2006/07

Regional Development Victoria Annual Report RDV Annual Report 2006/07

Contents Section 1.0 Introduction ...... 4 1.1 Chief Executive Foreword ...... 5 Section 2.0 Overview of Regional Development Victoria ...... 8 2.1 Profi le of Regional Development Victoria ...... 9 2.2 Structure of Regional Development Victoria ...... 10 2.3 Regional Development Advisory Committee ...... 12 Section 3.0 Year In Review ...... 14 3.1 Highlights 2006/07 ...... 15 3.2 Case Studies 2006/07 ...... 31 3.3 Regional Infrastructure Development Fund projects in review ...... 44 3.4 Small Towns Development Fund projects in review ...... 51 3.5 Key Partners ...... 55 3.6 Marketing Provincial Victoria ...... 57 3.7 Sponsorship ...... 58 Section 4.0 Other Relevant Information ...... 60 4.1 Financial Performance ...... 61 4.2 Compliance ...... 61 4.3 Legislation ...... 61 Section 5.0 Grants and Output Targets ...... 62 5.1 Regional Development Victoria Grants ...... 63 5.2 Regional Infrastructure Development Fund Grants ...... 71 5.3 Small Towns Development Fund Grants ...... 73 5.4 Output Targets and Performance ...... 76 5.5 Revenue and Expenses ...... 77 Section 6.0 Contact Information ...... 78 6.1 Regional Development Victoria – Contact Information ...... 78

PAGE | 2 121 Exhibition Street Melbourne, Victoria 3000 GPO Box 4509 Melbourne, Victoria 3001 Australia Telephone: (03) 9651 9138 Facsimile: (03) 9651 9360

The Hon. Jacinta Allan, MP Minister for Regional and Rural Development Level 36 121 Exhibition Street Melbourne 3000

Dear Minister,

Regional Development Victoria Annual Report 2006/07

I am pleased to submit to you, for presentation to Parliament, Regional Development Victoria’s Annual Report. The document outlines the achievements of the organisation for the year ended 30 June 2007.

Yours sincerely,

Dan O’Brien Chief Executive

1.0 Introduction

Regional Development Victoria (RDV) works closely with the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development and other Government departments to meet its key strategic objective of facilitating economic, infrastructure and community development to support a prosperous and growing provincial Victoria.

RDV pursues fi ve distinct strategies to achieve its objective of ensuring the sustained economic growth and industry development of regional Victoria. 1. Develop and facilitate investment in provincial Victoria in industry sectors managed by RDV; 2. Provide assistance for infrastructure projects that contribute to economic growth; 3. Facilitate sustainable business development through the provision of information, programs, advice and referral services; 4. Facilitate rural and regional community building and engagement; and 5. Encourage regional population growth. RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

1.1 Chief Executive Foreword

I have had the privilege of leading Regional Development Victoria for almost the full 2006/07 year following my commencement as Chief Executive on 17 July 2006. The rich complexity of issues and challenges for an organisation whose primary objective is the sustained economic and industry development of provincial Victoria brought me to the role. Through sustained and strategic support to key stakeholders, Regional Development Victoria achieved its major goals as provincial Victoria continued to enjoy economic, population and jobs growth over the past year. Highlights for the 2006/07 year include: • commencement of all initiatives and programs announced in the Government’s $502 million action plan for growth in provincial Victoria: Moving Forward: Making Provincial Victoria the Best Place to Live, Work and Invest; • extension of the successful Make it Happen in Provincial Victoria campaign to target business and promote investment in provincial Victoria; • announcement of exciting new sponsorships to leverage the Make it Happen brand including Bendigo Spirit (Women’s National Basketball League) and Geelong Football Club; • leading the coordination and support for the Government’s $138 million bushfi re recovery package; • offering assistance through the Community Regional Industry Skills Program to address skills shortages; and • attracting 2,395 new jobs in provincial Victoria, facilitating $1.52 billion of new investment, and $273.7 million in new exports.

To continue to achieve these and other milestones, in January 2007 RDV underwent a restructure. This resulted in positioning it to respond to the many challenges facing an economy dealing with on-going drought, summer bushfi res, frost and fl oods. The restructure ensures that RDV maintains and grows its position as the lead agency for economic development in provincial Victoria. In swift response to drought, bushfi res, frost and fl oods, RDV helped establish and deliver a number of new programs including the Business Continuity Program, Local Infrastructure Works Program and the Regional Industry Investment Program. Throughout the year Victorian businesses showed their confi dence in the strength and robustness of the provincial Victorian economy with major announcements of signifi cant investments and expansion that included: • Unilever Australasia’s $58 million expansion of its Tatura manufacturing plant; • GlaxoSmithKline’s $20 million expansion of its local alkaloids manufacturing facility at Port Fairy taking the company’s local investment to more than $50 million in recent years; and • KR Castlemaine’s $15 million upgrade of its Victorian plant as part of a consolidation of operations that will create 250 new jobs in central Victoria and see all of the company’s smallgoods manufactured in Castlemaine.

PAGE | 5 I would like to thank RDV staff who demonstrated that the organisation’s can-do reputation is founded on dedication to service delivery and exceptional levels of professionalism. Staff in RDV’s regional locations excelled in sometimes tough conditions and this year their efforts deserve a special mention. Staff in the regions forge close working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders and are involved in, or have representation on, a number of local networks, business, local government, associations and community organisations. The Regional Development Advisory Committee continued in its vital role of advising the Minister on matters of economic importance in provincial Victoria. The Committee’s input and advice has been invaluable in helping respond to the challenges impacting the growth and sustainability of the economy in provincial Victoria. Provincial Victoria is growing with record numbers of jobs, investments and people fl owing into the regions. I am confi dent Regional Development Victoria will continue to help grow all of the State through building the vital infrastructure needed by regional communities and attracting industry and investment to drive new industry growth, attracting more people and new jobs into provincial Victoria.

Yours sincerely,

Dan O’Brien Chief Executive

PAGE | 6 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

PAGE | 7 2.0 Overview of Regional Developm

Regional Development Victoria: • delivers programs and quality advice to help grow a robust economy and innovative and sustainable enterprises in provincial Victoria; • creates a vibrant and dynamic regional sector through the facilitation of new jobs, investments and exports; and • facilitates new investment through infrastructure funding for strategic projects. RDV ANNUAL REPORT ent Victoria 2006/07

2.1 Profi le of Regional Development Victoria

Regional Development Victoria is a statutory body established by the Government under the Regional Development Victoria Act 2002 and is responsible to the Minister for Regional and Rural Development. RDV was established in March 2003 and the 2006/07 year marks the fourth year of operation. RDV’s focus is on building stronger economies, communities and infrastructure to create a prosperous and growing provincial Victoria. RDV sits within the Regional and Rural Development portfolio and works closely with the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development. The Department objectives to which it contributes are to: • position Victoria as an attractive destination for investment that stimulates growth and development across the State; • work with the business sector and other key partners to encourage and facilitate exports; • facilitate and support innovation across Victorian business and industry; • foster a high performance and skilled workforce to meet the needs of the economy; and • ensure sustained economic and industry development of provincial Victoria.

It contributes to the Government’s Growing Victoria Together objectives by: • creating more quality jobs and thriving, innovative industries across Victoria; and • growing and linking all of Victoria.

PAGE | 9 2.2 Structure of Regional Development Victoria

RDV is structured to deliver a range of programs and initiatives to strengthen Victoria’s regional economies, infrastructure and communities through its four divisions: Delivery; Industry Investment; Infrastructure; and Promotion and Development.

Minister Regional and Rural Development Regional Secretary Development DIIRD Advisory Committee

Chief Executive Executive Support Dan O’Brien & Coordination

Finance

Program Adminis- tration & Evaluation

Executive Director, Executive Director, Executive Director, Executive Director, Industry Investment Delivery Infrastructure Promotion & Development Gary Gaffney Robert Jones Lea Corbett Kaye Owen

Investment & Regional Marketing & Information Water Strategy Unit Communications

Food Resources Administration Energy Policy

Strategic Regional Network Transport & Business Assistance (Regional Offi ces) Aviation

Program Major Projects Delivery Land Use

Major Projects - Arts/Culture/Education

Above; Regional Development Victoria Organisation Chart.

PAGE | 10 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

Delivery Infrastructure The Delivery division drives Government programs and The Infrastructure Division, through the administration of the services to support industry and business growth and acts Regional Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) aims to as a conduit between government at all levels to promote improve the competitive capacity of provincial Victoria and regional development. enhance economic development through facilitating investment, employment and export opportunities. Industry Investment The RIDF provides funds for capital works that: Industry Investment division drives the development of industry • support industry development; sectors that are of strategic importance to Victoria, particularly in rural and regional areas. • improve critical transport linkages; The industries are promoted and assisted with a range of • develop and improve tourism infrastructure; and business programs and services to clients across Victoria. • establish better links within regional Victoria to create new Industry Investment also helps drive growth in provincial Victoria opportunities in education and information technology. through teams dedicated on Commercialisation and Innovation The Infrastructure Division is structured to deliver on its main and Investment and Strategy. areas of focus: Industry Investment focuses on: • water; • expanding and strengthening Victoria’s industrial base; • transport and aviation; • improving the international competitiveness of local fi rms • energy; and industries; • developing exports from Victoria; • major projects-land use; and • improving the Victorian business environment; and • major projects-arts/education/ICT. • promoting Victoria’s resources, skills and capabilities. Promotion and Development The Industry Investment division is structured to deliver on its main industries: Promotion and Development is responsible for rural and regional • resources; policy and strategy development. This area is responsible for the management of marketing and communications, and delivery of • horticulture; a range of programs and initiatives that support economic and • dairy and meat; community development. • wine, beverages and tourism; • emerging industries; • commercialisation and innovation; and • investment and strategy.

PAGE | 11 2.3 Regional Development Advisory Committee

The Regional Development Victoria Act 2002 provides for the establishment of a Regional Development Advisory Committee to advise the Minister and the Government on matters relating to community and economic development in rural and regional Victoria and provide support in promoting and growing rural and regional Victoria.

The Committee consists of the Chief Executive of RDV, The Committee has continued to make a valuable who is Chair, and six members representing rural and contribution to the Government’s regional and rural regional Victoria. Committee members were fi rst approved development agenda. by the Governor in Council on 2 September 2003. The following rural and regional Victoria representatives, offering wide-ranging backgrounds and expertise in economic development, community development, fi nance and marketing, are members of the Regional Development Advisory Committee: • Ms Jo Bourke; • Mr John G Brown; • Mr Ed Coppe; • Ms Jenny Dawson; • Mr Richard Elkington; and • Ms Mary Molloy. During 2006/07, the Committee met in Melbourne (September 2006), Bendigo (October 2006), Shepparton (February 2007) and Mildura (April 2007).

PAGE | 12 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

Regional Development Advisory Committee

Minister for Regional and Rural Development

The Hon. John Brumby, MP

Chair

Dan O’Brien Chief Executive, Regional Development Victoria

Advisory Committee

Jo Bourke John G Brown Ed Coppe

Jenny Dawson Richard Elkington Mary Molloy

PAGE | 13 3.0 Year In Review

This report marks the achievements of Regional Development Victoria for the period 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007. RDV’s Performance Measures are contained in Section 5.4 Output Targets and Performance of this report. RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

3.1 Highlights 2006/07

In 2006/07, RDV continued to deliver on the Government’s commitment to grow all of the state by delivering a range of government programs and services. RDV took a lead role in delivering and establishing the programs and services outlined in this section.

AVIATION INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM In 2006/07 RDV developed the Aviation Infrastructure Program, a sub-program of the RIDF, for commencement on 1 July 2007. The program provides funding to help boost regional tourism by providing infrastructure upgrades to regional airports across Victoria. Eligible projects may include: • Upgrades or extensions to runways; • Levelling and/or strengthening of aprons; • Building or improving passenger terminal facilities; • Upgrading or relocating navigational aids and refuelling areas; and • Providing additional infrastructure such as car parking, drainage or landscaping. BIOFUELS INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM In 2006/07, RDV developed the Biofuels Infrastructure Program for commencement on 1 July 2007. The Program provides grants to assist the development of the technology and infrastructure necessary for the production of Biofuels. Funding levels will vary depending on the scope and signifi cance of the project and the level of leveraged private sector and local funding. Applications will be considered from Councils, State Government, regional infrastructure providers, regional organisations, business groups, educational institutions and the private sector located in provincial Victoria. The Biofuels Infrastructure Program is a sub-program of the RIDF.

BUILDING ARTS AND CULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE The Building Arts and Cultural Facilities initiative provides funding to build regional arts facilities capable of supporting a full spectrum of arts programs, similar in style and range to city centres. Grants for capital works will be considered for major new projects as well as for smaller projects to upgrade or improve existing facilities. In 2006/07, RDV provided $4,500,000 to the Rural City of Wangaratta towards the $7,600,000 development of a new 530-seat Performing Arts Centre (see 3.3 Regional Infrastructure Development Fund Projects in Review) which will secure Wangaratta’s place in Victoria’s network of arts centres and host a number of key regional and cultural festivals, including the Wangaratta Jazz Festival. The Building Arts and Cultural Facilities initiative is funded through the RIDF.

BUSHFIRE RECOVERY Following the devastating bushfi res in the northeast and Gippsland regions of the State during the 2006/07 summer period the Government established the Ministerial Bushfi re Recovery Taskforce, chaired by the Minister for Regional and Rural Development, to prepare a recovery package. RDV took the lead role across government in developing the package.

PAGE | 15 The Bushfi re Recovery package delivers over $138 million The Business Continuity Program was delivered in of initiatives for business, community and environmental partnership with local government, development boards, recovery. It includes $10.8 million to support businesses municipal drought recovery committees, business and and communities as they get back on track; $24.4 million regional development groups and relevant incorporated for essential infrastructure redevelopment, including bodies through RDV’s regional network. roads, bridges and iconic walking tracks; $16.7 million for land recovery initiatives to help farmers and to regenerate BUY LOCALLY natural resources; $30.3 million to boost resources for Business growth through local customers is essential in the State Emergency Service; $34 million for the Country meeting regional development objectives and building Fire Authority and volunteer groups; and up to $22 million business capability. The Buy Locally initiative seeks to to signifi cantly expand the state forest timber salvage support councils and business groups in provincial program. Victoria promoting the “buy locally” message. The aim The package had a particular focus on positioning is to infl uence the purchasing decisions of individuals, fi re-affected areas for future growth and ensuring that businesses and other Victorian organisations. Consistent local community involvement in the recovery process with capturing new opportunities, the Buy Locally initiative was maintained. supports activities that encourage greater levels of import replacement in provincial Victoria and that reduce local BUSINESS CONTINUITY PROGRAM expenditure leakage by: The Business Continuity Program provided one-on-one • encouraging regionally located businesses and business counselling to non-farm businesses signifi cantly organisations to source and purchase products affected by natural disasters such as the state-wide from within their local communities and regions; and drought, frost in the north of the state and bushfi res in • encouraging co-operation amongst regional the North East and Gippsland regions. The Program businesses to undertake marketing activities that also provided a series of information events in regional will encourage local purchasing of their products. municipalities declared under Exceptional Circumstances. As at 30 June 2007, $120,000 has been committed One-on-one assistance was provided by a range of across 12 councils. service providers. Each business was provided with an on-site review of their current business and an action plan COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM for continuity in the context of drought or bushfi res. Funding of up to $10,000 per event was provided for In 2006/07 RDV, provided one-on-one counselling new event-based activities that foster community and assistance to 634 businesses, 135 information forums economic development in the nine interface councils. and 246 skills development workshops. The businesses The program provides funding to local government assisted included retail, construction, agribusiness, and incorporated organisations to undertake event- tourism and fi nancial services. based projects that support community and economic development. Grants from the Community Development The forums and workshops covered a wide range Program (CDP) totalled $72,000 in 2006/07, and eight of topics and activities that informed and supported events were supported. CDP ceased on 30 June 2007. businesses. Examples of workshops included retailer up-skilling, business development and retention, marketing and even an equine-sector workshop. Business owners and operators benefi ted from participation and attendance at these activities.

