Addressing critical workforce shortages, upgrading local roads, and fast-tracking construction of more homes are priorities for Regional Cities Victoria heading into this year’s federal election.
RCV Chair Cr Shane Sali, Mayor of Greater Shepparton says with the right investment and policy settings regional Victoria can house a greater proportion of the state’s population and contribute to the nation’s economic prosperity.
“Victoria’s regional cities are ‘hubs’ that underpin region-scale economies, liveability, and support regional Australia’s economic growth,” Cr Sali said.
“Local government is at the forefront of responding to the stronger-than-expected population growth we’re seeing and maintaining the liveability for which regional Victoria is renowned.
“RCV cities have got the space to grow and prosper – what we need is equitable and sustainable investment in our cities to fast-track construction of more homes, fill critical jobs, improve resilience to natural disasters and ensure councils are financially sustainable so we can deliver the services and facilities that people rely on.”
Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) is urging the federal government to commit billions of dollars in funding to support infrastructure, housing, and public safety across regional areas.
The advocacy group has outlined a comprehensive plan aimed at ensuring long-term growth and sustainability outside metropolitan Melbourne.
As part of its proposal, RCV is calling for $1 billion annually through the Growing Regions Program and the Regional Precincts and Partnership Program, with a guarantee that 25 percent of all infrastructure funding allocated to Victoria will be spent on regional projects.
Additionally, it is seeking $1.5 billion per year through the Housing Support Program to connect essential services such as water, power, and sewerage, while also upgrading local roads and intersections.
A key demand from RCV is the return of flexibility for regional councils to determine local priorities under a non-competitive, four-year Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Fund.
The group also argues that this would provide much-needed support for the maintenance of roads and vital community facilities without the need for councils to compete for funding.
Recognising the growing costs of road construction and maintenance, RCV is also pushing for Roads to Recovery funding to be indexed once it reaches $1 billion in 2027-28.
Another major priority is the inclusion of infrastructure betterment provisions within the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. RCV believes that building community infrastructure resilience should be a standard practice, rather than being treated as an exceptional circumstance.
In an effort to improve safety in regional centers, RCV is also advocating for a new Safer Regional Cities initiative, which would fund CCTV installations and other crime prevention measures in Victoria’s largest regional hubs.
According to RCV the investments are critical to ensuring the economic prosperity and livability of regional Victoria, calling on the federal government to act swiftly in delivering the necessary funding.
