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Growth plan proposed for remote townsThe State Government asked to introduce a new regional development program to target business and tourism growth in Victoria's smaller and more remote towns. By Kevin Balshaw - 16th June 2008 - Back to News The Member for Eastern Victoria, Philip Davis, has proposed a new regional development program to foster business and tourism growth in Victoria’s small, remote towns.
In Parliament, Mr Davis cited Mallacoota and Omeo as examples of towns in need of support for future tourism growth.
He has put the proposal to the Minister for Regional and Rural Development, Jacinta Allan.
Mr Davis said a strong case could be mounted for a remote towns development program to form part of the State’s regional development strategy.
Earlier this month Premier John Brumby announced the allocation of $68 million over the next two years for a package of regional development programs, and appointed Minister Allan to head a task force overseeing them.
But Mr Davis said smaller, more remote centres were missing out on the support essential for promotion, meeting infrastructure needs and to develop new business opportunities.
He said a new program, tailored to the needs of those centres, was warranted – and it would cost a fraction of the regional development budget.
Under such a program, resources would be provided to existing business organisations in towns that met a number of basic criteria:
• Historical significance
• Natural heritage
• An existing tourism industry base with potential for significant growth
"Mallacoota and Omeo would serve as models for a program operating on this framework," Mr Davis said. "But they are missing out on potential growth opportunities as the result of a gap in the Government’s regional development program.
"The same situation would apply to quite a number of other towns serving remote areas of the State.
"At present the Mallacoota Business and Tourism Association is doing excellent work to identify development opportunities, principally in the tourism sector, but its efforts are somewhat limited because of a lack of resources.
"The association is self-sufficient, relying on the support of a very small local Mallacoota business community and other community organisations.
"At Omeo, the Business and Tourism Association has had the benefit of some funding, provided to offset the impact of the cessation of alpine cattle grazing on the Omeo district, to employ a part-time officer on tourism development. The funding, however, will cease later in the year."
Mr Davis said a program to cater for the growth of centres such as these would have considerable merit. "These towns have so much potential that remains unfulfilled because of the lack of resources to pursue development initiatives and promotion."
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: kevin.balshaw@parliament.vic.gov.au
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