PAGE | 16 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

COMMUNITY ENTERPRISES PROGRAM 3. Targeting mature-age workers: One-off grants to Councils, businesses and business Some small towns face particular challenges in maintaining organisations for projects designed to maintain the commercial and other services, particularly in areas facing participation of mature-age Victorians in the regional signifi cant change in agricultural industries. The Community workforce, such as training workers to meet skills gaps, Enterprises Program helps small towns establish community using older workers as mentors/trainers, enhancing enterprises and drive business growth. Councils acting on technology skills of older workers, and creating new behalf of community groups are able to seek grants through the opportunities for mature-age workers in home-based Provincial Victoria Growth Fund to assist small towns establish businesses or telecommuting. community-managed enterprises to replace lost commercial services, provide new services or create new community uses for underused or empty commercial buildings. Grants are BUSHFIRE RECOVERY available to explore options for enterprises that are community In 2006/07, RDV led the coordination and support for the managed and where profi ts will be returned to Government’s $138 million bushfi re recovery package in the community. response to one of the worst bushfi re seasons on record. The fi res started earlier, burnt longer and took hold in extremely COMMUNITY REGIONAL INDUSTRY SKILLS dry conditions caused by 11 years of below average rainfall. PROGRAM The multi-million dollar package provided support to The Community Regional Industry Skills Program (CRISP) is a communities in the immediate aftermath of the fi res, while key component of the Victorian Government’s commitment to at the same time looking ahead so that affected towns and promoting employment growth and economic development communities could not only recover, but continue to grow. across Victoria. In 2003, CRISP – Business was launched and since that time RDV has managed the delivery of almost $4.0 million of CRISP - Business funds that have focused on addressing skills needs at the enterprise level. CRISP - Business has played a strong role in tackling skills shortages and building skills capabilities in regional areas and has attracted strong support from regional businesses and councils. In November 2005, in Moving Forward: Making Provincial Victoria the Best Place to Live, Work and Invest, the Government announced a further $5.5 million from the Provincial Victoria Growth Fund to extend CRISP – Business and expand into three new areas: 1. Building business skills: Support for business to enhance business skills, including marketing, managing change, workforce training, and promoting regional specialisation, clustering and networking. 2. Support for communities to fi ll skills gaps: Councils, businesses and community groups can seek help to attract workers to meet specifi c skills shortages or fi ll specifi c positions. One-off grants can be provided for activities such as advertising, using personnel fi rms and travelling to conduct interviews.

PAGE | 17 DRIVING GROWTH IN VICTORIA’S FOUR SEASONS ENERGY PILOT PROGRAM DAIRY INDUSTRY New enabling technologies such as GeoExchange or In 2006/07, RDV worked on driving growth in Victoria’s ground source heat pumps (GSHP) have great potential to dairy industry through three programs: deliver more effi cient, cheaper energy for the heating and cooling of buildings in regional areas. • Promoting Good Employment Practices in the Dairy Industry; In 2006/07, RDV led the development of the Four • A New Dairy Industry Planning Forum; and Seasons Energy Pilot Program which aims to facilitate the introduction and wide market adoption of GeoExchange. • Scoping Study for Dairy Industry Research and Development Capability Requirements. The Four Seasons Energy Pilot Program is a sub-program of the RIDF. Financial assistance was provided to Dairy Australia to support the Dairy Employment Management Committee’s GROW YOUR BUSINESS, AGENDA FOR Moving Forward initiative, which aims to make the dairy NEW MANUFACTURING AND OPENING industry an employer of choice by promoting better DOORS TO EXPORT PROGRAMS workplace and employment practices and establishing a well-defi ned career structure for the industry. Under these programs, assistance was provided to companies and organisations to undertake a range These programs are funded through the Provincial Victoria of projects that aimed to improve and build regional Growth Fund. businesses in areas that included export and technology. FARMERS MARKETS In 2006-07, a total of 124 individual Agenda for New Manufacturing and Grow Your Business grants valued In 2006/07, RDV developed the Farmers Markets Program at $1,021,102 were provided to businesses and for commencement on 1 July 2007. Funding will be organisations in provincial Victoria. provided to the Victoria’s Farmers Markets Association (VFMA) and individual grants to incorporated bodies, Of those grants, 78 were Grow Your Business grants provincial and interface councils, and community valued at $567,864; 25 were Agenda for New organisations auspiced by councils or the VFMA to Manufacturing grants valued at $271,641 and 21 were develop and expand the Farmers Market concept. Opening Doors to Export grants valued at $181,597.

FOOD STRATEGY The programs led to increased business, exports, employment and income in provincial Victoria. RDV continued to implement the Next Generation Food Strategy, the Victorian Government’s $2.3 million strategic action plan for the food processing industry along the supply chain. Involving over 170 stakeholders, the strategy was developed with industry and contains initiatives across seven key areas: 1. Sustainability 2. Product integrity 3. Export 4. Industry and regional development 5. Innovation 6. Education, training and careers 7. Promoting excellence. As at 30 June, 65 projects were completed or underway.

PAGE | 18 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT, INVESTMENT INTERMODAL FREIGHT INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITATION AND INVESTMENT ATTRACTION PROGRAM RDV delivered a range of services to assist the development of The Intermodal Freight Infrastructure Program, a sub-program strategic industries in rural and regional Victoria. These include: of the RIDF, was established to improve the performance of the supply chain between regional export industries and ports, and • the food processing industry and related supply chain to complement developments occurring in the growth of urban sectors (including stockfeed, agricultural machinery and intermodal facilities. equipment, irrigation and water storage equipment). RDV works closely with the food industry to increase The Program will provide funding to facilitate the development its international competitiveness and develop export of Intermodal hubs at key locations in regional Victoria. opportunities; and The Wimmera Intermodal Freight Hub was the fi rst project to • industries that add value to the State’s natural resources receive funding ($2.25 million) in October 2006. (including forests and plantation-based industries, LEAN MANUFACTURING furnishing and building products, minerals extraction and processing and energy generation). The project was completed by 31 March 2007 with 20 Lean Regional Development Victoria contributed to the attraction of Manufacturing seminars delivered in provincial Victoria to $1.52 billion of new investment in rural and regional Victoria. 310 people from 156 companies. Along with this new investment, the creation of 2,395 new jobs is anticipated, along with $273.7 million in new exports. LIVING REGIONS, LIVING SUBURBS PROGRAM Total regional investment for the past fi nancial year was well in The Living Regions, Living Suburbs Program supported excess of the target of $750 million, and new job creation also initiatives promoting economic and social renewal in rural, exceeded the target of 1,000 jobs. Investment has come from regional and interface communities throughout Victoria. a broad range of industry sectors. Particular emphasis was placed on adoption of innovative processes, socio-economic revitalisation, support for major INNOVATION AND REGIONAL SPECIALISATION tourism, and responses to natural disasters. In 2006/07, over OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH SCIENCE, 60 organisations were supported, with a funding commitment TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION of more than $5.3 million. This initiative supports networks of councils, businesses, universities and research institutes to develop Science, LOCAL DAIRY INDUSTRY ROADS PROGRAM Technology and Innovation projects designed to promote The Local Dairy Industry Roads Program aims to improve the regional specialisation, improve the linkages between regional safety of local roads and the effi ciency and competitiveness of industries and universities, and attract investment to emerging the dairy industry. The initiative provides funding through two industries. As at 30 June 2007, progress included: streams for the upgrade of local roads and improvements to • the establishment of the Project Group; farm entrances: • completion of a desk study; • Local Dairy Road Program; and • development of program guidelines; and • Local Road Dairy Farm Gate Access Scheme. • investigation of nine project opportunities. Local Dairy Road Program The Local Dairy Road Program was established to assist local government to improve key local road dairy routes for safer and more effi cient access by B-double dairy tankers. $3,944,685 in funding was provided for 16 Local Dairy Road projects in 2006/07 with a total value of $7.9 million.

PAGE | 19 Local Road Dairy Farm Gate Access Scheme LOCAL ROADS TO MARKET The Local Road Dairy Farm Gate Access Scheme, In 2006/07, RDV developed the Local Roads to Markets managed by VicRoads, provides grants to dairy farmers Program, a sub-program of the RIDF, for commencement to improve farm entrances for B-double access. As at 30 on 1 July 2007. The Local Roads to Markets Program is June 2007, 88 applications had been approved for funding an expansion of the Local Dairy Roads Program to include under the program. selected agricultural and horticultural producers who The Local Dairy Industry Roads Program is a sub-program currently do not have B-double access to their properties. of the RIDF. The Program aims to better link farms with local processing LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS in areas such as the timber, grain and fruit/processed food PROGRAM sectors. Projects supported through the Local Infrastructure Works MAKE IT HAPPEN IN PROVINCIAL Program, a sub-program of the RIDF, improve infrastructure VICTORIA CAMPAIGN in communities declared under Exceptional Circumstances The Make it Happen in Provincial Victoria campaign, (EC) from Victoria’s worst drought on record. As at 30 June launched in 2003, continues to be delivered by the 2007, $14.4 million toward labour-intensive infrastructure Victorian Government in partnership with the State’s 48 for projects within EC–declared Councils in provincial rural and regional councils. The campaign is driven by Victoria was announced. Forty-four regional councils and a Steering Committee comprising representatives from four interface councils received $300,000 for 420 projects. provincial Councils, regional development bodies and LOCAL PORTS INFRASTRUCTURE government departments. The Local Ports initiative provides funding for new investment The Make it Happen campaign combines advertising to by local ports to upgrade, enhance and replace infrastructure, raise awareness of the opportunities to live, work and invest enabling them to remain important economic and community in provincial Victoria with a grants program for provincial assets. Capital funding is available for projects that maintain Councils to help them capitalise on the heightened interest and upgrade port assets to enhance access and safety, in their regions. improve the delivery of services to local communities and The Make it Happen campaign has also encouraged a ensure local ports play a strong role in provincial Victoria’s greater cooperation between provincial councils, with many commercial fi shing, boating and tourism industries. of them combining their efforts and dollars to help attract In 2006/07, RDV provided fi nancial assistance totalling more people and investment from Melbourne. $5,840,748 for seven local port projects around Victoria. In 2006/07, the campaign was extended to promote Local ports funded included: Lakes Entrance; Paynesville; investment and business relocation and expansion in Mallacoota; Corner Inlet and Port Welshpool; Port Fairy; provincial Victoria through the $2.2 million Make Your Apollo Bay; and Portarlington. Business Happen in Provincial Victoria campaign. The Local Ports initiative is funded through the RIDF.

PAGE | 20 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

MARKETING PROVINCIAL VICTORIA PROGRAM Working with Tourism Victoria, the program delivers a comprehensive four-year tourism campaign for provincial Victoria, creating new opportunities to build a higher profi le for Victoria’s regional tourism assets. Major activities include: • extending major interstate marketing into Victoria; Above: Logo for the extended business campaign. • raising awareness of unique tourism experiences in provincial Victoria; • destination development initiatives, including developing new and innovative products, enhancing strengths in the areas of food and wine and nature-based tourism, and a new Victorian Pictorial Signs Revitalisation Project; and • activities to boost tourism skills in regional areas, including leadership development programs to educate industry and community leaders on how to develop sustainable tourism products. Projects in this program are earmarked for completion by 30 June 2009.

Above: Billboard advertising from the Make Your Business Happen in Provincial Victoria campaign.

PAGE | 21 MAKE YOUR CAREER HAPPEN CAMPAIGN NATURAL GAS EXTENSION PROGRAM The Make Your Career Happen in Provincial Victoria A sub-program of the RIDF, the Natural Gas Extension initiative aims to build and maintain business capability in Program (NGEP) supported the provision of natural gas to regional Victoria through skill retention and attraction. new areas of provincial Victoria. The Government launched This initiative was informed by the Provincial Victoria details of the $70 million NGEP in June 2003. During Industry Skills Summit held in Bendigo in October 2006. 2005/06, the Government announced the fi nal project A range of projects will be developed around priority skill to be supported under the $70 million NGEP – supply of gap areas that are signifi cant to longer term growth of natural gas to fi ve towns in South Gippsland, bringing the industry and regional communities. During 2006/07, work total number of towns connected under the NGEP to 34. was undertaken to develop the initiative to be delivered in As at 30 June 2006, 22 of the 34 towns had works two parts as follows: underway to supply them with natural gas. In 2006/07, works commenced for the remaining 12 towns. • A marketing campaign promoting the career opportunities in provincial Victoria to a Melbourne NETWORKS TO SUCCESS and regional audience; and The aim of the Networks to Success Program is to • An industry-based program delivering skill retention promote greater collaboration among rural and regional and attraction projects. producers and processors, improve supply chain links Activities include: and encourage cooperation through marketing, exporting • regional industry visits to raise awareness of regional tourism and industry development activities. Grants are career opportunities; available to incorporated organisations, a lead company or local government. Projects on a sectoral basis are • industry professional development to facilitate encouraged. The program was open for applications in access to appropriate, fl exible, targeted training; and February 2007 and as at 30 June, seven projects were • practical on-site experience and training such as under consideration. cadetships, traineeship and industry placement activities. The initiative will be fully rolled out in 2007/08.

MOVING FORWARD: MAKING PROVINCIAL VICTORIA THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND INVEST Moving Forward is the Government’s $502 million action plan (released in November 2005) that incorporates over 70 programs and initiatives to drive employment, population and investment growth in provincial Victoria over the medium to longer term. Moving Forward renewed the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund with a further $200 million and established the $100 million Provincial Victoria Growth Fund. A wide range of other initiatives worth over $200 million were announced.

PAGE | 22 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

NEW INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS NEW SUPPORT FOR THE WINE INDUSTRY PROGRAM Victoria now has around 600 wineries, with more than 90% The Government’s investment in major infrastructure projects operating on a small scale. While this provides great diversity in provincial Victoria offers signifi cant potential for developing and commitment to quality, it is diffi cult for small producers to new business and industry opportunities, as well as attracting make their presence felt in an intensely competitive wine market new residents and investment. Through the New Investment both domestically and overseas. To address this situation, the Partnerships Program (NIPP) the Government works in Government provided $200,000 to the Victorian Wine Industry partnership with local councils, businesses, community groups Association for a new wine promotion strategy to establish Victoria and farmers to identify opportunities for new investment from as a preferred supplier in premium-market segments in Australia projects leveraged from the Government’s investment in and overseas. The Government will also provide funding to give infrastructure. more small wineries access to the Wineskills Program, which The NIPP has two components: provides business and marketing assistance to wineries which crush less that 1,000 tonnes of fruit per year. As at 30 June • Wimmera Mallee Pipeline; and 2007, 19 regional branding workshops had occurred throughout • Enhanced Rail Services. the state. The workshops encouraged the regions to adopt the Projects seek to drive industry, population and economic growth Wines of Victoria branding in synergy with their regional branding. with a particular focus on leveraging activity from the Wimmera The workshops have received positive feedback from participants. Mallee Pipeline project and the State’s enhanced rail services to It is expected the roll out of Wineskills will commence in the regional cities of Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong and to the October 2007. Latrobe Valley. PLANNING FOR GROWTH (SUPPORT FOR As at 30 June 2007, four projects worth $515,000 were being COUNCILS TO MANAGE AND PLAN FOR delivered by the Wimmera Development Association and GROWTH) Department for Primary Industries in relation to the Pipeline. The projects capitalise on the construction opportunities arising from In Moving Forward it is acknowledged that while strong population the Pipeline as well as secondary business benefi ts – on-farm growth opens up new opportunities, it also creates challenges and off-farm business opportunities. In relation to the Regional for communities. These challenges include managing the Fast Rail Project, four Development Connections Coordinators expectations and choices of new residents, planning for future were being appointed to promote the attractiveness of provincial infrastructure requirements, developing appropriate planning Victoria as a great place to live, work and invest. mechanisms to deal with more intensive land use, while protecting country lifestyles and securing adequate land for future NEW PLANNING CADETSHIPS AND residential and industrial growth. Through Planning for Growth, TRAINEESHIPS grants are available to provincial councils and/or approved organisations for a range of priority for projects that: In 2006/07, RDV worked to develop new planning cadetships and traineeships to assist provincial councils manage growth • address the community, social, infrastructure and in regional communities. Five new planning cadetships and fi ve environmental impacts of growth; new planning assistant traineeships in regionally based councils • minimise the impact of growth on country lifestyles; have been created. Participating councils will contribute salary • help communities to plan for the future; and and other costs towards the project, which will assist local councils meet planning obligations and develop expertise in • tackle infrastructure problems in growth ‘hotspots’, planning, as well as helping to redress the shortage of planners such as growing coastal areas. in provincial Victoria. The project is administered by the Planning Institute of Australia (Victoria).

