Press Statement No: 515
18 June 1975
REGIONAL POLICY
The Prime Minister, Mr Whitlam, released today a
statement on the Australian Government's policy on regionalism.
The Prime Minister said:
" On 5 February I announced the establishment of a small
committee of Ministers concerned primarily with the Australian
Government's relations with the States. I said the committee
would also examine programs of direct assistance to regional,
local government and local communities; that the Australian
Government has laid considerable stress on the adoption of
a regional approach to planning and decision-making; and that
it was time to consolidate the Australian Government's
initiatives. " Regionalism in Australia is not new. It has been
developed since World War II in a number of States in various
forms and for various purposes.
" The Australian Government has adopted a regional policy
in implementing some of its major new initiatives; the
Australian Assistance Plan and the Area Improvement Program
are notable examples. Agreement has been reached with all
States on the regional boundaries used for Grants Commission
purposes, and which are used for other Australian Government
programs; in most cases these boundaries have been defined
by the States themselves. These boundaries would be open to
review in the light of changing circumstances.
" A regional policy is based on the concept that some
programs and services of government are most efficiently and
effectively planned, co-ordinated, and delivered at a level
intermediate to those of State and Local government. There
are many examples, electricity reticulation, water and sewerage,
hospital facilities, libraries, some welfare-services, and so on.
" Regionalism as it is developing in Australia, and
as envisaged by the Australian Government, is based on the
continued existence of Federal, State, and Local structures.
A wide range of government services would continue to be best
planned and delivered at each of these levels. Clearly,
not all government programs could or should be based on regions. / 2
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" General acceptance of a regional policy, coupled
with uniform regional boundaries, would enable co-ordination
and harmonisation of those Australian, State and Local programs
delivered at the regional level. The effectiveness of this
co-ordination and harmonisation will be enhanced to the extent
that regional administrative arrangements and organisations
are acceptable to each level of government.
" Integral with the concept of regionalism are the
concepts of devolution of responsibility for, and public
participation in, planning and decision-making. Regionalism.
also opens up the possibilities of decentralisation and
regionalisation of Australian Government administration
to give the community better access to government services and
to improve the effectiveness of the delivery of those
services. The Royal Commission into Australian Government
Administration is examining these possibilities. The Government
has asked the Royal Commission for an early indication of
its views.
Obj ectives " The Australian Government has adopted, as a basis for
its regional policy, the objectives that:
services and programs of the Australian Government
should be provided on a regional basis unless
it is inappropriate to do so, with regard to
efficiency, economy, and effectiveness.
regional bodies or organisations should be
given a responsibility for those services
wherever possible, noting that this responsibility
may range from direct involvement in decisionmaking
through to consultation.
public participation in planning and decisionmaking
for, and implementation of, programs
should be encouraged and assisted.
State and Local Government should be encouraged
to delegate to regional bodies more responsibility
for those States and Local Government programs
which are most appropriately delivered at the
regional level and to foster public participation.
Proposed Action
" A great deal of progress has already been made by
the Australian and State Governments in establishing co-operative
arrangements for the exchange and analysis of information on, and
the planning and delivering of, programs and services at a
regional level. Ministers and officials have been, and are
continuing to be, actively involved. The implementation of
the Australian Government's policy on regionalism will require
consolidation and extension of these co-operative arrangements,
involving the Australian and State Governments and as
appropriate regional bodies, Local Government, and community
groups.
4 S -3-
" Developments will need to be flexible and evolutionary.
State Governments have established regional bodies and regional
programs. Implementation of the Australian Government's
regional policy will take these into account. Precise
arrangements may vary from State to State, and region to region,
to take account of particular circumstances e. g. geographic,
demographic, economic and political. It will take time to
develop fully the skills needed for regional bodies and local
organisations to contribute to, participate in, and make,
major decisions. The Australian Government is already
providing assistance for the development of these skills and
will continue to do so, but is of the view that the skills
will best be developed by experience.
" There will be a need to establish, where they do
not already exist, regional bodies mutually-acceptable to
each level of government and to regional communities. There
will be a need to identify and define the programs most
efficiently and effectively delivered at regional and local
scales and to establish a process of exchange of information
between the levels of government so that programs and services
can be harmonised. " The Committee of Ministers concerned with Australian/
State and Regional relations will have a continuing role in
the development of the Australian Government's regional policy."
CANBERPRA. A. C. T.