SWAN Hill Rural City is not part of a group of regional cities
set to benefit from a $300,000 state-funded study to help attract new
residents.
The money will go to the Regional Cities Victoria Group (RCV)
whose members are 10 of the largest councils in regional Victoria: Ballarat,
Mildura, Greater Bendigo, Greater Shepparton, Greater Geelong, Wangaratta,
Horsham, Warrnambool, Latrobe and Wodonga.
The Regional Cities Growth
Strategy will guide the delivery of land, infrastructure and essential services
to grow the respective towns’ population.
But Member for Swan Hill Peter
Walsh said Swan Hill had not ‘missed out’.
“They are not missing out on
anything by not being part of that and there are many other opportunities to
receive government funding.
“Regional cities don’t get the additional roads
and bridge money that country councils get.”
Mr Walsh also noted council was
part of the Murray River Group of Councils which the State Government gave $1
million to explore the viability of natural gas in the region.
But council
chief executive officer Dennis Hovenden said the municipality had applied a
number of times to join RCV for the political clout that came with
membership.
“The potential to attract political attention is one of the
reasons in the past council has attempted to join the regional cities
group.
“They are highly respected, on both sides of government, and a
positive grant like that is one indicator.”
NBN lobbyist Glenn Stewart said
with comparable populations, it was surprising Horsham municipality (19,279) was
a member, while Swan Hill (20,449) was not.
More on this story in Monday’s edition of The Guardian (3/9/12).
