Zoning in on northern growth
“POPULATE or perish” was the rallying cry of the post WWII Curtin government as it sought to overcome domestic resistance to immigration.
Immigration was seen as the key to quickly boosting Australia’s population numbers in the interests of economic and military security.
It seems the more things change, the more they stay the same.
In 2017, it’s arguably still just as much in Northern Australia’s interests to boost its population numbers and economic activity, in the interests of securing opportunities in the coming decades as we march into this “Asian Century”.
I have long argued that the true economic independence of our region will only be served by a growing population base with the correct mix of government policies which attracts private sector investment.
We should aim for annual growth of 3 per cent minimum.
To achieve this we need evidencebased policies and not knee-jerk propositions.
There is growing support to move whole government departments out of Canberra and Brisbane to the regions.
Additionally there is growing support for another state in North Queensland. Think, if you will, of the cost of all of this.
So we move the Department of Mines and Energy to Rockhampton and the Department of the Environment to Cairns and so on.
All this ignores reality. Moving departments and entire families holus bolus from one end of the country to another as a means of stimulating population growth, while politically appealing to some, is dumb policy and very costly.
The engine rooms of government need to be in the capitals and we don’t need any more of them.
Good governments are served by good bureaucrats implementing progressive policy regardless of location and the advances of technology should make this easier.
Here in Cairns we have ample numbers of bureaucrats serving across a number of departments at state and federal level.
It is time to break the shackles and go for broke, chance our arm and put the big issues on the political and economic agenda in 2017 and have the courage to fight for them.
For decades governments and economic development agencies have been talking up Northern Australia and its opportunities, yet there is little evidence of success anywhere.
We remain mired in policy and political gridlock and have been held hostage to environmental and sectional interests forever.
The challenge is to grow our northern population base and to be serious about it.
We are seven hours away from two billion-plus people.
You don’t have to look far to see the lessons of extraordinary growth there and much of it resulted from the creation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) of influence and opportunity. Think Shenzen, Hong Kong and Singapore just for starters.
So what are they? They are designated areas where proactive and targeted government policies aimed at attracting people, investment and business to grow communities are in place.
Done properly and, with the correct planning and incentives, the results can be spectacular.
People generally follow to where the opportunities lie.
Consider these projects as a teaser, a mix of new generation base-load power sources along with renewables guaranteeing affordable and flexible energy options across the north along with affordable, guaranteed water access for urban and agricultural use.
Shackle these plans alongside a genuine, committed program to provide competitive 21st century IT connectivity for businesses to engage in the digital economy and a first-class road network to link communities and production centres then you are well on the way.
If, governments concentrate on the main game, we will all be better off.
WE ARE SEVEN HOURS AWAY FROM TWO BILLION-PLUS PEOPLE. YOU DON’T HAVE TO LOOK FAR TO SEE THE LESSONS OF EXTRAORDINARY GROWTH THERE.