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Latrobe CEO Delivers Opening Statement To Traralgon Bypass InquiryLatrobe City’s chief executive officer, Paul Buckley, in delivering Latrobe City’s opening statement to the Traralgon Bypass Inquiry today, has urged the Advisory Committee to recommend and reiterate the community’s agreed W4B alignment. By Latrobe City - 8th May 2007 - Back to News
Latrobe City Council welcomes the opportunity to present its case for the retention of the agreed W4B alignment for the proposed Traralgon bypass. Although this Advisory Committee hearing is dealing with the alignment of a freeway, much more is at stake – namely the continued economic growth, prosperity and well being of Traralgon and the broader Latrobe City.
Council is confident that the Advisory Committee will fairly and rigorously consider the material presented to it by the various experts and the lawyers. What I want to try and do today is to give you an overview of the clear vision my Council has for its community.
I hope that it is clear without the need for further elaboration that Council fully acknowledges the importance of the coal-mining and electricity generation industries. These have supported the Latrobe Valley for more than three generations.
However, what has grown out of that industry is a community which must be allowed to thrive.
This requires that a balanced approach must be taken towards managing and utilizing the coal resource. Coal and community are inextricably linked so that any decision regarding either of these should be mindful of the impact on the other.
The Latrobe City Council has a clear vision for its community. It is described in the document known as Latrobe 2021- the Vision for the Latrobe Valley. It is, if you like, the "Melbourne 2030" for the Latrobe City.
The Latrobe 2021 vision was developed through much consultation with the Latrobe City community, which approved and authorised it. The document has been adopted by Latrobe City Council. In due course it will underpin the review of Council's Municipal Strategic Statement.
By contrast, as noted by the Department of Sustainability and Environment, the document known as LV2100 – has not been adopted-- either by the community or by the Victorian Government. Latrobe Valley 2100 has not been approved or authorised by anyone.
I would also make the perhaps obvious observation, that the Latrobe City community, VicRoads, the Department of Sustainability and Environment and the Department of Primary Industries had all signed off on a bypass alignment – W4B – as recommended by the 2004 Advisory Committee. I am unsure what has changed since that time, that necessitates this new enquiry, but in any event, I welcome this further opportunity to revisit the matter.
Returning to the Latrobe 2021 document, the Vision as expressed in that document calls for, amongst other things, a growing population and a diversified economy. These two important prongs of the Latrobe 2021 vision can be made possible by the retention of the community’s agreed Traralgon bypass alignment, W4B.
This will allow coal to be extracted, and housing to be provided, so as to ensure that Latrobe City can attract and retain investment, and house the skilled workforce needed to operate Victoria’s coal-based mining, power-generation and clean coal industries into the future.
When Council talks about its Vision, it is the Vision set out in Latrobe 2021; which is to aim for:
· A vibrant region
· A caring and enterprising community
· A harmonious community
· A sustainable, safe, secure region
Latrobe 2021 was the result of extensive community consultation. It determined what the community wants for the future of the Latrobe Valley. It proposes, amongst other things, that the Valley’s workforce will be multi-cultural, multi-lingual and multi-skilled………
….and that an increase in investment will spur a dramatic rise in Gross Regional Product and employment. This should come about as a direct result of Latrobe City Council’s facilitation of investment in the region, through a network of contacts in business, Government and community agencies.
Above all, the Council is seeking to support the community’s vision by enhancing the liveability and sustainability of the Latrobe Valley. Council is seeking to support the community’s vision.
What does it mean to be a vibrant region? It is an apt description of what Latrobe is today – a region benefiting from positive population growth and a diversified economy.
Why is population growth so important? In simple terms, in today’s competitive global economy, a region must grow or it will die. Stagnation is not an option, much less contraction.
A growing region can invest in the social and economic infrastructure needed to ensure its residents enjoy a high quality lifestyle.
Excellent schools, hospitals, recreational facilities and transport options are attainable when a region is growing.
The Council Plan for 2007 – 2011 says it best:
"Latrobe City’s strong sense of community continues to be a prime factor in attracting people to live and work in the region. The City offers families the very best in health care, education and housing affordability, as well as a diverse range of employment opportunities."
Traralgon is the largest town in Gippsland and is growing at a rate of 2.7%. 2.7% is almost double the average for regional Victoria. Regional population growth is at 1.41%, the strongest growth in 17 years.
