Wagga Wagga City Council - Local Strategic Planning Statement

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Who we are: A snapshot Wagga Wagga is a diverse city for industry, business and services with a rich cultural mix that contributes to and compliments our lifestyle, education and recreation opportunities. The city is built around the strength of its natural assets, a diverse economy and a diverse population engaged in cultural, recreation and sporting offerings. The city’s affordability, accessibility and range of choice attracts people from all over the world.

Global Connections Wagga Wagga is the Southern Gateway to Australia’s richest food and agricultural region, the Riverina Murray. The city is already a hub for high-quality produce and foods to be exported around the world. A transformation is occurring to the global economy with the rise of an Asian middle class (particularly China, India and Thailand) who are increasing demand for high-quality produce and goods. Our position enables the city to leverage the excellent reputation our farmers and produce have within South East Asia for export potential. Opportunities exist to build the scale required to support high-order processing and capture more of the value from finished foods, getting the most benefit from this megatrend. The City of Wagga Wagga is partnered with all tiers of Government and private industry to ensure that transport is improved, and manufacturing and enterprise can thrive within a cluster environment.

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WA G G A WA G G A C I T Y C O U N C I L

“Wagga Wagga is a thriving, successful regional capital city. Servicing a regional population of more than 180,000 people with employment, education, training and lifestyle choices.”

The city is already home to various industries that connect Wagga Wagga to the World. International partnerships and ongoing exchange are a part of our fabric and will be expanded and developed with better access and connectivity.

National Influences The city is a key logistics hub for Southern NSW and a node on the following national freight routes: • Brisbane to Melbourne Inland Rail • Sydney to Melbourne Rail • Adelaide to Sydney Road Freight Importantly, it is located halfway between Australia’s two largest urban centres of Sydney and Melbourne. Connectivity to these markets and two of Australia’s largest container ports – Port Botany and Port of Melbourne - will be improved, as well as the opportunity to connect with the Port of Brisbane with the delivery of Inland Rail and the Riverina Intermodal Freight and Logistics Hub (RIFL) that will provide increased opportunities to service larger markets and target new economic and employment opportunities.

Wagga Wagga has daily air services to Melbourne and Sydney and is home to one of the largest air training services facilities in Australia. Wagga Wagga is the hub for training new recruits through the Australian Army with Kapooka Army Recruit Training Centre and Royal Australian Airforce Base. The city will leverage from defence, economic development opportunities associated with innovation, new technologies and manufacturing.

WAGGA WAGGA LOCAL STRATEGIC PLANNING STATEMENT


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