What is remoteFOCUS?
remoteFOCUS is a national initiative that seeks to reform governance, administration and engagement with remote Australia.
Remote Australia occupies approximately 85% of the Australian continent. However, because of the nature of Australia’s political system and demographic realities, remote Australia is often forgotten. Many Australians fail to appreciate the looming social, economic and ecological crisis in remote Australia and the fact that it has significant consequences for Australia as a whole.
What are the challenges?
The challenges include:
- the difficulties faced by all levels of government in providing basic community services and infrastructure, even in areas of great and vital wealth production
- the lack of any real local authority over decision making and allocation of resources
- the drift of the non-Indigenous population to more settled areas
- the severe stress on Indigenous culture and societal structures, and
- the risk of collapsing fragile ecosystems in the context of outmoded land management regimes.
Yet the region holds enormous and largely untapped economic and social potential. These include resources and agricultural development, Indigenous employment and training, Indigenous enterprise and wealth management, and cultural and eco-tourism as well as emerging and existing opportunities in areas such as climate.
What action is being taken?
Further to the release of the prospectus remoteFOCUS: revitalising remote Australia in 2008, reform principles have been developed particularly for places like the Pilbara, or western Queensland or the Northern Territory. They are currently being tested through intensive dialogue with key stakeholders living in remote Australia. A final document to be released nationally will draw out best practices from successful experiences and the community dialogue.
Join the remoteFOCUS initiative
The remoteFOCUS intiative aims to engage people with concern for remote Australia in a dialogue to create a new future. If you share any of the concerns set out in this remote Australia challenge and you want to add your name in support, please contact Madly Bodin.
