Principles
The Greens NSW believe:
1. That there are benefits to encouraging decentralisation and development of regional towns and communities in an ecologically sustainable manner.
2. Decentralisation measures must be directed towards communities that want to attract new residents as well as communities designated as growth towns via a State Plan.
3. Regional development can only succeed if adequate transport, water, infrastructure and services are made available.
4. Regional development can only be successful if there are adequate employment, health, communication, broadband and educational services and activities.
5. Regional development must be ecologically sustainable and protect biodiversity.
6. Regional development relieves infrastructure demands on major urban centres by reducing the amount of commuter journeys and consequential carbon emissions benefitting both the regions and major urban centres.
7. In working with federal and local governments and the community, cooperative, and not-for-profit sectors to identify opportunities in regional NSW, and assist them in locating to these areas.
8. Regional development is an integral part of reducing youth unemployment in regional NSW.
9.Regional development plans should also account for steady-state and degrowth strategies.
10. Councils must be accountable and practice community consultation as standard.
Aims
The Greens NSW will work to:
11. Assist regional communities who seek regional development including by.
1. Researching how to facilitate regional development learning from past attempts.
2. Planning for high quality services to regional towns.
3. Advocating for positive measures to plan population distribution in NSW, in conjunction with local communities.
4. Supporting measures to encourage employment and reduce unemployment in regional towns.
5. Developing incentives for relocation.
6. Developing employment opportunities in regional communities.
7. Ensuring ecologically sustainable development and the protection of biodiversity.
12. Support the delivery of the National Broadband Network to regions in NSW and assist in providing cohesive business cases to support this.
13. Identify business opportunities that can be developed in regional NSW and work to identify public, community, co-operative, and not-for-profit partners.
14. Provide enhanced broadband infrastructure to regional areas to allow for regional employment opportunities through telecommuting.
15. Identify regional areas for specific development based on:
1. The wish of the majority of the community.
2. Existing and potential rail infrastructure.
3. Adequate water supply, adequate and suitable land supply.
4. Access to high quality telecommunications and high speed internet access.
16. Offer incentives for sustainable industry relocation and start-ups in selected regional areas.
17. Locate State government departments in identified regional towns.
18. Promote the benefits of relocating to a regional area.
19. Work with local councils on regional development strategies for selected towns and regions.
20. Integrate and enhance medical and health services in regional areas to include dental health, mental health, home care and access to services including ambulance and community transport.
21. Encourage local food production and small scale sustainable cottage industry and manufacture in the regions including distribution e.g. farmers markets.
22. Encourage manufacture of renewable energy plant and materials such as wind turbines, solar panels etc. in selected regional areas.
23. Link regional towns to major urban centres via high speed rail, and freight train routes.
24. Ensure adequate and modern public transport links within selected regional towns and the surrounding region.
25. Actively consider projects including research centres, higher and technical education, large business service centres, small businesses and start-up businesses.
26. Develop e-government services and e-health projects in the regions.
27. Support transition town initiatives to prepare NSW for a post carbon economy.
28. Develop incentives for regional training programs with a focus on youth training as part of regional development.
29. Regional development bodies must have representative and democratic control and must not have planning powers.
30. Obtain sufficient funding for regional development with full transparency on all public funding and rigorous public assessment of outcomes.
31. Oppose public loans to private for-profit business for any regional development or infrastructure purpose.
32. Maintain fully-funded public ownership of all regional infrastructure including transport, water, energy, public schools, TAFE colleges, medical, and community service facilities [or community service delivery points].