PUBLIC DISCUSSION DOCUMEN r ..,. .. " • __ rl@piJ tA ~VA@@l@!i LATROBE REGIONAL STRATEGY PLAN ... 711. 3099 456 LAT:S Strategy copy 1 ...... ....- J MPE LIBRARY \\ll\ll\\\\\ll\\\ ll\\\ ll\\\l\l\\ ll\\ll\\I\\\\\\\\\ M0004061 This document has been placed on exhibition in accordance with the Latrobe Regional Commission Act for public discussion. The document has not yet received State Government approval. STEPS AHEAD LATROBE REGIONAL STRATEGY PLAN MINISTRY FOR PLANNING ANO ENVIRONMFNT LIBRARY Latrobe Regional Commission 43 Grey Street, Traralgon 3844 P. O. Box 620, Traralgon Telephone: (05 1) 7 4 8055 711 . 3099 6038651 Facsimile: (051) 74 6174 456 LAT:S Latrobe regional strategy APRIL 1988 Strategy plan : public discussion copy I document l . Chairman's Foreword This Latrobe Regional Strategy Plan has been written in a climate of changing predictions for the Region's future development and rate of growth. It is the first serious attempt to identify these changes and develop a program of actions dedicated to ensuring that a high quality of life is achieved for the regional community. The need for such a plan was born in the early 1980s when scenarios predicted 21 brown-coal-fired power stations spread throughout the Region. At the time, such development of our resources of coal, oil, gas and timber, while vital to Victoria's development, was subjecting the Region to major change and pressures. Those scenarios have changed to such an extent that future brown-coal-fired stations are being challenged as uneconomic and the long term future of the Region is under threat. As such, the priorities of a Latrobe Regional Strategy Plan must now be the need to diversify the Region's economy away from being almost totally reliant on power generation. It also needs to take steps to avoid the problems created by cyclic industrial activity. I believe we can succeed. Just as circumstances have changed since the early 1980s, the future is likewise uncertain. Although we are able to make informed predictions about future growth patterns, the Latrobe Regional Strategy Plan will need to be constantly monitored to ensure its effectiveness in meeting the needs and aspirations of the community. Thus the 1988 Latrobe Regional Strategy Plan is the first step in an on-going process. The Plan will be released simultaneously with the Latrobe Regional Land Use Policy and Latrobe Regional Environment Policy. Together these documents comprise a package entitled Steps Ahead. As the title Steps Ahead suggests, the Latrobe Regional Strategy Plan and its companion documents are intended to provide clear directions for the Region. They will be on public exhibition for three months, during which, submissions will be invited. They should be lodged with the LRC by 13 July, 1988. Following consultation, and if necessary appropriate modification, it is anticipated that the Latrobe Regional Strategy Plan will be adopted as Government policy for all agenr,ies involved in decision making within, and on behalf of, the Region. I commend this plan to you. It is an attempt to maintain this beautiful area's rightful place as the Jewel in Victoria's Crown. I hope that all people interested in the future of this exciting Region will read it, comment and act in accordance with it to further the interests of the regional community. The future development of our Region depends on it. Robert J. Seear CHAIRMAN Acknowledgments The preparation of the material comprising Steps Ahead is the culmination of a great deal of work which would not have been possible without the generous assistance provided over an extended period of time by many individuals, groups, organizations, local Councils and Government Departments and Agencies. The Commission wishes to express its particular thanks to: • ·All those individuals, groups and organizations too numerous to mention, who contributed by participation in search conferences and advisory groups, submission of written and verbal material and other ways; • Members of the Regional Strategy Plan Advisory Panel: Ms Undy Cochrane Mr Brian Dwyer Dr Kevin Foley Mr David Green Dr Max Neutze and Ms Alison.Teese, for their advice and assistance; and • The Coal Corporation of Victoria, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Department of Industry, Technology and Resources, the Latrobe Valley Water and Sewerage Board, the Ministry for the Arts and the Ministry for Planning and Environment for providing funds and staff for the preparation of major developmental reports. In addition, the Commission wis-hes to thank all those .LRC participants involved in the preparation of Steps Ahead and in particular, those individuals listed in Appendix I. 1 '",.(," Table of Contents Page No. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (i) 1. INTRODUCTION 2. STRATEGIC PLANNING IN THE LATROBE REGION 4 3. THE REGION IN 1988 - A Community Profile 6 . 