Creating a better life for regional Australians
During June and July 2009 Regional Arts Australia consulted widely across the nation with people engaged in the arts and cultural development, allied regional organisations, national organisations with significant regional interests, state, territory and local government representatives.
As a result of the consultation, Regional Arts Australia has identified five key priority areas for the next five years, which are outlined in "Creating a better life for regional Australians" (pdf 1.1MB) which outlines the issues, goals and actions related to these five areas.
The priority areas are:
- Building a strong sense of purpose and identity
- Developing inclusive and resilient communities
- Engaging young people in creating regional futures
- Health and wellbeing
- Environmental sustainability
If you wish to receive a hard copy of the brochure, please contact the regional arts organisation in your state/territory.
About the consultation
25 meetings with community members and civic leaders were held in 18 locations across regional Australia with approximately 750 people engaged directly from 780 organisations.
9 meetings were held with 80 allied peak bodies, government and stakeholder organisations in capital cities from all States and the Northern Territory.
3,188 people directly completed the online survey, representing 875 organisations.
In excess of 85,000 people were represented in this consultation.
At community meetings participants came from near and far - many who drove 3 - 5 hours each way to be part of the process, eg from Gippsland to Ballarat, south of Hobart to Launceston, Condobolin to Bathurst and Ceduna to Port Lincoln.
Participants expressed their enthusiasm for being engaged in this consultation and congratulated RAA for its leadership.
National Roundtable
After consulting with regional Australians across the country the views of regional Australians were considered during a Regional Arts Australia National Roundtable Conference.
The Hon. Peter Garrett AM MP opened the national roundtable at the start of a conversation about building partnerships between arts and other organisations to help create strong and healthy regional communities.
The consultation and national directions proposed by Regional Arts Australia represent a new way of working – in partnership, where the arts can work with a wide range of allied organisations to help achieve the broader goals of regional development.
Roundtable participants were Chairs and Chief Executive Officers of regionally active agencies, service and advocacy bodies, regional media, the philanthropy sector, economic development sector, and regional not for profit organisations.
Organisations represented at the National Roundtable included Barossa and Light Regional Development Board Inc, Federation of Ethnic Communities' Council of Australia, Economic Development Australia, Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth), Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Volunteering Australia, Philanthropy Australia, Centenary of Canberra, National Rural Health Alliance, YMCA Australia, Australian Hotels Association, University of the Third Age Network, Disability Services Australia, Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, ABC TV, SBS, Australian Library and Information Association, National Institute for Rural and Regional Australia, Reconciliation Australia and Museums Australia.
Survey prize
Thank you to Toga Hospitality and the Medina chain of hotels for providing a prize for one lucky person who completed the survey. The prize was overnight accommodation for two people in a one bedroom apartment at a Medina Apartment Hotel (www.medina.com.au) of choice in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Wollongong or Darwin (valid until 30 November 2009).
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