Recent editions of the Guardian again show the reality for regional communities — local people stepping up because bad policy from city-centric Labor governments leaves regional Victorians behind.

Regional communities still face health workforce shortages, reduced access to doctors, long travel distances for treatment and slashed Victorian subsidies to access care.  Reduced regional services are no accident – as Labor are fond of saying, this is by design – they raid regions to focus on winning votes in Melbourne.

As Shadow Minister for Regional Health, I have highlighted the growing pressures in aged care and as Labor centralises systems and spends less on local clinicians.  Often that means waiting longer to see a doctor and get care, and settling for less than what our city cousins receive.

Labor are also driving cost-of-living pressures. I have previously written in these pages about Labor’s tax attack on older Australians’ private health premiums — decisions that push costs onto those who can least afford it, drive older Australians into lower levels of cover (or they abandon cover altogether) at a time when they need it most, leading to poorer health and increasing pressure on our public hospitals.

The Albanese and Allan Labor Governments also continue to pursue political energy targets without regard for regional impact – such as the destructive impact of the VNI West transmission line and REZs.  As I have consistently said, cost blowouts under Labor mean household energy costs go up, farmers and small businesses face increased uncertainty and major infrastructure is imposed on communities for little local benefit, while foreign investors walk away with the funds.

Local government is then left to manage the consequences. As reported, Swan Hill Rural City Council continues to deal with complex local challenges and competing demands.  Councils are doing their job — but they should not be left carrying the burden of Labor’s poor political and bureaucratic decisions made in Melbourne and Canberra.

Across health, energy and cost-of-living, under Labor the pattern is clear: policy set in capital cities is failing regional Australia.

The Nationals will continue to fight for practical, locally informed solutions that put regional Australians first.