Regional Taskforce vital to country areas

National’s Senator for Victoria, Bridget McKenzie today welcomed the setting up of a Regional Ministerial Taskforce to address key issues in regional Australia, chaired by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Deputy Leader of the Nationals and Minister for Regional Development Fiona Nash will be deputy chair. The Taskforce will bring together relevant portfolio Ministers to address key issues such as employment, education, communications and health in regional Australia.
Senator McKenzie said it is a vital move that will highlight the potential of rural and regional areas.
“The issues affecting rural, regional and remote span across many portfolios including health, education, transport and infrastructure.
“Our regions are responsible for almost three quarters of Australia’s exports, the majority of Australia’s production of gas and electricity, half the nation’s tourism, and most of our food and fibre production.
“Additionally, I co-announced a review into regional education recently, which is another key area which will identify and address key barriers and challenges that impact on educational outcomes in regional, rural and remote areas.
“The Regional Taskforce will look at the positives and what needs to be done to assist regional and rural areas, while Labor concentres on inner city areas and ignores or underplays country regions.
‘The high level Task Force will be great for regional areas, sure it will look at the problem areas but it will also showcase what’s great, it will see how pockets of excellence across country areas can be replicated to other areas,” Senator McKenzie said.
Note:
The Taskforce comprises the Prime Minister as Chair and Minister Nash as Deputy Chair along with Agriculture and Water Resources Minister Barnaby Joyce, Education Minister Simon Birmingham, Health Minister Greg Hunt, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Darren Chester, Industry, Innovation and Science Minister Arthur Sinodinos AO, Resources and Northern Australia Minister Matt Canavan and Employment Minister Michaelia Cash.