Regional
Development
Victoria
Annual Report
10-11
Front and back cover images show the regional city of Mildura
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CONTENTS
RDV HIGHLIGHTS 2010-2011 2
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT VICTORIA: OBJECTIVES and responsibilities 4
CHIEF executive’s foreword 6
RDV PROFILE 8
RDV sTRUCTURE 10
REGIONAL development advisory committee 12
REGIONAL development AUSTRALIA 13
KEY PARTNERS 14
FACILITATED NEW INVESTMENT AND JOBS 15
infrastructure INVESTMENT 17
ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTRE PROGRAMS 18
REGIONAL GROWTH FUND ADMINISTRATION 23
FLOOD RECOVERY 27
COORDINATED DELIVERY OF PROGRAMS, SERVICES AND RESOURCES 28
PROMOTION OF REGIONAL VICTORIA 33
2011-12 PRIORITIES 34
grants and output targets 37
RDV GRANT payments 38
Economic Infrastructure 51
output targets and performance 57
revenue and expenses 58
financial performance 59
compliance 59
legislation 59
contact information 60
RDV HIGHLIGHTS
2010-2011
Regional Development Victoria (RDV):
· Helped facilitate $770 million in new investment and created $154.3 million worth of new exports. It also contributed to ongoing development in the regions by helping create 1,099 new jobs.
· Announced $43 million in funding for 17 economic infrastructure projects worth $194.5 million to attract more people and investment to regional Victoria and enable regional communities to capture new growth opportunities.
· Developed the programs for the $1 billion Regional Growth Fund to be implemented from 1 July 2011.
· Assisted the Victorian regions to develop eight Regional Strategic Plans to provide a framework for communities to set their own priorities and establish partnerships with industry and governments to benefit their regions. RDV also coordinated the receipt and consideration of the plans by the State Government.
· Provided $12 million in infrastructure funding to support higher education opportunities in regional Victoria, including the University of Ballarat Student Accommodation project and the Deakin University Regional Community Health Hub project.
· Played a key role in the whole-of-Government recovery in response to the serious flood events across regional Victoria from September 2010 to March 2011.
· Supported Regional Development Australia (RDA) through the RDA Committees across regional Victoria to provide strategic and targeted responses to social, economic and environmental issues affecting regional Victoria.
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT VICTORIA: OBJECTIVES and responsibilities
Regional Development Victoria (RDV) works closely with various State Government agencies to meet its key strategic objective of facilitating economic, infrastructure and community development to ensure regional Victoria continues to create new prosperity, more opportunities and a better quality of life for regional Victorians.
RDV has primary responsibility for:
· developing integrated, regionally-focused policies and programs, including the implementation of the Regional Growth Fund – the Government’s new initiative to support future priorities for the social and economic development of regional Victoria;
· creating vibrant and dynamic regional communities and economies through facilitating new jobs, investments, exports, infrastructure for strategic projects and competitive small businesses; and
· delivering programs and information to help grow a robust and sustainable business economy and strengthen communities throughout regional Victoria.
CHIEF executive’s
foreword
I am pleased to report that Regional Development Victoria (RDV) completed a productive year with another strong contribution to the development of regional and rural Victoria.
Under the Regional Development Victoria Act, RDV has worked across Government to facilitate a coordinated delivery of services and programs, and in doing so, helped facilitate $770 million in new investment and develop $154.3 million worth of new exports creating over one thousand new regional jobs.
The year has presented a number of opportunities to build on existing achievements, with the most significant being the enactment of the new Regional Growth Fund Act on 1 June 2011, and the subsequent implementation of the $1 billion Regional Growth Fund. This significant commitment combined with existing regional programs provides the largest funding to date for RDV to invest in regional Victoria. This fund is specifically designed to give local people a greater say in decision making, with both the Putting Locals First and Local Government Infrastructure programs requiring the input of the Regional Development Australia committees and local government.
The Regional Growth Fund complements key policy commitments of the new Government, including the development of a new metropolitan strategy and the development of a state-wide population policy. The fund replaced the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) on 1 June 2011, and from this date, all RIDF projects have been incorporated under the Regional Growth Fund.