The market is clearly saying that Traralgon is one of the most desirable residential destinations in the region – as evidenced by the fact that the median house price in Traralgon is substantially higher than other townships in the Region. The market is clearly saying that Traralgon is one of the most desirable residential destinations in the region.
Latrobe needs room to grow.
In recent years, Latrobe City has been transformed by a dramatic turn-around of its economy. It has become a sought-after region in which to live, work and prosper. New and expanded facilities and services have induced people to move to Latrobe City, and to plan for their futures here.
However, the ability of Latrobe’s towns to provide community and business facilities and services is constrained by their size.
There are no large regional centres in Latrobe City, or the wider region of Gippsland, similar to Ballarat or Bendigo.
When a town’s population reaches a point of critical mass, its activities can be carried out locally instead of outside its boundaries. Larger towns have both economies of scale and local markets. Traralgon has now reached this point. It is the largest town within Latrobe City and Gippsland.
Traralgon, and indeed Latrobe City, is being shaped by a Vision and a Plan for future development, both of which I will touch on shortly.
But to be a significant regional centre, Traralgon needs room to grow and realise its potential. Council's strategic planning concludes that the most viable place to grow is in the Morwell - Traralgon corridor.
Latrobe City’s ongoing growth – both in population and industry – is dependent on the development of land that would be made available by the alignment W4B.
The current impressive population growth rate of 2.7% requires this land resource to enable the continued provision of housing, which is a fundamental social and economic requirement.
This impressive growth has been driven by a decade of sound State and local government planning, infrastructure development and marketing. As a result of the State Government’s Provincial Victoria Campaign and the efforts of the Latrobe Valley Ministerial Taskforce, new residents are being attracted to Latrobe City - with a preference for living in or around Traralgon. The material by Beca put before the committee, for Council, demonstrates this clearly.
The Valley’s population growth is intrinsically linked to attracting a skilled workforce to sustain our industries into the future – which includes coal-mining and power-generation.
Brown coal mining brings its own challenges.
Council acknowledges that the City’s natural coal resource is a critical asset for Victoria’s future.
The recent extraordinary rise of climate change concerns around the world, has underlined the importance of new and emerging power-generation options, such as "clean coal" technology, which has been in the news a lot lately.
It is reasonable to expect that, in time, these and other new energy technologies will loom large in the future of Australia’s power-generating capacity. Inevitably, however, the changing nature of coal-mining and power-generation, will demand a highly skilled labour force with clear expectations for appropriate housing.
The skilled workers required for coal-mining and power generation are in short supply throughout Australia. Latrobe City needs to offer this skilled workforce and other residents attracted to this area a quality lifestyle and quality living standards.
This quality lifestyle is achieved through providing access to modern housing, within a vibrant community, enjoying first-class facilities, infrastructure and services.
Any consideration of the by-pass options must understand that limiting the availability of appropriate land for housing would be counterproductive to the long-term viability of the coal based industry within Latrobe City.
1.6 Latrobe City’s renaissance
I would like to draw your attention to Latrobe City’s renaissance.
First, let me recall Latrobe City’s experiences throughout the past 20 years.
It’s no secret, that the region’s economy and community, experienced hard times in the 1990’s.
Privatisation of the power industry, coupled with the prevailing economic climate, led to higher-than-average levels of unemployment and a general decline in living standards.
National Competition Policy reforms reduced the Gross Regional Product of Gippsland by 1.1 percent – the only region of Australia to record a negative value. The Latrobe Valley went from having the highest proportion of high-income households in Victoria, to having the lowest.
As a result, at the start of this decade, a series of long-term plans commenced, to revive Latrobe City’s economy, and its sense of community. A partnership, between Latrobe City Council and the Victorian Government, was at the forefront of marketing the region, of diversifying the economy, and building community cohesion.
Both the Council, and the Victorian Government, spoke of building a better future for Latrobe City.
I am pleased to report that investments of more than $2 billion have either commenced, or are proposed for the region. Furthermore, in the last three years, Latrobe City averaged more than $148 million per annum in building approvals.
Confidence and optimism have returned to Latrobe City, and it is vital that we maintain this momentum.