PAGE | 23 PROMOTING TO THE DOMESTIC Fifteen projects with a grant value of $481,000 leveraging CONSUMER matching funding to a total of almost $1 million in leadership projects were approved in 2006/07. In 2006/07, RDV worked on the Promoting to the Domestic Consumer Program encouraging the The 15 projects approved in 2006/07 were: recognition and consumption of Victorian food and wine 1. Birchip Cropping Group Drought Support Program; through promotional and educational activity – both within Victoria and interstate. This will lead to growth and 2. Enhancing Young Leaders; improved economic viability of regional food businesses. 3. Developing Our Future Leaders Program, Alpine Valleys; The Program enables groups of fi rms, especially those 4. Fostering Sustainable Behaviour; working across a range of sectors to test, develop and expand new markets and educate targeted audiences. 5. East Gippsland Business, Tourism and Community Organisations’ Leadership and Marketing Mentor; PROVINCIAL ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIPS 6. Leading Strong Communities Forum; Provincial Economic Partnerships Program provides 7. Swan Hill Young Professionals Network; funding to provincial Councils to enhance and promote economic development opportunities, consistent with the 8. Community Resilience and Preparedness Training; Live, Work and Invest message of the Make it Happen 9. Greater Shepparton Local Leaders Program; in Provincial Victoria campaign. Two streams of the program: Economic and Marketing; and Professional 10. Northern Mallee Leadership; Development support projects assisting councils with 11. Leading Moira 2007; tactical marketing projects to promote their region and economic development. In 2006/07, support was given 12. Colac Otway Community Leaders Program; to 32 provincial councils for projects worth $700,363.15. 13. Warranga Womens Leadership Program; PROVINCIAL LEADERS DEVELOPMENT 14. Doing Leadership Differently; and PROGRAM 15. Our Place Youth Leadership and Entrepreneurial The Provincial Leaders Development Program provides Project. funding to support local initiatives that recognise and The types of projects in each region were driven by assist business and community leaders who will drive the diverse needs of communities in those regions, in the strategies needed for economic sustainability and particular as they were impacted by drought, fi re, fl ood community development. Three streams of initiatives and/or frost. eligible for funding under this Program are: • Regional Leaders Initiatives PROVINCIAL PATHWAYS • Local Leaders Initiatives In 2006/07, RDV worked to implement Provincial Pathways which provides funding to develop rail trails, • Fellowships for Young Leaders. pathways and walking track projects that demonstrate the potential to stimulate tourism and economic activity by attracting more people, jobs and investment to regional Victoria and promote sustainable development and better land management. Provincial Pathways is a sub-program of the RIDF.

PAGE | 24 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

PROVINCIAL VICTORIA EVENTS PROGRAM Roadmap for Successful Commercialisation An advanced workshop was developed to augment this module, A new Provincial Victoria Events Program that provides Commercialising – The Fork in the Road. Four advanced direct sponsorship for two categories of events in provincial workshops were delivered, together with 11 Roadmap for communities was announced in the Government’s Moving Successful Commercialisation workshops. Over 130 participants Forward statement: attended the regional commercialisation workshops. A successful • The Provincial Victoria Key Regional Events Program; and Network Day was run on 28 September 2006 and a supporting • The Provincial Victoria Local Events Program. website was launched on business.vic.gov.au. The Programs assist regional events achieve their potential in Mentoring for Commercialisation Funding driving economic development in provincial Victoria. More than 30 businesses received mentoring services under this module to date. Over $1 million of early commercialisation The objectives of the Programs are to: funding was secured under this module. • promote new and existing events that contribute to Mentoring for Investor Readiness economic development and business growth in provincial Thirty businesses developed investment strategies, of these Victoria; 26 presented at the investor forums to seek equity fi nance. • support existing key regional events to be sustainable The strategies have also assisted businesses to seek and contribute to business growth and socio-economic $300,000 in research and development tax concessions. development; and Unlocking Hidden Treasures Investor Forums • assist in linking communities with potential private Twenty six businesses presented over the four forums held in sponsors for local events. Melbourne. On average, 40 investors attended the forums. In 2006/07, the Provincial Victoria Events Program provided As a result of their participation, two businesses have support for 26 key regional events and 57 local events projects subsequently raised a total of $2.3 million capital and another worth $1.017 million. 16 are in discussion or undergoing due diligence with potential investors. REGIONAL BUSINESS INVESTMENT READY PROGRAM REGIONAL INDUSTRY INVESTMENT PROGRAM The Regional Business Investment Ready Program is a three- The Regional Industry Investment Program secures, strengthens year program designed to assist the attraction of a greater fl ow and diversifi es the regional industry base in Exceptional of capital into provincial Victoria. The program provides a range Circumstance-declared areas of Victoria. The Program of tailored and structured services to assist high growth potential recognises the longer term impact of drought, frost and bushfi re regional business owners. Services are delivered under contract on Victoria and is targeted to attracting signifi cant investment to by specialist providers. strengthen the regional industry base as well as the capacity of Finance for Business Growth communities to adapt to structural and climatic change. Nineteen workshops were delivered in 14 regional locations, with The program enables industries and businesses in EC-declared a total of 171 participants attending from across regional Victoria. areas to improve their competitive capacity through investment These workshops featured enhanced structure and material directed at broadening business opportunities, upgrading skills including a very popular session on succession planning. and/or investment in technology to modernise processes. A supporting website was also launched during the year. The Regional Industry Investment Program is administered by RDV as a sub program of the RIDF.

PAGE | 25 Feature - Promoting investment attraction in provincial Victoria

Your Business Success TV Program In 2006/07, the benefi ts of doing business in provincial Victoria were highlighted in an episode of the Your Business Success. The Your Business Success television program is targeted at the small and medium-size enterprise market and has a national audience of 350,000. RDV sponsored the 30-minute program to demonstrate the many ways governments can work with businesses to Make it Happen. The program featured: • an interview with John King, Provincial Victoria Business Ambassador; • Three businesses that have successfully set up or moved to provincial Victoria; Flavorite (Warragul), JG King Homes (Ballarat) and Stonker (Torquay); • Interviews with three Economic Development Managers from a provincial Victoria councils (Fiona Davey, Ballarat; Daryl Treloar, Surf Coast; Peter Kulich, Baw Baw Shire); and • The inclusion of the Make Your Business Happen in Provincial Victoria branding and a call to action to the campaign website – www.provincialvictoria.vic.gov.au and Victorian Business Line Tel 13 2215. The 30-minute program screened nationally at 8.30am on Sunday 15 April 2007 on Channel Nine.

Above: Your Business Success TV fi lm crew in action Above: Charles Slade, presenter, Your Business Success TV Program

PAGE | 26 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT REGIONAL INNOVATION CLUSTERS PROGRAM FUND In 2006/07, the three-year funding allocation for the Regional The Regional Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) supports Innovation Clusters Program was completed. Assistance for infrastructure projects that improve the competitive capacity 20 clusters were approved as at 30 June 2007 with one of regional Victoria and enhance economic development further cluster earmarked for approval in August 2007. Despite through investment, job creation and the promotion of export the conclusion of funding, RDV will continue to provide on- opportunities. going guidance and management of the cluster portfolio to June 2008. The clusters developed in provincial Victoria cover In 2006/07, the Victorian Government announced funding from a range of industries as follows: Aviation and Aerospace; the RIDF worth $38.3 million for 36 projects. (A full list of the Biotechnology and Health; Food Processing-Fruit Processing- announced projects is identifi ed in Section 5, Grants and Grains-Poultry-Seafood-Wine; ICT; Manufacturing; Marine; Output Targets.) Transport and Water Technology. The emphasis on development The projects supported via the RIDF in 2006/07 will deliver of clusters has been on cooperation, innovation and knowledge signifi cant economic benefi ts. Examples include: exchange leading to economic development resulting in • Campaspe Shire Council has estimated that the investments, jobs and exports. development of Industrial Estates at Echuca and REGIONAL INVESTMENT INITIATIVE Rochester will directly deliver around 200+ new jobs and $26 million in direct investment, as well as additional This program commenced in 2004/05 to support projects that ‘fl ow-on’ benefi ts; will attract new investment, assist in retaining and expanding • establishment of the Maryborough Food Precinct with existing businesses and improve the business practices of fi rms Colac Otway Foods and Matisse Foods establishing a in regions. This program is available to regional businesses, joint venture and investing $10.5 million to operate a new regional councils and interface councils. In 2006/07, grants manufacturing facility that will produce a range of ready- were approved to support 24 projects with a grant value of to-eat meals, creating more than 75 new jobs; almost $1.34 million. The grants were provided for a variety of investment-related projects, such as direct assistance to • Mildura City Council has estimated that the relocation companies seeking to invest, investment opportunity studies, of the existing Mildura Freight Gate, from the rail yards economic development strategies and workshops, and on Mildura’s riverfront reserve, will facilitate an estimated business workshops. $100 million in new private investment in riverfront development for the city, and create up to 270 full-time REGIONAL INWARD BUYER MISSION jobs; Buyer missions from Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and • development of rail trails including: the 37km Rail Trail Myanmar included seven key buyers who met with over from Port Fairy to Warrnambool which is expected 50 Victorian food businesses in Shepparton, Warragul and to become a major tourist drawcard along Victoria’s Melbourne. Immediate orders to the value of $60,000 and fi rm Shipwreck Coast; and the 9km fi nal section of the commitments of $400,000 were made. Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail between Rutherglen and Wahgunyah on the Murray River; • Murray Goulburn Co-operative will produce signifi cant power and water savings at its Leongatha plant through the innovative application of co-generation technology. This innovative project will result in a more reliable power supply within the plant which will stabilise production lines that are sensitive to power brownouts and blackouts, with an additional benefi t including the saving of up to 60 mega litres of town water each year by the company.

PAGE | 27 REGIONAL NETWORKS RURAL SHOWGROUNDS PROGRAM (VICTORIAN BUSINESS CENTRES) In 2006/07, RDV developed the Rural Showgrounds RDV was widely accessible through Victorian Business Program for commencement on 1 July 2007. Centres located across Victoria in Ballarat, Bendigo, The Program boosts economic development in the Geelong, Mildura, Shepparton, Traralgon, Wangaratta regions through the attraction of new events and the and Wodonga. They provided a fi rst point of contact enhancement of current agricultural shows including for businesses and communities seeking to access improvements to arenas, pavilions, sheds and other Government services. buildings. Commencing in July 2007 funding will be available for eligible projects which include: upgrades RDV staff were also located in Ararat, Bairnsdale, Colac, to arenas, pavilions, sheds and other buildings; building Horsham, Seymour, Warragul and Warrnambool. or improving general facilities; and providing additional Regional offi ces actively marketed and promoted infrastructure such as car parking, drainage business and economic development programs and or landscaping. services to the following key local stakeholders: The Rural Showgrounds Program is a sub-program of • local government/development associations and the RIDF. service authorities; • industry/business associations; SMALL TOWNS DEVELOPMENT FUND • community groups; A sub-program of the RIDF, the Small Towns Development Fund (STDF), helps small towns undertake • potential and established local businesses; and practical economic and community development • relevant State and Federal government initiatives. The STDF targets projects that aim to create departments. new opportunities for economic growth via economic and Regional offi ces also worked closely with other agencies social infrastructure. to maintain a whole-of-government approach to service In September 2006, an additional $5 million became provision. They provided information and referral services available under STDF for projects under the Moving for business, through co-location with other Government Forward priority areas of water, heritage and pathways, and business providers, including: which has seen an increase in the number of projects • Area Consultative Committees; under these three areas. • AusIndustry; As at 30 June 2007, funding from the STDF for 102 • Austrade; projects in 88 towns worth $10.5 million was approved. • Australian Taxation Offi ce; A full list of these approved projects is identifi ed in Section 5, Grants and Output Targets. • Department of Primary Industries; STDF projects funded in 2006/07 include: • Department for Victorian Communities; • Industry Capability Network; • Fainter Falls Walking Trail ($200,000); • Victorian Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and • Caledonian Court Sustainable Industrial Estate, Industry; and Ararat ($200,000); • Other local economic development agencies. • Bellarine Peninsula Railway Development ($250,000); • Dartmoor Quality Water Supply ($250,000); and Robinvale Riverfront Renewal ($97,700).

PAGE | 28 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

SMALL TOWNS PROGRAM Due to the success of the SOURS Program in meeting its objectives and the ongoing demand for assistance, as part of Coordinated through RDV and delivered by the Municipal Moving Forward, the Government committed to a further $1.5 Association of Victoria, this initiative involves a newly formed million extension of the SOURS Program. Small Towns Victoria Group working with local councils, business groups and community organisations to: The announcement had a positive and immediate effect on application numbers, with the Victorian Farmers Federation • develop projects in small towns; reporting that by 30 June 2007, a total of $839,000 had been • advise the Government on specifi c concerns affecting applied to 27 underpass projects from the new funding. small towns; and • assist in marketing and promotion strategies to attract VICSTART REGIONAL TECHNOLOGY people and investment to small towns. COMMERCIALISATION PROGRAM This initiative also supports small towns with economic The VicStart Regional Technology Commercialisation Program development projects on a cross-regional basis and by building is a three-year program, which involves a series of practical stronger links with growing provincial centres. workshops, run over approximately 12 weeks, to help innovative individuals and businesses develop business cases As at 30 June 2007, several initiatives were underway or to commercialise new products. Services are delivered under completed. The inaugural Small Towns Summit, to be hosted contract by a specialist provider. by the township of Birchip in Buloke Shire, was in planning. The Summit will bring together a range of people with an RDV actively facilitated the delivery of the second annual cycle interest – whether personal, professional or both – in the future of the three-year program in major regional centres. A total of 64 of Victoria’s small country towns, to hear presentations, and to businesses took part in one-day diagnostic workshops and 23 participate in interactive workshops. businesses completed the two intensive eleven-week business- case building programs run in the Barwon South West and SMALL BUSINESS ADVICE AND REFERRAL Loddon Mallee regions. SERVICES VICTORIAN GOLDFIELDS HERITAGE ECONOMIC A range of services were provided to rural and regional small ASSESSMENT AND FORECASTING STUDY businesses, including information on starting, expanding and managing a business, referral to specialist service providers, This study seeks to explore the current and potential economic access to enterprise development programs and investment contribution of the heritage values of the Victorian Goldfi elds facilitation assistance. region, including the National Heritage List and the potential economic benefi ts of a World Heritage Area listing. The study STOCK OVER/UNDERPASSES ROAD SAFETY will also identify opportunities and strategies for the region to PROGRAM maximise the benefi ts of existing heritage values. The Stock Over/Underpass Road Safety (SOURS) Program, a sub-program of the RIDF, has been in operation since August 2000, with a total program budget of $10 million. A Program evaluation/review, undertaken in 2005 found that the Program was meeting and exceeding its key objectives, including improved road and workplace safety, increased farm effi ciency, and removal of impediments to the expansion of the dairy industry.

PAGE | 29 WATER FOR INDUSTRY INITIATIVE Water is fundamental to both our quality of life and our economic future. The current drought has brought this into sharp focus. At a time when water supplies are at critical levels, this initiative secures the operation of key industries and the availability of this valuable resource for regional communities. Announced in November 2006 as part of the Government’s $146 million Drought Assistance Package, this allocation from the RIDF is available to industry, water authorities and councils in regional Victoria that can demonstrate innovative water projects that increase security and availability of water supply. During the 2006/07 year, $3.9 million of funding was allocated to the following projects: • $2 million to Murray Goulburn Leongatha to a recycling project to provide annual town water replacement of 589ML. The factory currently uses around 1000ML of town water per year and represents approximately 55% of town supply; • $1.0 million to Bendigo Mining to deliver up to 1800ML per annum of treated water for reuse by Coliban Water; and • $900,000 to Gippsland Water to assist two companies, Energy Brix and Australian Paper to save up to 6,700 ML of water per annum.

PAGE | 30 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

3.2 Case Studies 2006/07

The case examples in this section showcase the achievements of Regional Development Victoria through the delivery of programs and services that capture opportunities for growth in provincial Victoria.

Case Study One

GRANT FOR BACK TO MAFFRA MARDI GRAS The 50th anniversary of the Maffra Mardi Gras was celebrated over four days from March 9-12 with the help of a $5,000 grant to the Maffra Rotary Club through the Provincial Victoria Local Events Program. The community festival brought together the local population and visitors from afar with activities including a street parade, bowls, golf, tennis, croquet, cricket fi nals, a car and motorcycle exhibition, and carnival with side shows. The Back to Maffra Mardi Gras event provided a signifi cant boost to the local economy from overnight-stay and day visitors. This year’s event was extended from two days to four with almost every community group in Maffra involved in the event. The event attracted about 7,000 people and businesses reported increased trade with cafes and restaurants fully booked.

