PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA 1 DECEMBER 1989
I am pleased to announce today a series of initiatives to
improve access to Federal Government services for people
living in rural and regional centres and isolated areas
across Australia.
The review of our policy designed to improve the quality
of life for people in non-metropolitan Australia contains
a number of new three-year programs.
These include
$ 4.5 million to provide support for long term carers
of disabled people in rural areas;
a $ 3.4 million rural women's health strategy
incorporating funding for mobile breast cancer
screening units in all States and Territories,
improved family planning services, better
information and counselling on women's health and an
enhanced domestic violence education campaign;
a $ 1.5 million extension of funding for geriatric
assessment units in rural areas to try to ensure
that elderly people in more isolated areas are
receiving the sort of home or institutional care
they need;
a $ 900,000 expansion of the Countrylink information.
program to reach more isolated areas. Countrylink
consists of a 008 telephone service, country show
displays, information stands at places such as local
stores or Council offices, and the publication of,
The Rural Book;
a $ 1.85 million program to trial new ways to provide
people in smaller towns with face-to-face advice on
Federal Government services. These trials will test
various means for providing a one stop shop'
approach for access to Government services;
a $ 500,000 extension to country visits by the
National Acoustics Laboratory to assist the hearingimpaired;
S the establishment of outposted rehabilitation
services at a cost of $ 1.9 million in remote
communities such as Roxby Downs and the Pilbara;
S trials of a new multi-purpose approach to providing
supported accommodation for people in crisis;
S a $ 1.7 million expansion of the Rural Youth
Servicing program to enable an extended school
liaison program by Youth Access Centres,
introduction of mobile youth services and greater
use of community agencies in providing advice to
disadvantaged young people in rural areas; and
S a $ 4.9 million expansion of the program providing
hostel accomodation for rural school students.
The new health initiatives constitute a further response
to the findings of a 1986 Rural Women's Survey conducted
with the assistance of the Country Women's Association.
Australians living in remote areas face special
difficulties not encountered by city people. There will
be a review of the current system of tax zone rebates
which provide relief to taxpayers in remote and isolated
areas. The review will consider anomalies in zone
boundaries and special zone rebate arrangements, as well
as problems with social security testing arrangements
affecting people in isolated areas. The Zone Rebate
Review will be co-ordinated by the Treasury, with the
involvement of the Department of Social Security in
relation to social security income testing arrangements.
The Review will consult with the Prime Minister's Country
Task Force.
A total of $ 3.5 million will target business potential in
rural and regional centres under the New Enterprise
Incentive Scheme ( NEIS) which will provide an additional
200 places for aspiring business people. NEIS combines
assistance to the unemployed with a boost to the
development of new enterprises which, when successful,
have the capability to employ many more people.
Community and Government consultation is an important
element in the Federal Government's philosophy of
providing equal access to services for all Australians.
As well as the work of the Prime Minister's Country Task
Force, there have been special surveys and conferences,
and many Government Departments have advisory and
consultative mechanisms in place.