West Australian Premier Mark McGowan is doubling down on his call for city dwellers in search of work to head for the country.

Regional employers are still looking for workers 12,000 new jobs were posted in regional Australia in July, according to the CSIROs latest figures, a 38 per cent increase in the two months from May. The mainland state capitals have had a 30 per cent increase in new job postings during that time.
Regional recruitment is still strong in areas dominated by mining and agriculture, says Regional Australia Institute chief economist Dr Kim Houghton. So many parts of inland NSW, Queensland and WA are still recruiting and we expect this to continue as in most places farming conditions are good and global minerals demand is also still surprisingly strong.
Perth public servant turned regional guide Matt Fuller and his wife moved from Perth to Margaret River Valley a few years ago and since then, two of their three adult children have joined them.
“We desperately wanted to escape the Perth grind before we reached our 60s,” he said. “Our accountant said we were crazy, but it has been a great move for us.”
Mr Fuller had to give up a full-time job in the public service for seasonal guiding with upmarket tourism group Walk into Luxury WA.
“For us, it’s been a fantastic choice, but it’s important to understand how regional economies work before making such a shift.”
The WA ad campaign will follow the $57 million package in July to help with the state’s recovery from the pandemic, including $25 million for free TAFE short courses to upskill thousands of jobless West Australians.
While many question the number of full-time well-paid jobs available in regions, Mr McGowan insists his government knows “there are positions available across the state in both agriculture and hospitality industries”.
Mr Fuller and his wife say people should do their homework before thinking it will be a breeze.
“Basically, if you’re looking for a job in health or education you should be right in most regions but other than that, if you’re not intending to move to a mining town, then it’s pretty much going to be hospitality or tourism jobs in the regions, and that’s mainly seasonal work.”
Another thing to keep in mind as the pandemic plays out is that regional tourism spending has plummeted in many areas.
Domestic travel spending fell by more than $11 billion in April and May this year, at the height of COVID-19 restrictions, recent Tourism Australia Research figures show.
Spending in Victoria dropped 92 per cent, and it was down 89 per cent in NSW and the Northern Territory.
Yet many regional towns across Australia, such as Byron Bay and Bellingen on the north NSW coast, and WA towns such as Margaret River and Albany, report they are as busy as ever.