Case Study Two

$60,000 GRANT TO BUILD ON BENDIGO’S CYCLING BOOKENDS The City of Greater Bendigo promoted its regions by hosting prestigious cycling events with the help of a $60,000 grant under the Provincial Victoria Events Program. The grant helped fund Building on Bendigo’s Cycling Bookends project, which saw Bendigo host two of Australia’s biggest cycling events, the Herald Sun Tour in October 2006 and the Bendigo International Madison in March 2007. The Bendigo International Madison is said to be the biggest cycling and athletic event in Australia, helping to establish Bendigo as ‘The Centre of Cycling’. The Herald Sun Tour is an internationally ranked cycling event, bringing about an estimated $100,000 to Bendigo’s economy when it hosted an overnight stay and start of stage three. Both events attracted thousands of competitors and visitors to the town, providing a boon for the local tourist and hospitality industries. The grant would also assist Bendigo host the start of the Herald Sun Tour in October 2007.

Case Study Three

PEP GRANT BACKS MANSFIELD SHIRE GROWTH A $25,000 grant to Mansfi eld Shire Council through the Provincial Economic Partnerships (PEP) funding helped support business and marketing in the region. The council used the dollar-for-dollar PEP funding to employ an Economic Development Offi cer for 12 months helping Mansfi eld Shire to promote economic development by assisting with major projects and enhancing local business and marketing capabilities. The additional person in the Shire’s economic development unit enabled it to capitalise on opportunities in the region by working on initiatives such as: business analysis to attract new businesses not already in the region; marketing Mansfi eld to potential business investors; and coordinating the Mansfi eld Mt Buller Business Awards to promote business excellence.

PAGE | 31 Case Study Four

AAMI GISBORNE CONTACT CENTRE INVESTMENT AAMI, one of Australia’s largest general insurers, announced in April 2007 plans to establish a 150-seat contact centre and as part of this, a 60-seat training centre in Gisborne, which will also serve as a disaster recovery site. The new centre will employ approximately 200 full-time employees and is part of a $9 million new development. This new investment will reinforce AAMI’s existing presence in Victoria where it currently employs over 1,800 Victorians. The Offi ce of Manufacturing and Service Industries has been working with AAMI regarding the investment since 2003, assisting in developing a strong business case for Victoria and in determining a suitable location. Additional support by Regional Development Victoria through the Community Regional Industry Skills Program and in particular, strong support from the Offi ce of Investment Facilitation to overcome a number of planning and development issues was pivotal in the project proceeding in Victoria.

Case Study Five

$12,000 GRANT FOR BRASS ON THE GRASS IN BEAUFORT Beaufort hosted a live music cultural event in February 2007 with the help of $12,000 grant through the Provincial Victoria Local Events Program. The funding, provided over two years, to Beaufort Golf and Bowling Club helped hold the Brass on the Grass event on Sunday 25 February. Brass on the Grass entertained local residents of all ages and music lovers from far and wide with live bands playing a mix of swing, jazz, rock and blues in a relaxed outdoor setting. Roving artists, such as clowns, face painters and arts students also performed during the day. The festival involves the local business community, as well as local food producers and wineries from the broader wine region, providing the opportunity to market their produce during the festival.

Case Study Six

GRANT FOR ECHUCA LPG TANKMAKER CREATES 25 JOBS A $100,000 Regional Investment Initiative grant facilitated a $1 million investment in a new production line and helped create 25 new jobs at Echuca-based tank manufacturer, Manchester Tank & Equipment Co. The grant assists the company meet new demand for the supply of LPG storage cylinders and tanks created by the Commonwealth’s LPG Vehicle Scheme. The new investment in an additional production line, new blaster, furnace and welding robot increases the company’s competitiveness and viability, remains a source of economic benefi t and employment for Echuca and the wider region. Manchester Tank & Equipment Co is the Australian division of a world leader in the manufacture of storage cylinders and tanks for LPG, chemicals and compressed air, employing 100 people in Echuca, and exporting to Thailand, New Zealand, the Pacifi c Islands and South America.

PAGE | 32 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

Above: Leadership Wimmera providing professional development programs including the Leadership Skills Initiative, Community Leadership Year and Business Leaders. Photos courtesy of: Melissa Powell Photography.

PAGE | 33 Case Study Seven

WIMMERA REGION COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT A $99,000 grant to Horsham Rural City Council provided support to the leadership program offered by Leadership Wimmera (auspiced by the Wimmera Development Association), enabling it to offer a two-day retreat and a series of seminars for participants to learn innovative skills and business leadership practices. The initiative helped forge a new generation of leaders making a difference to the region’s economic prosperity. Leadership Wimmera comprises people who have backgrounds in tourism, small business, agriculture, tertiary education, water and catchment management authorities, and youth services. Key regional businesses including the Bendigo Bank and ACE Radio Broadcasters threw their support behind Leadership Wimmera.

Case Study Eight

BOOST FOR WIMMERA GRAINS INDUSTRY CLUSTER A $50,000 grant through the Regional Innovation Clusters Program helped establish a new business cluster to support and develop the Wimmera region’s grains sector. The cluster, led by the Wimmera Development Association, also included organisations involved with grain processing, transport, utility companies, research and educational and other service providers and agencies in the supply chain. The cluster focuses on three projects – an audit and analysis of the industry, quality assurance and human resources. The audit will provide updated information on the region’s grains industry landscape to allow for better decision making by cluster members. The quality assurance project will help to better understand how to implement a workable quality assurance system ensuring product integrity from farm to fi nished product. The human resource project will develop a model to attract and retain skilled labour in the region, taking into account current and future needs, existing training provision and the seasonal nature of the industry.

Case Study Nine

NORTH EAST SHOWCASES THOROUGHBRED STUDS Funding under the Provincial Economic Partnerships Program enabled key thoroughbred studs in Victoria’s North East to open their doors to the media for a one-day tour in a bid to encourage further investment into the industry. The one-day familiarisation tour had been organised as part of a marketing strategy focusing on the promotion of the equine industry and the region’s food and wine. Media exposure as a result of this initiative highlighted the thoroughbred breeding opportunities within the region to attract further industry investment. As well as the equine industry, the tour will showcased the region’s food, wine and tourism product in Strathbogie, Mitchell and Shepparton shires. The North East region is home to some of Australia’s fi nest thoroughbred properties and has produced some of this country’s fi nest thoroughbred stock. Thoroughbred breeding studs including Hollylodge Thoroughbreds, Blue Gum Farm, Paringa Park, Darley and Chatswood Stud opened their doors.

PAGE | 34 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

Case Study Ten

GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS GEELONG FOOD CLUSTER Regional Development Victoria worked with the City of Greater Geelong to establish a new cluster for the food industry in the Geelong region. The $50,000 funding, through the Regional Innovation Clusters Program, for the Geelong Food Industry Cluster assists the 25-member companies in the seafood, meat, poultry and dairy industries as well as Geelong’s overall food industry. The Geelong Food Industry Cluster undertakes information and networking for its members and helps identify and deliver new export opportunities for Victorian producers and businesses. These projects also promote greater co-operation between operators and promote innovation and technologies that can be used to help all Victorian food companies. The Geelong Food Industry Cluster creates manufacturing jobs and reduces imports.

Case Study Eleven

$60,000 GRANT TO MCCOLL’S DELIVERS 20 NEW TONGALA JOBS

A $60,000 grant will facilitate the expansion of a Tongala-based freight transport business, creating 20 new jobs. The Community Regional Industry Skills Program (CRISP) funding to McColl’s Transport Pty Ltd offsets training costs to equip staff with the skills to operate new facilities, including a refuelling depot and administration offi ces at the Tongala Industrial Estate. McColl’s Transport plays a crucial role in the dairy industry, with its core business and strategic advantage being the collection of milk from farmers for transportation to processing sites including Bendigo, Stanhope, Melbourne and Tatura. The grant will help deliver important new investment and training for 20 new staff that will boost economic development and employment for Tongala and the wider region. Improved skills in transport, distribution and logistics are important to Victoria’s dairy industry, which is worth an estimated $5 billion and which dominates national production and exports.

Case Study Twelve

TWENTY NEW MEAT INDUSTRY JOBS FOR WANGARATTA Mackay Casings is the largest manufacturer of a broad range of sausage casings, with more than 80 per cent of its $27 million annual sales being exported. A $60,000 grant to Mackay Casings Pty Ltd through the Regional Investment Initiative will help the company to undertake an expansion of its Wangaratta plant. The expansion enables the company to install a new “natural” sausage production line and expand its storage and warehousing facilities. This investment supports the Next Generation Food Strategy which is aimed at helping to meet the Victorian Government’s food and fi bre export target of $12 billion by 2010.

PAGE | 35 Case Study Thirteen

MILDURA WINE CLUSTER STRENGTHENS REGION’S WINE INDUSTRY A $50,000 grant to the Mildura Murray Darling Wine Industry Association helped the association establish as a wine cluster which included some of Australia’s leading wineries, boutique wineries, packaging suppliers, transport, agribusiness suppliers, business development agencies, higher education and research institutions. The funding, provided through the Regional Innovation Clusters Program, helped unite wineries and associated supply chain businesses to develop a more collaborative approach to boost economic development in the industry and across the region. The initiative helped provide a number of responses to the issues confronting the wine industry in the Mildura region, and fi ts with the Victorian wine industry’s new strategic plan Vintage 2010 that sets out a $1.8 billion sales growth target for the industry over the next fi ve years.

Case Study Fourteen

$3 MILLION UPGRADE TO CREATE 20 NEW JOBS FOR COLAC REGION A $25,000 grant to CRF (Colac Otway) Pty Ltd’s Colac meat processing facility will help create up to 20 new jobs following its $3 million expansion. The Community Regional Industry Skills Program funding would help with recruitment and training costs for new staff, and enable CRF to undertake a culture change project that aims to reduce the level of staff turnover. The grant would also help recruit and train 20 new staff required to operate CRF’s expanded processing plant to ensure they are able to use new equipment effi ciently. It is estimated that the new processing capacity will boost export sales to initially $500,000 each year.

PAGE | 36 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

In 2006/07, RDV produced the following publications and marketing collateral: • Ready for Business – Inspiring Business Case Studies from Provincial Victoria • Moving Forward – RDV Quarterly Newsletter • Live, Work and Invest – DL brochure (Make it Happen campaign) • 2007 Report from the Ministerial Taskforce on Bushfi re Recovery • Driving Growth – A Road Map and Action Plan for the Development of the Victorian Biofuels Industry • Taste of Victoria • Victorian Organic Food Products Directory 2007 • The Beer Lover’s Guide to Victoria’s Microbreweries – Third Edition.

PAGE | 37 Case Study Fifteen

$20,000 GRANT TO OTWAY ESTATE DELIVERS NEW JOBS A grant from the Community Regional Industry Skills Program will help with recruitment and training costs for new staff at Otway Estate’s $800,000 expansion of its Barongarook vineyard and winery. The grant helps train staff to use new equipment following its expansion which includes a new boutique microbrewery and tourism accommodation facility. Six new jobs will be created in the brewery which the company will use to brew boutique beer, complementing its existing line of wines. The grant helps the company to deal with skills shortages in the areas of tourism and hospitality, chemical handling and general horticulture and viticulture management. This project adds to the attractiveness of the region for functions and tourism accommodation and provide a fi llip for tourism’s growing signifi cance in Colac’s economy.

Case Study Sixteen

PATTIES FOODS GRANT RIGHT RECIPE FOR MORE JOBS A $21 million expansion of Patties Foods’ Bairnsdale plant will create 100 new full-time jobs and allow the company to export into other new markets, especially in the lucrative US market, for its range of savoury pies, pasties, and sausage rolls. The major investment in East Gippsland was helped by a $300,000 grant through the Regional Investment Initiative. The expansion helps the company signifi cantly expand its manufacturing ability to meet demand for its products in the US and over the next six years create up to 100 full-time jobs and eventually generate export sales of around $29 million a year. Stage one of the project involves the upgrade of facilities and the training of staff to meet stringent US food and safety requirements, while in stage two, the company will install a new production line to cope with the additional production. The fi rst shipment of Four’N Twenty pies arrived in the US in September 2006. The recent connection of the Patties Foods Bairnsdale plant to natural gas, under the $70 million Natural Gas Extension Program, has also helped Patties Foods with their push into new export markets while ensuring the company remains competitive. Through the supply of natural gas to Bairnsdale, the company expects to make savings of up to $500,000 a year as a result of converting from LPG. An independent report by KPMG released in 2005 showed the Natural Gas Expansion Program will provide a $63.75 million economic boost to East Gippsland, generating an average of 62 full-time equivalent jobs for the region over the next 20 years. The expansion of Patties Foods is expected to create signifi cant fl ow-on effects throughout the local community, providing increased business activity for transport companies, raw material suppliers, engineering works and others.

Case Study Seventeen

15 MILDURA JOBS FLOW FROM COMMUNITY REGIONAL INDUSTRY SKILLS PROGRAM GRANT A $45,000 grant through the Community Regional Industry Skills Program (CRISP) helped Mildura-based national line haul and warehousing company GTS Freight Management Pty Ltd create 15 new jobs following the company’s expansion in the Mildura region. The CRISP grant helps the company recruit and train new employees and upskill existing staff, developing a skilled workforce to accommodate the company’s strong growth.

PAGE | 38 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

Case Study Eighteen

134 NEW JOBS FOR TATURA FROM UNILEVER’S $58M INVESTMENT In 2006-07, Unilever decided to relocate its Dandenong-based dry goods operations to Tatura, instead of Thailand. The move resulted in the establishment of an expanded Unilever plant in Tatura, with an investment of $58 million and the creation of 134 jobs over fi ve years. The investment and expansion was facilitated by Regional Development Victoria’s Regional Industry Investment Program, and enabled Unilever to position the factory locally while accommodating future growth in the Asia Pacifi c region. The expansion includes the construction of a $20 million, 10,000sqm facility to house the dry production division, which will involve more than 100 direct jobs and 160 indirect jobs during construction. The project provides a boon for the entire Goulburn Valley region as Unilever underpins the performance of a number of well-known Victorian raw ingredient suppliers and packaging companies. It will also benefi t the broader food industry, with Unilever estimating it will spend $400 million over fi ve years buying goods and services from Victorian food suppliers. Unilever estimates the expanded Tatura facility will produce about $2 billion in sales in the fi rst fi ve years of joint operations.

Case Study Nineteen

$60,000 TO TITELINE DRILLING DELIVERS 30 NEW BALLARAT JOBS Titeline Drilling performs diamond core drilling services, using state-of-the-art drilling rigs, specialising in deep direction drilling. A $60,000 grant through the Community Regional Industry Skills Program to Titeline Drilling in Ballarat will go towards training costs to equip staff with the skills to operate new plant and equipment following Titeline’s $6 million expansion of its contract surface drilling operation. Up to 30 new jobs will be created and training will give existing and new staff required competencies under the nationally recognised Australian Drilling Industry Competency Standards, providing the necessary hands-on skills required to operate new plant and equipment.

Case Study Twenty

$300,000 TO DROUGHT-AFFECTED MUNICIPALITIES THROUGH $14.4 MILION PROGRAM As part of the Government’s response to the continuing drought, $300,000 was provided to each affected council for their most important local infrastructure projects. Between February and April, funding from the $14.4 million Local Infrastructure Works Program was announced for more than 200 projects in drought-affected communities across north central Victoria, the Grampians and Victoria’s north west. Across north central Victoria, 58 new local infrastructure projects were supported in six municipalities, while across the Grampians support for 99 new projects was announced in 11 municipalities and 55 new projects in four drought-affected municipalities across Victoria’s north west. Projects supported through the Local Infrastructure Works Program improve infrastructure in communities declared under Exceptional Circumstances from Victoria’s worst drought on record.

PAGE | 39 Case Study Twenty-one

CLEANER, GREENER BIOFUELS INDUSTRY Biofuels have the potential to become a viable alternative fuel supply for petrol and diesel, providing environmental benefi ts in the form of improved urban air quality and reduced greenhouse emissions. A new $5 million fund to support Victoria’s developing biofuels industry will help provide cleaner, greener fuel alternatives and create new regional job and investment opportunities. Driving Growth: A Road Map and Action Plan for the Development of the Victorian Biofuels Industry, which sets out a series of actions to drive development of the industry in Victoria and new Biofuels Infrastructure Grants, funded through the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund, were announced in April. The initiatives will assist in the development of new biofuels projects and help to ensure Victoria is able to meet its fi ve per cent biofuels target by 2010. Current Victorian Biofuels projects include: the creation of a 60ML biodiesel plant at Barnawatha; a 100ML plant at Swan Hill; and a 150ML plant at Geelong. Key industry and Government action for the growth of the industry include ensuring biofuel production in Victoria is internationally competitive, raising consumer demand for biofuel products by educating the community, and raising awareness to increase understanding and to dispel misconceptions of biofuel products.

