SOCIAL commentator Bernard Salt predicts it is rural Victoria’s “time to shine” as the post-pandemic era provides unique opportunities to thrive.
Mr Salt’s company, The Demographics Group, last week released a report that found the pandemic has fundamentally altered the traditional narrative of rural Victoria where young people leave in search of further education and training opportunities.
“This outflow robbed rural communities of demographic and workforce depth in the 20s and 30s cohorts and the energy and ideas that youth retains,” Mr Salt said.
“The pandemic has changed all that. With an influx of new residents, many rural communities can now think boldly, ambitiously and outrageously about the kind of communities they want to build for the future.
“The way we work, the composition of our towns, the markets for our agribusiness product, the technology we use might all be ‘on the move’ but what never changes is the quality of life on offer in rural Victoria.
“If it is true that Australians are indeed motivated by lifestyle, then this coming decade truly is rural Victorian communities time to shine.”
The 31-page report, commissioned by Rural Councils Victoria, maps out opportunity for rural Victoria in the post-pandemic era.
It says most rural councils are growing in population.
“Collectively, they are currently adding almost 13,000 per year (or about 2 per cent),” it says.
“Over the 16 years to 2036 the rural part of Victoria is expected to add 155,000 net extra residents.
“The evidence from the pandemic is that this ‘out flow’ accelerated during 2020 and is most likely being directed to established lifestyle destinations.”
It points out that “Australians are driven by the pursuit of lifestyle”.
“This is evident in long established demographic trends,” it says.
“The concept of taking a job to a lifestyle region is in many ways one of the most important demographic shifts effected by the pandemic.
“And so, because this shift (to the regions) delivers a better lifestyle and a better quality of housing … (it’s expected to) continue into the 2020s and beyond.
“The next generation of workers will want flexibility in where and how they deliver their workplace value. That is why the outlook for Victorian rural councils is positive.”
