Submission to Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources Regional Economic Development Strategy and Service Delivery Model Review
Background
Regional CitiesVictoria (RCV)was formedas an advocacybody in2000torepresent thewholeofregionalVictoria.Regionalcities are attheheartof regionalVictoria andbyimproving theirinfrastructure andliveability,theyhelpto growand supportwiderregionaland rural communities.RCV comprisesthecitiesofBallarat, Bendigo,Geelong,Horsham,Latrobe,Mildura,Shepparton,Wangaratta,WarrnamboolandWodonga.
As regionalhubs,thesecitiessupportsurrounding districts through theprovision of education,health,financial,transportand socialservices,aswellas retail,sportand recreation,culturalandtourismamenitiesand activities.
RCV’s vision isbuilding a sustainableVictoriathrough regionalgrowthand assuchtheorganisationhas a veryclear interestinthe outcomesof theRegionalEconomicDevelopmentStrategy andService DeliveryModelReview.RCVcongratulatesgovernmenton itsinitiativein undertaking thereviewandwelcomestheopportunityto provide asubmission.
Fosteringregionalgrowthandjobcreation
RCV played a key role in theestablishment of theRegionalGrowth Fund in 2011, which provided funding of $1b over eight years to build strong, vibrantcities and country communities. Regional CitiesVictoria stronglybelievesthat a fund which operates ina similarway,providing ongoing investmentto importantprojects across Victoria, is keyto delivering regionalgrowth. Continuing to build upon thisconcept through successivegovernments will be verybeneficialforVictorian regional and ruralcommunities.
RCV commends theState Government onits commitment to a $100m investment in regional city CBDrevitalisation over four years. Investment in revitalisation works in regional city centres will enablefurther CBD-related strategicplanning,encourageinvestment incentral areas, improve publictransport optionsto increasepatronage and accessinto CBDs,deliver a consistency in style and amenity in city centres,increase pedestrian traffic,increase accommodation optionsand importantly, createjobs.
Furthermore, making regional city centres more vibrantand appealing will encourage the presence of a skilled workforce, therebycontributing to equity of access to services(such as specialist medical care and financial services).This will enablethecommunityto access such serviceslocally,rather than having to travel to Melbourne. Giventheextent of regionalcity catchments, these benefitsextend to surrounding districts,thereby helping a significantpercentage of regionaland rural communities.
RCV believes the most effective partnershipsforbuilding economicstrengthwithin regional communitiesarethose thatexistbetweenstate andlocal governments, the privatesector and communitysector. This is particularlyso inthe case ofinfrastructure development. Enhancing and strengthening existing inter-governmentalrelationships and building on achievements to date will provide a strong foundation for forward progressacrossVictoria.
Regional cities require an investment in infrastructure for the provision of newfacilitiesand therenewalof existing infrastructure.Increasedfinancing for regional city infrastructure will improve regionaleconomies bystimulating furtherpopulation growth and attracting additionalprivate and publicinvestment. It willalsohelp to alleviate thepopulation pressure in Melbourne by making regionalcities a moreprogressive and viableliving alternative.
These regional cities have a combined population of nearly 800,000 people, which is expected to increase to almost 1.1 million by 2031.1 Across the state, the population of regional Victoria is projected to increase to 1.86 million by 2036; home to around 25 per cent of Victorians.2 In orderto prepare forthe anticipatedgrowth, investment in new residentialinfrastructure iscritical.
Inorderto encourageeconomicdevelopment through variousindustries and increase employment and education, aswellas social and tourism opportunitiesacross regionaland rural Victoria, RCV believesimprovementsto transportcorridorsarecritical. Connectednessbetween key regional cities through the regional metropolitanpassengerrailsystem and improvements toroadandrail networks to the more remote regionalcities are important.
Developing a strongerregionalairportnetwork will also furthersupport the concept of connected communities,between regionalcitiesand to Melbourne, in turn boosting tourism to regionalareas and providing moreefficientbusinesstravel options.
Providing industry-specific training within the local TAFEstructure that accuratelyreflects the regions evolving employmentneeds will also be necessary to ensure opportunitiesforgrowth. Enabling local people to train or re-skill wherethey live not onlyprovides real career opportunities forregionalpeoplebut also helpsbuild resilientand vibrantcommunities.
RCV stronglysupports the existence and maintenance of regionalstrategicplans and regionalgrowth plans in elevating thinking to the higheststrategiclevelwithin regions andwould liketo see them supported within the new structure.
Supporting thiswork, the regionalcities have accessto the RegionalCitiesGrowth Framework diagnostics toolwhich providesdatato support longer term regionaland city planning.
1ImplicationsofPopulationGrowthonInfrastructureandResourcesinRegionalCities,2012,EssentialEconomics
2RegionalGrowthFund,StateGovernmentofVictoria
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Regionalservicedelivery
RCV stronglysupportsthepresenceofStateGovernment departmentalstaffin theregionsandwould welcomeseriousconsiderationofstrengthening thepresenceof government departments,co-locatedwithRegionalDevelopment Victoria.Having stronglyconnected departmentsat theregionallevel,reflecting thestructurewhichexistsatthe statelevel,makesfor amore efficient,effectiveand holisticapproach to themanagementofprioritiesandissuesforlocalcommunities.
RCV believeselementsofvariousdepartmentssuchasagriculture,environmentand primaryindustriescould beeffectivelygrouped atthe regionallevel.
Inorderto enhance efficiency, RCVencouragesthe government toprovideregionaldirectorswithgreaterautonomy and delegated authority.Thiswould ensuresmallerscalematterssuch asgrantextensionsaredealtwithat the locallevel, ratherthan movingup through thedepartmentalstructuretothe relevantMinister’soffice.Thiswouldconsiderablyreducethetimeinvolvedinprogressing suchmatters.
RCV viewsearlierdecentralisationof key governmentdepartments,such as theTransportAccidentCommissionto Geelong,theStateRevenueOfficetoBallaratand Rural Financeto Bendigoasimportant in theprovisionof additionalemploymentopportunitiesand an injection ofenergyintoregionalcentres.RCVencouragesgovernment to continue to giveseriousconsiderationto thepotentialformajorgovernmentdepartmentstoberelocatedtoregionalcities,forexamplethepreviousproposaltorelocateVicRoadsto Ballarat.
RCV looksforwardto theoutcomesofthereviewandthe furtherstrengthening ofpartnershipsbetweenlocaland stategovernment,theprivatesector andcommunitysector,inorderto achievethe bestpossibleoutcomesforcommunitiesacrossregionalVictoria.
CrMikeNeoh
Chairman
RegionalCitiesVictoria