RCV mayors pledge to work together

THE state’s 10 largest regional cities are working even more closely together to ignite growth and elevate living standards across regional Victoria.

Mayors of the Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) group – Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Horsham, Latrobe, Mildura, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Warrnambool and Wodonga – signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at Parliament House on Thursday last week, pictured below, to spearhead initiatives with both Federal and State governments.

The MOU aims to tackle housing shortages, draw in new industries, and ensure that services and infrastructure evolve alongside the population surge in Victoria’s key regional hubs.

RCV chair and Greater Shepparton mayor Shane Salti said the next federal election and 2026 Victorian election were on the horizon, which made RCV’s work all the more important.

“Now, more than ever, the voices of Victoria’s regional cities must ring loud and clear,” he said.

“Thoughtful investments are imperative to fortify our long-term economic prosperity.”

RCV represents more than 800,000 Victorians who live in the state’s regional centres, which collectively drive about 10 per cent of regional activity.

The group says its advocacy has resulted in a $600 million injection into broadband and 5G infrastructure in regional Victoria, much-needed federal funding for vital utilities to unlock housing opportunities and enhance affordability, boosted regional tourism and events, and attracted new businesses and employment opportunities.