RDA Barwon South West E-Newsletter - July 2011

Issue 4 - July 2011

“The Victorian Government’s new $1 billion Regional Growth Fund (RGF) was launched in Ballarat on 5 July 2011 by the Minister for Regional and Rural Development, Mr Peter Ryan MP. This is new money invested into the regions and will sit alongside existing regional development programs. The Regional Development Australia Barwon South West Committee will play an important role in the Putting Locals First and the Local Government Infrastructure Programs. We look forward to being part of this exciting new regional development initiative.”

Bruce Anson
Chair
RDA Barwon South West

KEY RDA BARWON SOUTH WEST ACTIVITY

On 9 June 2011, the RDA Committee hosted a successful stakeholder event at Cunningham Pier in Geelong where the keynote speaker, Mr Damien Drum MLC, Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development, discussed the future of regional development in Victoria and the Victorian Government's new Regional Growth Fund.

Following the stakeholder event Mr Drum attended an RDA hosted Industry Roundtable to discuss the involvement of industry in the regional strategic planning process and to also discuss the G21 Economic Development Strategy. Key regional issues and planning for the growth of industries within the G21 region were discussed with Mr Drum.

Mr Drum will attend similar RDA hosted Industry Roundtable events in Warrnambool and Portland on 13 July 2011. These events will discuss business and industry development issues in the Great South Coast region, and the Victorian Government’s commitment to the region.

PRIORITY PROJECTS

The RDA Committee previously identified three projects of particular importance to the Barwon South West region, being the implementation of the Green Triangle Freight Action Plan; upgrades to Princes Highway West; and the Geelong Future Cities project.

Progress on these projects is outlined below:

Princes Highway West

• The Australian and Victorian Governments have committed $7 million and $5 million respectively to plan Highway duplication between Winchelsea and Colac.
• The Victorian Government has committed $2.9 million towards the upgrade of Foxhow Road, north of Camperdown, a shortcut route between Princes Highway West and the Hamilton Highway.

Green Triangle Freight Action Plan

• The Victorian Government has budgeted $10 million to construct a rail passing loop between the Warrnambool and Marshall train stations. Click here to read the media release. 

Geelong Future Cities project

• The Victorian Government has confirmed a commitment of $15 million towards a new Geelong Library and Heritage Centre on the existing site. This is subject to securing matching funds from the Australian Government.
• On 3 June 2011 the Minister for Regional Cities, the Hon Denis Napthine MP launched the Geelong Vision II project, a collaborative project which seeks to develop a new vision for central Geelong. Click here to read the media release.

OUTCOMES OF HAVE YOUR SAY – PLACEMENT OF PASSING LANES ON PRINCES HIGHWAY WEST

The RDA Committee would like to thank those stakeholders who completed the Princes Highway West survey or who responded to the Committee’s letters seeking input. On 27 June 2011, the RDA Committee advised the Victorian Minister for Roads, Mr Terry Mulder MP on the outcome of stakeholder consultations undertaken by the Committee in relation to the preferred location of passing lanes along Princes Highway West.

Please find below a table that collates the top six passing lane priorities of Barwon South West region stakeholders. The majority of survey respondents (41%) indicated that they lived in the ‘3280 – Warrnambool’ area.

STRATEGIC PLANNING

• The RDA Committee, in partnership with regional stakeholders, has commenced work on the Great Ocean Road Tourism Destination Management Plan. The aim of the strategy is to identify new tourism investment opportunities for both the public and private sector in the Great Ocean Road region, and to outline strategies to implement the plan and attract sustainable tourism investment to the region. Urban Enterprises, has been appointed to undertake a tourism opportunities study, provide an audit of tourism experiences and undertake a product gap analysis. Compelling Economics will undertake an economic impact analysis as part of the project.
• The RDA Committee is working with regional stakeholders to develop a Barwon South West Tertiary Education Attainment Strategy that will identify actions to help increase tertiary education attainment rates in the region. Stage 1 of the project was completed with funding from Skills Victoria, which involved the collation of education attainment baseline data, a labour market analysis, and collating existing studies and strategies to understand prior work in this area. Stage 2 of the project will focus on identifying actions to increase attainment rates and will commence shortly.
• The RDA Committee, in partnership with the RDA Limestone Coast in South Australia, and other regional stakeholders, has commenced the Green Triangle Plantation Timber 2011 and Beyond project. The aims of this are to provide clear evidence and advice on the current forestry activity in the Green Triangle region, collect data on development trends, (including production forecasts and wood flows) and identify opportunities for investment and value-adding in the Green Triangle timber industry.
• The RDA Committee is working with regional stakeholders to develop a study into the Impact of dairy industry growth in the Great South Coast Region. The project will identify and analyse the economic benefits, challenges and threats associated with the growth of the industry in the region, and possible ways to respond to these issues.

