One Nation Party
Rural Policy
Released 29th September 1998
"We could not find a single source that convincingly captured the realities of the Australia existing beyond the nation�s cities and suburbs. That there was not a full blown, credible Australian rural development policy to be found."
Dr. Jonathon Sher, Author "Beyond the Conventional Wisdom" and keynote speaker at International convention on Issues affecting rural communities, James Cook University, 1994.
Preamble
Australia�s rural and regional communities are key contributors to the national economy. These people and these communities play a vital role in the prosperity of this nation.
Rural Australia is the source of national self-sufficiency. Australia can sustain itself in terms of minerals, energy and other natural resources, and it is rural Australians who make these resources available to the nation.
One Nation believes that Government has a primary obligation to look after domestic industry.
Policies of unilateral tariff reduction, deregulation of the financial system and free trade are ideologically motivated. Tragically, the ideology driving these policies is seriously flawed. Our competitors have continued to protect their industries and their national sovereignties while Australia has exposed itself to deregulation, free trade, globalisation and economic rationalism.
If a country has an agricultural base from which to feed the people, industrial infrastructure, a skilled manufacturing base, oil and mineral resources, and a healthy united and educated population, it has the essentials to become self sufficient. If that country is barren of opportunity for its young, unable to care for its aged, dependent on goods and finance from foreigners, and unemployment among its workforce is rife, the problem is political ineptitude and economic mismanagement.
The key to ensuring the prosperity of the bush and indeed the entire country, is to do as much �value adding� of Australian produce as possible in Australia, thereby reducing our dependence on imported manufactured goods. This is the best way to create employment opportunities in the bush and the city, and improve our balance of trade figures and standard of living. Australia has a very clear choice � we either make and buy Australian goods which means Australian jobs or by cheaper subsidised product and continue losing jobs.
Australia needs a people�s bank to provide long term low interest funding to allow further expansion of existing industry and manufacturing and to provide venture capital for new industry. Low interest finance is essential for debt reconstruction for Australia�s primary producers and small businesses who have lost equity and viability due to drought and low commodity prices. Access to existing government assistance schemes is extremely difficult.
Australia should follow the example of inland North America which has been major beneficiary of new communications technology which has encouraged people to set up business in the country, resulting in increased population in rural areas, and boosted regional economies. The same could apply to Australia provided essential communication technology is extended throughout rural Australia.
One Nation believes that it is the role of government to provide fair and equitable access to essential government services and infrastructure to all Australians. Rural communities should not be disadvantaged by inadequate infrastructure and reduced level of essential government services.
One Nation will support a major international marketing and promotional campaign for rural tourism. The opportunity to increase our tourism dollar, increase employment opportunities and improve our balance of payments figures is not being maximised. The coastal strip is receiving the lion�s share of the promotion, while arguable Australia�s greatest tourist attraction, the bush, the great open spaces with the diversity of natural attraction and national parks are under marketed and under promoted. One nation believes there should be a major domestic and international marketing campaign.
The source of renewable wealth in the past and the way to our future will come from rural and regional Australia and the resources to be found there. It is critical that these resources and these people and their contribution the nation is understood by all Australians. We cannot continue to lose any more of our country communities- this nation cannot afford the consequences. One Nation has identified a national plan based on regional audits and information derived to recreate Australian made, to value add, and to facilitate the process from conception to sale.
One Nation will establish a national bank (�The Bank of Australia�) to provide long term low interest funding.
The bank will provide low cost finance for consolidation of existing business and industry debt, allow further expansion of new ventures, and to provide essential funding for debt reconstruction for Australian primary producer and small business. The inability to access government assistance due to excessively restrictive criteria has caused loss of equity and viability with existing debt burdens. The Nation has a choice-continue to lose farmers and small business, or provide suitable funding.
Unless a debt reconstruction plan is adopted (as a consequence of years of drought, low commodity prices and other exceptional circumstances, the average Australian farmer�s debt is in excess of $180,000 � and with average yearly net returns of $25,000 it is impossible to service) then Australia will continue to lose the family farm.
One Nation will initiate regional audits on a shire by shire national basis.
These are necessary to build an inventory of the human and natural resources, natural attractions, industry potential, market demographics, government services, and infrastructure assets in rural areas, on a region by region basis. The purpose of this is to gain an understanding of the potential for region by region development across all areas of business, industry manufacturing and commercial activity, based on accurate and up to date information.
(Note-most of this information is available from various government departments, but has not linked to create " the total picture")
This information database will form the basis of the �revitalisation� of the individual region.
