How much weight do rural and regional considerations receive in the national agenda?

We are often presented with funny little new stories using a group of adorable four year olds telling us that milk comes from the fridge or the milk bottle, with no real understanding of life on the farm.

But what about broader public understanding across metropolitan areas of life and conditions in regional Australia? And how are those issued viewed at a political level?

Today the Federal Government has launched the Regional Australia Institute. It was part of the deal the Independents including the member for New England Tony Windsor agreed to with the Labor party to help them form government.

It's designed to raise the profile of regional Australia.

The Mayor of Inverell, Mal Peters has been appointed Chair of the independent think tank.

We spoke to Mal Peters and Tony Windsor about the Institute on the Morning Show: