Thursday, 17 August 2023

Ministers statements: regional development

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Water, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Equality) (12:08): I rise today with a great deal of pleasure as Minister for Regional Development to talk about the regional package of more than $2 billion to make sure that our rural and regional communities can shine now and into the future. Next week marks the first of a series of further forums and discussions across rural and regional Victoria, beginning in Shepparton – and I have been to Shepparton and continued to have conversations with local government and sporting and community facilities in recent months – to talk about community-based discussion, partnerships and opportunities for collaboration that will inform the way that the $2 billion regional package will be delivered.

We are able to bring forward these elements of the package, which include $550 million for permanent sporting infrastructure; $1 billion for social and affordable housing in rural and regional Victoria, which incidentally builds upon an investment of more than $1.25 billion in housing across rural and regional Victoria; $150 million for regional worker accommodation; and $170 million for tourism, sports programs, marketing and our visitor and events economy, as well as our First Nations economic development fund and work for multicultural organisations and funding there, making sure that our wonderful Tiny Towns program can continue for rural and regional Victoria with an additional $10 million and making sure that we deliver every single one of the permanent and upgraded sporting facilities across our regional hubs and more. Wonderful conversations, and they will continue.