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