Big business has been urged to make regional Australia a priority after the coronavirus pandemic, under a new push to boost country jobs.
The Regional Australia Council 2031 was launched on Monday with some of Australia's biggest corporate players signing on to the initiative.
Commonwealth Bank, Telstra and KPMG are among the council's 10 founding members.
RAC2031 will base its work on Regional Australia Institute research into jobs, population, liveability and leadership.
The institute's chief executive Liz Ritchie said the new council would aim to transform the regions, noting record interest in residential property.
"We know that COVID has triggered time for reflection and that people around our metro cities are more than ever looking at what life might be like outside our capitals," she told reporters on Monday.
The new group's first meeting will ask the 10 founding members to identify employment opportunities and challenges in regional Australia.
"RAC2031 is asking corporate leaders to make regional Australia a priority," Ms Ritchie said.
Commonwealth Bank executive general manager of regional and agribusiness banking Grant Cairns said labour shortages were a major issue.
He said an increase in unemployment because of the virus could present an opportunity to address skills shortages in regional areas.
Regional Australia Institute's latest research into population movement trends over the most recent census period shows 65,000 more people moved from a city to a regional location than the reverse between 2011 and 2016.
RAI chief economist Kim Houghton said there were only a small number of areas where population was in steady decline.
"The vast majority of towns, local government areas, are holding steady or on a growth path," he said.
He said the growth of major regional centres could also lead to rebounds in smaller surrounding towns.
Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association chief executive Andrew McConville said Queensland towns like Roma and Chinchilla had benefited from growth in Toowoomba.
"You do get a ripple effect," he said.
"You get direct employment, the income that goes into rural communities and you get the purchase of services."
RAC2031's other members include NBN Co, Prime Super, Aurizon, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, Expedia and Transgrid.
Australian Associated Press