4. THE FUTURE 12 5. ISSUES FOR THE 1988 .STRATEGY PLAN 15 6. THE REGIONAL STRATEGY 16 7. ACTION PROGRAM 25 Objective 1 26 Objective 2 32 Objective 3 36 Objective 4 38 Objective 5 42 Objective 6 46 Objective 7 54 APPENDICES LRC PARTICIPANTS IN THE PREPARATION OF STEPS AHEAD .57 II LIST OF SUPPORTING PAPERS 59 Ill STATE POLICY FRAMEWORK 61 BIBLIOGRAPHY 63 ABBREVIATIONS 64 Executive Summary The Latrobe Region has recently emerged from a period of intense economic activity, chiefly, but not entirely, associated with the construction of Loy Yang A power station. During that period the cumulative effects of peaks of act1v1ty, interspaced with equally significant troughs, led to considerable problems. Compounding these problems was a lack of effective planning and decision making. The challenges for the Region over the coming decade are likely to be substantially different from those of the past. Where past problems were caused by rapid growth and lack of co-ordinated planning, the problems of the next decade, and beyond, are ant1c1pated to be those of low growth and possible stagnation. It is likely that any growth will sl1ll t.Je subject to cyclic impacts but of less magnitude and evidence would suggest the Region is better placed to cope. Extensive consultation has shown the overwhelming concerns of the regional community to be the need for lmprovea regional employment and economic stability while simultaneously ensuring the social well being of the community. For these reasons, the Latrobe Regional Strategy Plan seeks to focus on these economic and social concerns of the community. Actions proposed in the plan are designed to create more stability in the Region by d1vers1ty1ng the regional economy. This will reduce the impact that cyclic industrial activity has, and will . continue lo <:HllSP.. Expanded opportunities tor business and employment together with improved planning and co-ordination of intrnstr11r.t11rP will hPnPfit the whole commLinity. ,...~ . The plan identifies seven objectives which form the socio-economic focus of the strategy. Each is accomoo.n1od by dotn1lcxl n1.t1on nlnns The objectives are: 1. To encourage development of "grass roots" regional enterprises; 2. To attract investment from outside the Region in new industries and in those industries able to employ the under-ut111sfH1 skills ot thA rP.01onr.il community; 3. To support established industries to ensure there is no net decline in the total number of employment opportunities in indu.st1·i~::, ull1~1 l11d11 111dju1 cu11::;l1ucliu11 industries; 4. I u ensure that education and vocational training within the Region are oriented towards establishing a wider skills base which will encourage economic growth and meet the employment aspirations of the community; 5. To co-ordinate the provision of infrastructure related to industrial and economic activity; 6. To ensure that, through more responsive planning processes, services are matched to the needs of the regional community at all times; and 7. To promote the lifestyle opportunities of the Region in order to attract new professional and managerial staff. s A range of actions has been developed to meet these objectives and create a more diverse and robust economic base. These are: • Io assist local people to develop businesses using their own skills, a range of business assistance programmes will be made available and potential new industry prospects in horticulture, agroforestry, wood products, tourism and the arts will be encouraged; • To assist in bringing new businesses to the Region, a range of identified opportunities in the timber drying, horticultural and brown coal industrios will bo marketed; ::ind • To support established local businesses, a range of business services and support mechanisms will be establist1ed. I hese will include a power industry forum to continuously monitor the progress of the Latrobe Region's biggest single employer. The following set of complementary actions is proposed: • To ensure that education and vocational training are appropriate, a range of actions is proposed to support the development of specialist courses by education and training institutes; • To ensure that infrastructure commensurate with community development is provided, the LRC will push for the early determination of infrastructure nE'eds, the equitable sharing of the costs related to major project development, the upgrading of major highways and rail links, and the provision of adequate water reserves and waste disposal systems; • The LRC proposes an expanded and comprehensive set of planning, co-ordination, participation and monitoring systems to more effectively determine and provide services which match the needs of the community; and • A comprehensive promotional campaign is proposed to particularly attract professional and managerial staff. Implementation of the plan will require wide acceptance and ready co-operation by the regional community and agencies operating in the Region. Specific targets have been set for each objective. Among these the LRC aims to: • Create 50 new jobs a year through the encouragement of grass roots enterprises; • Create a further 50 new jobs per year through the attraction of outside investment in new industries in the Region; and • Ensure there is no net decline in existing employment opportunites.