According to the Western Australian Municipal Association (WAMA), rural communities are being asked to carry an inequitable share of the Federal Government’s attempt to balance the books.
“Rural people have every right to be upset and disillusioned at the high price they are being asked to pay for Australia’s economic recovery,” said Ken Pech, President WAMA.
“First the Government cut $150 million from Regional Development Programs and now they are slashing a further 40 percent from the Rural Community Access Program.” He said that this equated to another $16.5 million being taken out of rural Australia.
The Rural Community Access Program (RCAP) covers a range of programs. These include the Rural Counselling Program; Business Advice for Rural Areas; Telecentres Program; Rural Access Program; the Australian Country Information Service; and Countrylink.
With the immense size of Western Australia, and the highly urbanised and centralised nature of general service delivery around metropolitan Perth, Cr Pech believes that rural Western Australia will be particularly hard hit by this last round of cuts.
As part of an evaluation of RCAP, the Federal Department of Primary Industries and Energy recently called for submissions. These closed on 27 September. This evaluation is expected to be completed early next year.
Further information on the RCAP evaluation can be obtained from the Commonwealth Department of Primary Industries and Energy, telephone (06) 272 3933.