On 1 January 2011, RDV became part of the Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD). During these changes RDV distinguished itself by continuing to lead on delivery of the integrated regional development agenda, to deliver sustainable growth and coordinate investment in infrastructure and services.
A major benefit has been the expansion and consolidation of the Government’s presence in regional Victoria through the combining of RDV and DPCD regional offices. This joint effort also provides an integrated approach to planning and economic development across Victoria. It is about strengthening existing regional networks, and both RDV and DPCD are now represented in more locations, enhancing our ability to provide integrated assistance, services and programs for all stakeholders.
While industry investment activity, including that within regional Victoria, remained the responsibility of the Department of Business and Innovation (DBI), regional DBI staff remain collocated with RDV. Through these and other arrangements DBI and RDV will together provide an expanded economic development capacity in Regional Victoria.
In conjunction with these changes, the Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional and Rural Development, Peter Ryan MLA, took the role of Lead Minister for DPCD and the new portfolio for Regional Cities, headed by the Hon Dr Denis Napthine MP, was established to oversee the Government’s agenda for regional city development.
As part of its delivery for these ministerial portfolios, RDV continued to work with many different partners – from the three tiers of Government to industry, advocacy bodies and communities – ensuring the effective implementation of its requisite services and programs throughout regional Victoria.
RDV led the implementation of a new ‘bottom up’ delivery of services and infrastructure, which enables regions to take a leading role in identifying local investment priorities. Regional Strategic Plans in each of the five regional and rural administrative regions are now being used locally to drive long-term development across Victoria. This process involved concerted and productive cooperation between local governments, community and private sector organisations, and is proving a great success.
A range of important planning initiatives was undertaken by RDV during 2010-11, which included working with key stakeholders in the Latrobe Valley to begin developing an employment ‘roadmap’ to coordinate investment in the region’s future economic development.
Having a pivotal partnership with Regional Development Australia (RDA) in Victoria, RDV provided a more strategic and responsive governmental approach to regional development for the benefit of local communities.
Significant infrastructure projects have also been funded by RDV, including an industry water saving project in Geelong which won the 2011 Premier’s Sustainability Award. Assisted by community and local government investment, RDV has commenced delivery with major infrastructure commitments such as the Revitalisation of the Mildura Riverfront.
RDV’s leadership in regional infrastructure was further demonstrated by the launch of the $100 million Energy for the Regions Program, which is a key component of the Regional Growth Fund.
RDV continued to support local communities and councils in their flood and fire recovery processes through partnerships in delivering community support and a targeted assistance to businesses and infrastructure development.
On behalf of the Victorian Government, I’d like to thank all RDV staff for their continued efforts in making the past year such an effective one. I would also like to thank RDV’s former Chief Executive, Justin Hanney, for his contribution in the early period of 2010-11.
RDV will continue as the lead agency responsible for driving economic and community development across rural and regional Victoria. We will continue to work with DBI to promote business growth, job creation and export development opportunities throughout 2011.
Our commitment is to see Victoria well-placed over the long term, with regional development being a central element of Government policy and decision making. In doing so, the essential value and importance of our regions will be increasingly recognised throughout the State and the nation as a whole. We can all look forward to regional Victoria’s bright future.
Xavier Csar
Acting Chief Executive,
Regional Development Victoria
Acting Deputy Secretary,
Department of Planning and
Community Development
RDV PROFILE
RDV is the Government’s lead agency in developing regional and rural Victoria. RDV was established as a statutory body by the Regional Development Victoria Act 2002, and began operating on 3 March 2003. RDV is responsible to the Minister for Regional and Rural Development, supports the Minister for Regional Cities and is part of the Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD). RDV provides strategic advice to the Ministers about the state of rural and regional Victoria in relation to economic, social and environmental issues.
RDV’s aim is to develop a more prosperous and thriving regional Victoria with more opportunities and improved quality of life for regional Victorians.
It achieves this through a focus on regional policy development, attracting investment, creating jobs, promoting exports, and building economies, communities and infrastructure.
