2 April 2014
The North West Star
The Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia will listen to submissions into the Northern Australia Vision Paper in Mount Isa tomorrow.
No doubt it is a step in the right direction and we won’t begrudge any opportunity for those in power to hear our views on building a sustainable future.
But the region, especially the North West, needs tangible action, not more “talk fests”.
And it needs it sooner rather than later to survive.
We already hear of drastic population declines in many towns in the region struggling to remain viable with a lack of infrastructure to support jobs.
Businesses need the opportunity to grow with government policies, which allow them to prosper, not be burdened by decisions that make them unviable.
The good news is that Northern Australia is viewed as a potential food bowl for Asia by the one man who can make decisions and make them fast.
For all of the decisions we might loathe, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has shown he can make things happen that previous governments have failed to do.
“A stronger Northern Australia will benefit everyone with more jobs and more successful companies, leading to more revenue to pay down debt and provide more funding for infrastructure and services,” Mr Abbott said recently.
The government has the ability to help any business, by getting the economic fundamentals right so that businesses can grow and thrive.
If our Prime Minister wants Northern Australia to thrive he must have a sustainable plan to drive jobs and growth in regions such as the North West.
It must include supporting businesses and residents who have to cope with the higher cost of everyday living.
Courtesy of the North West Star