Wellington supports call for fairer rural funding

Wellington Shire Council is backing a statewide campaign calling for greater investment in rural communities, following the launch of Rural Councils Victoria's Invest in Rural Victoria campaign last month.

Councillor Catherine Bannerman, who represents Rural South East on the Rural Councils Victoria (RCV) Committee, attended the campaign launch in Swan Hill alongside representatives from rural councils across Victoria.

Speaking at the 16 September Council meeting, Cr Bannerman said there was an excellent turnout with up to 35 of the 36 member councils represented at the forum.

The forum provided an opportunity to discuss key issues affecting rural councils and their communities and deliver a strong message to the State Government ahead of the November election on the need for increased investment in rural and regional infrastructure. Discussions also highlighted previously promised funding that is yet to be delivered.

Cr Bannerman said the campaign was focused on securing a fair share of government investment for rural Victoria, rather than seeking special treatment.

She highlighted that people in regional and rural communities rely on the same services and infrastructure as those living in larger municipalities. Whether it's roads, sporting facilities, libraries or community spaces, these assets are vital to our communities and require sustainable investment. With rising costs, they cannot continue to be funded primarily through local ratepayers alone.

A key part of the campaign is a proposed $1 billion Rural and Regional Victoria Productivity and Growth Fund, which would support projects that strengthen local communities and drive regional growth. The campaign is also calling for dedicated funding to help address the growing road maintenance challenge facing smaller councils.

Cr Bannerman concluded that the cost of poor road conditions is currently being borne by individual road users with increased vehicle repair and maintenance expenses, rather than by the State Government which has responsibility for maintaining much of the road network.

“Rural councils continue to experience significant issues with potholes and road deterioration with concerns these issues are not being addressed in a timely manner through existing State Government funding arrangements”.

Council’s work aligns strongly to Rural Council Victoria’s election priorities with a significant emphasis on its Roads and Productive Corridors priority, advocating for investment in freight routes, the removal of transport bottlenecks and improved road safety.

Council also supports the broader election priorities put forward by RCV and will continue to advocate for stronger investment in regional and rural Victoria, while encouraging residents to do the same.

More information about the campaign is available at ruralcouncilsvictoria.org.au/invest.