For information regarding the above mentioned projects please contact Robert Byrne, Acting Executive Officer on 5223 2104 or rda.barwonsouthwest@rdv.vic.gov.au.

To stay up to date on the RDA Committee’s activities and announcements please visit www.barwonsouthwest.org.au or follow the Committee on Twitter @RDABarwonSW

G21 NEWS

RDA Committee members Ed Coppe, Elaine Carbines and Michael Malouf hold the respective positions of Chairperson, Chief Executive Officer and Director for the G21 Geelong Region Alliance.

The recent Victorian and Australian Government Budgets benefited several of the G21 projects, including:

• Transport Links to Melbourne project with confirmation of $448 million allocated to the Regional Rail Link Project;
• Princes Highway West project with $110 million allocated to complete the Highway duplication between Waurn Ponds and Winchelsea, $15 million allocated to overtaking lanes on the Highway west of Colac and $12 million to plan Highway duplication between Winchelsea and Colac;
• Geelong Ring Road Connections to the Bellarine Peninsula and Geelong Port project with $50 million committed to modernise freight lines to the Geelong Port;
• Stage 3 Skilled Stadium Redevelopment project with $25 million allocated to help redevelop the Doug Wade Stand and contribute to a new Community Wellness and Education Centre and Sports Museum;
• Geelong Future Cities project with $15 million allocated towards the new Geelong Library and Heritage Centre on its existing site;
• Avalon Airport project with $5.7 million to progress development of the Avalon Airport Master Plan and to contribute towards a jet fuel pipeline for the Airport.

To keep up to date on G21 activities, you can:

Click here for further details on the 2011 G21 Priority Projects.
Click here to view all current G21 Pillar Projects.
Click here to view a summary of Victorian Government Budget commitments.
Click here to view a summary of Australian Government Budget commitments. 

G21 recently launched the ‘Our Place - the Geelong region magazine’, a glossy 90-page magazine which celebrates the unique lifestyle that makes the Geelong region so special. The magazine has over 24 articles and profiles the five municipalities within the Geelong region. Click here to view ‘Our Place – the Geelong region magazine’.

To keep up to date on G21 activities, you can:

GREAT SOUTH COAST NEWS

RDA Committee member Bruce Anson is a member of the Great South Coast Group.

The Great South Coast Group (GSC) has been formed to implement the Great South Coast Regional Strategic Plan that was published in late 2010. Corangamite Shire Mayor Cr Matt Makin is the GSC’s inaugural Chairman. Initially the group will comprise the six Great South Coast Shire Mayors, with Chief Executive Officers and Victorian Government officers adopting observer status. Over time, the group will transition to a pillar system, similar to the G21 Geelong Region Alliance operating structure.

The Great South Coast Group will receive $100,000 of Victorian Government funding to develop a Regional Growth Plan. The plan will assist the region prepare for population growth and ensure longer-term regional land supply. Click here to read the media release.

The Great South Coast Major Projects Cumulative Impacts Study is now complete. The report examines the nature and scale of the region's current and planned major projects and will assist the region to prepare for the significant planning, infrastructure and workforce challenges these major investment projects will create.

VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT NEWS

The Regional Growth Fund (RGF) is a key platform of the Victorian Government’s agenda to drive growth and prosperity in regional Victoria. With a commitment of $1 billion over 8 years, from 1 July 2011 the RGF will support major strategic infrastructure and community-led local initiatives that improve both the competitiveness and liveablity of Victoria’s regions.

There are two broad streams through which funding is allocated, the Strategic Initiatives Component and the Local Initiatives Component.

