The messages from the recent Regional Australia Institute summit were followed up this week when a mayoral breakfast forum discussed the issue of jobs, migration and the city’s growth.
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And with the mayor claiming Wagga is set to become the southern capital of NSW, it makes good sense to start thinking and talking about these issues now.
While census data is claiming the region will need an ever growing workforce to service the demands of the Riverina into the future, as things stand today, the immediate issue for us is under-employment.
Our ageing population and technological advancements are being blamed for falling employment, though in the future, labour shortfalls are predicted in the areas of agriculture, forestry and fishing, where older workers make up a high proportion of the workforce.
The Regional Australia summit concentrated on ways to entice migrants to regional towns to help provide the staff to keep industry growing into the future.
RAI chief executive Jack Archer is advocating that rural and regional communities, businesses and governments come together to nominate towns in need of targeted migration.
Under the scheme, the workers would be required to stay in the area for five years – to contribute more than just labour, but also to help build the fabric of these small communities that might otherwise be in danger of dwindling to ghost towns.
This commitment of time would do more than stimulate the economy. These new families would help keep schools open and football teams playing while sharing their culture with local residents.
Speaking at the summit, Riverina MP Michael McCormack indicated that he felt attracting migrant workers was about more than staffing meat-works or getting the harvest in.
Skilled workers, whether from overseas or from within Australia, are needed in many professions and trades in our country towns.
Our baby boomer population is working longer to secure a comfortable retirement, but will also need increasing services to support them as they age.
Besides just muscle and a strong work ethic, our towns will need people with skills in the medical and caring professions as well as professionals who can support mental and physical health needs of communities across the region.
