2023 Bush Summit puts spotlight on Tamworth

The Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre (TRECC) was at capacity for the event, the first in a series to be held in regional and rural parts of Australia.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke about the need for balance.

"An Australia that isn't so top heavy with capital cities will be a nation more in balance with itself," he said.

And his delight at being in the country music capital.

"When it comes to bringing Australians together, this city has done some heavy lifting," Mr Albanese said.

READ MORE: PM talks drought, renewables and telecommunications at Bush Summit

"For more than half a century now, you have been bringing Australians together from all over the continent.

"The Tamworth Country Music Festival is recognised as one of the world's great music festivals - and it's your enduring gift to all of us."

The Prime Minister also spoke highly of another local, Australian cricketer - and Bendemeer born - Josh Hazelwood, who would take the stage for one of the afternoon sessions.

"For boys and girls in regional Australia to see someone who played on their ovals taking wickets at Lords means the world," Mr Albanese said.

The issue of the transition to renewables was high on the agenda.

With a number solar and wind farms being proposed for the New England region, as part of the Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), there was discussion about the appropriate placement of such projects and how they will impact whole communities and livelihoods.

READ MORE: Australian barley 'the best in the world': Albanese visits Loomberah

Tamworth farmer Jacqui Gidley-Baird and Rachel Rummery who has a property at Bendemeer, spoke very passionately about how the solutions need to be found in conversation with all Australians and not foisted onto rural and regional people to bear the burden.

Member for New England Barnaby Joyce made his thoughts clear on the road to Net Zero as part of a panel discussion.

"I'm not for it if it's going to put you out of business," he said.

"And it it's going to absolutely take you backwards ... putting Australians into third world conditions when they can't afford their power bill.

"I believe in opportunity for Australians and a standard of living for Australians."

"Do you believe your power bills are going up or going down? They're going up. They're going through the roof and the reliability is going through the floor. The money, and this is the big swindle, is going overseas."

READ MORE: Urgent care clinic ready to treat Tamworth's health gaps, Prime Minister says

Tamworth Regional Council mayor Russell Webb had the final say.

"The goal of the summit as I see it, it's a platform, to produce a platform for regional Australia," he said. "And I think that's happened her today.

"We are delighted to have hosted you here today in Tamworth for this event.

"Tamworth Regional Council has bold ambitions for a strong and prosperous future for our region and regions around us, and the issues discussed here today impact on all of us and are very close to home.

"The challenges we are facing as a regional community around liveability, resilience, connectivity, infrastructure, are faced by all regional communities, not just ours, all regional communities around this great nation.

"I have been encouraged by today's robust discussion on water security and how we can better prepare for our community.

"We need to better prepare to withstand extreme events [and] we look forward to working with all levels of government to bring the Namoi Regional Water Strategy to fruition and secure the future of our region's water supply through an innovative water purification plant we're hoping to get funding for from the other two levels of government .. I hope they're listening.

"I would like to say that we in regional NSW are the engine room.

"I think without regional NSW or rural NSW, the GDP would not be anywhere like it is today.

"Mining, agriculture tourism there are so many facets of the regions that we live in across this nation that make this nation the great nation that it is, and I think that if there's any messages I'd like to send to government, both state and federal, is that you need to keep funding all of the regional opportunities in NSW.

"All the projects that have been funded in the past, bring them forward rename them whatever, but keep funding regional NSW so we can continue to grow and prosper.

"Because if we don't grow and prosper the nation won't grow and prosper."

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