Gippsland’s government and business stakeholders need to be “braver” and “take more risks” in realising a diversified and sustainable economic future for the region.
That was one of the take-away messages from a business workshop hosted by the Victorian Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Traralgon last Thursday, on the first stopover on a regional tour of Victoria.
The workshop drew on the expertise and opinions of some 30 industry, education and employment stakeholders, which will be used to form VECCI’s future lobbying pitches for state and federal government funding priorities.
VECCI chief economist Steven Wojtkiw said Gippsland’s ‘clean and green’ agricultural reputation, tourism and natural assets were
widely viewed as the region’s biggest strengths.
“There is a recognition that Gippsland is a big geographic region and it’s difficult to get everyone on the same page working towards the decided goals, so perhaps there’s a chance going forward to strengthen those links between industries and businesses,” Mr Wojtkiw said.
“There was certainly a view there needs to be less risk aversion.
“That local governments and industry need to take a few more risks in planning the vision for the future together and be a bit braver about what can be achieved in the long term.”
VECCI’s regional summit tour will travel through another six regional centres, ahead of a ‘Victoria Summit’ in Bendigo.
