Review Ofregionalservicedeliverymodel

UNCLASSIFIED

11March2015

MsLeighKennedy

RegionalDirectorGippsland

RegionalDevelopment

Victoria33BreedStreet

Traralgon VIC3850

DearMsKennedy

Review ofRegionalServiceDeliveryModel

MinisterPulford,MinisterforRegionalDevelopment,advisedinaletterreceived26February2015,thattheVictorianDepartmentofEconomicDevelopment,Jobs,TransportandResources(DEDJTR)hascommencedareviewintoitsregionalservicedeliverymodelandthedevelopmentofstrategicdirectionsforregional policyinVictoria.Asakeystakeholder,WellingtonShireCouncilwasaskedtoprovideideasandinputthroughtoyouroffice,toforwardtotheprojectteam.

WellingtonShireCouncilhasbenefitedfromastrongregionalmodel,andan excellentrelationshipwiththeGippslandRegionalDevelopmentteam.ThebenefitsfromhavingalocalRDVpresence,strategicallylocatedinSale,withawarenessofregionalbusinesses,personalitiesandprioritiescannotbeunderestimated.Ratherthan work in isolation, Council’seconomicdevelopmentteamandtheRDVbusinessinvestmentteamengageregularlyonaformalbasis,butalsohaveaninformalrelationshipbuiltontrustandmutualrespectthataffords fargreaterinteractionthanwouldbepossiblewithacentralisedmodel.

Businessengagementhasbeen strengthenedthroughcollaborativelyworkingonabusinessengagementmodel,withjointvisitstohigherlevelbusinesseswherepossible,andsharing ofappropriateinformationatotherlevels,toassistagreaterlevelofservicefrombothStateandlocalgovernmenttoourregionalbusinesses.Asanexample ofthiscollaboration,CouncilrecentlyhostedthenewRegionalDirectorRDVGippslandonindustryvisitstofourkeystrategicbusinesses,shortlyafterherappointment.ThisdemonstrationofpartnershipwaswellreceivedbythosebusinessesandtimelygivenchangestoStateGovernmentfocusaftertherecent changeofGovernment.

Inparticular,thevalueoflocalrelationshipandengagementwiththebusinessinvestmentteamwasadecidingfactorintheprioritisationtohigherlevelsoftheDepartmentofthebusinesscasetosupportaSalebasedtenderforthebasicflyingtrainingcomponentofDefenceProjectAIR5428.WithoutassistancefromtheRDVGippslandofficeandwithothercompetingStatepriorities,itisunlikelyCouncil'svoicewouldhavebeenheardattherightlevelstodemonstratethevalueofearlycollaborationbetweenlocalandStateGovernmenttoliaisewithpotentialtenderers.IfaVictorianoutcomeissuccessful,itisestimatedthat$2billionofvalueaddwouldberealisedoverthe25yearprojectlifetotheregionaleconomy.

RecentcollaborationontheStateGovernmentfundedbusinessgrowthsupportprojectalsodemonstratedhowadditionalstaffingandresourceeffort,withthebenefitofanappropriatefundingleversuchastheLatrobeValleyIndustryandInfrastructureFund,canfacilitatetheadditionofover75newjobsandeconomicgrowthwithprojectsvaluedat$10.9MtoWellington.Withoutsuchfundinglevers,assistancetolocalbusinessesforgrowthcanbequitelimitedinscope.

OtherexamplesofongoingcollaborationandadvocacybetweenWellingtonShireandtheRegionalRDVteamincludethefollowingkeyprojects.TheretentionofTAFEandtertiaryleveltrainingfacilitiesandprogramsthroughthedevelopmentofthePortofSaleEducationprecinctwillprovideyoungerresidentsgreateroptionsforstudyandhelptopreventskillslosstothelocaleconomy.WithagricultureWellington'ssecondlargestemployer,itisvitalthatcontinuedsupporttotheMID2030projecttomodernisetheMacalisterIrrigationDistrictisreceived.Thisprojecttotransformlocalagriculturewillresultinasignificantincreaseinagriculturaloutputandeconomicgrowth.

Councilwouldwelcometheopportunityforfurtheropportunitytodiscusstheregionalservicedeliverymodelaspartofthestakeholderengagementprogram.

Yourssincerely

John Websdale

General Manager, Development