PAGE | 40 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

Supporting business and tourism operators in provincial Victoria after the fi res

The 2006/07 bushfi re season in Victoria was one of the worst on record. The fi res started earlier, burnt longer and took hold in extremely dry conditions caused by 11 years of below average rainfall. Business, particularly tourism and tourism-related industry in the fi re-affected areas, was hit hard by the impact of the bushfi res. RDV worked with a number of Government agencies, including Tourism Victoria, the Department of Human Services, the Country Fire Authority, the Department of Sustainability and Environment and the Offi ce of the Emergency Services Commissioner to produce a one-hour television program to encourage people to visit regional areas following the summer bushfi res. The program Ready for Business – Victoria after the Fires aired across Victoria in late March in the run up to the Easter holiday season to remind holiday makers that bushfi re-affected areas were recovering and needed support from all Victorians through tourism. RDV fi nancially supported the program, recognising the economic importance of tourism to regional economies. Visiting regional areas also encourages people to refl ect on the potential benefi ts and advantages of relocating and living outside metropolitan areas.

Above: Channel 7 news anchor, Peter Mitchell, host of Ready for Business; Provincial Victoria, After the Fires. PAGE | 41 Case Study Twenty-two

$50,000 GRANT TO BEST BOTTLERS IN MILDURA DELIVERS 14 JOBS A $50,000 grant to Best Bottlers provided under the Community Regional Industry Skills Program will create up to 14 new jobs in the region and help Best Bottlers train and up-skill staff to use new plant and equipment which has been secured from Italy. Best Bottlers’ investment of $2.5 million in new plant and equipment will see it become the fi rst company in the southern hemisphere to provide wine in carton-based Tetra Pak packaging leading to increase in the pool of skilled employees in the Mildura area.

Case Study Twenty-three

VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT PROGRAM PARTICIPATION HELPS INNOVATORS COMMERCIALISE IDEAS Veterinary Surgeon Dr John Steinfort participated in the VicStart Regional Technology Commercialisation Program (RTCP) held in Gippsland in 2006 after designing a new type of Radio Frequency Identifi cation Device livestock tag primarily for use in the cattle and sheep industries and designed for farm management practices and animal traceability. Dr Steinfort recognised that current animal identifi cation systems are limited - so he designed an improved system. Through participation in the RTCP, Dr Steinfort refi ned the company’s business model and developed a targeted technology commercialisation plan. This led to participation in the Regional Business Investment Ready Program (RBIRP) – Mentoring for Commercialisation. Dr Steinfort received mentoring assistance resulting in the company, Duo Tags P/L applying for a Commonwealth Government Commercialising Emerging Technologies (COMET) grant to fi nalise its product offering and launch the product domestically and internationally. Dr Steinfort’s participation in the RTCP and RBIRP demonstrates the role of these programs in assisting competitive regional businesses and innovators commercialise their ideas and avoid stalling by overcoming barriers such as limited experience, lack of access to expert advice, and diffi culties in accessing early-stage commercialisation fi nance.

Case Study Twenty-four

MILDURA SUMMER OF CRICKET Through the Provincial Victoria Key Regional Events Program, funding was provided for a series of business networking events in Mildura that capitalised on the interest created in the city when it hosted the Mildura Summer of Cricket in late December 2006 and early January 2007. Hosting the championships resulted in greater visitation (more than 1,200 visitors) at a traditionally quiet time and an economic benefi t of more than $640,000. The Mildura Summer of Cricket provided Mildura with a boost in attracting potential investors, businesses, professionals and skilled workers to the region. The region also gained from branding awareness as a result Mildura Rural City Council big-screen advertising for the event during the Ashes Test Matches in Adelaide in November and also during the Melbourne Boxing Day Test.

PAGE | 42 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

Driving Growth: A Road Map and Action Plan for the Development of the Victorian Biofuels Industry sets out a series of actions to drive development of the industry in Victoria.

PAGE | 43 3.3 Regional Infrastructure Development Fund projects in review

The outcomes of a number of RIDF-funded projects are provided in this section.

Case Study One

$3.5 MILLION TO UPGRADE GIPPSLAND LOCAL PORTS In 2006/07, the Government announced a $3.5 million infrastructure boost for Gippsland’s fi ve local ports. Important infrastructure at the ports of Mallacoota, Lakes Entrance, Port Welshpool and Port Albert, and Paynesville will be renewed and upgraded through a $3 million grant from the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund with Gippsland Ports contributing the rest. The upgrade is the greatest investment in Victoria’s network of 13 local ports in more than twenty years. Project details include: • In Mallacoota, $305,000 towards rebuilding the wharf, and installation of fencing at the slipway; • In Lakes Entrance, $1.055 million towards major upgrades of Eastern Wharf, Bullock Island Fuel Jetty, Barrier Landing Jetty and associated minor works; • In Port Welshpool and Port Albert, $870,000 towards upgrades of Marginal Wharf, Slipway Catwalk Jetty, Rutters Jetty as well as associated minor works; and • In Paynesville, $735,000 towards the installation of a waste treatment facility at the Boat Yard, replacement of Wattle Point Jetty, and associated minor works. The program will also improve the local Above: Completed upgrade of the wharf in Mallacoota. amenity and delivery of services to local communities, and enhance access and safety.

PAGE | 44 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

Case Study Two

$450,000 INVESTMENT FOR WEST SALE AERODROME A $450,000 grant through the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund to improve water infrastructure at West Sale Aerodrome will help drive new investment in the region by renewing and upgrading essential water supply infrastructure at the Aerodrome. The project would also improve critical waste disposal services at the site. The grant enables Wellington Shire Council to develop an extra 17 lots at the Aerodrome’s industrial precinct, which is already home to a number of specialist aviation businesses, a CFA regional training facility and East Gippsland TAFE. The infrastructure works will enable existing businesses to expand their operations and allow Wellington Shire Council to release further industrial land on the site for new business development. When the infrastructure upgrades are completed, the Council will have 17 undeveloped lots, or more than 41,000 sqm of area, available for new industrial development. The new land will complement businesses already at West Sale including East Gippsland TAFE, the CFA, the Air Ambulance, emergency services, ESSO/BHP Billiton’s offshore oil and gas business, as well as a number of specialist aviation businesses. The works also include construction of a new pumping station, rising main and collection mains, allowing for onsite treatment and waste disposal to be operated under licence by the Council. Wellington Shire Council contributed $472,000 toward the project.

Case Study Three

NEW WASTE WATER SYSTEM FOR LEITCHVILLE PLANT A $930,000 grant through the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund will help build a new waste water re-use system for Murray Goulburn Co-Operative’s Leitchville cheese processing plant. The $2.6 million Leitchville Waste Water Re-use System will almost halve the annual use of town water by Murray Goulburn. The project incorporates a new in-plant waste water re-use facility that will treat and re-use 105 ML of waste water annually, saving 105 ML of town water each year. The town water savings when combined with irrigation water savings will free up a total of 418 ML each year, providing increased waste water storage to prevent temporary shut downs of the Murray Goulburn plant. Murray Goulburn’s Leitchville plant produces 34,000 tonnes of cheese each year, valued at around $143 million, with 72 per cent of produce sent to export markets including Europe and Japan. Murray Goulburn is Australia’s largest manufacturer of dairy products – with an annual milk intake of 3.6 billion litres and responsibility for 36 per cent of Australia’s milk production.

Case Study Four

NEW INDUSTRIAL ESTATE MAKES HORSHAM INVESTMENT READY A $600,000 grant to the Horsham Rural City Council under the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund for Horsham’s newly completed Plumpton Road Industrial Estate would help make the City of Horsham ready for new investment. The new ten-lot development is in a prime position to capture economic benefi ts from companies associated with the building of the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline. The new estate includes ten fully serviced allotments of various sizes, with water, sewerage, drainage, gas, power, telecommunications and pavement works, and buffers from rural living and residential areas. The estate is well placed to capture supply chain benefi ts resulting from the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline initiative. The $501 million Wimmera Mallee Pipeline Project is one of the most signifi cant water projects in Australia, which will supply stock and domestic water to 6,000 rural customers and 36 towns across a region that covers 10 per cent of Victoria, from the Grampians to the Murray River.

PAGE | 45 Case Study Five

NEW INDUSTRIAL ESTATES FOR ECHUCA AND ROCHESTER New industrial estates will be established in Echuca and Rochester with the help of a $1 million Regional Infrastructure Development Fund grant to Campaspe Shire Council. The new industrial estate helps Campaspe Shire Council attract investment from new or growing businesses in both towns, previously thwarted in its efforts to do so because of no availability of industrial land. The industrial estates are vital for the future prosperity of Echuca, Rochester and the Campaspe Shire, with strong interest being shown after discussions with a number of businesses about their relocation to the new industrial estates. Economic modelling undertaken by Campaspe Shire Council and Latrobe University showed developing new industrial estates could create $26 million of direct investment and an extra $26 million in fl ow-on benefi ts for the shire. The modelling shows both estates could create up to 200 jobs.

Case Study Six

$5.3 MILLION FOR UPGRADE TO TATURA WATER RECYCLING PROJECT A $460,000 Regional Infrastructure Development Fund grant to Goulburn Valley Water for the Tatura Wastewater Management and Re-use Project assisted with a $5.3 million upgrade to Tatura’s wastewater management system, saving water and boosting the region’s food processing industries. The upgrade would save 210 megalitres a year and help secure Tatura’s future development by building on the region’s market strength and food processing capabilities. The project includes the construction of a new wastewater pumping station at Tatura Milk Industries that will be connected to Goulburn Valley Water’s transfer rising main, and expanding and upgrading facilities for irrigation and storage of reclaimed water of Goulburn Valley Water’s Tatura wastewater management facility. The Goulburn Murray Valley region is a major contributor to Victoria’s $5 billion dairy industry, supplying about 25 per cent of Australian milk. Local company Tatura Milk Industries and its 400 employees process about 500 million litres of milk, and produce about 80,000 tonnes of manufactured products, each year.

Case Study Seven

$3.9 MILLION TO IMPROVE SOUTH WEST, GIPPSLAND AND NORTHERN VICTORIA DAIRY ROADS Victoria dominates Australia’s dairy industry and as the largest producer of milk, safe roads for transportation are essential for the effi ciency and competitiveness of the industry. As part of Moving Forward, $6 million was allocated for the Dairy Local Roads Program. In October 2006, more than $3.9 million was announced through the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund to upgrade key dairy routes in south west Victoria, Gippsland and northern Victoria. Sixteen dairy routes will be improved to enable safer and more effi cient operation of B-double dairy tankers that are increasingly being employed by major dairy fi rms including Fonterra, Murray Goulburn and Warrnambool Cheese & Butter Company.

PAGE | 46 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

Seven dairy routes worth $1.9 million will be improved in the Shires of Corangamite, Colac Otway and Moyne: • Corangamite Shire Council will receive $821,000 to improve Williams Road, Boundary Road, and Timboon Curdievale Road; • Colac-Otway Shire Council will receive $250,000 to improve Carpendeit Bungador Road; and • Moyne Shire Council will receive $847,500 to improve Goonans Road, Framlingham Road, and Mortlake-Framlingham Road. As a direct result of these projects, the three south west Councils will gazette approximately 160km of their road network as permanent B-double dairy routes, with an additional 140km of local road networks to be gazetted as a result of other associated works by the Councils. In Gippsland, $467,185 was allocated for four dairy route upgrades across the Shires of Baw Baw, Wellington and South Gippsland to enable safer and more effi cient operation of B-double dairy tankers that are increasingly being employed by major dairy fi rms including Murray Goulburn. Under the Dairy Local Roads Program: • Baw Baw Shire Council will receive $200,000 to improve River Connection Road and North Canal Road; • Wellington Shire Council will receive $68,200 to improve the intersection of Traralgon-Maffra Road and Sale-Heyfi eld Road; and • South Gippsland Shire Council will receive $198,985 to improve Loch-Poowong Road. In north east and north central Victoria, fi ve dairy routes worth $1.6 million will be upgraded across the Shires of Indigo, Moira, Campaspe and Gannawarra: • Indigo Shire Council will receive $187,500 to improve four intersections and widen and strengthen another four sections of Gundowring Road in the Kiewa Valley; • Moira Shire Council will receive $1 million to improve Centre Road and Labuan Road for use by B-double tankers; • Campaspe Shire Council will receive $258,000 to improve Strathallan Road by sealing and widening the road between the Campaspe River and the Northern Highway, creating a new strategic east-west link between Echuca and Rochester; and • Gannawarra Shire Council will receive $102,500 to improve the surface of Kenny Road, allowing B-double tankers to travel the entire length of the road. The Dairy Local Roads Program – created under the RIDF – enables councils to fund key dairy roads on a 50/50 basis with the Victorian Government, working with local dairy companies to identify priorities.

PAGE | 47 Case Study Eight

PORT FAIRY TO WARRNAMBOOL RAIL TRAIL ON TRACK The Great Ocean Road is internationally recognised and renowned as a signifi cant tourist destination. A new rail trail linking Port Fairy and Warrnambool will build on its strengths by offering another major tourist attraction and boosting tourist numbers. The new $2.2 million rail trail, built with the help of a $850,000 grant through the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund, will provide another attraction and dimension to the tourist experience. This is the fi rst rail trail built as part of the $8 million Provincial Pathways Program announced in Moving Forward. The project involves the construction of a 37-kilometre trail from central Port Fairy to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village and Warrnambool Visitor Information Centre. The scenic trail will be used for walking and cycling and will continue along the road reserve into Warrnambool. Works will include the construction of the trail and trailheads, along with a new boardwalk, repair and reconstruction of bridges and the installation of a highway underpass, along with fencing, screening, drainage and revegetation. The trail is expected to attract an estimated 60,000 users each year, who will inject almost $1.4 million into the local economy.

Case Study Nine

WATER AND POWER SAVINGS FOR LEONGATHA A $4.7 million water and energy project will result in signifi cant savings at Murray Goulburn Co-operative’s Leongatha site, freeing up thousands of litres of water for the town. The project, the fi rst of its type in Australia, was assisted through a $1.6 million grant under the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund. The initiative delivers an innovative application of co-generation technology and will save up to 60 megalitres of town water each year in Leongatha. The project will also help ensure a more reliable power supply within Murray Goulburn Co-operative’s plant, thereby reducing production costs by minimising forced closures caused by power outages. Murray Goulburn Co-operative is Australia’s largest food exporter. At its peak, it employs 440 staff at its Leongatha plant making it largest employer in the region, supplied by 566 farms from across 20 towns and communities. The Leongatha plant is a major producer of high value dairy products, including butter, spreads, creams, UHT products, milk and whey protein concentrate and Lactoferrin.

Case Study Ten

NEW $9.7 MILLION FREIGHT HUB A BOOST FOR WIMMERA GRAINS A new $9.7 million freight hub will replace an ageing terminal at Horsham station with the help of a $2.2 million grant to Horsham Rural City Council through the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund. The Wimmera Regional Intermodal Freight Hub at Dooen, 11km north-east of Horsham on the Adelaide-Melbourne railway line, is the fi rst project as part of the $20 million Intermodal Freight Infrastructure Program that promotes intermodal freight hubs in provincial Victoria. The new 23.5ha freight hub will provide a central location for grain storage facilities and grain export processors, improve access to freight depots, grain silos and processing plants, and build on the region’s nationally signifi cant and export-focussed grains industry. The Wimmera region is one of Victoria’s key agriculture regions, with extensive dry-land cropping, livestock farming and wool production industries. A competitive transport and distribution industry is vital to ensuring the growth of regional industries.

PAGE | 48 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

This project would trigger further development of the grains industry and jobs, with grains-related businesses including container park facilities, large volume container packing, bulk loading and warehousing facilities established near the hub creating further jobs for the region. The new facility at Dooen would be able to handle 18,600 containers within fi ve to six years – more than twice the number of containers handled at the existing Horsham facility. Based on current volumes, the new freight hub is expected to generate savings for existing customers of up to $52.80 per container. Other benefi ts include reduced handling costs for the terminal operator and for grain producers, relieving demand for storage at the Port of Melbourne, with more empty containers returned from Melbourne to be stored on the new site, and cutting 11kms from the rail trip to Melbourne. The project is currently being considered for funding by the Federal Government under Auslink (II).