Strategic Initiatives Component

• $300 million over four years comprising 60 per cent of the RGF.
• To support major projects of regional and state-wide significance which will strengthen the economic base of regional communities and generate opportunities for new jobs.
• To provide enabling strategic infrastructure to facilitate investment, industry development, job creation, and to support Government’s commitment to extend reticulated natural gas across regional Victoria.
• To strengthen and diversify regional economies by supporting projects that redevelop or create new tourism and cultural assets.
• To provide support for feasibility studies to investigate viability of potential strategic infrastructure projects. The five non-metropolitan RDA Chairs will sit on the Regional Policy Advisory Committee, which will provide advice to the Minister for Regional and Rural Development on economic infrastructure projects and priorities.
• The five non-metropolitan RDA Chairs will sit on the Regional Policy Advisory Committee, which will provide advice to the Minister for Regional and Rural Development on economic infrastructure projects and priorities.

Local Initiatives Component

• $100 million over four years comprising 20 per cent of the RGF.
• To build or improve local infrastructure, stimulate local economic development and job creation and support local community initiatives.
• Assist with project planning.
• The RDA Committee will endorse project applications.

Local Government Infrastructure Program

• $100 million over four years comprising 20 per cent of the fund.
• Aims to provide local government authorities with certainty to plan for and build new infrastructure and to renew assets.
• Each council will be allocated a notional four year total for projects nominated in Forward Capital Works Plans. The Minister for Regional and Rural Development will notify Councils of their notional four year funding allocation for 2011-12 to 2014-15.
• The RDA Committee will note local council nominated projects.

The month of August will provide regional businesses with an opportunity to learn new skills and to improve their technical expertise thanks to the inaugural Geelong Small Business Festival. Over forty information, training and networking opportunities will be hosted throughout the month of August at no (or minimal) cost to participants. Event topics include social media, branding and marketing, tips on recruiting staff, how to organise a business, leadership, networking, surviving change and ‘greening’ your business.The Festival is being delivered by the City of Greater Geelong together with 37 event hosts. The Festival is part of the Victorian Government’s Small Business Festival. Click here to find out more and to reserve your place.

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT NEWS

Round one of the Australian Government’s $1 billion Regional Development Australia Fund (RDAF) closed on 13 May 2011. The RDA Committee endorsed thirteen project applications to the fund from the Barwon South West region.

At their meeting on 9 June 2011, the RDA Committee prioritised project applications with regard to the RDA endorsed Regional Strategic Plans, and also following advice on priorities from the G21 Geelong Region Alliance and Great South Coast regional planning groups.

1. Geelong Library and Heritage Centre
2. Condah Hotspur Upper Road/Ratcliffes Road Upgrade
3. Stage 3 - Skilled Stadium Redevelopment
4. Warrnambool Eastern Industrial Precinct
5. Torquay North Family and Children’s Centre

The Community Action Grants (CAG) 2011-12 round is now open. A component of the Australian Government's Caring for our Country initiative, CAG 2011-12 aims to help established local community groups take action to conserve and protect their natural environment. Up to $5 million is available in this round. Grants will range from $5,000 to $20,000 (GST exclusive). Applications close on 1 August 2011. For further information about CAG 2011-12, click here or call 1800 552 008.

The Australian Government will provide $11.5 million over four years to support non-capital cities, or groups of cities in a region, to conduct targeted marketing strategies to promote the benefits and opportunities of living and working in regional Australia. Funding will be provided via competitive grants and the strategies will be developed in accordance with the regional cities' detailed future growth plans. The details of the Promoting Regional Living program are currently still in development. Please click here to view the media release announcing the program.

FUNDING NEWS

The Victorian Government has committed funds to the following projects:

• $100,000 to the Great South Coast Group to develop a Regional Growth Plan
• $810,000 over four years to Colac Otway Shire to identify and implement solutions to address social disadvantage in Colac through the Advancing Country Towns program media release. Heywood in the Glenelg Shire will receive $890,000 in funding over four years under the same program;
• $1.5 million for Torquay’s Fisherman’s Beach redevelopment (media release)
• $150,000 for the Vision II – A Future for Central Geelong initiative that will revitalise the Geelong CBD
• Terang fast-tracked for natural gas connection through the Regional Growth Fund (newspaper article);
• $100,000 to the Corio Norlane Enquiry by Design project that will support the future development of Corio and Norlane (media release);
• $10.2 million to Deakin University for regional student accommodation at the Warrnambool and Waurn Ponds campuses (media release);
• $7 million for Regional Community Health Hub at Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds campus (media release);
• Mr Damian Drum MP launched the Geelong Ring Road Employment Precinct prospectus which could attract 10,000 jobs to the region (media release)

Please contact Regional Development Victoria in Geelong on 5223 2104 or Warrnambool on 5561 4135 if you would like to learn more about these projects.

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