THE focus of Royalties for Regions funding across the Wheatbelt will switch from addressing disadvantage to promoting opportunity, a Future of the Wheatbelt conference last week was told.
Keynote speaker at the Northam conference and Regional Development Minister Terry Redman said the Royalties for Regions program had brought a buzz to regional areas with great outcomes. "It is about unlocking the region's potential and ensuring regional people are seen as valued," he said.
Mr Redman listed the Southern Inland Health Initiative, the $46 million upgrade of Northam Hospital and telehealth as important projects undertaken for the Wheatbelt using royalties funding.
He said just about every day Royalties for Regions had to be defended and detractors needed to walk in the shoes of regional people.
He said the aim was to be more strategic in future program spending.
"We are trying to shift from looking at disadvantage, to looking at what are the opportunities. "This is going to take leadership, supported by government and ministers."
The Wheatbelt Development commission's Wheatbelt Blueprint was raised with Mr Redman.
"It is not a shopping list but a blueprint to identify important areas in which to grow the economy," he said.
"Community ownership is an important aspect of this."
During the conference, mining and agriculture were named as the Wheatbelt's two big industries to play a significant role going forward.
The Wheatbelt is the heart of WA's broad-acre farming industry, which generates $5.7 billion towards Gross State Product and has the potential to surge with the forecast Asian food boom, the conference was told.
The Wheatbelt is WA's third most populous region, being home to 74,000 people and Wheatbelt residents feel safer, more connected and have a greater sense of community than any other region in WA.
The Wheatbelt has some of the highest volunteering rates in Australia.
Regional Australia Institute general manager research and policy Jack Archer said there were four influences on regional populations - young people leaving, returners shifting back to the country at working age, super boomers and international migration.
He singled out super boomers, people aged 50-69, as a significant contributor to vibrant communities.
They were entrepreneurs, community leaders and volunteers, mentors to young regional Australians, employees, and investors.
"Governments can provide resources but leadership must come from communities," he said.
"Governments don't keep communities alive, communities keep themselves alive."
Other speakers included representatives from Australian Farm Institute, Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre, Brookfield Rail, CBH Group, Deloitte Access Economics, Farm Machinery and Industry Association, Gap Filler Trust (NZ), RAC of WA, Regional Australia Institute, Telstra Country Wide, WA Country Health Service, Wellard Group and Western Power.
