MORE should be done to promote Wagga’s economic achievements and family friendly lifestyle, city commentators and parents have said.
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The comments come in response to Monday night’s Q&A, where panelist and Tamworth businesswoman Robbie Sefton said not enough dialogue around regional Australia was positive.
“The conversation tonight has been quite negative,” Ms Sefton said.
“The truth is regional Australia is a great place to live, to raise kids, and to work.”
Since the broadcast, Ms Sefton said she hoped to see more of an election commitment to furthering regional Australia.
“We’re not whingers,” she said. “We’re proud to be involved in agriculture and its related businesses and communities.”
Regional cities like Wagga are already an attractive option for young families.
The Robertsons made the move from Sydney to Wagga a year ago, and found less financial stress has made the change a winner.
Scott Robertson told The Daily Advertiser a short work commute meant more time to spend with his two young children.
The stance has been echoed by Riverina Eastern Regional Organisation of Councils’ executive officer Julie Briggs.
One reason for the lack of positivity was public awareness, she said.
Ms Briggs said because state and federal government were mainly city-centric, often regional centres such as Wagga were only heard from when there was a dire need for assistance.
The Wagga mother also said people needed to be aware of different amenities available in regional cities compared to country towns, as well as the lifestyle available in Wagga.
“I agree that we need to get a far more positive message out about living in regional locations,” Ms Briggs said.
“What I say to my city friends is it requires absolutely no effort at all to live in Wagga.
“I don’t have to think about where am I going to park, what am I going to do for dinner, if I want to go to the movies; I can decide 10 minutes beforehand and just go.”
Western Research Institute’s general manager Wendy Mason said that many would not be aware of the economic contributions of regional areas to its more urban counterparts.
A recent report from the Regional Australia Institute found half of the nation’s growth since the GFC has occurred in regional areas such as Wagga.
Ms Mason said Wagga was a regional success story thanks to its varied economy which included retail and farming, skilled population, and education and research facilities at Charles Sturt University.
“Those types of things make for a very positive story in Wagga,” she said. “That shouldn’t be undersold, and regional cities need to be able to tell their stories well, and actually claim their success that Australia is now having.”