Latrobe City Council launched its Economic Development Strategy 2016 – 2020 to business stakeholders at Engineers Australia’s Melbourne facility recently, focusing on becoming the Engineering Capital of Australia.
Introducing the strategy, Latrobe City Council (LCC) Mayor, Michael Rossiter recognised that the future of Latrobe City includes a decrease in coal-fired power and an increased focus on renewable energy, with a need for the economy to diversify into new industries.
Mayor Rossiter said that engineering expertise is a nationally recognised competitive strength of Latrobe Valley, with many locally trained engineers managing major projects throughout the country.
“Over the next four years, we will position Latrobe City as the engineering capital of Australia,” the Mayor said.
This will be achieved by focusing on education and training, branding and image, investment attraction, and infrastructure.
“We will build on our history of engineering excellence by working with Federation University and Federation Training to increase our focus on education and training to get our young people skilled and into the workforce.
“We will work with organisations such as Engineers Australia to raise the profile of our region and promote excellence in engineering in our identified sectors [for investment attraction].”
These sectors are Advanced Manufacturing, Intensive Agribusiness, Timber Engineering Products, Food Manufacturing, Health, and Coal and Coal Derivatives.
The strategy will also concentrate on “supporting our small business sector and helping our local businesses grow and prosper,” the Mayor said.
This will be achieved through a range of business development, facilitation, advocacy, internal process and strategic alliance activities.
The strategy will be financially supported by the State Government and Regional Development Victoria. Representing the government, Regional Development Australia Chief Executive James Flintoft said it was “a great example of a locally driven plan with good consultation and engagement.”
Mr Flintoft confirmed the allocation of $40 million from the government’s budget announcement for the strategy, saying they are committed to supporting the Council in bringing the plan to life.
Engineers Australia Victoria Deputy President, Guy Hodgkinson FIEAust CPEng EngExec NER congratulated the Council on their bold plan, describing Latrobe Valley as the cradle of engineering in Victoria.
“Latrobe City Council has raised the bar for local councils across this great State by placing engineering at the core of its economic strategy,” Mr Hodgkinson said.
Mr Hodgkinson spoke of a recent submission to Treasury in which Engineers Australia Victoria advocated for the State to redefine itself as a ‘State of successful next century ready cities’.
“We asked that Government refrain from using the term ‘regional’ when it comes to identifying cities such as Latrobe, Bendigo or Ballarat in favour of a model akin to Germany’s where Hamburg and Munich are seen to be as socially and economically vibrant as Berlin.
In this regard, I applaud the leadership shown by Council through a commitment to diversifying its population and industries and supporting businesses, especially start-ups, to grow and prosper,” Mr Hodgkinson said.
Read the Latrobe City Council Economic Development Strategy 2016 – 2020.
Image: (L-R) John McIntosh, President, Engineers Australia; Glenda Graham, General Manager - Victoria, Engineers Australia; Bruce Connolly, Manager, Economic Development, Latrobe City Council; Guy Hodgkinson, Deputy President - Victoria, Engineers Australia at the Melbourne launch of the Latrobe City Council Economic Development Strategy 2016 - 2020, courtesy of Latrobe City Council.