Great South Coast community members will come together tonight in Port Fairy to debate the region’s top priorities at the Andrews Labor Government’s Regional Assembly.
The Regional Assembly is the next step in the Great South Coast Partnership’s engagement with community, industry and government – providing an opportunity to flesh out ideas about what the region needs most.
In the lead up to the Assembly, the Great South Coast Partnership posed questions to locals through its new website, which garnered hundreds of ideas.
People identified a stronger economy with more local jobs as the top priority for the region, with a safe and liveable community, accessible education and training, better roads and transport networks, and upgraded energy infrastructure also rating highly.
Members of the community and industry will join local council and government representatives at the Assembly for a discussion about the region’s most pressing priorities and to set out a roadmap on how to achieve them.
The Assembly will be an annual event that plays a key role in the new regional governance model, and allows each Regional Partnership to consult on regional priorities before directing them to the heart of government.
Following the Assembly, a summary of the outcomes, ideas and recommendations will be published online, and Regional Partnership Chair Emily Lee-Ack will brief the Rural and Regional Ministerial Committee on priorities for the region.
Each of Victoria’s nine Regional Partnerships will hold an Assembly before the end of the year. Regional Victorians are encouraged to have their say about what matters to them at
Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford
“The future of the Great South Coast Region deserves a robust conversation that clearly sets a roadmap for growth. Education, local employment and better rural transport are all key to achieving this vision.”
“We’re here to listen and we want to build on the good work that’s already been done. This is a real chance for the region to deliver their ideas straight into the heart of government decision making.”
Quote attributable to Great South Coast Partnership Chair Emily Lee-Ack
“The Regional Assembly is an opportunity for the community to hear about the extensive work already undertaken to identify regional priorities, to validate that we’ve got them right, and to identify new and emerging issues."
Reviewed 19 August 2020