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Regional Development Barwon South West Committee

Response to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Agricultural Education and Training

September 2011

Contacts

Bruce Anson Chair Regional Development Australia Barwon South West Committee Phone: 03 5559 4814 Email: Banson@.vic.gov.au

Robert Byrne Acting Regional Director – Barwon South West Department of Planning and Community Development Phone: 03 5223 2104 Email: [email protected]

Contents

ABOUT US 4

BARWON SOUTH WEST 4

AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY IN THE BARWON SOUTH WEST REGION 5

GREAT SOUTH COAST INDUSTRY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 6

COMMITTEE MEMBERS 7

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AUSTRALIA BARWON SOUTH WEST Parliamentary Inquiry into Agricultural Education and Training

ABOUT US

Regional Development Australia (RDA) is a partnership between the Australian, state and territory and local governments to support the growth and development of Australia's .

The RDA Barwon South West Committee is one of 55 RDA Committees across Australia. The Committee comprises of representatives from business, industry, government, education and training. To achieve maximum input and consultation its membership includes cross-representation with other regional organisations such as G21 Region Alliance, Committee for Geelong, the Committee for Portland and the Great South Coast Group.

The Committee was established with a mandate to provide advice to both the Victorian and Australian Governments.

BARWON SOUTH WEST REGION

The Barwon South West region of stretches from the tip of the Queenscliff Heads to the border of . The region has a population of approximately 350,000 people and includes some of Victoria’s fastest growing municipalities. The region has strengths in manufacturing and agriculture, and is transitioning to more knowledge-intensive industries. Our landscapes are of international significance and our power infrastructure positions us well to become a centre of new energy production.

The region comprises of two sub-regions: the G21 sub-region and Great South Coast. The G21 sub-region encompasses the local government areas of Greater Geelong, Queenscliffe, Colac Otway, Golden Plains and Surf Coast. The Great South Coast encompasses the local government areas of Warrnambool City, Moyne, Corangamite, Glenelg and Southern , with Colac Otway also forming part of the sub-region.

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REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AUSTRALIA BARWON SOUTH WEST Parliamentary Inquiry into Agricultural Education and Training

AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY IN THE BARWON SOUTH WEST REGION

The Barwon South West region of Victoria has a strong history in agriculture. The agricultural, forestry and fisheries industry employs an estimated 9,469 people 1 in the Great South Coast sub- region and 825 people 2 in the G21 sub-region. Agriculture is therefore a significant employer in the region.

Dryland grazing (sheep, beef and dairy) is the predominant agricultural activity in the G21 sub- region, although there is also broad acre cropping, horticulture and intensive animal farming (pork and poultry) as well as other agricultural pursuits.

The Great South Coast (GSC) sub-region is responsible for the highest levels of agricultural production in dairy, wool and meat in Victoria with the Corangamite and Moyne Shires ranking second and third in the nation in terms of gross value of dairy production for local government areas.

The agricultural sector (excluding forestry and fisheries) is a material economic generator for the GSC contributing some $2 billion of total output (gross revenue) per annum; over 8,600 jobs; and over $1 billion per annum in value added products.3

The GSC dairy industry produces approximately forty per cent of Victoria’s milk and a quarter of the national yield. It contributes significantly to the economic and social structure of the sub-region, being responsible for about one-third of economic activity. By 2025, the GSC dairy industry is targeting to increase milk production by up to 50% based on today’s output. The industry will need to attract and train 2,500 dairy workers to the region to accommodate this growth. Dairy is one of the sub-region’s highest export earners.

The GSC primary industry sector extends beyond dairy activity to include extensive beef and sheep grazing, broad acre cropping, forestry and wild catch fishing. The sector is highly export orientated with most of the sub-region’s wool, wheat and dairy products, exported as well as nearly half of all beef and a third of all lamb.

It has been confirmed that hardwood timber freight will grow steadily to reach up to 3.5 million tonnes per annum by 2012. This expected activity will generate annual exports worth $250-$300 million 4. Measures need to be taken to attract and retain the skilled workforce required to facilitate this growth.

The GSC manufacturing industry has a strong food processing sector that supports the agricultural sector. A significant meat processing industry exists in the sub-region, with large processing and export plants based at Warrnambool and Colac. When combined, meat and dairy food processing sectors in the GSC generate $1.4 billion of total output (gross revenue) per annum; over 1,700 jobs; and $220 million per annum in value added. 5

1 Great South Coast Cumulative Impacts Study, 2011, p.10 2 ABS 2006 Census of Population and Housing, Bellarine (Western Division) (State Electoral Division) – Vic and South Barwon (Western Division) (State Electoral Division) – Vic, Industry of Employment (a) by Occupation (b). 3 Remplan, Great South Coast 4 RDA Barwon South West Advice to Government June 2010 5 Remplan, Great South Coast

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REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AUSTRALIA BARWON SOUTH WEST Parliamentary Inquiry into Agricultural Education and Training

AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY IN THE BARWON SOUTH WEST REGION (cont.) The G21 sub-region also has a strong meat processing industry with two major abattoirs in Geelong, including a chicken processing plant.

It is broadly agreed that South West Victoria has consistency of water supply which has afforded predictability to food producers throughout a difficult decade for farmers nationally.

GREAT SOUTH COAST INDUSTRY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

In May 2010, the Victorian Government completed Stage 1 of an Industry Workforce Development Strategy Initiative (IWDS) in the Great South Coast with the aim to assist industries within the sub- region better plan for and address their skill and labour needs. Workforce development is seen as an important tool to support improved industry performance, improved skills, training and employment outcomes for workers and boost local economies.

