Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

'With all the trappings of urban life, $320,000 homes and $80,000-a-year jobs going begging, why don't more people live here?' These are the opening lines from a recent Weekend Australian article about Griffith in my electorate of Farrer. According to demographer Bernard Salt, Griffith is one of the most desirable places to live in Australia, with low unemployment, good population growth and affordable housing. It's a regional city bucking many of the trends in rural areas, with a diverse economy overperforming in many industries, including poultry production, wine, cotton and rice farms, citrus, melon and vegetables. The size of some of our local businesses is staggering. Unemployment is remarkably low, at around 2.9 per cent, with some businesses struggling to find skilled workers. A recent council initiative resulted in the creation of the Griffith Now Hiring website, which launched on the Today show last September. International migrants make a huge contribution to local employment across the New South Wales Riverina, and Griffith is no exception. Still, one of the greatest challenges for Griffith is: where will we find our future domestic workforce? There could be up to 12,000 positions we need to fill in just the next five years. What I love about the city is its vibrancy, food and wine, laughter and lifestyle. So please visit or come and work here. Either way, Griffith will charm you enough for you to want to stay.