Rural and regional councils are pushing for major political parties to fund a $1 billion investment fund ahead of November’s state election, with Glenelg Shire now adding its voice to the campaign. The move will see advocacy signs put up across the shire.
What happened: Glenelg Councillors backed Rural Councils Victoria’s (RCV) campaign during last Tuesday’s meeting, arguing rural communities carry a significant share of Victoria’s economic load while facing ageing infrastructure, housing shortages and growing pressure on council budgets.
RCV is campaigning for $1 billion, spent over four years. It is asking political parties, MPs and candidates to publicly support its priorities ahead of the election.
Glenelg Shire will install campaigns at several sites where the council is seeking state investment, including the Heywood Recreation Reserve.
What they’re asking: The proposed fund would target four areas: renewing ageing community facilities, economic development, council sustainability and housing supply.
RCV says rural councils are struggling with ageing assets and rising costs while a lack of water, sewerage and draining prevents housing projects from progressing.
What councillors said: Councillor Michael Carr said rural councils had been “neglected for far too long”.
“You don’t ask, you don’t get,” he told the meeting, arguing the state needed to invest in rural councils so they could continue contributing to the state’s economy through industries like tourism and agriculture.
Mayor Karen Stephens pointed to Glenelg’s annual economic output of $4.2 billion.
“The parliament needs to start understanding what the significance is of what we produce and what our outputs are,” she said.
Why it matters: RCV claims nearly one in four Victorians live in rural and regional areas, generating almost 20 percent of the state’s economic output, worth more than $118 billion a year.
It says rural and regional communities also support about 850,000 jobs across agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and services, meaning investment in rural communities has benefits beyond the regions themselves.
For Glenelg, the campaign provides another avenue to push for funding for projects the council has already identified as priorities.