Case Study Eleven

$4.5 MILLION GRANT FOR WANGARATTA PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE A new purpose-built 530-seat theatre built with $4.5 million assistance from the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund to the Rural City of Wangaratta will allow Wangaratta, to stage major festivals and events and attract more visitors to north-east Victoria. The new venue will meet contemporary standards for performing arts facilities and will help to attract high quality touring events to Wangaratta and act as an urban renewal catalyst for the city. It would host a number of key regional and cultural festivals, including the Wangaratta Jazz Festival. The centre will also include a smaller fl exible performance space or conference room, large foyer, catering areas, and commercial-standard café space with an exterior deck. The $7.63 million Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre is the fi rst capital works project announced as part $28 million commitment to boosting regional arts, cultural and recreation facilities from Moving Forward.

Case Study Twelve

$845,000 BOOST FOR PORTARLINGTON PORT A grant of almost $845,000 through the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund local ports infrastructure program to upgrade Portarlington’s port will improve the outer jetty and the harbour approach, as well as associated minor works. The upgrade, managed by Parks Victoria, will provide a boon for the Portarlington port, which is home to a range of commercial and recreational vessels. Commercial operations from the jetty, include offshore mussel farms, chartered fi shing boats and dive companies, with the upgrade to address recent load constraint issues encountered by local mussel farmers. The project is also important for the local community as it complements and dovetails into the extensive planning work underway on the proposed $30 million Bellarine Safe Harbour proposal.

PAGE | 49

Section 3.2 also contains a case example (Patties Foods, Bairnsdale) demonstrating the benefi ts from the supply of natural gas.

PAGE | 50 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

3.4 Small Towns Development Fund projects in review

The following case studies illustrate Small Towns Development Fund assistance for infrastructure projects that assist communities in small towns to create new opportunities for socio-economic growth and development.

Case Study One

$56,000 TO IMPROVE COWWARR STREETSCAPE A grant to Wellington Shire Council through the Small Towns Development Fund for improvements to the streetscape in the heart of Cowwarr will improve the area near the General Store and construct a footpath linking the CBD and the Gippsland Plains Rail Trail. Streetscape works include protected parking and stopping bays, footpath extension to facilitate road crossing to businesses, signage directing tourists to businesses, a path linking the CBD to the rail trail and a bus shelter. The principal businesses in Cowwarr, the Hotel and General Store, will be the benefi ciaries from this project, which will encourage tourists to stop for food, beverages and petrol. The project will also provide a safer crossing for local and visiting pedestrians, including spectators from the fortnightly football, to the store and hotel. The project enhances the liveability of Cowwarr and creates new opportunities for economic growth through capturing tourist traffi c and will add value to the Gippsland Plains Rail Trail by connecting it to Cowwarr businesses.

Case Study Two

REJUVENATION OF BIRCHIP MEMORIAL PARK A $57,531 grant through the Small Towns Development Fund to upgrade visitor facilities at Birchip Memorial Park will provide a much- needed face lift to the old Soldiers Memorial Park and public toilets. Works include refurbishment of the existing toilet block, installation of a water-effi cient sprinkler system and the upgrade of park furniture. The project encourages tourists to stop and enjoy the park, and spend money at nearby businesses. This project will assist the local community by enhancing the appeal of Birchip for locals and visitors, increased visitation and length of stay in the area contributing to local economic growth.

PAGE | 51 Case Study Three

TATYOON HALL UPGRADE TO MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS A $140,000 grant to the Rural City of Ararat from the Small Towns Development Fund will upgrade the Community Hall in the Tatyoon Recreation Reserve and ensure it continues to be a key facility in the community. The upgrade will signifi cantly improve the hall with works to roofi ng, soundproofi ng the hall, renovation of the kitchen, renewing the entrance, rendering the toilet and change room area, painting of the exterior and landscaping of the surrounding area. The summer 2006/07 bushfi res highlighted the need to provide an improved centre for use as a Country Fire Authority staging area in the event of a bush fi re or other natural disaster. The improvements will also enable the preparation of food in a safe and clean environment, and improve fund-raising opportunities for on-going maintenance of the facility by the hall committee. The upgrade would provide opportunities for use by a broader range of community groups and increase the range of activities undertaken in the facility.

Case Study Four

UPGRADE TO HORSHAM FIREBRACE STREET PRECINCT A $250,000 grant to Horsham Rural City Council from the Small Towns Development Fund helped with the third stage of the $428,729 upgrade to Firebrace Street. Works for stage three of the planned six-stage project included alteration to service mains, drainage, lighting, kerb and channels, street furniture, signage paving and landscaping. The project will enhance amenity of central Horsham, increase pedestrian safety and encourage commercial and retail activity in the business precinct. Firebrace Street in Horsham is the principal retail and commercial hub in the Wimmera and the streetscape is an integral part of the town’s identity. As the regional centre for the Wimmera, Horsham has been signifi cantly affected by successive years of dry seasons, resulting in diffi cult trading for local businesses. This project will increase private investment and confi dence for commercial enterprises in the improved area.

PAGE | 52 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

Case Study Five

BENALLA DRILL HALL UPGRADE TO MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS A $200,000 grant will help to transform the former Army Drill Hall at Benalla into a vibrant activities centre that meets a wide variety of community needs. The funding to the Rural City of Benalla from the Small Towns Development Fund will signifi cantly upgrade the interior space and make improvements to the exterior and surrounds of the Benalla Drill Hall. The aim of the redevelopment is to modernise the hall and provide new facilities which will enable existing activities to continue, and new activities to occur. The project will create a new Community Activity Centre that provides multi-purpose spaces able to offer a host of activities for different generations of Benalla residents. The facility will draw together groups that currently meet in a variety of small and isolated venues (including private homes) and bring them together in one community hub, run on a daily basis by the Council with assistance from volunteers. The project will upgrade four meeting rooms on one side of the hall and reconfi gure a row of small rooms on the other side of the hall to enable the installation of a modern kitchen, toilets, and a baby change room. Exterior works include fencing, paths, landscaping and barbecue area. Works to the building will provide the community of Benalla with a much-needed multi-purpose venue.

Case Study Six

MAJOR REDEVELOPMENT OF YEA RACECOURSE AND RESERVE Assistance through the Small Towns Development Fund will help provide improved infrastructure for the Yea Racecourse and Recreation Reserve. The $81,000 grant to the Murrindindi Shire Council assists in the $149,310 redevelopment which includes securing water supply for the facilities. Redevelopment works extend the use of treated wastewater from the nearby Sewerage Treatment Works to water all the fairways on the golf course, as well as the racecourse and the public use facilities and gardens at the reserve. Other project works include an upgrade of a public barbecue area, upgrade of the driveway and main entrance to the reserve, upgrade to the power supply, installation of additional toilet, and landscaping. The Yea Racecourse and Recreation Reserve is a key venue for major events in Yea, and hosts a number of regular events which attract visitors to the Murrindindi region.

PAGE | 53 PAGE | 54 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

3.5 Key Partners

Regional Development Victoria (RDV) Key Partners

Commonwealth and other State Governments Industry Capability Network RDV is a member of the Standing Committee on Regional Industry Capability Network (ICN) is an independent, not-for-profi t Development that comprises representatives of the Australian service to the manufacturing, engineering and services sector Local Government Association, the Commonwealth and State funded by the Victorian Government. With a growing industry governments. The committee considered a wide range of capability database of over 40,000 Australian businesses, ICN regional issues and matters including economic, investment, consultants perform a technical role, providing purchasers skills and community development. with a free sourcing and business matching service to identify Community Organisations competitive Australian capability and innovation. In 2006/07, RDV and ICN implemented the Regional Industry Link (RIL) – a pilot RDV supported and partnered a wide-ranging and diverse cross program operating in the Wimmera Mallee and Bendigo areas section of community organisations across rural and regional as part of the Victorian Government’s aim to retain and diversify Victoria. These partnerships helped strengthen communities skills and industry capability in drought-affected regions of through the delivery of infrastructure projects. They have also provincial Victoria. The RIL connects regional industry capabilities made a considerable contribution to specifi c events, such as to business opportunities and projects in Victoria, Australia and fi re and drought recovery initiatives, and to ongoing community overseas. This initiative is being managed by ICN Victoria through capacity building and development initiatives. its Melbourne and regional offi ces based in Geelong, Ballarat, Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development Bendigo and Traralgon. RDV worked closley on a large number of initiatives with Local Government and Local Economic Development Bodies other business units in the Department. They include Invest RDV worked in close partnerships with the 48 regional councils, Victoria, Offi ce of Science and Technology, Offi ce of Investment nine interface councils and various local economic development Facilitation, Offi ce of Small Business, and Offi ce of Manufacturing bodies in facilitating economic, infrastructure and socio- and Service Industies. economic development. The support from RDV extended from Industry Associations facilitating investment attraction, infrastructure and industrial RDV regional offi ces worked closely with key local business estate development to supporting communities recovering from networks, associations and industry bodies. Roles and activities natural disaster and industry restructure. included participation as committee members, awards judging, Offi ce of Small Business Commissioner mentoring and facilitating access to RDV assistance programs The Offi ce of Small Business Commissioner (OSBC) is dedicated and services. to promoting a competitive and fair operating environment for small business. RDV regional offi ces provided strategic support to the Small Business Commissioner in promoting the services of the OSBC and assisted in business networking.

PAGE | 55 Other Victorian Government Departments RDV worked with other Government Departments on various initiatives. These include (but are not limited to):

Initiative / Program Department Statewide Audit of Industrial Land Department of Sustainability and Environment Planning for New Development in Geelong Department of Infrastructure Scoping Study for the Geelong Cultural Precinct Department of Infrastructure Boosting Local Public Private Partnerships Department of Treasury and Finance New Action to Attract Skilled Migration Department of Planning and Community Development Skills and Jobs for Disadvantaged Workers Department of Planning and Community Development Breakthrough Eco-tourism Projects in Victoria’s Forests Department of Sustainability and Environment Boosting Recreational Fishing and Tourism Opportunities Department of Primary Industries Targeted Bush Tender Department of Sustainability and Environment Community Management of Crown Land Department of Sustainability and Environment

PAGE | 56 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

3.6 Marketing Provincial Victoria

In 2006/07, RDV continued to deliver the Make it Happen in Provincial Victoria marketing program, which encourages Melburnians to consider relocating to provincial Victoria. The campaign was extended in 2006/07 to focus on business investment. The new Make Your Business Happen in Provincial Victoria campaign was developed in response to feedback from the state’s 48 rural and regional councils on the need to increase the investment/business focus of the Make it Happen in Provincial Victoria campaign. The Make Your Business Happen in Provincial Victoria campaign was offi cially launched in August 2006. A key tenet of this campaign is the appointment of four Provincial Victoria Business Ambassadors: Rob Hunt, Managing Director, Bendigo Bank; Alla Wolf-Tasker, Founder and Executive Chef, Lake House Restaurant and Hotel in Daylesford; John King Snr, founder of the Ballarat-based JG King Homes; and Nigel Garrard, Managing Director, SPC Ardmona, based in Shepparton. The campaign featured television and press advertisements, outdoor advertising, a website, and a call centre connecting interested people to council economic development units across the State. It also included a booklet featuring businesses that successfully moved or expanded in provincial Victoria. As well as targeting businesses in metropolitan Melbourne, it also urged regional businesses looking at expanding to investigate growth opportunities in other parts of provincial Victoria. The extension of Make it Happen also continued the Provincial Economic Partnerships Program, and a new sponsorship and events program for local and key regional events.

PAGE | 57 3.7 Sponsorship

In 2006/07, RDV linked a number of its sponsorships to the Make it Happen in Provincial Victoria campaign. This helped leverage the Make it Happen brand and the association with leading events showcased that provincial Victoria has wonderful work, investment and lifestyle opportunities.

Sponsorship – Bendigo Spirit 2006/07

$100,000 TO HELP BENDIGO BOUNCE INTO THE BIG LEAGUE A $100,000 grant through the Provincial Victoria Events Program helped establish a new Bendigo-based Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) team. The two-year sponsorship of regional Victoria’s fi rst ever Woman’s National Basketball League team was linked to the successful Make it Happen in Provincial Victoria campaign promoting provincial Victoria as a great place in which to live, work, invest. The team, known as Bendigo Spirit, draws on the large pool of talent in Bendigo and other regional communities that have produced many elite-level basketballers. Bendigo Spirit creates opportunities for young women and girls to play basketball at the highest level without necessarily having to move to Melbourne. As well as promoting provincial Victoria to a national audience through the live television broadcast of matches, the Bendigo WNBL team will also offer regional residents courtside seats for elite women’s sport. During the 2007 season, the Bendigo-based team will play up to three home games in provincial Victorian centres other than Bendigo – Traralgon, Shepparton and Ballarat. The team creates a new WNBL franchise based for the fi rst time in provincial Victoria.

Above: 2007 Bendigo Spirit team

PAGE | 58 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

Sponsorship – Geelong Football Club 2006/07

CATS BACK MAKE IT HAPPEN IN PROVINCIAL VICTORIA CAMPAIGN A $75,000 sponsorship of the Geelong Football Club saw the Cats back the Make it Happen in Provincial Victoria campaign. The sponsorship included Geelong players – captain Tom Harley, Gary Ablett jnr, Steven King and Paul Chapman – acting as ambassadors for the campaign, promoting provincial Victoria as a great place to live, work and invest. The sponsorship also included match-day sponsorship of the Geelong-Bulldogs game and other business networking opportunities, ground signage and internet advertising. The initiative promoted the campaign message – that there are great opportunities to live work and invest in provincial Victoria – not in just the Geelong region but in all of provincial Victoria. As provincial Victoria’s only AFL club, Geelong was the perfect ambassador for promoting the fantastic opportunities in provincial Victoria. A press campaign touting the message: “if you’re thinking of making the move to provincial Victoria there has never been a better time” would support the campaign.

Above: Press advertising supporting sponsorship of GFC in 2006/07

PAGE | 59 4.0 Other Relevant Information RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

4.1 Financial Performance

Consolidated fi nancial statements for the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development (DIIRD) and Regional Development Victoria (RDV) are contained in the Annual Report 2006/07 published by DIIRD. Sections 5.4 and 5.5 of this report contain Output Targets and Performance and Revenue and Expenses respectively, for RDV for the year ended 30 June 2007.

4.2 Compliance

Compliance requirements in accordance with the Financial Management Act 1994 and the Directions of the Minister for Finance are managed by DIIRD on behalf of RDV. Consolidated compliance reporting information for RDV, for the fi nancial year 2006/07, is contained in the Annual Report 2006/07 published by DIIRD.

4.3 Legislation

The legislation for which RDV is responsible is the Regional Development Victoria Act 2002, which establishes RDV and outlines its roles and functions. RDV administers money paid out of the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund in accordance with the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund Act 1999.

PAGE | 61 5.0 Grants and Ouput Targets RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

5.1 Regional Development Victoria Grants

Regional Development Victoria provided fi nancial assistance through a broad range of programs aiding economic and community development in regional Victoria. Assistance included funding for economic development and infrastructure projects and regional community events. Assistance is also provided through the Government’s $502 million action plan for provincial Victoria: Moving Forward: Making Provincial Victoria the Best Place to Live, Work and Invest. A total of $35,933,228 in payment was made to the following companies and organisations.

