Media release

Australian Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile

Thursday, July 6, 2000
MVT70/2000

Small towns must not be abandoned

Acting-National Party Leader and Trade Minister, Mark Vaile, has attacked suggestions from a Victorian academic that small country towns be abandoned.

Responding to a Deakin University study suggesting towns with populations under 4000 were "in decline" and were better off abandoned, Mr Vaile said the study ignored the fact that a lot of Australians enjoyed the pluses of living in small towns.

"Sure, a lot of small rural towns have done it tough in recent years. But to say that they should be abandoned is ridiculous," Mr Vaile said.

"These towns have a much greater sense of community and sense of belonging, where there's a willingness to help each other, that is all too often lacking in the big cities. These towns have lower crime rates, no traffic jams and no pollution. They're far safer and healthier places to bring up children."

Mr Vaile said the Deakin University academic who prepared the study was completely out of touch with what was happening across a lot of regional Australia.

"There are many, many small towns that are prospering ...some due to new agricultural developments such as wine and fruits, others due to tourism.

"What all small communities need to do is look at their advantages and promote them to the business managers and their workers who are sick of commuting for hours each day.

"Improved telecommunications and transport networks now allow businesses to operate successfully from virtually anywhere.

"The National Party has been instrumental in providing new infrastructure necessary for businesses to operate successfully from regional and remote areas of Australia. For instance, Rural Transaction Centres allow business in small town rural Australia to be instantly linked to capital city financial services.

"I suggest that Deakin University be a bit more observant and positive about actual developments that are taking place outside big cities," Mr Vaile said.