Geelong mayor elected to Regional Councils Australia

CITY of Greater Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan has been elected to the board of the organisation representing all 51 of Australia’s regional capital cities.

Cr Sullivan was confirmed as the Victoria Regional Representative at the Regional Capitals Australia (RCA) annual general meeting, held on Wednesday last week.

An alliance of local governments across the nation, RCA’s mission is to provide a recognised platform to champion the strategic importance and sustainable development of regional capital cities.

RCA defines a regional capital as a regional city outside the state metropolitan urban growth boundary that provides a central point to access essential infrastructure, services, business, employment and education for its residents as well as those in surrounding towns and rural areas.

“As one of the fastest-growing regional cities in the country, it is vital that Geelong plays a key role in shaping the future direction of regional Australia,” Cr Sullivan said earlier this week.

“Key regional cities are growing quickly, as more and more people are attracted to the affordability and lifestyle benefits that are on offer.

“Regional Capitals Australia is focused on ensuring that our growing communities receive the right level of government support.

“Securing investment to support economic and social infrastructure, jobs, education, health services and communications technology are high on our agenda.

“I look forward to working with Regional Capitals Australia to outline how we want regional cities to grow and how we can achieve our shared goals”

Albury City mayor Kylie King was re-elected as chair of the RCA board.

“It has been a privilege to serve regional Australia during the past year as chair, and I look forward to continuing in this role to ensure a viable and secure future for the next generation,” Cr King said.

“Regional Australia is thriving but we know there is much work to do – this includes collaborating with the federal government to deliver suitable housing, better connectivity and making sure we have the skills our regional economies need to prosper and grow.

“Over the next 12 months, our priority will be to advocate for strategic investment to unlock the potential of regional Australia – particularly funding for soft and hard infrastructure, regional airports, and better population planning.’

RCA says its advocacy program over the past year has delivered significant results for regional Australia, including the introduction of new regional infrastructure programs with refreshed guidelines, increased support for regional arts and culture, and more funding for local roads.