Reporting and relying on Australia’s heartland

Rural Press Agricultural Publishing, a subsidiary of Fairfax Media Limited, has been a proud sponsor of the Australian Rural Leadership Program since 1995, marking the start of Course 2.

The 14 recipients of Rural Press’ Australian Rural Leadership Program scholarships have since represented a broad spectrum of rural Australia including research, health, the media, public service and the production, value adding and marketing of agricultural commodities. Importantly, it has always been the company’s intention to provide a scholarship which enables the Foundation to allocate the bursary without it being tied to one particular sector. This has allowed the placement of a tremendous group of rural achievers who have made significant contributions to their chosen professions.

Our association with the Program is one important way for Rural Press Agricultural Publishing to support and acknowledge the market it serves primarily through its rural weekly network of six newspapers, the North Queensland Register, Queensland Country Life, The Land, Stock & Land, Stock Journal and the Farm Weekly. According to the latest, Quantitative Agricultural Readership Survey (QARS), these titles collectively reach on average each week, 85 per cent of Australia’s broad acre farm owners and managers.

Assisting in the development of leaders instrumental in the development of the heartland of Australia is a key priority for Rural Press Agricultural Publishing. Our business is reliant on the future prosperity of the regions.

The Board of Directors, management and staff of the Foundation have achieved significant milestones in developing the course. They have provided graduates with a once in a lifetime experience of immense personal growth to help them further their ambitions. In addition to their own development, graduates have the added advantage of being part of a select and influential Fellows Network of more than 500 graduates, each sharing the bond of having completed the Program.

For these reasons, Rural Press Agricultural Publishing will continue to provide its support to the Australian Rural Leadership Program.