Senator: Build on unique lifestyle

BY ABBY WALTER

ANationals

Senator has drawn attention to the unique lifestyle opportunities in the Wimmera as she looks to support initiatives to develop infrastructure and housing in the region.

Nationals Senator for Victoria Bridget McKenzie, shadow minister for infrastructure, transport and regional development, visited the Wimmera earlier this month.

She said she had heard from mayors and community leaders that ‘all types’ of housing was needed for growth.

“I have been hearing about the need for affordable housing and short-term housing for big projects occurring locally,” she said.

“Communities need workers for mineral sands and other major projects. Each council has unique ways to deal with that problem and each one deals with that issue differently.”

Ms McKenzie said she hoped to see regional councils make better use of funding opportunities to develop housing. She said the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation was one way councils could access funding to provide infrastructure such as kerbs and sewerage services for housing developments.

“It’s not being accessed effectively from rural and regional councils,” she said.

“We need to make it more available to our councils here to help them open up developments, get our local builders in and build that housing stock that is so needed for a workforce that is dying to get out here for great jobs.”

Ms McKenzie said her vision was to see sustainable infrastructure and economic growth to support people moving to, and living in, regional areas.

“We need well-paying jobs out in the regions

– long-term careers so that those of us who love it out here can stay, raise our families and our kids can stay in regional areas and have a successful life, too,” she said.

Ms McKenzie said she had also heard from Wimmera leaders that sport and cultural infrastructure was high on councils’ priority lists.

“Those of us who live out in the regions know how important sporting infrastructure is for our wellbeing, social connectedness and health outcomes and increasingly, I think, economic outcomes, too,” she said.

“Whether it’s national, state or regional titles being held in the regions, large sporting events drive huge economic growth in regional capitals such as Horsham.

“There’s a whole army of Australians and international visitors that pick out specific places to visit based on sporting infrastructure, as well as cultural infrastructure.”

The Federal Government announced in October last year the former government’s Building Better Regions Fund would be discontinued.

Ms McKenzie said while it was ‘devastating’, she hoped to see money put towards social, economic and cultural projects.

She said she was formerly a minister in charge of a program aimed at putting money into cities, such as Horsham, to grow economic diversification.

“As we head towards net zero by 2050, communities that are either highly dependent on mining or agriculture are going to have diversified economic opportunities, with high-paid careers locally, specifically tailored to unique aspects of different regions,” she said.

“I hope Labor develops a program that recognises the unique competitive advantages of each region because we know one size does not fit all.”

HANDS-ON: From left, Federation TAFE Wimmera campus salon trainer Megan Wright, Wimmera campus VET liaison officer Kim Boulton, and salon trainer Kerry Friend, take a break from their first-day bustle, alongside the salon mannequins VET students use to practice hairdressing.