Albury Wodonga Regional Deal progressing well

The Australian Government, Victorian and NSW governments, and AlburyCity and Wodonga Councis, have released an update on progress towards the Albury Wodonga Regional Deal.

Since the signing of the Regional Deal’s Statement of Intent earlier this year, an Aboriginal working group and six community reference groups have come together virtually to explore the challenges and opportunities for Albury Wodonga over the next decade.

Core themes that have emerged from the community consultation will now be analysed to shape decisions by all levels of government on the Regional Deal.

Some of the main themes to emerge were:

Improving connectivity within the region; Improving cross-border regulatory harmonisation; Supporting the growth of the region’s tourism and sports industries; Supporting the development and growth of the circular economy; Opportunities to improve land utilisation within the region; Developing new industries that leverage the region’s comparative advantages and technology; Supporting improved health, education and employment outcomes; and, Continuing strong linkages to country that build and sustain connections across the region’s Aboriginal communities.

The parties have also identified through the Regional Deal process an early opportunity to progress upgrades to key community spaces along the Murray River. Pending agreement on final details, an announcement on this exciting first step is expected soon.

The final Deal is expected to be finalised by Ministers and Mayors for release in mid-2021.

Regional Deals are a placed-based approach to improving the productivity and liveability of regional cities by bringing together the three levels of government to collaborate, align and coordinate regional policies and investment.

This cross-border  Regional Deal will focus on ensuring that the region prospers over the next decade by supporting population growth and economic development, while also ensuring it remains nationally-significant, liveable and prosperous.

The full progress update is available at the Regional Deal’s website https://www.regional.gov.au/regional/deals/Albury-Wodonga.aspx