1.3 Lifting access in Small Towns, Rural Communities and Remote Areas

1.3 Recommendation Support a better quality of life by aligning funding and minimum standards with principles for sustainable infrastructure delivery in Small Towns, Rural Communities and Remote Areas. Proposed sponsor: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications Supported by: State and territory regional service agencies
When this should impact:		Where this should impact:
	1.3.1 Ensure communities in Small Towns, Rural Communities and Remote Areas have access to infrastructure services in line with defined minimum standards. Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications Supported by: State and territory regional service agencies
	Based on community size, demographics and location, define minimum standards across economic infrastructure sectors (transport, energy, water, telecommunications and waste). Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications Supported by: State and territory regional service agencies
	Based on community size, demographics and location, define minimum standards across social infrastructure. Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications Supported by: State and territory regional service agencies
	Manage potential future population and economic growth by developing staged land use plans that accommodate infrastructure and land use requirements. Proposed lead: State and territory planning departments
	Identify demand pressures by monitoring and forecasting population and service density for infrastructure services for small towns. Proposed lead: State and territory demographers Supported by: State and territory regional service agencies
	Ensure nationally consistent governance arrangements for municipal services in remote areas by including the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in the South Australian Government's Municipal Services (MUNS) program. Proposed lead: Office of Local Government South Australia Supported by: South Australian Department of Premier and Cabinet
	1.3.2 Improve the transparency and effectiveness of Community Service Obligations by redesigning them to include robust criteria, be cost-neutral and reflect community priorities. Proposed sponsor: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications Supported by: State and territory regional service agencies
	To ensure Community Service Obligations are delivering public value, establish an interdepartmental taskforce to review their performance and identify potential improvements. Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications
	Improve understanding of costs and benefits of Community Service Obligations through mandatory public reporting on their performance. Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications Supported by: State and territory regional service agencies.
	Ensure assets are culturally responsive and will be well-utilised by undertaking service design for Community Service Obligations in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications Supported by: National Indigenous Australians Agency, state and territory Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs departments, state and territory regional service agencies
	1.3.3. Facilitate sharing of infrastructure services and resources between communities and individuals by enabling the sharing economy. Proposed lead: Department of Transport, Infrastructure, Regional Development and Communications Supported by: Geoscience Australia, Digital Transformation Agency, Department of Finance, Services Australia, state and territory government property agencies
	Ensure infrastructure assets in Small Towns, Rural Communities and Remote Areas are understood and used by incorporating them in the Digital Atlas of Australia. Proposed lead: Geoscience Australia Supported by: Office of the National Data Commissioner, Digital Transformation Agency
	Support service provision and sharing of Community Service Obligation benefits by integrating their funding arrangements with place-centric asset-sharing platforms tailored to Small Towns, Rural Communities and Remote Areas. Proposed lead: Department of Finance Supported by: Services Australia, Digital Transformation Agency
	Provide services efficiently by optimising investment in built assets and social infrastructure through developing integrated infrastructure strategies across governments. Proposed lead: Department of Finance Supported by: State and territory government property agencies