The Regional Australia Institute

07/06/2026

Regional Australia’s labour market has softened slightly this month, while remaining resilient overall. In April 2026, regional Australia recorded 69,731 online job vacancies, a 5.0% decrease from March. Despite the monthly decline, vacancies are still 4.6% higher than a year ago, indicating continued underlying strength.

❓ Who’s in demand?
Demand continues to be led by Professionals (28%), Technicians & Trade Workers (15%), and Clerical & Administrative Workers (12%). The most sought after roles include Medical Practitioners & Nurses, Carers & Aides, and General Inquiry Clerks, Call Centre Workers & Receptionists.

📉 A softer month for workforce activity
The regional labour force eased to 5.07 million in April, with employment declining to 4.85 million. Participation also fell to 62.5%, while unemployment rose slightly to 4.2%. While these shifts reflect a softer month, conditions remain tight by historical standards.

📍 Spotlight: Katanning, WA
With participation at 63.1% and unemployment at 2.5%, Katanning highlights a small but strategically important regional labour market. Across the Goldfields & Southern WA region, 1,875 job ads were posted in April. Demand is concentrated in trades, transport and operational roles, including Automotive & Engineering Trades Workers, Clerical workers, and Drivers & Storepersons, reflecting the region’s strong agricultural and service base.

Powered by Australian Bureau of Statistics and Jobs and Skills Australia data, this monthly update is brought to you by The Regional Australia Institute .

Explore the full Regional Labour Market Update – April 2026 to see how your region is performing.

🔗https://regionalaustralia.org.au/Web/Toolkits-Indexes/Regional-Jobs-Update/Updates/2026/Regional_Labour_Markets_Update_April_2026

05/06/2026

How can we work better together to deliver stronger outcomes for regional Australia?

Join us for an upcoming webinar on Collaborative governance for regional development, where national leaders will explore how government, industry and community can work more effectively across sectors to address complex regional challenges.

As collaboration becomes increasingly critical in regional development, this session will examine how place-based governance models are evolving in Australia, and what it takes to make them work in practice.

Hear from leading voices in the field:

🎙️ Dr Shona Bates, Senior Research Fellow, UNSW Sydney
🎙️ Dr Luke Craven, CEO, Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE)
🎙️ James McKee, CEO, RDA Tasmania
🎙️ Simon Pryor, Director, Research & Policy, RAI
🎙️ Liz Ritchie, CEO, RAI

📅 Friday 12 June 2026
🕑 2:00 PM | Online

Register now: https://regionalaustralia.org.au/Shared_Content/Events/EventDisplay.aspx?EventKey=CGRD26

This webinar is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts (AusGov Infrastructure).

04/06/2026

Jobs are a major part of what is drawing people to regional Australia.

With more than 5 million people in the regional labour force, the regions are powering national productivity across industries, from construction and manufacturing to health, energy, agriculture and technology.

This workforce is People Power in action. It reflects the skills, adaptability and contribution of people working in regional economies, and the businesses and communities that support them.

At the Regions Rising National Summit: People Power, the focus will be on how we strengthen jobs and skills in the regions, ensure workers can move where opportunities exist, and employers can build the workforce needed for future growth.

Because supporting people in work, training and opportunity is central to building strong regional communities and a productive national economy.

Be part of the conversation shaping the future of regional jobs.

📍 14 September 2026 | Parliament House, Canberra, ACT
🎟 Register now: https://regionalaustralia.org.au/Web/Conference2026/National-Summit.aspx

Proudly supported by NBN Australia, National Series Partner of the Regions Rising National Event Series.

03/06/2026

That’s a wrap!

Over the past two days, senior executives from across the country have come together fo The Regional Australia Institute (RAI) and La Trobe University Executive Masterclass, a two day immersion designed to build the strategic capability needed to lead through complexity and drive meaningful regional change.

Across the program, facilitated by Nigel Collin, participants have explored how to:

✅ Work with their regional communities to define the challenge, focusing on the gaps, not just ideas

✅ Meet people where they are in their journey and take them forward, creating genuine buy-in

✅ Co-design solutions that are responsive to what’s happening on the ground

This is systems leadership in practice.

Using a mix of best practice frameworks, real-world case studies, and peer collaboration, executives are not just learning, they are applying these concepts directly to their own regions.

When Australia’s regional leaders step back, challenge their thinking, and work through complexity together anything is possible!

A huge thank you to our facilitators, speakers, and participants for making this such a valuable and impactful experience.

The Masterclass is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts. (AusGov Infrastructure).

