Ernst and Young report lists regional economies worst hit by COVID-19, suggests conservation and land management stimulus

A report has identified Australia's local government areas worst affected by the coronavirus pandemic and modelled the impact of green stimulus measures, saying they could create 50,000 jobs nationally over four years. Key points: An Ernst and Young report suggests a targeted government "green" stimulus could generate billions of dollars for local economies The report was commissioned by landcare and environmental groups on behalf of 70 organisations around the country The Federal Government says its open to considering some of the measures, but has made no firm commitments Tourist hotspots like Port Douglas in Queensland, Spring Bay in Tasmania, the Snowy Monaro region in New South Wales as well as Coober Pedy and Kangaroo Island in South Australia were marked as some of the areas hit hardest in the nation. The report, titled 'Delivering economic stimulus through the conservation and land management sector', found even a lower-end $500 million "impulse" spend on worst-hit zones could avoid an extra $80 million spent on JobKeeper. LGAs hit hardest by COVID-19: NSW: Snowy Monaro, Upper Murray, Richmond Valley, Kiama-Shellharbour, Lower Hunter Snowy Monaro, Upper Murray, Richmond Valley, Kiama-Shellharbour, Lower Hunter Victoria: Surf Coast, Bass Coast, Stonnington-East, Yarra, Hume Surf Coast, Bass Coast, Stonnington-East, Yarra, Hume Queensland: Douglas, Whitsunday, Isaac, Cassowary Coast, Livingstone, Diamantina, Burke Douglas, Whitsunday, Isaac, Cassowary Coast, Livingstone, Diamantina, Burke WA: Albany, Denmark, Augusta-Margaret River, Busselton, Wyndham-East Kimberley, Broome, Shark Bay, Exmouth Albany, Denmark, Augusta-Margaret River, Busselton, Wyndham-East Kimberley, Broome, Shark Bay, Exmouth SA: Kangaroo Island, Yankalilla, Adelaide Hills, Lower Eyre Peninsula, Whyalla, Flinders Ranges, Coober Pedy Kangaroo Island, Yankalilla, Adelaide Hills, Lower Eyre Peninsula, Whyalla, Flinders Ranges, Coober Pedy Tasmania: Waratah-Wynard, George Town, Clarence, Glenorchy Waratah-Wynard, George Town, Clarence, Glenorchy NT: Victoria Daly, Tiwi Islands, West Arnhem, East Arnhem, Katherine, Roper Gulf, Darwin suburbs Jobs funded under the proposed stimulus package could include the management of environmental threats through pest control, funding for Indigenous rangers, as well as native revegetation programs, building fences, repairing infrastructure after bushfires, and for local councils.