Population of regional Australia grew by ’70,000 during the pandemic years’

Regional Australia Institute External Affairs Director Laureta Wallace says the inhabitants of regional Australia grew by “70,000 during the pandemic years” and is why the areas face jobs and expertise challenges.

“So we were caught unaware in terms of the infrastructure soft and hard that we need to cater for this growing population,” she instructed Sky News Australia.

“But it has to be a story of people, we need the people to build the houses, to be looking after our children, to be in our hospitals, to be in our aged care facilities, to power our renewable energy projects.”