Federal Election 2022- Policy Comparison

POLICY

COALITION

LABOR

• Backing Regional Australia policy focuses on rebuilding regional economies, regional development, boosting agriculture and exports, roads, aviation and regional communications;
• 450,000 more jobs in regional Australia over the next five years;
• 1089 new Indigenous Rangers by 2026-27;
• $2 billion Regional Accelerator Program aims to create diversified economic opportunities for regional communities.

• A Better Future for our Regions  
• Includes support for agriculture, communications, regional roads, regional events and committed to a revitalisation of the Regional Development Australia structure and purpose;
• Double the number of Indigenous Rangers and boost funding for Indigenous Protected Areas;
• Replace the Government’s $4 billion Emergency Response Fund with a Disaster Ready Fund and use that fund to invest up to $200 million per year on mitigation projects;
• $500 million reserved from Labor’s National Reconstruction Fund for agriculture and to support regional businesses to enter new markets and adopt new technologies.

• $1.3 billion for regional communications including a new Connecting Regional Australia initiative to expand mobile coverage and improve connectivity, building on the Mobile Black Spot and Regional Connectivity Programs;
• Includes the NBN Co Fixed Wireless and Satellite Upgrade to extend the coverage range and speed from a tower, and Mobile Network Hardening Program to fund network resilience upgrades in regional Australia.

• $1.1 billion Better Connectivity for Rural and Regional Australia by providing 80% of homes and businesses in rural and regional Australia with access to speeds of 100 megabits per second by 2025; and
• Aims to deliver better mobile coverage, improve connectivity for regional communities, expand fibre connections and improve safety and productivity by boosting mobile coverage.

• Pledged to create 450,000 regional jobs over 5 years, through investments such as the $7.1 billion Energy Security Regional Development Plan;
• $1.5 billion  to develop hydrogen hubs across regional Australia;
• $3.7 billion to support 800,000 new training positions;
• $2.8 billion in additional incentives to train apprentices and trainees.

• Promised to secure Australian Jobs by providing 465,000 fee-free TAFE places,  in areas of demonstrated labour shortage; and deliver a stronger university sector and establishing a new body called Jobs and Skills Australia to improve vocational partnerships and workforce planning;
• Create 604,000 new energy jobs by 2030 with five out of every 6 jobs in the regions;
• Enshrine ‘same job, same pay’ into law and make wage theft a crime at a national level.

• Invest $242 million for six trailblazer university projects to become commercial research hubs, including two reserved for regional universities;
• Establish 8 new Regional University Centres;
• $900 million over five years for the 2021 National Research Infrastructure Roadmap.

• Invest $481.7 million to deliver 20,000 extra university places over 2022 and 2023 and $100 million to support 10,000 new energy apprenticeships;
• Future Made In Australia Skills Plan will fund 465,000 fee-free TAFE places for students studying in industries with a skills shortage including 45,000 new places.

• Establish a Regional Home Guarantee for the purchase or construction of homes in regional areas by providing 10,000 low-deposit guarantees;
• An additional $2 billion in low cost financing to fund an additional 27,500 social and affordable housing dwellings;
• Super Home Buyer Scheme would allow first home buyers to use up to 40% of their super up to $50,000 to put towards buying a home;
• $7.7 million to extend Indigenous Business Australia’s Indigenous Home Ownership Program.

• Create the Regional First Home Buyer Support Scheme to help 10,00 families a year in regional areas buy their first home;
• $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund that would provide 30,000 new social and affordable housing properties;
• $100 million to start work immediately on urgent housing and essential infrastructure in the Northern Territory homelands;
• Help to Buy scheme would provide an equity contribution of up to 40% of the purchase price of a new home and up to 30% of the purchase price of an existing home for 10,000 Australians per year.

• Funding a 10 year infrastructure pipeline including faster rail projects, inland rail, upgrading regional road corridors and  safer roads through the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program;
• $2 billion Regional Accelerator Program aims to create diversified economic opportunities for regional communities;
• $500 million for the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program in 2022-23;
• $40 million to extend the Bridges Renewal Program;
• $8 billion for dams, weirs and pipelines through the National Water Grid Fund;
• Extend the Regional Airports Screening Infrastructure Program until 31 Dec 2022 and upgrade Rockhampton and Bendigo regional airport facilities.
• $150 million for the Remote Roads Upgrade Pilot Program.

• Committed to a Water for Australia plan that will establish a National Water Commission, broaden the National Water Grid Investment Framework so it can fund a wider range of water supply projects and deliver a 5 point plan to safeguard the Murray Darling Basin.
• $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund as a financing vehicle to drive investment and boost regional economic development;
• $250 million expansion of the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, on top of the $500 million committed in the 2022-23 Federal Budget;
• Upgrade the runway at Hobart Airport and planning for Launceston Airport Translink intermodal facility;
• $80 million for National Aboriginal Art Gallery.

• $146 million package to train and attract doctors and medical professionals to regional areas;
• The 2022-23 budget invests an additional $296.5 million in the 10 Year Stronger Rural Health Strategy.

• Committed to Medicare and Your Health by restoring regional telehealth services, making it easier to see a GP by delivering 50 Medicare urgent care clinics and making it easier for regional communities to recruit doctors of their choosing;
• $750 million to strengthen Medicare and $220 million in practice infrastructure grants.

• $75 million Future Farmer Guarantee Scheme to support farmers into first time ownership by guaranteeing 40% of an eligible new farmer’s commercial loan;
• $600 million in 2022-23 budget for biosecurity measures;
• Additional $94.5 million to continue the Drought Resilience Funding Plan;
• $30 million for a new National Centre for Digital Agriculture;
• $106.6 million to boost forestry research research, development and commercialisation;
• $106.6 million to establish a National Institute for Forest Products Innovation;
• $112.9 million for grants for new wood processing technologies;
• $86.2 million for a new Plantation Establishment Program;
• $12 million on ag trade events and $15.4 million to improve ag show infrastructure;
• $127.4 million to support exporters get product to market;
• $106.6 million to boost forestry research, development and commercialisation.

• Reserve $500m of funding within the $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund specifically for agriculture, forestry, fisheries, food and fibre;
• Improve biosecurity capabilities and support the adoption of livestock traceability systems;
• Invest $16.7 million toward establishing an Agri Tech Hub in Richmond NSW;
• Matched the Government commitment to one billion trees to meet Australia’s future timber needs;
• $220 million to expand the National Institute for Forest Products and Innovation and continue the rollout of Regional Forestry Hubs;
• $86.2 million for the establishment of new plantations to secure future wood supply;
• $6 million for Beef Week 2024 and $6 million toward other regional trade events;
• Reform the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme’s seasonal worker program and expand the PALM Pacific Labour Scheme.