Community Regional Industry Skills Program

Organisation Payment $ Blue Lake Milling Pty Ltd 50,000 Ceramet Technologies Pty Ltd 69,585 Department of Primary Industries 98,281 GTS Freight Management Pty Ltd 21,000 K&K Fasteners Pty Ltd 10,000 Keppel Prince Engineering Pty Ltd 30,000 Perseverance Exploration Pty Ltd 125,000 Pyramid Hill Meat Co Pty Ltd 30,000 Southcorp Wines Pty Ltd 150,000 Tatura Milk Industries Ltd 25,000 Visy Board Pty Ltd 110,000 Total 718,866

PAGE | 63 Drought Assistance Packages – Local Infrastructure Works Program

Organisation Payment $ Organisation Payment $ Alpine Shire Council 300,000 Loddon Shire Council 300,000 Ararat Rural City Council 300,000 Macedon Ranges Shire Council 300,000 Benalla Rural City 300,000 Mansfi eld Shire Council 300,000 Buloke Shire Council 300,000 Melton Shire Council 300,000 Campaspe Shire Council 300,000 Mildura Rural City Council 300,000 Central Goldfi elds Shire Council 300,000 Mitchell Shire Council 300,000 City of Ballarat 300,000 Moira Shire Council 300,000 City of Greater Bendigo 300,000 Moorabool Shire Council 300,000 City of Greater Geelong 300,000 Mount Alexander Shire Council 300,000 City of Greater Shepparton 300,000 Moyne Shire Council 300,000 City of Warrnambool 300,000 Murrindindi Shire Council 300,000 City of Whittlesea 300,000 Northern Grampians Shire Council 300,000 Colac Otway Shire Council 300,000 Pyrenees Shire Council 300,000 Corangamite Shire Council 300,000 Southern Grampians Shire Council 300,000 East Gippsland Shire Council 300,000 Strathbogie Shire Council 300,000 Gannawarra Shire Council 300,000 Surf Coast Shire 300,000 Glenelg Shire Council 300,000 Swan Hill Rural City Council 300,000 Golden Plains Shire Council 300,000 Towong Shire Council 300,000 Hepburn Shire Council 300,000 Wangaratta Rural City Council 300,000 Hindmarsh Shire Council 300,000 Wellington Shire Council 300,000 Horsham Rural City Council 300,000 West Wimmera Shire Council 300,000 Hume City Council 300,000 Wodonga City Council 300,000 Indigo Shire Council 300,000 Wyndham City Council 300,000 Latrobe City Council 300,000 Yarriambiack Shire Council 300,000 Total 14,400,000

PAGE | 64 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

Drought Assistance Packages – Business Continuity Program

Organisation Payment $ Organisation Payment $ Alpine Shire Council 13,400 Maffra Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc 1,334 Ararat Rural City Council 13,000 Mansfi eld Shire Council 29,850 Australian Fodder Industry Association Mildura Rural City Council 13,000 8,674 Incorporated Mildura Tourism Inc 8,500 Bass Coast Shire Council 10,000 Mitchell Shire Council 2,130 Beechworth and District Chamber of Commerce 7,000 Moira Shire Council 12,000 & Industry Inc Moorabool Shire Council 36,000 Benalla Rural City 30,675 Mount Alexander Shire Council 13,000 BRACE Education Training and Employment Ltd 13,000 Moyne Shire Council 18,363 Buloke Shire Council 13,000 Murrindindi Regional Tourism Association Inc 19,132 Campaspe Shire Council 42,090 Murrindindi Shire Council 63,767 Central Goldfi elds Shire Council 13,000 NatRoad Limited 10,000 Central Highlands Agribusiness Forum Inc 10,000 Northern Grampians Shire Council 51,805 City of Ballarat 42,000 Pyrenees Shire Council 33,000 City of Greater Bendigo 19,091 Rosedale Chamber of Commerce & Industry Inc 3,000 City of Greater Shepparton 22,000 Rotary Club of Euroa 3,000 City of Warrnambool 23,000 Southern Grampians Shire Council 23,000 Colac Otway Shire Council 16,000 Stawell Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc 3,000 Corangamite Shire Council 18,182 Strathbogie Shire Council 31,938 Daylesford & The Macedon Ranges Tourism Inc 10,000 Swan Hill Rural City Council 13,000 East Gippsland Shire Council 11,850 The Australian Industry Group 31,453 Gannawarra Shire Council 15,159 Towong Shire Council 39,600 Glenelg Shire Council 20,000 Upper Goulburn Food Wine & Cultural Group Inc 5,950 Golden Plains Shire Council 13,000 Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and 13,000 Hepburn Springs Swiss-Italian Festa Inc 13,000 Industry Hindmarsh Shire Council 13,000 Wangaratta Rural City Council 2,900 Horsham Rural City Council 38,000 Wellington Shire Council 9,000 Indigo Shire Council 35,000 West Wimmera Shire Council 3,000 Industry Capability Network (Vic) Ltd 60,000 Westvic Dairy Inc 3,000 Latrobe City Council 2,208 Wimmera Development Association Inc 15,250 Livestock Transporters Association of Victoria Inc 11,486 Yarriambiack Shire Council 20,000 Loddon Shire Council 10,000 Yea Wetlands Trust 9,705 Macedon Ranges Shire Council 10,000 Total 1,118,491

PAGE | 65 Living Regions Living Suburbs

Organisation Payment $ Organisation Payment $ Alpine Shire Council 30,000 Lilydale Chamber of Commerce & Industry Inc. 2,500 Ararat Rural City Council 3,000 Loddon Shire Council 1,502 Australian Alpine Valley Agribusiness Forum Inc 10,926 Macedon Ranges Shire Council 50,000 Bairnsdale Racing Club Inc 7,000 Mansfi eld Shire Council 30,000 Baw Baw Shire Council 111,750 Melton Shire Council 5,000 Benalla Business Network Inc 4,756 Milawa Gourmet Region Association Inc 10,000 Benalla Rural City 30,000 Mildura Rural City Council 10,000 Campaspe Shire Council 37,303 Moira Shire Council 46,199 Cardinia Shire Council 96,194 Moyne Shire Council 12,059 City of Casey 225,000 Mt Baw Baw Alpine Resort Management Board 10,000 City of Greater Bendigo 20,000 Mt Buller & Mt Stirling Resort Management 10,000 City of Greater Geelong 20,000 Board City of Greater Shepparton 176,195 Murrindindi Shire Council 185,000 City of Kingston 7,500 Nillumbik Tourism Association Inc. 7,000 City of Warrnambool 190,000 Northern Grampians Shire Council 7,500 Department of Justice 375,000 Parks Victoria 45,695 Department of Sustainability & Environment 200,000 Pyrenees Shire Council 20,000 East Gippsland Shire Council 35,000 Rotary Club of Koo Wee Rup - Lang Lang Inc 2,500 Eltham Chamber of Commerce & Industry Inc. 10,000 Shire of Yarra Ranges 248,691 Enterprize Ship Trust 100,000 Southern Grampians Shire Council 15,115 Falls Creek Resort Management Board 10,000 Surf Coast Shire 95,000 Heathcote Winegrowers Association Inc 9,500 The Herald & Weekly Times Limited 350,000 Horsham Rural City Council 20,000 Tourism Victoria 1,550,000 Hume City Council 10,000 Towong Shire Council 20,000 Indigo Shire Council 20,000 Wangaratta Rural City Council 30,000 Kyabram Community and Learning Centre Inc 9,340 Wellington Shire Council 20,000 Lake Mountain Alpine Resort Management Whittlesea Country Music Festival Inc 10,000 10,000 Board Wodonga Rural City Council 46,000 Latrobe City Council 37,500 Yarra Glen Chamber of Commerce Inc 10,000 Total 4,665,724

PAGE | 66 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

Make it Happen in Provincial Victoria Next Generation Food Strategy

Organisation Payment $ Organisation Payment $ Alpine Shire Council 25,000 Agri Solutions Pty Ltd 10,000 Bass Coast Shire Council 5,000 Australian Alpine Valley Agribusiness Forum Inc 4,000 Baw Baw Shire Council 11,400 Australian Alpine Valleys Agribusiness Forum Inc 1,500 Borough of Queenscliffe 20,000 Australian Institute of Refrigeration Air 20,000 Buloke Shire Council 12,500 Conditioning and Heating (Inc) Campaspe Shire Council 12,500 Australian Specialist Cheesemakers’ 54,000 Association (ASCA) Central Goldfi elds Shire Council 15,750 Baw Baw Shire Council 30,000 City of Ballarat 10,000 Captains Creek Organic Wines 4,374 City of Greater Geelong 107,500 Ceres Incorporated 3,000 City of Greater Shepparton 14,000 Confectionery Manufacturers of Australasia 10,000 Colac Otway Shire Council 12,500 Limited Corangamite Shire Council 30,000 Dairy Australia Ltd 40,000 East Gippsland Shire Council 24,618 East Gippsland Shire Council 20,000 Gannawarra Shire Council 12,500 Kosher Australia Pty Ltd 17,600 Hindmarsh Shire Council 12,500 Organic Dairy Farmers’ Co-operative Limited 20,000 Indigo Shire Council 20,000 Organic Federation of Australia Ltd 5,000 Latrobe City Council 10,000 South Gippsland Shire Council 30,000 Local Government Professionals Inc 15,000 Strathbogie Shire Council 20,000 Loddon Shire Council 17,500 The Australian Institute of Food Science and 17,500 Mansfi eld Shire Council 12,500 Technology Inc Mildura Rural City Council 12,500 The Gippsland Field Days 30,000 Mitchell Shire Council 20,812 Tractor & Machinery Association of Australia 11,000 Moira Shire Council 27,500 University of Ballarat 6,600 Murrindindi Shire Council 22,542 Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce 20,000 Northern Grampians Shire Council 12,500 and Industry Pyrenees Shire Council 15,000 Victorian Food Industry Training Board Inc 6,863 Strathbogie Shire Council 820 Victorian Health Promotion Foundation 20,000 Swan Hill Rural City Council 9,793 Victorian Marine Farmers Inc 10,000 Towong Shire Council 7,000 Victorian Olive Council Incorporated 10,000 Wangaratta Rural City Council 12,500 Wellington Shire Council 15,000 Wellington Shire Council 13,125 Total 436,436 West Wimmera Shire Council 1,000 Yarriambiack Shire Council 12,500 Total 568,360

PAGE | 67 Regional Innovation Clusters Program Regional Investment Initiative (cont./) Organisation Payment $ Organisation Payment $ City of Ballarat 55,000 Country Racing Victoria Ltd 12,500 City of Greater Bendigo 88,000 CRF (Colac Otway) Pty Ltd 25,000 City of Greater Geelong 75,000 Drypac Pty Ltd 37,500 City of Greater Shepparton 135,000 East Gippsland Shire Council 9,510 City of Whittlesea 50,000 Ellerslie Hop Estate Pty Ltd 25,000 East Gippsland Shire Council 30,000 Glenelg Shire Council 32,500 GMIC Ltd 25,000 Golden Plains Shire Council 37,500 Industry Capability Network (Vic) Ltd 25,000 Horsham Rural City Council 15,000 Mildura Rural City Council 72,000 Indigo Shire Council 93,500 Strathbogie Shire Council 50,000 MacKay Casings Pty Ltd 20,000 Surf Coast Shire 25,000 Mansfi eld Shire Council 7,000 Minerals Council of Australia - Victorian Victoria University of Technology 100,000 25,000 Division Wimmera Development Association Inc 25,000 Mitchell Shire Council 26,028 Total 755,000 Moorabool Shire Council 40,000 Mount Alexander Shire Council 27,400 Regional Investment Initiative Moyne Shire Council 50,000 Organisation Payment $ Murrindindi Shire Council 20,175 A1 Asphalting Pty Ltd 30,000 Northern Grampians Shire Council 20,000 Alpine Shire Council 6,201 O’Dwyer Horse Shoe Sales Australia Pty Ltd 10,000 Ararat Rural City Council 2,211 Paper Australia Pty Ltd 200,000 Ashton Pty Ltd 25,000 Parks Victoria 15,000 Baw Baw Shire Council 40,455 Patties Foods Pty Ltd 180,000 Benalla Auto Club Inc 13,000 Rice Graphics Images Australia Pty Ltd 30,000 Bendigo Bank Limited 400,000 Riverland Oilseed Processors Pty Ltd 60,000 Border Express Pty Ltd 50,000 Rubicon Systems Australia Pty Ltd 50,000 Borough of Queenscliffe 12,500 Shire of Yarra Ranges 12,500 Buloke Shire Council 9,925 South Gippsland Shire Council 25,000 Cardinia Shire Council 10,000 Southcorp Wines Pty Ltd 200,000 City of Ballarat 80,000 Southern Grampians Shire Council 2,430 City of Greater Geelong 12,500 Strathbogie Shire Council 6,600 City of Greater Shepparton 40,000 Surf Coast Shire 12,500 City of Warrnambool 39,250 The Haire Truck & Bus Repairs Pty Ltd 44,934 Colac Otway Shire Council 35,750 Wellington Shire Council 31,251 Corangamite Shire Council 3,750 Total 2,214,370

PAGE | 68 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

Provincial Victoria Growth Fund Provincial Victoria Growth Fund (cont./) Organisation Payment $ Organisation Payment $ ACN 060 661 663 Pty Ltd Trading As Department of Treasury and Finance 150,000 5,000 Horsham Colour Dunolly Rush 150 Inc 5,000 Albins Off Road Gear Pty Ltd 30,000 East Gippsland Shire Council 7,238 Alpine Shire Council 16,975 Eildon Action Inc 28,500 Ararat Golden Gateway Festival Committee Inc 7,000 Gannawarra Shire Council 22,500 Ararat Rural City Council 9,150 Geelong Ethnic Communities Council Inc 10,000 Ballarat Goldfi elds N.L. 20,000 Gekko Systems Pty Ltd 25,000 Barwon Heads Festival of the Sea Inc 7,500 Glenelg Shire Council 25,000 Bass Coast Shire Council 30,690 Golden and Paradise Beach Ratepayers Baw Baw Shire Council 50,000 and Residents Association Inc Residents 5,000 BBI Biofuels Australia Pty Ltd 56,000 Association Inc Beaufort Golf Club Inc 5,250 Golden Plains Shire Council 7,500 Benalla Rural City 10,000 Goulburn Valley Aero Club Incorporated 22,500 Birchip Cropping Group Inc 18,750 Grip Youth Services Inc 5,000 Borough of Queenscliffe 3,500 Hindmarsh Shire Council 10,000 Business Networking for Growth (Central Horsham Rural City Council 99,000 7,500 Victoria) Inc Irrewarra Estate Pty Ltd 11,325 Campaspe Shire Council 10,000 ITC Timber Heyfi eld Pty ltd 28,000 Caramut Recreation Reserves Inc 5,000 Lake Imaging Pty Ltd 20,000 Careers Connection LPC Inc 3,861 Latrobe City Council 79,364 Champions of the Bush Inc 75,000 Lemnos Football & Netball Club Inc 40,000 City of Greater Bendigo 72,668 Loddon Shire Council 110,000 City of Greater Geelong 90,000 Macedon Ranges Shire Council 28,994 City of Greater Shepparton 63,750 Mansfi eld Shire Council 62,500 City of Warrnambool 68,982 Maxitrans Australia Pty Ltd 6,000 Clyne Farms Pty Ltd 28,500 Mildura Rural City Council 16,500 Colac Otway Shire Council 30,000 Minerals Council of Australia - Victorian 150,000 Dairy Australia Ltd 100,000 Division Department For Victorian Communities 1,700,000 Mitchell Shire Council 4,650 Department of Human Services 50,000 Moira Shire Council 65,000 Department of Infrastructure 390,000 Mount Alexander Shire Council 5,000 Department of Primary Industries 1,187,000 Moyne Shire Council 18,055 Department of Sustainability and Municipal Association of Victoria 275,000 1,920,000 Environment Murrindindi Shire Council 4,530 Department of Transport and Regional Mystic Mountains Tourism Inc 7,500 37,275 Services Northern Grampians Shire Council 7,500

PAGE | 69 Provincial Victoria Growth Fund (cont./)

Organisation Payment $ Organisation Payment $ Ouyen Inc. 10,000 Minerals Council of Australia – Victorian 10,000 Port Fairy Tourist Association Inc 6,000 Division Portland Tourist Association Inc 20,000 Pyrenees Shire Council 50,000 Regional Science Association International 10,000 - Australia & New Zealand Section Inc Robin Hood Revived Inc 4,100 Rotary Club of Bairnsdale Sunrise Inc 10,000 Rotary Club of Maffra Inc 5,000 SalesForce Australia Pty Ltd 250,000 South Gippsland Shire Council 3,750 Spring Creek Community House Inc 17,500 Stawell Athletic Club Inc 60,000 Steel Frame Solutions Pty Ltd 12,000 Strathbogie Shire Council 22,500 Swan Hill Rural City Council 47,094 The Australian Industry Group 50,000 Tourism Victoria 2,500,000 Towong Shire Council 7,500 Unilever Australia Ltd 25,000 United Group Rail Pty Ltd 20,000 Victorian Cycling Inc 11,250 Victorian Wine Industry Association 100,000 VLGA Inc 90,000 Wangaratta Rural City Council 30,000 West Gippsland Dance Festival Inc 10,000 West Wimmera Shire Council 1,780 Wimmera Development Association Inc 103,500 Wodonga City Council 87,500 Yarriambiack Shire Council 3,000 Yea Wetlands Trust 7,000 Total 11,045,981

