The Victorian Government has released a new strategy which it claims will see an increased regional and rural focus of the state’s public servants and policy making.

State Minister for Regional and Rural Development, Peter Ryan, launched the new Thinking Regional and Rural guidelines earlier this week, saying that it would assist public servants in effectively assessing implications for regional and rural Victoria when developing policy and legislation.

“The Thinking Regional and Rural guidelines will increase understanding across the public service of ways policies can affect non-metropolitan communities and economies,” Mr Ryan said.

“The aim is to help satisfy existing requirements that the impact of policy on regional and rural Victoria be considered at the earliest stages of policy development.

Mr Ryan said the guidelines were developed by the Regional Policy Advisory Committee, which provides independent advice to Ministers on the impacts of rural policy and legislation.