How do we build better policy for people who live outside the city? New rural health research is helping answer that question, with UCRH researcher Jodie Bailie a co-author on a chapter in A Research Agenda for Lived Experience and Disability Policy.
Titled Re-imagining policymaking with rural people with disability in Australia, the chapter looks closely at why many policies still miss the mark for people living in regional, rural and remote communities. It highlights a simple truth. Where you live shapes your access to care, services and support.
People with disability in rural areas are more likely to face ongoing health challenges, while also having fewer services close to home. These combined pressures can make everyday life harder than it should be. Despite years of policy work, the gap in quality of life remains.
The chapter explores why this is happening and what needs to change. It shows that policy often does not fully reflect rural realities, or the lived experiences of people with disability. Too often, decisions are made without deep input from the communities they affect.
A key idea is that policymaking should be grounded in place and led by rural people with disability. This means working alongside communities to understand local strengths, challenges and priorities, then building solutions together. It is about moving from consultation to genuine co-design.
The chapter also points to the need for stronger evidence to test and improve these new approaches over time.
It is a clear call to rethink how policy is developed, so it better reflects real lives in rural Australia and leads to fairer outcomes.
