Greater Shepparton City Council has strengthened its advocacy for critical regional projects and funding priorities following a successful week at Victoria’s Parliament House, where Mayor, Councillor Geoff Akers and Chief Executive Officer Fiona Le Gassick met with Ministers, advisers and key decision-makers from across government.
The advocacy program coincided with Council’s Greater Shepparton Showcase in Queens Hall, from Tuesday 8 to Thursday 10 September 2026, which highlighted the region’s industries, innovation and investment opportunities to parliamentarians and stakeholders.
During the week, Council advanced its 2026 State Election priorities through a series of meetings with Ministers and advisers, focusing on transport, enabling infrastructure, education, health, regional development, sport and community facilities.
Discussions were held with representatives from the offices of the Deputy Premier, Gabrielle Williams MP, and several key Ministers including Sport, Planning, Youth, Environment, Rural and Regional Development and Health, providing an opportunity to present the region’s priorities directly to decision-makers at a critical time in the lead-up to the State Election.
Mayor, Councillor Geoff Akers, said the visit provided an important opportunity to ensure Greater Shepparton’s priorities were front and centre as all political parties consider commitments ahead of the 2026 State Election.
“Taking our advocacy priorities directly to Parliament House enabled us to have productive conversations with Ministers, advisers and political leaders about the projects that matter most to our community,” he said.
“There was genuine interest in Greater Shepparton’s growth story and strong recognition of the important role our region plays in driving economic activity, food production, employment and population growth across regional Victoria.”
Chief Executive Officer, Fiona Le Gassick said Council’s advocacy discussions centred around the projects and initiatives that will help meet the needs of Greater Shepparton’s growing population, while supporting long-term regional prosperity.
“Our meetings highlighted the importance of continued investment in projects such as the Shepparton Sports and Events Centre, the Greater Shepparton Bus Network Review, enabling infrastructure for growth areas, education and skills development facilities, and initiatives that support workforce participation and economic growth,” she said.
“The feedback we received reinforced that Greater Shepparton is well positioned for future growth, and that our advocacy priorities align strongly with the broader economic and social outcomes the State Government is seeking to achieve.”
A highlight of the week was the Greater Shepparton Showcase Welcome Reception held at Parliament House on Wednesday 9 September, proudly supported by Member for Shepparton, Kim O’Keeffe MP. The event brought together parliamentarians, including Leader of the Opposition, Jess Wilson MP, and Leader of the Victorian National Party, Danny O’Brien MP, alongside industry leaders and community representatives from across Greater Shepparton.
Local representatives were able to engage directly with politicians and decision-makers, sharing firsthand insights into the opportunities and challenges facing the region. The reception provided a valuable platform to strengthen relationships, showcase local success stories and reinforce the importance of continued investment in Greater Shepparton.
Cr Akers said the Greater Shepparton Showcase was widely regarded as one of the most successful regional activations held in Queens Hall, attracting significant interest from Ministers, MPs, advisers and stakeholders throughout the week.
“Visitors commented on the scale, diversity and economic significance of Greater Shepparton’s industries, with many people surprised at the variety of businesses and organisations contributing to the region’s success,” he said.
“Council’s advocacy prospectus also received strong feedback as a clear and compelling representation of the region’s priorities and future opportunities.”
“The timing of this visit could not have been better, scheduled during one of the final sitting weeks before the State Election while election commitments are actively being considered. The response we received was overwhelmingly positive, with several people describing the showcase as one of the best they had seen in Queens Hall,” Cr Akers said.
“Our message was clear: Greater Shepparton is delivering for Victoria, and with the right investment we can continue to drive economic growth, housing supply, jobs and opportunities for future generations.
“We will continue to advocate strongly for our community and look forward to working with all sides of politics to secure outcomes that benefit Greater Shepparton.”
Background
Meetings were held with Ministers/Advisers from the following offices:
- Gabrille Williams, Deputy Premier – Minister for Education, Skills and Training, First people, and Women and Gender Equality
- Steve Dimopoulos MP – Minister for Sport, Equality, and WorkSafe and the TAC
- Sonya Kilkenny MP – Minister for Planning, and Prevention of Family Violence
- Luba Grigorovitch MP – Minister for Youth, and Carers and Volunteers
- Ros Spence MP – Minister for Community Sport. Youth Justice, Corrections, and Victim Support
- Jaclyn Symes MP – Minister for Environment, Energy and Resource, and Climate Action
- Michaela Settle MP – Minister for Rural and Regional Development, Agriculture, and Water
- Mary-Anne Thomas MP
Key discussions throughout the week included:
- Funding for the Shepparton Sports and Events Centre redevelopment and the Greater Shepparton Bike Jump Park
- Enabling infrastructure for growth areas, including Kialla West and GV Link Stage 2
- The Greater Shepparton Bus Network Review
- The NVITAFE Trades Training Precinct
- Banmira Specialist School Stage 2
- Queensland Fruit Fly management across the Goulburn Murray Valley
- Health service demand and regional population growth
- The Returning Our City to the River project
- The Goulburn Murray Regional Prosperity and Productivity Plan
- Workforce attraction initiatives including the Goulburn Valley Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA)
- Funding to continue the delivery of the Community Connector Program
- Community programs supporting social inclusion and workforce participation
For a full list of the Greater Shepparton 2026 State Election priorities, visit our State Advocacy website.
