Mitchell Shire Council is one of 13 Victorian Councils who have signed the historic North West City Deal (NWCD) 2020-20240 which is set to unlock employment and economic opportunities for the next two decades.
The NWCD identifies several transformational infrastructure projects, including the key Beveridge Intermodal Freight Terminal project, to allow the north west region to grow, thrive and to respond to the challenge of COVID-19 recovery by delivering jobs when needed the most.
The deal was launched by former Victorian Premiers the Hon Steve Bracks AC, the Hon John Brumby AO, and President of the Senate and Senator for Victoria the Hon Scott Ryan on Monday 24 August.
City Deals allow Commonwealth, State and Local governments to work together to drive national priorities tailored to local needs, develop plans for growth and commit to shared actions. The Federal and Victorian State Government committed to developing a NWCD in 2019 and asked local communities to develop a plan for what it might look like.
The NWCD is a community effort to arrive at a joint list of investment priorities for the region. The next step in progressing the deal is to seek formal Memorandum of Understanding arrangements at a Commonwealth, State and Local government level.
The deal will kickstart economic recovery in one of the fastest-growing regions of Australia – which includes Mitchell Shire as Victoria’s fastest-growing municipality – reboot business, boost social and economic inclusion, and leverage existing strengths in health, food production, manufacturing and logistics.
The plan includes intergenerational investment projects, some of which are underway or planned, while others are brand new.
The 66 transformative and enabling projects will unlock economic development opportunities across the eight key precincts, including Cloverton/Beveridge, and are aligned to four priorities for the region – Future Economy, Transport and Connectivity, Health and Wellbeing, and Liveability.
The NWCD has been developed through an unprecedented collaboration of 13 local Councils represented by LeadWest and the Northern Councils Alliance, La Trobe and Victoria Universities, and economic development bodies NORTH Link and the West of Melbourne Economic Development Alliance.
It comes as the North and West Melbourne region has been hardest hit by the COVID pandemic.
More than 60 per cent of Victoria’s cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Melbourne’s North and West, with businesses heavily reliant on JobKeeper to sustain staff.
To read the North and West Melbourne City Plan Deal 2020-2040, visit www.nwmcitydeal.org.au
