New Prosperity, More Opportunities and a Better Quality of Life Contents
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New prosperity, more opportunities and a better quality of life Contents 1. An overview of the Regional Growth Fund 4 The Government’s commitment Funding components Industries and jobs Building stronger communities and a better lifestyle 2. What can be funded? 6 Economic Infrastructure • Growing and Sustaining Regional Industries and Jobs • Transforming and Transitioning Local Economies • Building Strategic Tourism and Cultural Assets • Energy for the Regions Developing Stronger Regions Program Local Government Infrastructure Program Putting Locals First Program 3. Case studies 8 Regional leadership Regional Partnerships Facilitation Fund Year 12 Retention Program 4. Reducing red tape 9 Supporting local government to deliver infrastructure Streamlining the array of Government funding programs 5. Governance of the Regional Growth Fund 9 Regional Policy Advisory Committee Regional Development Australia Committees 6. Additional funding programs available 10 for regional Victoria 7. Further information 11 2 Minister’s foreword L-R: Mr Damian Drum MLC, Hon Peter Ryan MP and Hon Denis Napthine MP Those of us who live in regional and rural Victoria know it is a great place, and it can be even better. Regional cities and country communities play a key In administering the Regional Growth Fund, the Coalition role in driving growth and prosperity in Victoria. As well Government will work with business and community as being home to about 25 per cent of Victorians who sectors. The Government is also committed to fostering choose to live outside Melbourne, the regions make a local decision-making through partnerships with the significant contribution to our state’s economy. five Victorian non-metropolitan Regional Development Australia Committees and local government. The regions play a key role in the Coalition Government’s vision to achieve balanced growth across the state. A statewide Regional Policy Advisory Committee has been established to bring the voice of regional and rural Melbourne will not achieve its full potential as one of Victoria to the table in providing and receiving advice on the world’s great capital cities unless regional and rural economic infrastructure projects and priorities. Victoria is also growing and prospering. Strong growth and prosperity spread evenly across the whole state will Together with my colleagues Minister for Regional Cities not be achieved without additional investment in these Denis Napthine and Parliamentary Secretary for Regional regional areas. and Rural Development Damian Drum, I look forward to working in partnership with regional communities to This is why the Coalition Government is delivering invest in the strengthening of regional Victoria through additional funding and programs to regional and rural the Regional Growth Fund. Victoria through the Regional Growth Fund. The Fund will provide $1 billion over the next eight years to build strong vibrant cities and country communities. The Regional Growth Fund will support major strategic infrastructure and community-led local initiatives that improve both the competitiveness and liveability of PETER RYAN regional and rural Victoria, creating more jobs and better Minister for Regional and Rural Development career opportunities. 3 1. An overview of the Regional Growth Fund Regional and rural Victoria accounts for around a quarter The Government’s commitment of the state’s people, jobs and economic activity. In many respects, regional Victoria powers our state. The The RGF is the Victorian Coalition Government’s strength of this prosperity contributes to thriving regional $1 billion commitment over eight years to drive regional cities and enviable lifestyles. development across the state. It will support regional cities and country communities to create new prosperity, more opportunities and a better quality of life. Regional Victoria’s population is projected to grow by an additional 410,000 people, from 1.45 million to The RGF will: 1.86 million by 2036. This represents significant opportunities for regional communities, but also brings • provide better infrastructure, facilities and services; with it challenges on how we plan for the future. • strengthen the economic, social and environmental base of communities; Planning for how we maximise the emerging markets whilst addressing emerging structural adjustment • create new jobs and improve career opportunities; pressures and social disadvantage will be integral to the • support the planning and development of projects; prosperity of the state. and The global economic environment characterised by rapid • leverage increased investment. technological change and the emergence of major new The RGF seeks to strengthen the capacity of regional markets offers Victoria’s regions significant opportunities and rural Victoria to develop within the environment of to capitalise on their competitive strengths. growth and change. It aims to ensure a competitive In the face of these new opportunities and challenges, environment in which regional businesses can operate the Victorian Coalition Government can play an important successfully; and to strengthen the resilience of regional role in building the adaptive capacity of regional industry in the face of social and environmental change. communities and businesses, while ensuring that people It incorporates a grass roots approach to identifying and continue to have a sense of belonging within their developing community-led projects, while ensuring that communities. wherever country Victorians live they have access to The Regional Growth Fund (RGF) has been developed opportunities, quality infrastructure and services. in the context of rapid change throughout regional and rural Victoria. The framework for the RGF is based on two long-term goals: 1. developing a prosperous and thriving regional Victoria with more opportunities for regional Victorians; and 2. improving the quality of life for regional Victorians. 4 Industries and jobs Building stronger communities and a better lifestyle The Coalition Government recognises the diversity of The Coalition Government is committed to supporting issues which confront regional communities. the development of local solutions to address gaps in infrastructure and services in regional communities. That is why the Government will drive more investment towards regional infrastructure and services. This Local communities can now play a greater role in includes improved energy supplies and better transport decision-making to determine what projects can be links, which will benefit local businesses and industry. funded through the RGF, which will support their own It will allow them to compete more effectively in national community and region. This will result in the achievement and global markets which will contribute to continued of better outcomes. By identifying and assessing local economic development in regional Victoria. This issues and priorities, communities can take action to get will create more jobs, improve the number of career things done. options in regional towns and cities and boost business opportunities for regional Victorians. Investment in community and lifestyle infrastructure, facilities and services will be improved. Funding which Smaller rural councils will now be in a much better targets locally identified projects such as infrastructure, position to attract investment and population growth with economic development and job creation activities and additional infrastructure and support. improve environmental land use will benefit communities and enhance their lifestyle. The RGF will provide more flexible and responsive funding to assist business and industry in regional The RGF will facilitate the strengthening of partnerships Victoria. Funding will also support studies to investigate to investigate local needs and better inform local the technical or economic feasibility of a project, which is priorities. Both the Putting Locals First and Local an important first step for organisations who want to, for Government Infrastructure programs enable a strong example, utilise innovative technology to become more local voice. resource efficient. Simply stated, the RGF will provide flexible and responsive funding that will support communities to be more resilient, contribute to a better quality of life and further strengthen the Victorian economy. The Regional Growth Fund has two main components: $1 billion over 8 years 1. The Strategic Initiatives component of the RGF supports major projects of regional and state-wide STRATEGIC significance which will strengthen the economic INITIATIVES base of communities and generate opportunities 60% LOCAL for new jobs. INITIATIVES 40% 2. The Local Initiatives component funds local projects • ECoNoMIC INFRASTRuCTuRE and plans, as prioritised by regional and rural • DEVELoPING STRoNGER communities and local councils with the assistance REGIoNS • LoCAL GoVERNMENT and support of the five non-metropolitan Victorian • BuILDING STRoNGER INFRASTRuCTuRE Regional Development Australia Committees. REGIoNS • PuTTING LoCALS FIRST 5 2. What can be funded? For the next four years, the major focus areas of the RGF are shown below. The remaining $500 million will be allocated for 2015-2018. Economic Infrastructure Program • Growing and Sustaining Regional Industries and Jobs • Transforming and Transitioning Local Economies • Building Strategic Tourism and Cultural Assets • Energy for the Regions Strategic Initiatives component Developing Stronger Regions Program $300 million Building