As Council has noted in setting-out its Vision for the City:
"Our Vision sees Latrobe Valley building on its strengths as one of Victoria’s thriving regional economies, and continuing its drive towards excellence in liveability, business attraction and environmental sustainability. As a focus for dynamic human endeavour and innovation, the region, by 2021, will be well established as a vibrant and exciting place in which to live, work, invest and do business."
For this reason, the bypass alignment needs to be resolved in a way which will enable the on-going growth of Traralgon, in line with this Vision and Plan for future development.
While talk of Vision hints at a better future, in the Latrobe City we are indeed experiencing the outcomes of that Vision, in a better today. Based on many indicators, the Latrobe City is experiencing a renaissance. This is evidenced by:
· Our growing population
· Our increasing median house prices
· Our increasing percentage of young people progressing to further education; and
· Our diversifying economy
This turn-around in the City’s fortunes is linked to Council’s partnership with the State Government, developing plans and initiatives to provide certainty to the region. Certainty about future job prospects, certainty about a high quality lifestyle, certainty about accessible services.
In the same way that, at the start of the decade, it was important to provide certainty, Council and the community now need certainty, about the future land use and development for housing of the Morwell-Traralgon corridor.
Structure planning requires finalisation of available areas, so that it can plan for the accommodation of population growth.
1.7 Shortage of Land for Traralgon
There is a shortage of serviced and zoned residential land in Traralgon.
Council projects that Traralgon will exhaust its current supply of new, serviced and zoned residential land, within three and a half years. While it may be relevant to consider all undeveloped land, housing can only be provided on land which is made available for residential zoning.
The physical and geographical constraints that face Traralgon, make the land south-west of Traralgon the only real viable development option.
Furthermore, development of the land south-west of Traralgon will provide a closer identity and association between Morwell and Traralgon. The development of this corridor will deliver considerable economic and social benefits to the community. For example, Mid Valley Shopping Centre is currently the largest shopping centre in regional Victoria. If Traralgon is allowed to grow, it is anticipated that Mid Valley will expand significantly to cater for this population growth, thereby providing increased economic and community benefits, by way of retail jobs and better retail and community facilities in the process.
In a similar vein, a more closely linked Traralgon and Morwell, will create a population of a size very likely to warrant further investment in services such as education and healthcare.
This is consistent with Council's vision for the Morwell-Traralgon corridor, as outlined in Latrobe 2021.
These are just some examples, of how the growth of the region’s population, and the ability to attract a skilled workforce to sustain the coal industry, in turn bestows substantial benefits to the broader population.
A diversified economy means a community can grow with confidence, knowing it can absorb the monetary and employment hardships associated with a downturn in one industry or sector.
In the past, Latrobe City has suffered from an over-dependence on the coal industry, to provide employment and economic prosperity.
Moving forward, Council and the community are, at all times, fully committed to supporting the sustainable use of brown coal. At the same time, Council recognises that a ‘coal at all costs’ mentality does not benefit the region, the coal industry, or the wider Victorian community. A ‘coal at all costs’ mentality does not benefit the region, the coal industry, or the wider Victorian community.
The Latrobe 2021 Vision includes strategic actions and measurements for a range of initiatives relating to sustainability, liveability, governance and community capacity building.
It is important to note that there is a natural alignment between two of the Latrobe 2021 strategic actions, and the benefits derived from maintaining the community’s agreed W4B alignment:
§ Latrobe 2021 calls for an increase in Latrobe’s population, relative to other regional Victorian cities.
The community’s agreed alignment for the proposed Traralgon bypass, allows for the region to continue its growth, and offer new residents access to excellent liveability, afforded by first-class services and infrastructure.
By contrast, DPI’s apparently preferred route for the bypass will practically extinguish the region’s population growth within its major township. DPI’s apparently preferred route for the bypass will practically extinguish the region’s population growth within its major township.
§ Latrobe 2021 also calls for support for the skills development of industry.
The community’s agreed alignment for the proposed Traralgon bypass, allows for the region to continue offering a lifestyle that attracts skilled workers, who increasingly are in short supply.
On the other hand, DPI’s preferred route would make it progressively harder and harder to attract skilled workers to sustain the coal industry and the broader local economy.
In my presentation today, I have endeavored to link the community’s agreed bypass alignment with the achievement of Latrobe’s long-term Vision, as detailed in Latrobe 2021.
