Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford today congratulated the nine inaugural community members of the Andrews Labor Government’s new Goulburn Regional Partnership.
Regional Partnerships are being established in Barwon, Central Highlands, Gippsland, Great South Coast, Loddon Campaspe, Mallee, Ovens Murray and Wimmera Southern Mallee and will transform the way rural and regional Victorians engage with government, as well as giving people a greater say about their local issues.
Mr David McKenzie, Chair of North East Water and Chair of the Committee for Greater Shepparton, has been appointed the Chair of the Goulburn Regional Partnership. Ms Suzanne Miller, Chief Executive Officer of Nexus Primary Health, will be Deputy Chair. The other members include:
- Mr Paul Briggs OAM, Founding Chair Kaiela Institute and First Nations Foundation
- Mr Paul Culpan, CEO, Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE (GOTAFE)
- Ms Rosalind Smith, Regional Operations Manager North, Devondale Murray Goulburn
- Ms Sally Macdonald, Director, Kinglake Ranges Foundation
- Mr Peter Hall, Co-owner, Australian Pomegranate Growers and Integrity Fruit, Chair, Goulburn Valley Fruit Fly Task Force
- Ms Jamie Lea, community arts and events manager
- Mr Peter Gray, Director Goulburn Murray AgCare
The community members will be joined by local council CEOs, Regional Development Australia representatives and senior Victorian government officials.
Improving education and employment opportunities for youth and Aboriginal people, ongoing support for communities recovering from the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires and managing the impacts of transitioning industries, are likely to be among the opportunities and issues tackled by the Goulburn Regional Partnership.
As Chair of the Goulburn Regional Partnership, Mr McKenzie will also sit on Victoria’s Regional Development Advisory Committee, working with the other Partnership Chairs on cross-regional issues and opportunities.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford
“The new Regional Partnership members are passionate locals who will strongly represent their region and help direct regional priorities straight into the heart of government.”
“Each region has its own history and way of setting strategic directions and priorities. The work of the Regional Partnerships will build on this work by finally giving regional communities a direct path to government.”
Quotes attributable to Goulburn Regional Partnership Chair David McKenzie
“Any challenges in regional Victoria are vastly outweighed by our opportunities. Regional Victoria can make a much greater contribution to the State’s finances, and Melbourne's growth challenges.”
“I see the new Regional Partnerships as a strategic and effective new forum to clearly articulate regional policy and project priorities directly to Government. Over time, this will lead to significantly better outcomes for the communities all Regional Partnership members are so passionate about.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020