CHANGES in the political landscape and developments in the Gippsland region will be considered in an updated Gippsland Regional Plan up for community input.
The plan – first launched in 2010 as a partnership initiative between the Gippsland Local Government Network, Regional Development Australia Gippsland, the Regional Managers Forum and Committee for Gippsland – is a detailed plan identifying priority areas of focus.
Gippsland Regional Plan leadership group chair Steve Kozlowski said this included health and hospital investment, higher education and skills attainment, telecommunication improvements and road and rail freight.
Mr Kozlowski said significant changes had occurred both within and outside of the region since the plan was released, including the election of new state and federal governments, new municipal councils and major technological advancements.
He said one of the main drivers of the plan was to seek investment by state and federal governments into priorities in the plan in accordance with government thinking.
“For example in the 2010 plan, there were priorities in consideration of a particular view on the pricing of carbon for a low carbon future, the current Federal Government has a different view about how that should be dealt with, and the impacts on the region may be different,” Mr Kozlowski said.
“Four years on, it’s prudent we take stock of these changes, consider the implications and adjust our strategy to reflect the contemporary environment.”
Latrobe City mayor Sharon Gibson declined to comment on what she would like to see from the plan, instead urging community and businesses to have their say.
However, she said rail would be a focus for Latrobe City, with the need for a better passenger service and freight connection.
“I’m not putting words into peoples’ mouths, people need to have their voice without (government) influencing in anyway at all,” Cr Gibson said.
To contribute to the plan, residents are invited to participate in a survey, open until 5pm, Thursday 24 April and can be accessed from www.gippslandregionalplan.com.au
