How directors are helping build the health and prosperity of remote outback communities

Directors are helping to build the health and prosperity of remote outback communities. Donna Digby, Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal director and chair of its outback advisory board, explains how.

What does FRRR do?

Established in 2000, FRRR is a national foundation focused on ensuring the social and economic strength of Australia’s remote, rural and regional communities. Our vision is for these communities to be more vibrant, resilient, sustainable and empowered.

Governed by a board led by Tim Fairfax AC FAICD, the organisation’s role is to align investment from government, business and philanthropy with the local needs of remote, rural and regional people and places. We do this by supporting their priorities with grants and strengthen the capacity and capability of those communities, as well as advocating for their unique needs to be considered in policy. To date, we’ve awarded more than $200m in grants to support 15,000 projects across 1700 postcodes.

Why is there a need for an outback advisory board at FRRR?

To thrive, communities need to be self-generating, prosperous and able to drive the kind of future they want for themselves. However, remote communities in Australia face deep, structural exclusion around access to funding, services and infrastructure, decision-making and national narratives. This is compounded by geographic isolation, stacked inequalities and systems designed for metropolitan norms.

These communities are consistently under-supported, especially in building the local capacity, leadership and adaptive infrastructure needed for long-term sustainability and wellbeing.

These issues were expanded upon in the Joining the Dots report, commissioned by the Outback Alliance, which was founded in 2018. When the Alliance ceased meeting regularly in 2022, it left a gap in forums focused on the outback.

Many of FRRR’s board and staff have experience of remote and outback communities. The organisation believes those who live and breathe the realities of life in the outback are best-placed to help FRRR direct its funding work towards the needs of those communities and assess where it will have the greatest impact. Its outback advisory board will play an important role in helping shape its strategy and influence systemic change to amplify the voices of outback communities and make life better for those who live in those regions.

Why is it important to bring together board members from around Australia?

As a national foundation, FRRR knows that needs are unique to each region. That’s why we’ve selected an advisory board whose members are able to share a diversity of perspectives, insights and feedback from across the country. Those grounded, hyperlocal perspectives need to be heard, because when they are, we see different things happen.

Each of the people appointed is an active community leader who shares FRRR’s vision of empowering local communities to ensure a vibrant future for remote Australia. Together, they will bring a broad and deeper understanding of what outback communities need to thrive in a sustainable fashion.

FRRR genuinely wants to enhance its understanding of the stories of outback communities. We want to know the lived experiences, the realities of how policies or funding programs or services are working — or not working — so we can play a greater role in helping to influence change.

What is the importance of remote businesses to Australia?

The outback makes up more than 70 per cent of the Australian continent, but fewer than four per cent of the population lives there. Despite this sparse population, the outback is the source of nearly half of Australia’s export revenue and supports more than 40,000 SMEs. Yet, there is often little consideration given to the unique needs of this region and its people.

The outback is the engine room of Australia’s prosperity and much of the infrastructure that is core to our security and way of life criss-crosses the outback — not to mention the natural wealth. So, it’s critical the communities that support this region are strong, and that the people who live and work there have access to the services and supports they need to sustain its productivity. The outback is the heart of our nation and our identity, so it’s important we work together to safeguard it for future generations.

Has the voice of the people in Australia's outback been ignored?

Living across a vast landscape, it’s understandable their needs are less visible and less heard — which translates to less support. Locals are very resourceful and there are deep, systemic issues requiring a different approach to that applied in inner rural and urban areas.

The establishment of this new advisory body builds on the long-standing work of the Outback Alliance. This is an opportunity to strengthen the voices advocating for remote people and places so these structural and service inequities are proactively addressed and solutions are funded for the long term, beyond reactive fixes.

This article first appeared under the headline 'Boards go beyond' in the October 2025 issue of Company Director magazine.