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You spoke, we listened: Funds flow for regional community priorities

02 May 2017

Victoria’s regional communities have spoken and the Andrews Labor Government has listened, delivering funds for key projects identified by local residents.

The Labor Government will invest $29 million, as part of the Victorian Budget 2017/18, to meet specific priorities identified by Regional Partnerships, including projects in health, education, transport, housing and digital connectivity.

The Labor Government established Regional Partnerships in 2016 to give regional communities a greater say in government decision making.

Top priorities include greater investments in roads and rail, better digital connectivity, greater investment in tourism and improved early years programs.

The Labor Government has listened, funding specific projects that will meet the needs of regional communities and help create more local jobs, including:

  • Developing a business case for the Networked Centre for Grains Innovation in the Wimmera Southern Mallee to increase Western Victoria’s reputation as a centre for agricultural innovation
  • Munarra Centre of Regional Excellence in the Goulburn Murray, to plan for a state of the art indigenous, sporting, cultural and education precinct
  • Shipwreck Coast early works, for upgrades to this much-loved attraction
  • North-east cycling optimisation project, to increase cycling tourism potential
  • Robinvale Community Hub, for the development of multipurpose facilities including a community library
  • Swan Hill Riverfront Development, to revitalise the heart of Swan Hill
  • Gippsland Destination Management Plan, to bring more tourism and more jobs to Gippsland

Our Regional Partnerships will also share in seed funding to help them identify new priorities, and make sure local residents have their say.

A further $45 million will go towards the Connecting Regional Communities Program, in direct response to all nine Regional Partnerships calling for better digital infrastructure.

Regional Partnerships have been established in Barwon, Central Highlands, Gippsland, Goulburn, Great South Coast, Loddon Campaspe, Ovens Murray, Mallee and Wimmera Southern Mallee and have transformed the way regional Victoria engages with government.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford

“We haven’t just waltzed into town and decided what local communities need. We’ve listened to local residents – the people who know their community best.”

“This is about people setting the agenda, rather than government. This is local residents identifying local needs.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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