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Country townships thriving: survey
21 Jul 2004
NSW country towns are thriving despite a tough employment climate and lack of resources, a NSW Farmers' Association survey of 60 small towns shows. The survey found resilience and entrepreneurship among rural workers and improvements in health care and child care.
The association's rural affairs chairman, Jim Graham, said the results defied the general perception that rural towns have too few people and are not worth saving.
The survey focused on changes in government programs, and leadership and professional services in towns such as Coonabarabran and Hay in the past five years.
But Mr Graham said rural communities are still doing it tough. Health, aged care and child care have improved but they remain the most important areas for improvement. Less than 10 per cent of people surveyed said transport, police services or employment opportunities have improved.
Mr Graham called for more apprenticeships, better high school education and a reduction in "the excessive red tape which is killing small businesses".
News.com.au, 20/7/04.
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