Austerity hits our rural communities hard. When cuts are made, often decisions are based on economies of scale, on bang for buck, and the impact can be brutal. Ambulance services, police stations, tertiary education, the postie, mental health, maternity and primary healthcare services, public transport, banks, decent connectivity, and pothole-free roads—the list goes on. Austerity to rural communities means death by a thousand cuts. Rebuilding our rural infrastructure has started, but we must do more to ensure access to quality healthcare and education, modern infrastructure, decent jobs, and healthy homes.