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Our Ambition: Regionalisation – Rebalancing the Nation

For more than a decade, the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) has led the national conversation on the future of regional Australia. Through our Regionalisation Ambition, we are turning evidence into action, building a stronger, fairer, and more balanced nation.

Regionalisation is about unlocking the full potential of regional Australia, its people, industries, and communities - to create a country where prosperity and opportunity are shared, no matter where you live.

Bringing the Ambition to life

The Regionalisation Ambition 2032 was developed through extensive national consultation, engagement, and collaboration. It draws on years of research, evidence, and the lived experience of regional Australians.

Guided by the Regional Australia Institute’s decade of data and insights, members and alliance the Ambition reflects the shared voice of local governments, businesses, industries, community organisations, and individuals, all united by a commitment to strengthening the regions.

Through workshops, surveys, forums, and policy roundtables, the RAI gathered input from thousands of people across all states and territories, ensuring the Framework reflects real regional priorities and challenges. This engagement was complemented by insights from sector experts, government partners, and industry leaders, aligning the Ambition with national strategies and long-term policy objectives.

The outcome is a comprehensive framework built around 25 measurable targets across six pillars:
Population, Jobs and Skills, Liveability, Health, Productivity and Innovation, and Sustainability and Resilience.

Together, these targets provide a clear, evidence-based pathway to a more balanced, equitable, and prosperous Australia.

Where to from Here

The Regional Australia Institute (RAI) continues to lead the implementation of the Regionalisation Ambition 2032, ensuring that the Framework moves from planning to progress.

Our focus is on activating change through three key priorities:

  • Collaboration – Uniting government, business, and community to align effort and investment.
  • Integration – Embedding the Ambition’s targets into national policy, research, consulting, and events.
  • Activation – Partnering directly with regional stakeholders to deliver place-based action and measurable impact.

Through initiatives such as Rebalance the Nation and 40 for the Regions, RAI is connecting national ambition with local delivery, ensuring regional voices shape decisions, resources flow where they’re needed most, and every Australian community can share in the nation’s prosperity.

National Partnerships Driving Change

Regionalisation is built on strong, united partnerships that bring together every part of the nation from the boardroom to the bush.

Through the Regional Australia Council (RAC), the Regional Activators Alliance (RAA), and the Regional Australia Council Associate (RACA)  we’ve created a powerful coalition of leaders from business, government, and community sectors all committed to driving regional growth.

  • RAC unites major national corporations including Telstra, Australia Post, and Bendigo Bank who are actively investing in the future of regional Australia.
  • RACA connects forward-thinking organisations that are strengthening their regional footprint and championing opportunities beyond metropolitan boundaries.
  • RAA brings together a diverse network of regional changemakers, representing more than 900 regional towns across Australia. Through these members, we gain deep, on-the-ground insights that help drive real action and meaningful outcomes nationwide.

Together, these alliances ensure that national ambition translates into local impact.

The Road Ahead

As Liz Ritchie, CEO of the Regional Australia Institute, says:

“Regionalisation is more than policy, it’s a national ambition to grow.
It’s about creating a more equitable, balanced and prosperous future for all Australians.”

Through collective leadership and the unwavering determination of regional Australians, the RAI is driving that future forward, one prosperous region at a time.

Pillars

Jobs & Skills

Ensuring regional Australia has a workforce ready for the future. This pillar focuses on strengthening skills, training, and education so that workforce supply aligns with labour market demand. Targets aim to increase participation in school and post-school education, building a skilled, adaptable regional workforce that drives local prosperity.

Liveability

Creating thriving, well-connected regional communities with the services, amenities, and lifestyle Australians need to live well. This pillar includes targets to enhance wellbeing, digital connectivity, transport, housing, childcare, education, and the arts ensuring regional Australia remains an attractive and sustainable place to live, work, and invest.

Population

Building a more balanced and sustainable population distribution across Australia. This pillar aspires to see more than 11 million people living and prospering in the regions by 2032. Targets focus on developing a National Population Plan, attracting more young people to the regions, and supporting more overseas arrivals to settle regionally.

Productivity & Innovation

Positioning regional Australia as a national leader in productivity, entrepreneurship, and innovation. This pillar sets targets to grow the regions’ economic contribution, boost workforce participation, and foster new business creation and innovation—driving the next generation of regional industries and opportunities.

Sustainability & Resilience

Future-proofing regional Australia for a changing climate and economy. This pillar focuses on unlocking regional employment and new industries as Australia pursues its 43% emissions reduction target by 2030. It also aims to build communities with strong disaster resilience and the capacity to adapt and thrive in the face of change.

Health

Ensuring every regional Australian has equitable access to quality healthcare. This pillar recognises health as a critical enabler of liveability, population growth, and economic participation. Targets focus on improving access to medical and allied health services so that people in regional communities can live healthy, fulfilling lives close to home.

The National Alliance for Regionalisation is the coming together of more than 30 CEOs from the most influential peak bodies in the country, with the purpose of working to help bring the RAI’s Regionalisation Ambition 2032 to life.

The Alliance is the first of its kind in this country, spanning business, health, education, infrastructure and environment. It aims to better position the regions to reach their potential. It will provide knowledge sharing and national leadership to ensure the 20 targets and aspirations set out in the Ambition remain relevant and central to decision-making for regional Australia over the next decade, adopting a system-thinking approach in viewing regional development within this country, working together to see more than 11 million people living prosperously in regional Australia by 2032.