remoteFOCUS began as an initiative by a group of concerned Australians who came together to explore ways to improve governance and administration relating to Remote Australia: that vast 85% of the country lying outside the nation’s populous coastal fringe.
remoteFOCUS commenced with a scoping workshop held in Perth on April 1 & 2, 2008. The group included industry, government and non-government representatives, and concluded that Remote Australia is in crisis and that its governance structures are in urgent need of reform. The participants resolved to prepare a Prospectus to attract much broader thinking about these issues and their solutions, and to facilitate momentum for change in the way governments engage with and provide services in Remote Australia
remoteFOCUS recognises the enormous and largely untapped economic and social potential in Remote Australia while acknowledging the extremely serious social, economic and environmental issues that exist there. It seeks to encourage a national conversation to explore ways in which these issues can be addressed enabling the region to tap into this potential more effectively. remoteFOCUS hopes to generate an understanding and motivation to change the current systems of governance in order to benefit Indigenous and non-Indigenous Remote Australians and institutions.
The remoteFOCUS initiative intends to build momentum for change in the way centralised governments perceive, plan for, administer and govern Remote Australia. It notes that decisions on Remote Australia are made largely by institutions headquartered in metropolitan Australia. Non-remote regions work to systems and processes that differ substantially from Remote Australia and thus impose different perspectives on issues and decisions that are made to address them. remoteFOCUS believes that decisions must be made with and not just for Remote Australia, and that there needs to be a proper and effective engagement on matters such as service delivery and strategies to address economic and social issues. remoteFOCUS aims to avoid the ‘blame game’ and endeavour to generate an understanding, and motivation to change the wider system.
The initial remoteFOCUS group has developed a prospectus for change, remoteFOCUS: revitalising Remote Australia. The prospectus aims to generate the support needed to change the way Remote Australia is governed and administered. The document is a prospectus and not intended as a definitive manifesto or position paper. |
