly occurred in the 30-39 year and 60–69 year age groups, leading to unexpected increased demand for regional school enrolments and health care services, and demonstrating the important role of population policy planning for regional locations. To encourage the trend of regional migration to continue and ensure that relocation is a real
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ADVANCE CAIRNS FEDERAL BUDGET SUBMISSION
and viable alternative to capital cities, there is a need to rebalance national infrastructure spending away from urban fringe locations such as the Gold Coast to regional city locations such as Cairns. Infrastructure investment will improve the accessibility and liveability of regional cities and in the case of Cairns, deliver on the Federal Government’s northern Australia agenda for economic growth. Population growth should not be a side effect of other policies as it leads to unplanned urban growth and insufficient infrastructure, and this has been the experience to date in northern Queensland. The Cairns Region Population and Migration Strategy will therefore provide a strategic approach to population that demonstrates the needs of the region, leading to proactive plans that drive catalytic projects such as roads, health services and water infrastructure plus a supportive policy framework. The strategy will inform forward planning for government at all levels, delivering on the objectives of the Commonwealth’s Centre for Population.
BRIEFING NOTE SUMMARY • A Population and Migration Strategy will provide the framework to attract people to Tropical North Queensland and encourage people to stay long-term. • COVID-19 has accelerated remote working, leading to greater migration to regional Australia • Australian residents are showing they want to live in regional areas. Policy that supports population migration to the regions can aid in balancing Australia’s population growth trends, which are currently centred around metropolitan areas. • Development of a Cairns Region Population and Migration Strategy requires shared State and Federal Government investment of approximately $1.5 million and supports the objectives of the Commonwealth’s Centre for Population.
