Around the table - May 2023
Meeting with Senator the Hon Anthony Chisolm Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Assistant Minister for Education.
L-R: Cr Leaney, Senator Chisolm, Cr Berry, Cr Cunningham
Our board has been championing the needs of the peri urban region at a dedicated delegation to Canberra in March. We were pleased to meet with the following members of parliament:
● Senator the Hon Anthony Chisolm Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Assistant Minister for Education: to examine federal funding processes and how to improve them.
● Office of the Hon Catherine King MP Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government: to discuss the development of urban policy, and regional funding programs.
● Office of the Hon Kristy McBain MP Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories: regarding the skills crisis facing local government as well as improvements to planning policy and processes.
● Office of Senator the Hon Don Farrell Minister for Trade and Tourism: the PUCV Board advocated for the trade and tourism value of the peri urban region.
● Office of the Hon Michelle Rowland MP Minister for Communications: we reviewed the rollout of the NBN, discussed blackspot funding guidelines and mechanisms to ensure telecommunications and digital infrastructure is better considered as part of state planning processes.
State Local Member Round Table
At a State level, we have hosted Roundtables with Victorian Government and Opposition MP’s to discuss the impact of population growth and urban development.
Peri Urban Council Victoria members met with government members of parliament Mr Darren Cheeseman MP Member for South Barwon, Mr Steve McGhie MP Member for Melton and Ms Michaela Settle MP Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development, Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture and Member for Eureka. The meeting focused on the growth challenges facing peri urban areas and advocating for increased government support to help address these challenges.
Our board also met with Opposition members Mr Richard Riordan MP Shadow Minister for Public Transport, Shadow Minister for Housing and Member for Polwarth and Mr Wayne Farnham MP Member for Narracan to provide a briefing on the Hansen Report and discuss the implications for the peri urban area if urgent action is not undertaken.
The PUCV Chair attended the Victoria Planning Authority Regional Victoria Strategic Pipeline Reference Group meeting to provide feedback and help identify priority development pipelines.