Given just how congested our eastern seaboard is becoming, you can understand why the government might be keen to put up the 'no vacancy' sign and suggest people start heading west of the Great Dividing Range.

It's actually not a bad idea. Many parts of regional Australia are crying out for the kind of boost that an increase in population would bring but, as is so often the case, the devil is going to be in the detail.

Right now, the population of Wagga is about 65,000, so if we're going to add another 35,000 people in a few short decades, we need to get serious about making sure there are enough supports in place.

We're going to need more housing, roads able to take all those extra cars, schools, health care, aged care and more.

In Wagga on Friday, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard announced a new $21.7 million telehealth program aimed at making sure regional stroke victims will be able to get critical care as soon as they need it.

It's a welcome announcement, but it's likely that we are going to need a lot more announcements like this to cope with the big population boost slated to come our way.

While in Wagga, Mr Hazzard also spoke about the government's efforts to address delays in the time it takes for families to get their loved one's bodies back after they have been take to Newcastle for forensic autopsies.

One idea being floated by the government is having at least some of these procedures carried out in regional areas. The sticking point is a shortage of appropriate personnel. 

While we can sympathise with the Department of Health in combating what is said to be a worldwide shortage of forensic pathologists, this should also serve as a warning to the government that boosting regional populations comes at a price.

The price is that people who eschew city living in favour of the regions are only going to increasingly expect the infrastructure in the country is more than just adequate enough to meet residents' needs.