A message from Mayor Cr Stuart King

Published on 30 August 2024

Advocacy

Recently CEO Scott Barber and I embarked on a two-day visit to Canberra with the Murray River Group of Councils (MRGC). Our visit was led by MRGC Chair and Gannawarra Shire Council Mayor, Cr Ross Stanton and it was a significant step in advocating for key issues that impact communities across the Murray River region.

Our discussions with federal Ministers and their advisers focused on several critical areas, including the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, housing, renewable energy, and infrastructure development. One of our primary concerns was the Government's open tender water purchase program, which has potential implications for our local communities. Despite supporting the principles of the Murray Darling Basin Plan, we advocate for a more strategic approach that balances environmental sustainability with the needs of our irrigation sector. It’s essential that we seek solutions that safeguard our communities instead of compromising them, especially at a time when living costs are already high.

With our region being a target area for Government driven renewable energy projects, we took the chance to promote the region’s promising potential in renewable energy.  We emphasised that productive agricultural land must not be compromised in the process and that communities must realise financial benefits for hosting renewable energy generation facilities and the transmission lines that go with them. Local energy generation has the potential to support our established food and manufacturing industries and emerging innovators.

Our discussions with Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Hon. Catherine King, allowed us to express our gratitude for recent funding that will enhance the riverfront precincts in Swan Hill and Robinvale. We also advocated for continued financial support in completing our Riverfront Masterplans and revitalising key community infrastructure, including local sporting and recreation facilities. Collectively we highlighted the need for ongoing road funding and the importance of the Swan Hill Bridge replacement to our regional economy. Minister King is taking a keen interest in the project and is well aware that it will require additional funding to be constructed.

With Federal Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, Kristy McBain, we underscored the need for a coordinated approach across various Federal portfolios to support water recovery, safeguard our communities, and harness our renewable energy strengths. We also highlighted the necessity for Federal support in building more homes and enabling infrastructure, which includes roads, drainage, electrical grids, and other essential services. This support is vital for accommodating town expansion and new developments, which will attract people to our regions and create employment opportunities. Minister McBain has been a regional Councillor and Mayor and at the very least gives us some confidence that she genuinely understands our issues.

We discussed local housing issues with an advisor to Clare O’Neil, the Minister for Housing and Homelessness. We showcased our Housing Action: Greater Swan Hill Committee and outlined our purpose in creating this dedicated local group to address housing challenges in our region. Again, we emphasised the opportunity in our region to alleviate the national housing crisis, if we could get assistance with enabling infrastructure.

Our visit to parliamentary officials concluded with productive meetings with Victorian Senators David Van and Ralph Babet. Their role in legislative processes and accountability is vital, and it was important to ensure they are well-informed about the issues affecting our region.

Additionally, the delegation was briefed by representatives of the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) on the upcoming review of the Murray Darling Basin Plan implementation and strategies going forward.

I wish to express my appreciation to all those who met with our delegation. This type of advocacy is important to promote our region and seek the support we need across multiple government departments to enable us to grow and prosper. We extended an invitation to all the Ministers or their representatives we met with to visit our region to see firsthand the contributions of Swan Hill Rural City Council and the MRGC to the nation’s economy.

Swan Hill Integrated Transport and Land Use Strategy

As part of our commitment to enhancing transportation and land use in our municipality, Council is in the process of developing an Integrated Transport and Land Use Strategy. This important initiative aims to make getting around our local area safer and more sustainable for everyone. To ensure that this strategy truly meets the needs of our community, we are reaching out to gather valuable insights from residents on how they currently navigate through our municipality and their reasons behind these choices.

We invite you to participate in a brief survey designed to collect your feedback and suggestions for improving our transportation system. The survey will be open until the end of September 2024.

We appreciate your time and input, which will help us create a more efficient and enjoyable environment for all who live in and visit our region.

The survey is available by clicking here.

Drainage study

Council is launching a comprehensive drainage study for the Swan Hill and Robinvale townships to better understand and address local flood behaviour and drainage issues, particularly during storm events.

This strategic approach will help us identify existing problems, evaluate potential solutions, and recommend a forward works program for each town which enables more efficient capital works and maintenance expenditure.

Community involvement in this process is essential and residents are invited to upcoming drop-in sessions.

Drop-in sessions:

These sessions will allow you to share your experiences, suggest improvements, and discuss potential solutions. We encourage you to bring any photos of drainage issues, whether on your phone, USB, or memory card, to help illustrate your concerns.

Click here to provide your feedback.