Newsroom

30 November, 2005

Media Release

Provincial Victoria Being Supported

The "Provincial Statement" announcement by the Victoria Minister for Innovation Industry and Regional Development John Brumby has drawn praise from a group of successful companies promoting the benefits of living and conducting business in country areas. The 'Champions of the Bush Inc' Association, that includes wine & food services, timber, banking, marketing, investment, retailing, telecommunications, and manufacturing sectors, regards the suite of initiatives as the most positive yet for non metropolitan Victoria. Chairman John G Brown AO said today that members of the group had been working with successive governments to raise a better profile of the comparative benefits of country business operations and living.

"More and more people are choosing provincial towns in which to live and invest, and this shift is now well recognised by governments nationally", he said. "Investment in the future is critical to support this demographic change, and the Victorian Government is to be commended for this $500+m allocation over 4 years."

'Champions of the Bush' is mindful however of past trends to spend significant amounts of funding on promotional brochures and advertising campaigns. "Our communities need leadership development programs and commensurate investment into infrastructure, in order to ensure a viable future outside the urban sprawl, and 'Champions of the Bush' is a group of committed companies prepared to actively support genuine outcomes-driven government initiatives," Mr Brown said.

The group recently held discussions with the Chief Executive of VISY Industries Harry Debney, and was encouraged by the similarities in experiences in their country business operations. Improved productivity, and employee conducive relations over the longer term, can be products of employer commitments, country work ethics, skills training, and less stressful lifestyles in regional areas. "We share with VISY a common commitment to country people and their communities over the longer term, and we want to share our knowledge and experiences with those capital city people that are contemplating a shift to a provincial centre," Mr Brown said. "We are willing to assist and facilitate new business entrepreneurs to provincial Victoria."

Mr Brown said that whilst large industry developments grab media headlines, many SME opportunities are evolving, as the country towns become home to a changed socio economic group of young professionals and retirees. These growth areas provide many investment opportunities, as the local economies become less reliant upon traditional agribusiness. "The capital markets must recognise these investment opportunities, and ensure that Australian superannuation funds contribute to the nation's growth", he said.