Council
21 June, 2024
Council shares concerns with State Gov’
CORANGAMITE shire and the south west were represented in the halls of power in Melbourne last month.
Corangamite Shire Council mayor Kate Makin and chief executive officer David Rae were among a contingent of South West Victoria Alliance (SWVA) representatives who took the region’s concerns to State Parliament on Wednesday, May 29 and Thursday, May 30.
A 60-strong delegation from the SWVA met with senior government and opposition figures to advocate on behalf of the region and launch a refreshed advocacy platform.
While there, they met with opposition leader John Pesutto, Nationals leader Peter Walsh, Member for Polwarth Richard Riordan and Member for Lowan Emma Kealy.
They also met with Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence and Minister for Jobs and Industry; Women; and Treaty and First Peoples Natalie Hutchins.
Cr Makin said they spoke about plantations, childcare, housing, health services, youth, volunteering and roads.
“We are seeing more and more timber plantations in the shire, and there is concern among local communities that more needs to be done to protect our grazing land,” she said.
“Dairy, wool and cropping have long been the pillars of the Corangamite economy, jobs and the character of our communities.
“Locking up land for years under timber doesn’t create jobs or demand for supporting businesses that are the backbone of our towns.
“It’s important that the future prosperity of those communities is paramount at all levels of decision making.”
Childcare was also on the agenda, Cr Makin said.
“Together we raised the innovative idea of developing of a Centre of Excellence in the south west to train more staff and address the workforce shortage,” she said.
“By providing those opportunities for parents to get back into the workforce, it can also open doors to attracting workers to the regions and address skills shortages in agriculture, tourism, hospitality and other sectors.”
The delegation also lobbied for expansion of key worker housing projects in the region using successful models that had already been implemented, and more investment in roads and other transport infrastructure to ensure the future security of high-value agriculture.