Rural City of Wangaratta SUBMISSION 23 62-68 Ovens Street Wangaratta Vic. 3677 P.O. Box 238 Wangaratia 3678 DX 219459 Wangaratta Telephone (03) 5722 0888 Facsimile (03) 5721 9526 E-mail
[email protected] Website www.wangaratta.vic.gov.au TTY (03) 5722 0800 (For hearing irnpared) In Replying Please Quote: sd:DS / di: 334139 If Calling Please Ask For: 24 March 2009 The Secretary StfKH Cllf Of Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport, Wangaratta Regional Development and Local Government House of Representatives Parliament House CANBERRA ACT 2600 Dear Sir Inquiry into the impact of the global financial crisis on regional Australia In response to your call for submissions in relation to the above, I am pleased to submit the Wangaratta Unlimited Global Economic Downturn Response Strategy as the Rural City of Wangaratta's submission. By way of background, Wangaratta Unlimited is the economic development arm of the Rural City of Wangaratta. In November last year it decided to take a proactive response to the global economic downturn and commenced developing a response strategy. This strategy was finalised in February 2009 and submitted to Council for adoption. The strategy is based on the premise that "now is not the time to be timid". It acknowledges that while the Wangaratta regional economy will not be immune from the affects of the economic downturn, there are measures that can be undertaken to buffer these affects and indeed provide offsets to employment and economic activity in other directions. It is nominated four key directions for doing so: • Direct economic stimulation • Innovation and entrepreneurship • Leadership • Business support I look forward to your consideration of the Wangaratta Unlimited Global Economic Downturn Response Strategy and would be prepared to provide further information should you wish in this regard.