RDV links Government programs and jurisdictions to promote business and industry development, work with local government and communities, help new businesses establish themselves, and pave the way for existing industries to grow and diversify.
RDV has responsibility for the implementation of the Government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF). The RGF will deliver $1 billion over eight years to build and upgrade local services and infrastructure, as well as invest in local skills and industries to promote jobs.
In its implementation of the RGF, RDV will deliver flexible funding through five Regional Development Australia committees that help communities develop solutions to local issues, fix gaps in local infrastructure and create job opportunities.
Through the RGF, RDV also aims to strengthen the capacity of regional and rural Victoria to develop within an environment of growth and change. It aims to ensure a competitive environment in which regional businesses can operate successfully and to strengthen the resilience of regional industry in the face of social and environmental change.
RDV adopts a grass roots approach to identifying and developing community-led projects, while ensuring that wherever country Victorians live, they have access to opportunities, quality infrastructure and services.
RDV sTRUCTURE
RDV is structured to deliver a range of programs and initiatives to drive economic and community development across regional and rural Victoria.
As part of machinery of government changes announced in December 2010, most of RDV has transferred to the Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD).
Joining DPCD are those RDV functions and staff concerned with policy and infrastructure development, regional delivery, marketing and the office of the Chief Executive.
RDV functions and staff involved with food strategy, export and industry investment, and a number of regionally-based staff, remain with the Department of Business and Innovation (DBI), previously known as the Department of Industry, Innovation and Regional Development (DIIRD).
In regional offices, teams from RDV and DPCD have been combined to form an integrated and strengthened regional network.
A key benefit is the expansion and consolidation of the Government’s presence in regional Victoria through the union of RDV and DPCD regional offices. The consolidation strengthens existing regional capacity and networks. RDV is now represented in more locations which enhances its ability to provide integrated advice, services and programs throughout regional and rural Victoria.
This includes better integration with sport and recreation initiatives, community development programs and land use planning to ensure a stronger overall presence in regional Victoria.
In 2010-11, RDV operated through the following five groups:
Delivery
The Delivery group works closely with regionally-based Government staff, stakeholder organisations and individuals to support investment, jobs, exports and communities across a range of service areas including program management and recovery from natural disasters.
Food and Beverage
The Food and Beverage group works directly with industry in an export, investment and development capacity. Following machinery of government changes, from 1 January 2011 the Food and Beverage group is no longer part of RDV. The ongoing integration of RDV and the Department of Business and Innovation (DBI) at a regional level will help ensure benefits generated by the Food and Beverage group continue to be provided throughout regional Victoria.
Industry Investment
The Industry Investment group identifies investment and business development opportunities across all industry sectors, including food and beverage, with the aim of facilitating and strengthening economic development within regional Victoria. Following machinery of government changes, from 1 January 2011 the Industry Investment group is no longer part of RDV. DBI staff in the regions will continue to be located with RDV which, with strong administrative arrangements, will ensure that RDV will have an experienced capacity to facilitate regional investment, exports and development.
Infrastructure
The role of the Infrastructure group is to identify, facilitate and deliver infrastructure projects which contribute to the enhanced productivity, liveability and sustainability of regional and rural Victoria, including those initiated through the Regional Growth Fund.
Policy
The Policy group undertakes research and provides policy advice to Ministers and the RDV executive on regional development issues.
The group also oversees and monitors other initiatives within the Government’s regional development agenda including the implementation of the Regional Growth Fund.
REGIONAL development
advisory committee
As provided for under the Regional Development Victoria Act 2002, a regional development advisory body advised the Government on strategies for driving economic growth across regional Victoria.
The committee also advised the Minister for Regional and Rural Development about matters relating to economic and community development across regional Victoria. In 2010-11, the advisory body continued to make a valuable contribution to the Government’s regional and rural development agenda. The RDV Act (2002) was amended in 2011 to replace the Regional Development Advisory Committee with an expanded Regional Policy Advisory Committee (RPAC). From 1 July 2011, RPAC will provide independent, broad-reaching policy advice to Ministers on the RGF and regional development issues.