02/06/2026

People Power is built on connection. Connection to opportunity, services, markets, education, and each other.

We are pleased to spotlight Ellie Sweeney, CEO and Managing Director of NBN Australia as a speaker at the 2026 Regions Rising National Summit.

With more than 25 years across the telecommunications sector, Ellie Sweeney brings deep expertise in digital infrastructure, network transformation and customer strategy. Her leadership speaks directly to one of the biggest enablers of regional prosperity: high-quality, reliable connectivity that supports inclusion, productivity and growth.

At the Summit, we will explore what People Power looks like in practice, including the systems and infrastructure that help regional communities thrive. Ellie Sweeney will bring a national perspective on how connectivity can power progress for regions, and why digital capability is now central to workforce participation, innovation and liveability.

📍 Parliament House, Canberra, ACT
📅 14 September 2026
🎟 Register now: https://regionalaustralia.org.au/Web/Conference2026/National-Summit.aspx

Proudly supported by NBN Australia, National Series Partner of the Regions Rising National Event Series.

29/05/2026

📅 Save the date: Collaborative governance for regional development

Friday 12 June 2026 | 2:00 pm | Online

Across regional Australia, many of the biggest challenges and opportunities cut across organisations, sectors and jurisdictions.

This webinar will explore how collaborative governance models bring government and non-government partners together to strengthen regional services and support regional development.

We will look at what makes collaboration work in practice, including the benefits, enablers and barriers to information-sharing, joint program design, coordination, shared decision-making, and delivery across multiple organisations.

🔔 The full speaker line-up is coming next week. For now, save the date!

https://regionalaustralia.org.au/Shared_Content/Events/EventDisplay.aspx?EventKey=CGRD26

This Webinar is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts (AusGov Infrastructure).

29/05/2026

A timely new ABC Riverina story reinforces a key message from our recent Regional Migration Experiences report: migration policy must reflect the realities of regional Australia.

From aged care in Coolamon to agriculture and processing across the country, the article highlights how migrant workers are filling critical workforce gaps that local labour simply cannot meet.

Read the article 👇

Amid ongoing discussion about Australia's immigration intake and migration policies, regional residents say many industries in the bush cannot survive without overseas workers.

28/05/2026

Regional Australia is a major driver of the national economy.

From agriculture and energy to manufacturing, services and emerging industries, the regions generate almost 40 per cent of Australia’s economic output. That productivity is powered by people, businesses and communities creating value well beyond the capital cities.

This is People Power at scale. Regional Australians are driving innovation, building resilient industries and contributing to national prosperity through their skills, ideas and enterprise.

At the Regions Rising National Summit:People Power, leaders from government, industry and communities will explore how we lift productivity in regional Australia. From digital capability and workforce mobility to investment, infrastructure and innovation, the Summit will focus on turning regional strengths into long-term economic growth.

Because when regional productivity grows, Australia grows with it.

📍 14 September 2026 | Parliament House, Canberra, ACT
🎟 Register now: https://regionalaustralia.org.au/Web/Conference2026/National-Summit.aspx

Proudly supported by NBN Australia, National Series Partner of the Regions Rising National Event Series.

26/05/2026

Wimmera Housing Innovations Pty Ltd (WHIP) shows how regional communities can unlock housing supply through collaboration, local leadership and smart investment.

By bringing together private investors, local Progress Associations, councils and lenders, the WHIP model enables small towns to deliver fit‑for‑purpose housing for key workers, addressing one of the biggest barriers to regional growth and liveability.

Through a structured, feasibility‑first approach and shared governance, communities are building housing that meets real demand while supporting local investment and long‑term sustainability.

Keep an eye out for details on this year’s Regionalisation Dialogue Day, where bold ideas like this will again be front and centre.

| Wimmera Southern Mallee Development - previously WDA

22/05/2026

We’re pleased to welcome Western Queensland Primary Health Network (WQPHN) as a member of the Regional Activators Alliance.

Working across nearly one million square kilometres, WQPHN delivers vital primary healthcare services to some of Australia’s most remote and diverse communities. Their work is focused on improving access, closing service gaps and ensuring people receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Through strong partnerships and a deep understanding of local needs, WQPHN is helping to improve health outcomes across Western Queensland.

The Regional Activators Alliance is a dynamic coalition of organisations united by a shared belief in the potential of regional Australia. Together, members are driving a national movement to reshape how we live, work and invest in the regions.

We look forward to working with WQPHN to help strengthen communities and support a thriving regional Australia.

# RegionalActivatorsAlliance