Regional towns are renowned for their ingenuity and passion and ability to solve their own problems through hard work and the strength and resilience of their communities.
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For many rural communities observing a slow bleed of population decline, while also watching local workforce opportunities go unfilled and local businesses unable to hit their potential is a source of on-going frustration.
Many people have long accepted that this missing workers situation is one that mostly can’t be solved in rural Australia.
At the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) we have been excited to see that across the country, many locally-led migration projects are finding ways to find the missing workers that communities need to stabilise their population and fill local jobs.
In northern NSW, Julia Harpham is leading the charge at Mingoola. This project has seen nearly 30 African migrants move to town. The local school has been saved from closure and farmers now have a small workforce to tap into. These African families building a commercial garlic enterprise to help them become self-sustainable and bringing renewal to the district.
Further south while setting up commercial ventures in town, David Matthews from Rupanyup in Victoria has been able to sponsor a small group of migrant workers, who are now attracting others to this small agricultural community.
The home of Australia’s first community bank, Rupanyup is looking at how the network it helped create nearly 20 years ago, can support regional migration across the country in more than 300 towns.
Across Australia, permanent migrants who were born overseas are helping to stem population decline and are contributing to the renewal of rural towns.
- Jack Archer, CEO of Regional Australia Institute
What is possible has been made abundantly clear just down the road at Nhill where more than 200 Karen migrants now call this town their home. For almost a decade, this community has been helping settle families here and filling jobs that have led to the growth of local industries – most notably Luv-a-Duck poultry farm. With a population of just over 2,200 people, Luv-a-Duck employs 50 Karen.
In 2015, a report commissioned by resettlement agency AMES – Small Town, Big Returns – found the economic impact of this increased labour supply was an estimated $41.5 million.
Across Australia, permanent migrants who were born overseas are helping to stem population decline and are contributing to the renewal of rural towns. But in many cases, these regional communities doing this in isolation and with limited outside support. Many have faced the same common problems and challenges.
On May 22, the RAI, in conjunction with the National Rural Press Club and Scanlon Foundation, is hosting an event in Canberra to showcase what is being achieved across the country. More Migrants for Small Towns will kick off a national conversation about how regional migration projects can support the locally-led renewal of rural communities around Australia.
Deputy Prime Minster Michael McCormack will be a guest speaker at our event, as well as Shadow Minister for Rural and Regional Australia Joel Fitzgibbon, GLADPInt CEO, Emmanuel Musoni and Kia-Ora piggery owner Tom Smith from Pyramid Hill. Many of the community advocates involved in resettlement projects will also attend to share their stories of success with leaders from around the nation.
More Migrants for Small Towns will be held on Tuesday at Parliament House in Canberra.
