Regional Victoria: why the bush is hurting
By Bob Birrell, Jacqui Dibden and Jo Wainer, Centre for Population and Urban Research and Centre for Rural Health, Monash University, January 2000
This research report investigates the alleged regional crisis and widening socio-economic gap between Melbourne and regional Victoria. The study documents the extent of the divide by reference to indicators of economic activity, income, family wellbeing and service delivery (particularly medical services). It is hoped is that this evidence will contribute to informed debate about both the extent of regional disadvantage and what might be done about it. From the point of view of the authors, the research reported here is the starting point for further investigation.
The report concludes that there is a widening gap between the economic and social wellbeing of residents in metropolitan and regional Victoria. It will not be easy to reverse the situation, since it is clear that the economic processes associated with the globalisation of Australia’s economy are favouring Sydney and Melbourne relative to their regional hinterlands.
As a consequence, in the case of Victoria, Melbourne is attracting a flow of jobseekers from regional areas of the state, particularly from the ranks of younger people. There is also a small net flow of older people and others dependent on welfare benefits, including single mothers, in the reverse direction. These people appear to be attracted by the lower costs of housing in regional Victoria. The net effect is an accumulation of low-income and otherwise disadvantaged people in regional Victoria. The data draws particular attention to the high proportion of families with dependent children whose parents (or parent, in the case of sole parent families) were not breadwinners.
Download a copy of the report here (pdf).