9
Recent thinking, however, has argued that disadvantaged regions will be regions of cheap labour which will ultimately attract investment without government intervention or expenditure, and there has been a shift in Britain from assistance at a regional level to assistance to smaller, welldefined units.2 The Authority considers this definition to be useful, but acknowledges that it is not exclusive and all-encompassing. In particular, the Authority would like to stress that it considers any consideration of regional policy, its development or application, should always have as its underlying objective the creation of employment and investment opportunities in regional areas.
The regional policy tools that are available to governments It is important to remember that it is much easier for governments to assist people through change processes in large communities as there are far more existing and readily accessible social and educational services and highly diversified job markets. Nonetheless, there are a whole host of tools available to governments at all levels that, subject to available resources and competing priorities, can be utilised as part of measures intended to redress regional economic development issues. Changes that effect the economy Australia-wide in areas such as industrial relations, taxation, employment and training and macroeconomic policy effects on inflation and interest rates, all have the potential to benefit regional areas. Continuing microeconomic reform involving the removal of impediments to change is an important aspect of governments’ role in this regard. The serious addressing of the regulatory burden on small business also provides governments with an opportunity to assist regional businesses improve their levels of competitiveness.
2
A dictionary of Geography, Oxford University Press, Š Susan Mayhew 1997