PAGE | 70 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

5.2 Regional Infrastructure Development Fund Grants

Financial Assistance exceeding $38.3 million was announced from the Fund to the following organisations:

RIDF – General Projects (under various sub-programs)

Organisation Project Name RIDF Amount Approved $ Bendigo Mining Limited Water For Industry - New Moon WTP to 1,000,000 Bendigo Recycled Water Pipeline Campaspe Shire Council Campaspe Industrial Estates 1,055,000 Central Goldfi elds Shire Council Regional Industry Investment Program * – Maryborough Food Precinct Central Gippsland Region Water Authority Water For Industry - Industrial Water 900,000 Saving Initiatives Goulburn Valley Water Tatura Wastewater Management and 486,000 Reuse Project Greater Bendigo City Council Bendigo Regional Archive Centre 1,000,000 Murray Goulburn Co-operative Company Limited Leitchville Waste Water Reuse System 930,000 Murray Goulburn Co-operative Company Limited Leongatha Water and Energy Project 1,570,000 Murray Goulburn Co-operative Company Limited Water For Industry - Leongatha - Water 2,000,000 Recycling Project Unilever Australasia Regional Industry Investment Program * - Dry Processing For Tatura V/Line Mildura Riverfront Development Facilitation 8,000,000 Project (Freight Gate Relocation) Victorian Farmers Federation Renewed Stock Over/Underpass Program 1,500,000 Wangaratta Rural City Council North Wangaratta Industrial Precinct 1,170,000 Warrnambool City Council Warrnambool Regional Airport 320,000 Redevelopment Wellington Shire Council West Sale Aerodrome Infrastructure 450,000 Upgrade * Details of these investment grants have not been disclosed as they are deemed commercial in confi dence

PAGE | 71 RIDF – Moving Forward Programs

Organisation Project Name RIDF Amount Approved $ Local Dairy Roads Baw Baw Shire Council Road Improvements 200,000 Campaspe Shire Council Road Improvements 258,000 Colac-Otway Shire Council Road Improvements 250,000 Corangamite Shire Council Road Improvements 821,000 Gannawarra Shire Council Road Improvements 102,500 Indigo Shire Council Road Improvements 187,500 Moira Shire Council Road Improvements 1,011,000 Moyne Shire Council Road Improvements 847,500 South Gippsland Shire Council Road Improvements 198,985 Wellington Shire Council Road Improvements 68,200 Local Ports Colac Otway Shire Council Apollo Bay 1,114,506 Gippsland Ports Committee of Management Lakes Entrance 1,055,000 Gippsland Ports Committee of Management Mallacoota 305,000 Gippsland Ports Committee of Management Paynesville 735,000 Gippsland Ports Committee of Management Port Welshpool &Port Albert 870,000 Moyne Shire Council Port Fairy 916,542 Parks Victoria Bellarine – Portarlington 844,700 Arts Infrastructure Wangaratta Rural City Council Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre 4,500,000 Intermodal Freight Hubs Horsham Rural City Council Wimmera Regional Intermodal Freight Hub Project 2,250,000 Provincial Pathways Murray to the Mountain Rail Trail – the Murray Indigo Shire Council 495,000 Connection Moyne Shire Council Warrnambool to Port Fairy Rail Trail 850,000

PAGE | 72 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

5.3 Small Towns Development Fund Grants

(A sub-program of the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund) Financial assistance of $10.1 million was announced from the Fund to the following Councils:

Organisation Project $ Amount Alpine Shire Council Fainter Falls Walking Trail 200,000 Alpine Shire Council Mystic Park Development 120,000 Ararat Rural City Council Caledonian Court Sustainable Industrial Estate 250,000 Ararat Rural City Council Lake Bolac Community Precinct 122,000 Ararat Rural City Council Tatyoon Hall Upgrade 140,000 Ararat Rural City Council Willaura Memorial Hall Upgrade 50,000 Ballarat City Council Miners Rest Community Hall Project 10,000 Bass Coast Shire Council Inverloch Visitor Information Centre Redevelopment 92,550 Baw Baw Shire Council Drouin Retail Enhancement 110,000 Baw Baw Shire Council Long Tunnel Mine Accessibility 100,000 Baw Baw Shire Council Walhalla Goldfi elds Railway Reconstruction 187,500 Borough of Queenscliffe Bellarine Peninsula Railway Development 250,000 Buloke Shire Council Birchip Memorial Park Rejuvenation 57,531 Buloke Shire Council Green Lake Recreation Facilities 73,308 Buloke Shire Council Nandaly Hall Upgrade 24,610 Campaspe Shire Council Lockington Rural Expo Facilities 125,000 Campaspe Shire Council Pinegrove Recreation Reserve Upgrade 26,000 Central Goldfi elds Shire Council Maryborough Princes Park Facilities Upgrade 40,000 Central Goldfi elds Shire Council Talbot Australian Communications Museum 106,000 Central Goldfi elds Shire Council Worsley Cottage - Development of Research and Exhibition Space 110,000 Colac-Otway Shire Council Apollo Bay GPS Base Station 24,000 Colac-Otway Shire Council Great Ocean Road Visitor Information Centre Upgrade Stage 2 45,000 Colac-Otway Shire Council Pirron Yallock Hall Upgrade 40,000 Corangamite Shire Council Berrybank Hall Upgrade 20,000 Corangamite Shire Council Coast to Craters Interpretive Centre 250,000 Corangamite Shire Council Lismore Township Revitalisation 90,000 Corangamite Shire Council Pomborneit Hall Upgrade 20,000 East Gippsland Shire Council Bairnsdale Racecourse Recreation Reserve Community Facilities Upgrade 200,000 East Gippsland Shire Council Luderick Point (Bemm River) Tourist Facility Redevelopment 100,000

PAGE | 73 Organisation Project $ Amount East Gippsland Shire Council Metung Shared Path 110,000 East Gippsland Shire Council Swifts Creek CBD Renewal 250,000 East Gippsland Shire Council Tabbara Historic Interpretation Walk 49,200 Gannawarra Shire Council Benjeroop Hall Upgrade 35,944 Gannawarra Shire Council Lalbert Community Facility Development 80,000 Gannawarra Shire Council Lalbert Town Centre Development 67,199 Gannawarra Shire Council Mystic Park Water Supply Improvements 70,000 Glenelg Shire Council Dartmoor Quality Water Supply 250,000 Glenelg Shire Council Heywood’s Fitzroy River Precinct Upgrade 63,000 Greater Geelong City Council Barwon Heads Central Improvement 250,000 Greater Geelong City Council Ceres Township Development 125,000 Greater Geelong City Council Leopold Hall Upgrade 102,400 Greater Shepparton City Council Tatura Community Activity Centre Refurbishment 92,500 Greater Shepparton City Council Tatura Park Exhibition and Events Complex 250,000 Greater Shepparton City Council Toolamba Park Development 70,000 Hepburn Shire Council Clunes Town Hall Upgrade 56,000 Hepburn Shire Council Creswick Park Lake Improvements 58,000 Hepburn Shire Council Daylesford Railway Market Precinct Upgrade 68,000 Hindmarsh Shire Council Dimboola Streetscape 46,913 Hindmarsh Shire Council Nhill South Eastern Approach 98,000 Hindmarsh Shire Council Rainbow Urban Design Plan Implementation - Stage 1 48,000 Horsham Rural City Council Dadswell Bridge Village Pathway Link 33,864 Indigo Shire Council Wahgunyah School of Arts Hall Refurbishment 56,000 Latrobe City Council Boolarra Memorial Hall Renovations 98,000 Loddon Shire Council Boort Community Facility Aerodrome Terminal 87,001 Loddon Shire Council Boort Eastern Entrance Development - Stage 1 250,000 Loddon Shire Council Inglewood Reservoir Water to Reserve 133,333 Loddon Shire Council Inglewood Shopping Precinct Development 150,000 Loddon Shire Council Pyramid Hill Walking Track 19,280 Macedon Ranges Shire Council Lancefi eld Park Community Facilities Upgrade 195,035 Mansfi eld Shire Council Mansfi eld Community Connectivity 250,000 Mildura Rural City Council Lake Cullulleraine Track Upgrade 17,593 Mildura Rural City Council Ouyen Roxy Theatre Precinct Development 36,333 Mildura Rural City Council Ouyen Water Return 193,507

PAGE | 74 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

Organisation Project $ Amount Mildura Rural City Council Underbool Community Facility Development 130,000 Mildura Rural City Council Underbool Water Upgrade 250,000 Mitchell Shire Council Pyalong Recreation Reserve Upgrade 140,000 Moorabool Shire Council Ballan Streetscape 120,000 Mount Alexander Shire Council Elphinstone Sawpit Gully Reserve Development 70,000 Mount Alexander Shire Council Maldon Gardens Rejuvenation and Rotunda 49,000 Mount Alexander Shire Council Maldon Heritage Streetscape Renewal 84,000 Moyne Shire Council Koroit CBD Streetscape 100,000 Murrindindi Shire Council Acheron Hall Upgrade - Stage 2 18,000 Murrindindi Shire Council Kinglake Memorial Reserve Facility Upgrade 100,000 Murrindindi Shire Council Yea Recreation Reserve Facility Upgrade 81,000 Northern Grampians Shire Council Halls Gap Pre-Treatment of Water 250,000 Northern Grampians Shire Council Stawell Industrial Gas Pipeline 185,000 Pyrenees Shire Council Avoca Streetscape 200,000 Pyrenees Shire Council Raglan Hall Revival - Stage 2 30,000 Strathbogie Shire Council Euroa Golf Course Water Re-use 60,000 Strathbogie Shire Council Progressing Euroa 249,000 Surf Coast Shire Council Bob Pettitt Reserve Community Infrastructure 100,000 Swan Hill Rural City Council Robinvale Riverfront Renewal - Stage 1 97,700 Swan Hill Rural City Council Wemen Hall Development 84,000 Wangaratta Rural City Council Edi Upper Hall Refurbishment 90,000 Wangaratta Rural City Council Eldorado Footbridge 74,000 Wangaratta Rural City Council Peechelba Public Purpose Reserve Upgrade 23,360 Warrnambool City Council Allansford Hall Upgrade 132,500 Wellington Shire Council Cowwarr Streetscape 56,000 Wellington Shire Council Dargo and Licola Bore Construction 200,000 Wellington Shire Council Victoria Park (Sale) Innovative Water Saving 70,000 Yarriambiack Shire Council Beulah Memorial Park Redevelopment 193,370 Yarriambiack Shire Council Beulah Pioneer Park Development 6,581 Yarriambiack Shire Council Brim Sports and Social Club Rain Water Harvesting and Use 12,944 Yarriambiack Shire Council Minyip Recreation Reserve Rain Water Harvesting - Stage 1 23,993 Yarriambiack Shire Council Murtoa Community Centre Additions 46,000 Yarriambiack Shire Council Murtoa Community Centre Rain Water Harvesting 4,513 Yarriambiack Shire Council Yaapeet Recreation Reserve Camping Facilities 55,716

PAGE | 75 5.4 Output Targets and Performance

OUTPUT GROUP/ Output Performance Indicator 2006/07 Target Full Year Actual REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT/ Regional Economic & Community and Development Quantity Clusters supported in regional Victoria 10 15 Companies in regional Victoria provided with 160 248

assistance for growth opportunities Enquiries to provincial councils about living working 500 1,186 and/or investing in their region Jobs created in Regional Victoria 1,000 2,395

New exports facilitated and announced in regional $100m $273.7m Victoria New investment facilitated and announced in regional $750m $1,518.1m Victoria Next Generation Food Strategy - initiatives in operation 36 34

Provincial Economic Partnerships - supported projects 15 32 Quality Participant satisfaction with Regional Business 75% 80% Investment Ready Program OUTPUT GROUP/ Output Performance Indicator 2006/07 Target Full Year Actual REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT/ Regional Infrastructure Development Quantity RIDF projects funded (excluding Gas and Small 10 36 Towns Development Fund)

Small Towns Development Fund projects funded 90 97 Towns with work commenced to enable connection 30 34 under the Natural Gas Extension Program Quality

RIDF Committee recommendations accepted by 90% 100% Ministers Timeliness Advice to RIDF applicants - after receipt of application 90 days 64 days

PAGE | 76 RDV ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07

5.5 Revenue and Expenses

Output Group Schedule - Controlled revenue and expenses for the year ended 30 June 2007.

Regional Development 2006/07 2005/06 $’000 $’000 Income Output appropriations 62,398 60,441 Regional Infrastructure Development Fund appropriations 92,000 35,000 Other revenue 2,706 1,844 Other income (78) (22) Total Income 157,026 97,263

Expenses Grants and other payments (99,638) (55,610) Employee benefi ts (12,316) (10,629) Depreciation and amortisation (870) (515) Capital asset charge (505) (328) Supplies and services (10,329) (10,663) Finance costs (57) (38) Impairment of assets - (2,395) Total expenses (123,715) (80,178)

Net Result for the Reporting Period 33,311 17,085 The net result for the reporting period refl ects the additional revenue received in November 2005 as part of Moving Forward: Making Provincial Victoria the Best Place to Live, Work and Invest. The surplus relates predominately to the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF). The balance of the RIDF Trust at 30 June 2007 was $152.22 million, funding which is being held to meet existing commitments due in future periods. Regional Development Victoria was established under the Regional Development Victoria Act 2002. The fi nancial operations of Regional Development Victoria are included in the Financial Report for the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development.

PAGE | 77 6.0 Contact Information

6.1 Regional Development Victoria – Contact Information

A. Melbourne Offi ce Wodonga 121 Exhibition Street 6/22 Stanley Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Wodonga VIC 3690 Postal Address Tel: 02 6056 2166 PO Box 4509 Fax: 02 6056 2334 Melbourne VIC 3001 C. Rural Development Offi cers Tel: 03 9651 9999 Fax: 03 9651 9962 Ararat Telephone: (03) 5352 1367 www.rdv.vic.gov.au Bairnsdale Telephone: (03) 5153 2741 B. Regional Offi ces at Victorian Business Centres (VBCs) Colac Telephone: (03) 5231 6627 Ballarat Horsham Telephone: (03) 5381 2762 48 Sturt Street Mildura Telephone: (03) 5051 2000 Ballarat VIC 3350 Seymour Telephone: (03) 5799 0573 Tel: 03 5320 5900 Fax: 03 5330 5998 Wangaratta Telephone: (03) 5721 6988 Warrnambool Telephone: (03) 5561 4135 Bendigo Wodonga Telephone: (02) 6056 2166 46 Edward Street Bendigo VIC 3550 D. Regional Infrastructure Development Fund Tel: 03 5442 4100 Fax: 03 5442 5452 Telephone: 9651 9301 Email: [email protected] Geelong 69-71 Moorabool Street E. Food Industry Specialists Geelong VIC 3220 Ballarat Telephone: (03) 5320 5915 Tel: 03 5229 0641 Fax: 03 5229 9503 Shepparton Telephone: (03) 5821 1811 Mildura Warragul Telephone: (03) 5622 1612 131 Langtree Avenue Warrnambool Telephone: 0418 545 580 Mildura VIC 3500 F. Interface Councils Liaison Offi cer Tel: 03 5051 2000 Fax: 03 5051 2020 Melbourne Telephone: (03) 9651 9082 Shepparton G. Email 3/164 Welsford Street Email: To contact a staff member at Regional Development Victoria Shepparton VIC 3630 use the email domain: fi rst name.last [email protected] Tel: 03 5821 1811 Fax: 03 5822 2554 For general email enquiries: [email protected] Traralgon 33 Breed Street H. Websites Traralgon VIC 3844 www.rdv.vic.gov.au Tel: 03 5174 9233 Fax: 03 5174 7845 www.provincialvictoria.vic.gov.au Wangaratta www.food.vic.gov.au 27-29 Faithfull Street www.business.vic.gov.au Wangaratta VIC 3677 Tel: 03 5721 6988 Fax: 03 5721 2265

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Published by the Victorian Government Regional Development Victoria Annual Report 2006/07 October 2007 Melbourne Victoria © Copyright State of Victoria 2007 This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. ISSN 1448-9341 Contact: Regional Development Victoria Level 33, 121 Exhibition St Melbourne 3000 Telephone: (03) 9651 9138 Facsimile: (03) 9651 9360 Email: [email protected] www.rdv.vic.gov.au

Printed by: Centre State Printing, 52 Loch Street, Maryborough

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