The Strategy identified four major industries as being crucial for future economic prosperity in the sub-region, namely  Manufacturing (Food Processing)  Agriculture (Dairy)  Forestry (Timber Plantation)  Transport and Logistics

Extensive consultation with key businesses and employers in these industry sectors was undertaken which represented 16% of the total regional workforce (please note that this in part reflects the agricultural workforce).

Feedback from the region regarding education and training was as follows: 1. Training is a necessary element for business success. There is an increasing view that employers have to take responsibility for sourcing training as prospective employees are often not deemed to be job-ready. 2. The appropriateness of formal training offered was questioned. There is a growing trend for tailored on-the-job training by employers. 3. There is a strong orientation towards functional training, with less emphasis on “personal development” of employees. 4. Industry are reasonably satisfied with training providers and perceive existing training providers as offering base level functional skills development and not higher level skills development. 5. Employers believe they need to encourage training and also see it as a tool to motivate staff by funding either the time or cost (or both) of the training. 6. Larger employers do not see a gap in training. They identify training needs and generally outsource to an appropriate industry training provider. 7. Small employers rely on local training providers rather than specialists. 8. Larger employers were positive towards sharing resources with smaller employers and others within their industry, provided it did not add an administrative or coordination burden.

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REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AUSTRALIA BARWON SOUTH WEST Parliamentary Inquiry into Agricultural Education and Training

Committee members

Chair

Bruce Anson – Warrnambool Bruce is the CEO of Warrnambool City Council where he previously served as a senior officer for more than 20 years and is a Fellow of LGPro.

Representing the region on a range of forums, including the Regional Cities Victoria Group, Deakin University Leadership Group, Deakin University Medical School - Greater Green Triangle Clinical School Community Advisory Board, the Great South Coast CEO's Group, Bruce has a good understanding of the issues driving coastal cities as well as the challenges facing rural economies.

Co-Deputy Chairs

Ed Coppe – Geelong Both as elected Councillor and former Mayor, and as a principal of his own firm, Ed has played a major role in the economic development of Geelong. This work and his consultancy in wealth creation and retirement planning were informed by his former role as member of the Mars company’s Superannuation Board of Tru0stees and his senior marketing and management positions with the company. Ed’s achievements include important contributions to the establishment of the Committee for Geelong and the development of the Geelong Major Events Committee.

Ed is a current Board member and Chairperson of the G21 Geelong Regional Alliance and was a member of the former Victorian Government’s Regional Development Advisory Committee.

Peter Dorling – Geelong Peter Dorling is the current Executive Director of the Committee for Geelong. The Committee for Geelong acts as a think-tank and lobby group for the Geelong region and has as its membership over 120 CEO’s and Company Directors from across the region. In his current position Peter is charged with taking Geelong forward into the 21 st Century and particularly focusing on national and international connections.

Peter holds a Masters Degree in Business Management from the Royal Institute of Technology.

Peter is a Trustee of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia, a Director of the Geelong Performing Arts Centre and Chair, Northern Futures Program.

Committee members

Elaine Carbines – Geelong Elaine is the CEO of the G21 Geelong Regional Alliance. She is also Deputy Chair of the Geelong Performing Arts Trust.

Elaine represented Geelong Province in the Legislative Council from 1999 to 2006. She was Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Training, and then Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment.

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REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AUSTRALIA BARWON SOUTH WEST Parliamentary Inquiry into Agricultural Education and Training

Committee members (continued)

Committee members (continued)

Elizabeth Coker – Elizabeth is a Councillor and former Mayor of the . She is a journalist and Communications Consultant who had worked for The Geelong Advertiser and The Age newspapers and the Department of Education, Barwon South West region. Elizabeth is Chair of the Great Ocean Road Tourism Destination Management Plan Committee.

Ruth Gstrein – Camperdown Ruth is a Corangamite Shire Councillor who has served three terms as Mayor and has chaired the Great South Coast Mayors Group. An Office Manager at Bostocks Creek Design and Drafting, Ruth is also a Board Member of Camperdown P-12 College, Corangamite Regional Library Corporation and South West LLEN. Ruth represents Corangamite Shire on the Audit Committee, Lakes and Craters Advisory Group, Heritage Steering Committee and Youth Council.

Professor Sue Kilpatrick – Warrnambool Sue is Research Professor of Regional Communities at Deakin University in Warrnambool. Sue has a PhD in the Economics of Education and a Master of Economics in Labour Economics. Sue is passionate about higher education access for rural and remote students and lifelong learning. She is a Board member of the South West Local Learning and Employment Network, the South West TAFE and the Corio Norlane Development Advisory Board. Sue is also member of several education and rural industry-related committees.

Michael Malouf – Geelong Michael is Managing Director of Barwon Water and is also a Director of the Committee for Geelong, G21 Geelong Region Alliance and St Laurence Community Services. In addition, he is Deputy Chair and Director of the Australian Division of the Water Reuse Association and a member of the Geelong Manufacturing Council, Deakin University Engineering Advisory Board, Deakin University Geelong Community Leaders Board and the IWA Executive Council.

Geoffrey White – Portland Geoff is a Glenelg Shire councillor who has served four terms as Mayor. Geoff worked as Human Resources Manager at the Port of Portland Authority. Active in regional planning, Geoff was also Chair of the Great South Coast Municipalities Group and the Alliance of Councils for Rail Freight Development. He is a Board Member of the Committee for Portland.

Committee Vacancy

Tom Lindsey resigned from RDA Barwon South West Committee in May 2011 due to new work opportunities that take him out of the region. This vacancy is not yet filled.

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