Councillor Richard Ellis, Mayor of East Gippsland Shire Council and Chair of the Gippsland Local Government Network (GLGN), was thrilled to be a part of the release of the Gippsland Region Priority Area initiative.
Councillor Ellis said, “A key outcome of the Gippsland Regional Plan and several years in the making, this initiative aims to encourage State and Federal Government investment to support development of specific ‘shovel ready’ projects to enhance the region’s future.
“Endorsed through a shared process with the Regional Development Australia Committee (Gippsland), Gippsland Local Government Network and the Gippsland Regional Management Forum, the initiative is also supported by the Committee for Gippsland.
“This collaborative approach – developed through the Gippsland Regional Plan Leadership Group – works to clarify the priorities of the key stakeholders in the region.
“The Priority Area projects include a $150 million upgrade of the Macalister Irrigation District over the next five years, a $25.5 million development of the Gippsland Gateway at the Warragul Station Precinct, $10.57 million to develop Stage One of the Bancroft Bay Marina at Metung and $65 million for Stage 2A redevelopment of the Latrobe Regional Hospital.
“All of these projects flow on from the Gippsland Regional Plan and are projects beyond the capacity of any individual municipality to deliver. This document sets out very clearly what we want and need as a region and what is required to achieve those developments. It gives us a clear set of outcomes that we can show relevant government departments and the private sector, and that we can use to push hard for the support and funding needed to make them happen.
“Importantly we are tackling this as a region; we want all levels of Government and the private sector to see the region working together to achieve a clearly defined set of goals.”
Councillor Ellis concluded by saying, “This document is not just asking government to do these projects for us – it sets out how our region will also contribute for the betterment of the whole of Gippsland.”
The Gippsland Local Government Network (GLGN) is an alliance of six municipalities: Bass Coast, Baw Baw, East Gippsland, Latrobe, South Gippsland and Wellington. Visit glgn.com.au and click on the Gippsland Regional Plan menu tab for a copy of the Gippsland Region Priority Area document.
