SOR 2014-15 – Regional Development in a Globalised Economy

This report highlights the trend of a widening gap between regions that have benefited from the mining boom and those that have not and identifies that the national economy is now in transition, that we have entered into the post mining boom construction phase and, together with the impact of the high Australian dollar on many of Australia’s manufacturing exporters, this requires growth in other areas of the economy to maintain Australian living standards. In the immediate term this is public and private investment in Infrastructure, and increased exporting activity. Development patterns of the North of Australia are discussed as are the troubling features of rising youth unemployment.