NATIONALS MP Mark Coulton has come out swinging for the regional city Dubbo in his sparse NSW electorate after comments by Australian Wool Innovation Limited that he says displayed a “remarkable level of ignorance”.
Appearing before Senate estimates hearings in Canberra yesterday, AWI Chair Walter Merriman said Australian wool can’t be promoted out of a “tin shed” situated in remote locations like Dubbo.
His comments have erupted during the middle of a controversial policy debate over the Coalition government’s ongoing push to move government agencies out into regional areas to boost economic activities.
That argument has seen the Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce today launch a new “Get out of the City Campaign” to drive submissions from country Australia, into a Senate inquiry decentralisation ahead of a March 10 cut-off date.
But during yesterday’s Senate hearing of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, AWI indicated it wouldn’t be making a submission.
Mr Merriman said AWI’s wool marketing business was focussed in Sydney where its head office was located with about 80-staff, and where iconic European fashion houses visited.
AWI also said moving marketing staff from Sydney to rural areas would also be challenging and limiting for the business while research staff would already scattered throughout regional areas.
“We don’t think that if we move to Bourke or somewhere we can conduct our marketing activities as well as we can in Sydney,” Mr Merriman said.
“You just cannot promote yourself in a tin shed at Dubbo or somewhere else.”
But Mr Coulton said AWI’s statements showed a significant lack of understanding about rural opportunity and prosperity.
“The idea that you’d have to come to Dubbo and work out of a tin shed shows a remarkable level of ignorance of what’s on offer in a great regional city like Dubbo,” he said.
“I think they’re very much misinformed about the opportunities.
“AWI would be a good fit in Dubbo as they’d be closer to their grower base and international businesses work very well in Dubbo.
“Roger Fletcher exports to about 150 countries around the world from Dubbo and there are numerous direct air services to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
“Having AWI located closer to the grower base that actually funds it would be a positive move.”
Mr Coulton said he was surprised AWI had said it would not be making a submission to the Senate inquiry.
He said relocating to Dubbo would “certainly” be worth AWI’s consideration as the research and marketing grower levy-funded body would pay “considerably less rent” in terms of office space.
He said and the quality of life for AWI’s staff outside of work would also improve, given the “wonderful opportunities for their families and children, through staffing sports and education and to be involved in community activities”.
“The wool industry is very much traditionally based west of the range and some iconic studs still operate in the Macquarie Valley, out of that Dubbo area,” he said.
“We have cutting edge businesses in Dubbo that are exporting their products right around the world and operating with the highest levels of technology.
“Businesses are moving to Dubbo at a constant rate and as we increase education and medical services and the like, many of the impediments that people felt may have stopped them from relocating are just not there.”
Mr Joyce was joined by other Nationals in launching the www.getoutofthecity.com.au campaign today at Parliament house in Canberra aimed at boosting submissions from regional Australia to the newly formulated Senate inquiry.
He said the inquiry into decentralisation needed regional Australians to make their submissions and tell city-based Labor politicians why they needed jobs.
“Every public service job in a regional town flows through the community and means more money for the local coffee shop, to the local mechanic, implores doctors to move there, schools to grow, and helps to deliver better transport services,” he said.
“Regional Australia deserves its fair share of government services and opportunities; and that includes being able to access quality public sector careers just as much as any capital city.
“Today, we ask you to add your voice in support of decentralisation. Regional Australia deserves well-paid, skilled jobs. It deserves Centres of Excellence to be established to create knowledge hubs which continue to attract and grow those jobs.”
Small Business Minister Michael McCormack said moving the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation from Canberra to Wagga Wagga in his NSW electorate of Riverina had saved the federal budget $1.2m dollars per year.
Country Women’s Association of NSW President Annette Turner backed the campaign.
“We encourage every Australian living in a rural or regional area to have their say on decentralisation - make your opinion count and please have a say on this important issue,” she said.