On 1 July the Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation (CRC-REP) commenced operations. Its key role is to find new ways to overcome the challenge of economic isolation for the five per cent of Australians who inhabit the 75 per cent of the continent outside of our towns, cities and coastal regions.
Together with partner contributions, the Centre will invest over $100 million over seven years in research and development in remote Australia.
It is based in Alice Springs but has research nodes and partners spread across the continent.
Partners include the Australian and four State and Territory Governments, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and communities, non government organisations, universities and other research providers, private businesses and industries, such as mining, pastoralism and tourism.
“A central part of our mission is to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and governments to ‘close the gap’ of disadvantage by identifying how to achieve successful enterprises, genuine livelihoods and skilled people in remote areas,” said CRC-REP Managing Director, Jan Ferguson.
“We not only study the drivers and results of disadvantage in order to overcome them, we analyse what communities are doing to close the gap successfully. These communities will become potential models for others to follow.
“We are also working with pastoralists, miners, tourism operators and small businesses to identify the keys to business and employment success in remote Australia – where the challenges are so different, and usually far greater, than in the cities.”
An example of the research work that the Centre will undertake of relevance to Local Governments is that on population mobility and enduring community value from mining. These projects aim to build robust regional economies.
High mobility means that population size and associated service needs are difficult to plan for.
Using new research methods for taking effective censuses and understanding people’s needs and aspirations the research will provide new understanding and tools for planning.
Mining industries have large impacts on the communities and businesses in a region while they operate but pain and restructuring can occur after they withdraw.
Strategies to capture more enduring benefit in the local and regional social and economic network will be explored.
The Centre will produce case studies illuminating workforce mobility and economic flows across remote Australia to help identify opportunities for growth and development.
For further information go to www.crc-rep.com.au or telephone (08) 8959 6000.
