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| Building Better Regions Fund | |
|---|---|
| Name | Building Better Regions Fund |
| Country | Australia |
| Established | 2015 |
| Administered by | Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities |
| Funding period | 2015–2022 |
| Total funding | A$1.3 billion (approx.) |
Building Better Regions Fund
The Building Better Regions Fund was an Australian grant program created to provide infrastructure and community investment in regional and rural Australia during the mid‑2010s. It operated alongside initiatives such as the Commonwealth Grants Commission programs, the Regional Australia Institute, and other federal instruments implemented under the Turnbull Government and the preceding Abbott Government. The program supported projects across states and territories including New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and the Australian Capital Territory.
The fund aimed to boost economic growth in non‑metropolitan areas by financing infrastructure and community projects similar in scope to projects formerly funded through programs administered by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development and the Australian Department of Infrastructure. Recipients included local government bodies such as the City of Greater Geelong, regional development organizations like the Regional Development Australia, community groups including Country Women's Association branches, and educational institutions such as regional campuses of the University of Southern Queensland and the University of Newcastle (Australia). Projects ranged from tourism infrastructure near sites like the Great Barrier Reef and the Twelve Apostles to digital connectivity investments in areas served by the National Broadband Network.
The fund was announced as part of the federal budget processes of the mid‑2010s and reflected bipartisan debates in the Parliament of Australia over regional policy, echoing earlier regional programs such as the Regional Partnerships Program and the Building Australia Fund. Ministers involved in the program included members of the Liberal Party of Australia and the National Party of Australia, with program administration overseen by agencies reporting to ministers like the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development and coordination with offices including the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The program’s timeline intersected with national events such as the 2016 Australian federal election and regional economic shocks linked to commodity cycles in the Pilbara and the Hunter Region.
Objectives emphasized increasing employment, stimulating private investment, enhancing tourism in places like Port Douglas and Echuca, improving cultural infrastructure for institutions such as the National Trust of Australia, and strengthening services delivered by organizations like St Vincent de Paul Society (Australia). Eligible applicants typically included local councils such as the City of Darwin, incorporated not‑for‑profit entities including Landcare Australia affiliates, Indigenous corporations registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006, and regional universities such as Charles Darwin University. Projects needed to demonstrate benefits for regional communities including workforce development linked to employers like BHP, Rio Tinto, and regional exporters.
The fund was delivered through multiple rounds with allocations that reflected regional needs identified by bodies like the Commonwealth Grants Commission and regional panels such as the Regional Development Australia committees. Allocation decisions considered co‑contributions from state governments including the Government of New South Wales, the Government of Victoria, and local stakeholders like the Tourism Industry Council Victoria. High‑profile funded initiatives included infrastructure upgrades at heritage sites administered by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria), visitor center development near Kakadu National Park administered in consultation with the Northern Land Council, and small business incubator facilities connected to organizations such as StartupAUS.
Applications followed guidelines issued by the administering department with assessment panels often including representatives from agencies like the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and regional development bodies like Regional Development Australia. Criteria included value for money assessments compatible with standards set by the Commonwealth Procurement Rules, sustainability considerations referencing agencies such as the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, and Indigenous engagement consistent with policies promoted by the Aboriginal Hostels Limited and ATSI peak bodies. Applicants submitted business cases comparable to frameworks used by the Infrastructure Australia priority list.
Notable recipients included regional tourism upgrades in the Snowy Mountains region, community halls renovated in towns like Bairnsdale, upgraded water infrastructure in shires such as the Shire of Broome, and digital connectivity projects targeting schools affiliated with the Catholic Education Commission (Australia). Evaluations linked the fund to local employment outcomes similar to programs tracked by the Australian Bureau of Statistics regional labour statistics, and to increased visitor numbers measured against data from state tourism agencies like Destination NSW and Tourism NT.
Critics compared the fund to electoral‑cycle grants controversies such as those surrounding the Sports Rorts Affair and raised concerns about transparency similar to debates involving the Community Development Grants Program. Questions were raised in the Australian Senate and the House of Representatives over competitive fairness, the role of ministerial discretion, and alignment with national priorities set by bodies like Infrastructure Australia and the Productivity Commission. Investigations and audits by entities such as the Australian National Audit Office and parliamentary committees examined aspects of administration, while advocacy groups including the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia lobbied for clearer criteria and regional fairness.
Category:Australian federal government programs