Rural Victorians call for $4 billion in Support

Rural Victorians call for $4 billion in support

Rural Councils Victoria (RCV) is calling on the State and Federal governments to provide $4 billion to support rural Victorian communities in the wake of devastating droughts, the recent bushfire crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Chair of Rural Councils Victoria, Cr Mary-Ann Brown said:  

“Many communities have taken a triple blow, with drought, the bushfire crisis and now the coronavirus pandemic. 

“Many rural communities have suffered a great deal already this year and we are calling on the state and federal governments to dedicate $4 billion for spending only in Rural Victoria.  

“The figure is based on a package valued at 10 per cent of  rural gross regional product, and would be used to ensure farms, workers, communities, individuals, families and businesses can survive. 

“This Victorian Rural Emergency Package will help ensure that rural Victoria will be in a strong continue to continue supplying food to the whole country, helping with food security. 

“The Victorian Rural Emergency Package is about saving and creating jobs in rural communities, feeding the nation and ensuring that rural Victoria can quickly get back to full strength. 

“There are 300,000 jobs in Rural Victoria and we need to ensure that as many as possible are saved and others created for those who lose their job because of this pandemic.” 

The Emergency Package would: 

• Provide rate relief for individuals and business 

• Bringing forward essential road repairs 
• Provide stimulus for tourism-related businesses (such as payments for workers who can then be employed to undertake repairs etc)  
• Extend contracts with existing projects  
• Bring forward projects from future years (i.e. move a cap-ex project due to start in 2021 or 2022 to now)  
• Guarantee any funded projects that are at risk of being postponed due to drought, fire  and COVID-19 issues 

• Expand existing contracts to also include service/work for neighbouring municipalities 
• Provide funds to external-council partner organisations (such as charities) that are contracted to provide services for council work   
• Expand existing private sector funded projects with government funding 

Cr Brown said: 

Rural Victoria is crucial to the state on so many levels: 

• There are 300,000 jobs based in rural Victoria. 

• Rural Victoria contributes approximately $40 billion to Victoria’s gross state product. 

• The largest employing industry in rural Victoria is agriculture, which is essential for the national economy. Victorian food and fibre product exports were worth $14.2 billion in 2018-19 and comprised 27 per cent of the Australian export total. 

• The tourism sector is also vital to the rural economy and the state’s economy as a whole. Rural and regional tourism in Victoria was worth $8.1 billion in 2017-18. 

“The Federal and State governments must step up with a Rural Emergency Stimulus Package to ensure food security, as well as maintaining and creating jobs.”  

ENDS 

About Rural Councils Victoria:  

Rural Councils Victoria represents Victoria’s rural councils, supporting and promoting sustainable, liveable, prosperous rural communities 

Visit: ruralcouncilsvictoria.org.au