Thursday, 14 November 2024

Ministers statements: regional development

Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Regional Development) (12:38): In 2016 this Labor government established the nine regional partnerships. We know that local communities are in the best position to understand the challenges and opportunities faced by their region, and it gave me great pleasure to announce the appointment of more than 40 new members to Victoria’s regional partnership team. The reappointment will be joined by a further 25. With eight new chairs, the appointments also reflect a renewed focus on economic development in regional Victoria. Their strong connections to local community, industry and business position regional partnerships to be a direct, place-based –

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Order! You are going to start from the start. Reset the clock. I will tell you, I did not want to do it, but yesterday I used standing order 13.3, which kicks people out. So I have got a taste for it now. It has gone to my head. You are going to start from the start, and you are going to be quiet.

Gayle TIERNEY: In 2016 the Labor government established the nine regional partnerships. We know that local communities are in the best position to understand the challenges and opportunities faced by their regions, and it gave me great pleasure to announce the appointment of more than 40 new members to Victoria’s regional partnerships and the reappointment of a further 25. With eight new chairs, the appointments also reflect a renewed focus on economic development in regional Victoria. Their strong connections to local community, industry and business position regional partnerships to be a direct, place-based voice to government, and they are ready to get going. It was an absolute pleasure to join the Premier with my regional Labor colleagues to welcome so many of our new and returning members to Parliament House this week. There was a genuine buzz in the room, with members making the trip from all over the state, from Mildura to Portland and Gippsland.

We also need to ensure young people have every opportunity to stay in our regions. The best way to do this is with high-quality training for in-demand jobs in their own communities. That is why for the very first time we have embedded TAFE CEOs into our regional partnerships. With TAFE at the table we are ensuring young people remain front and centre in conversations about economic growth in our regional communities. As the state’s lead agency for rural and regional economic development, we know that Regional Development Victoria has a critical role in building stronger communities by supporting business, investment and local job creation, and regional partnerships are very much key to this work.