As a result of considerable State and local government investment, and planning, the entire Latrobe Valley is again prospering, and Traralgon has emerged as an important contributor to the vibrancy of Gippsland.
As long as Traralgon is growing, it can offer skilled workers the lifestyle they demand.
Without diversity in housing stock within Latrobe City, it is difficult to see how the coal industry will attract the skilled workforce it needs, to embrace new and emerging energy technologies.
It is worth remembering, that the community’s agreed route for the bypass affects only a small percentage of the total coal resource – at best a few years supply out of hundreds of years worth of supply. The extent of the impact must be kept in perspective.
If the community’s agreed route is adopted, then the future includes:
· A township capable of attracting skilled workers to sustain a coal industry that has access to 4 to 5 centuries of coal,
· Certainty of new residential land for 25+ years,
At the end of the day, Latrobe City Council, and the community, want the same outcome as DPI – a sustainable coal industry serving the needs of all Victorians.
Latrobe City Council knows that the community’s agreed W4B alignment, will ensure that workers are attracted to the region, who will take the coal industry into the future.
Can I also say, that the community cannot afford further delay in agreement on the bypass alignment.
I note from the submissions presented to the Advisory Committee, that the Latrobe City Community, by and large, speaks with one clear voice in relation to the preferred alignment. This of itself is of significance. There is a high level of community support for the currently approved alignment.
The extensive community consultation process of 2004 showed clear support for the W4B route, in full knowledge of the same facts and policy settings before this Inquiry .
The community needs certainty, that the planning scheme amendment for the Traralgon bypass, will enable Traralgon to continue to grow to the benefit of all of Victoria.
Latrobe City Council urges the Advisory Committee to recommend and reiterate the community’s agreed W4B alignment.
Our community cannot contemplate the alternative.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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Latrobe City Council has opened expressions of interest for an organisation to establish an ongoing residency at Moe Town Hall, delivering regular arts, cultural and community activities while keeping the venue accessible. - Moe Inline Hockey Championships secure five-year council funding, expected to boost $15M into local economy through visitor spending
Latrobe City Council will provide $100,000 over five years to support Moe’s Australian Inline Hockey Club Championships, expected to generate $15 million locally through visitor spending and accommodation. - Nationals and Liberals pledge PSOs at Morwell and Moe Stations, mobile CCTV trailers and 24-Hour Moe Police Station reopening
The Nationals and Liberals have pledged PSOs at Morwell and Moe stations, mobile CCTV across the Latrobe Valley, and restoring Moe Police Station to 24-hour operations under their community safety plan. - Darren Chester discusses democracy, civics and federal parliament with St Paul's Year 9 students in Traralgon
Darren Chester visited St Paul's Anglican Grammar School in Traralgon, discussing civics, democracy, Parliament and community issues with engaged Year 9 students and encouraging young people to participate in Australia's democratic process. - Maryvale Recreation Reserve completes $920,000 upgrade, enhancing accessibility, facilities, safety and recreation opportunities for the community
Maryvale Recreation Reserve has completed a $920,000 refurbishment, upgrading the Latrobe Cricket Club pavilion, Peter Siddle Oval, drainage, pathways and accessibility, as part of Latrobe City's broader $5 million program. - The Nationals criticise deteriorating Princes Highway as potholes raise safety concerns in Traralgon East
The Nationals have criticised the deteriorating Princes Highway at Traralgon East, citing 85 potholes between Traralgon and Rosedale and road damage less than 18 months after duplication. - Labor government invests $750,000 to support young Gippslanders into education, training and employment opportunities
The Victorian Labor government is investing $750,000 in Ladder Step Up Latrobe Valley, supporting 120 young people facing barriers to education, training and employment through 2028. - Gippsland Water offers face-to-face bill support through September pop-ups across Morwell, Sale, Traralgon and Drouin
Gippsland Water will host September pop-ups across the region, offering customers face-to-face help with bills, payment plans, concessions and government assistance amid cost-of-living pressures, with events in Morwell, Sale, Traralgon and Drouin. - Labor government criticised over regional childcare shortages, workforce gaps and red tape following parliamentary inquiry findings
A Victorian parliamentary inquiry found regional childcare providers face severe workforce shortages, vacant places, growing waitlists and excessive red tape, with Melina Bath calling for stronger accountability and practical solutions.
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