Business Council of Australia chief executive Jennifer Westacott told the National Press Club on Tuesday that the federal government should focus on 'places' and not just 'projects' to reduce regional inequality.

If the government take's the council's advice, the priority cities would see support for growing their populations and developing new jobs and educational services to rival capital cities.

Ms Westacott did not name which cities should be in the top 10, saying it should be for others to decide.

Wagga business chamber president Danielle Wait said the city could meet Ms Westacott's criteria.

"I think Wagga is ideally positioned to be one of the top 10," she said.

Ms Westacott said the top 10 should be chosen on the basis of having an airport or major transport routes, two successful industries, strategic importance, proximity to major power grids, a university and a TAFE, and available housing and health services.

"What I am calling for is an approach that would allow us to take the pressure off some of our cities by making sure that people have jobs and enterprise and economic activity in our regions," she said.

"You can't just ask people to go an live in a region and then not do the work to create the economic activity that will keep them there, keep them working and keep them well paid.

"To me it's a win-win: create critical mass in regional communities, get people moving up there, their kids stay there and go to school."

"Things like having the University and TAFE colleges and having a relatively diverse economy that will become more diverse as we see the impacts of the Bomen Special Activation project come to fruition," Ms Wait said.

"I don't think this was mentioned (in the speech) but having all three arms of the military here is useful as well."

Ms Westacott told the press club that the government should select priority regional cities that "have an appetite for more people to take pressure and congestion off the major cities".

"Not every place can be selected, and we cannot make decisions based on electoral politics. Let's just get on with it," she said.

Ms Wait said Wagga could offer lifestyle and other advantages to those looking to move out of capital cities.

"Along with the lifestyle benefits, we can be promoting the career opportunities and it's something I think we don't talk enough about: Wagga's a great place to live but also to work," she said.

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Wagga council mayor Greg Conkey said the city matched a lot of the criteria put forward by the Business Council, as well as the criteria for growth from business advisor and demographer Bernard Salt.

"I think the only boxes we don't tick are having a CSIRO research institute and a mining industry," he said.

"Wagga has been earmarked as a special activation precinct and we were only the second one announced in the state.

"We're also a local activation precinct for our medical precinct, so as far as the state government is concerned we are being promoted as a large centre."

Committee 4 Wagga chief executive Alan Johnston said Wagga was not quite as big as some of the cities mentioned in Ms Westacott's speech "but that's not to say we won't make it".

"It's good to see this sort of mindset is at the front of thinking for the Business Council of Australia because they have considerable airtime with the government," he said.