Aussies see parallels in rural America

Rural areas in Australia and America have a few fundamental differences when it comes to economic development, but they also have a lot of similarities.

One primary factor the two countries must focus on is economic development on a regional basis and not just growth in individual communities.

"For our region to prosper in the future, we have to think of ourselves as an independent regional community," Dr. Gordon Forth of Regional Innovation and Deakin University of Australia told a group of economic development professionals from around Nebraska Thursday morning.

Dr. Forth and Dr. Paul Collits, Manager of Regional Policy with the New South Wales Department of State and Regional Development for New South Wales, Australia addressed the 2004 Nebraska Rural Institute sponsored by the Partnership for Rural America.

Dr. Collits told the group the loss of young people is a major economic development in Australia as well as the United States.

But, he said, he is impressed with the attitude rural Americans have regarding the retention of young people in small communities. "I've been heartened by statements that we have to let them go off and go to college, but we have to try to do whatever we can to get them back." Dr. Collits said that in both Australia and America, the perception that the young people who choose to stay in a rural community are the losers needs to change.

The two compared the role of government in the two countries when it comes to economic development.

Services in Australian communities, such as hospital staff, police and teachers are appointed by the state and federal government. The responsibility of economic development has been left to larger governmental agencies. Today, Australian communities need to look at taking responsibility for their own growth.

In America, the two suggested, economic development should be less centralized and concentrate more on regional issues.

Dr. Forth said that like America, rural Australian towns were built as supply communities for farmers in the mid- to late- 1800s. The towns were built about 20 miles apart to allow for horse transportation. If those communities had been developed in the 20th century after the development of automobiles, may of them wouldn't exist.

Rural towns in both countries fall into three categories, Dr. Forth said. Those towns that don't need help, those towns that are in the margin and could fail or prosper, and those that have passed the point of no return. By working as a region, the towns in all three categories could survive.