RCV welcomes further drought support measures

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RCV has welcomed the extra $75 million for the Victorian Government’s drought package to assist the state’s vital agricultural industry, which includes primary producer support payments for council rate relief.

Chair Cr Shane Sali, Mayor of Greater Shepparton, said RCV had consistently advocated for direct relief to farmers during Drought Taskforce Response discussions.

“The state is relying on Victoria’s regions for food and fibre products to boost the state’s economy, that’s why direct relief to farmers continues to be our priority,” Cr Sali said.

Primary producers in shires of Ararat, City of Greater Geelong, Colac Otway, Corangamite Glenelg, Golden Plains, Moyne, Pyrenees, Surf Coast, Southern Grampians, Warrnambool and southern parts of West Wimmera will receive a rebate of about 40 per cent as part of an overall $144 million response package.

Cr Sali said there should be further consideration for expansion to the south and west areas of Horsham Rural City Council also.

“Our agriculture sector is the backbone of our economy. Right now, they need all the support they can get – even with recent rains there is a long road to recovery ahead for Victoria’s primary producers and for the regional and rural economies that rely on them.”

Cr Sali said despite the pause on the rollout of the Emergency Services Volunteer Fund levy for those who are drought-affected, there was still significant angst across rural and regional Victoria about its eventual impact.

RCV has also written to the Federal Agriculture Minister and the Federal Water Minister urging the Albanese Government to expand supports for drought relief in Victoria and to request an immediate and indefinite pause on the Commonwealth’s water buyback scheme while Victoria is in drought.

“Water already taken out of our regions has had a noticeable effect on farms and regional towns, however buybacks in dry years like this exacerbate existing water shortages further,” Cr Sali said.

RCV is the trusted voice to government for the regions, their cities and the rural communities they support.

“We are committed to working with governments, on behalf of regional and rural Victorians, to ensure our regional cities see the right investment to support our growth,” Cr Sali said.

Media: Emily Broadbent – 0400 390 008

Regional Cities Victoria drought taskforce update

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Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) joined key industry and government stakeholders including the Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins as part of drought taskforce talks in Ballarat today.

This was the third meeting in as many weeks where regional and rural leaders provided vital insights to the Premier and Ministers to address critical drought concerns.

RCV Chair Shane Sali, Mayor of Greater Shepparton, said the $69 million package already announced by the Victorian Government included important measures to support Victoria’s primary production industry, but there was still more to do.

“The state is relying on Victoria’s regions for food and fibre products to boost the state’s economic prospects – that’s why direct relief to farmers continues to be our priority,” Cr Sali said.

“We have consistently – with our taskforce counterparts Rural Councils Victoria and the Victorian Farmers Federation – sought additional support measures including council rate relief and an increase to the on-farm drought infrastructure grants.

“We look forward to further announcements from the Victorian Government in the coming weeks.”

While acknowledging yesterday’s announcement of grants of up to $5,000 for community-led events that promote social connection and mental health awareness, to be delivered through the National Centre for Farmer Health on behalf of the Government, Cr Sali said that initiative should also be available to local councils.

“Local councils have a grassroots understanding of their communities and bringing people together when things are tough is what they do best,” Cr Sali said.

Cr Sali said the taskforce had been an important forum to provide the Premier and Ministers with feedback and insights.

“There is significant concern about a lack of future investment in community infrastructure, about critical workforce shortages, and about housing and services needed to accommodate the thousands of extra people coming to live in regional Victoria every year,” Cr Sali said.

“And while the Emergency Services Volunteer Fund levy has been paused for 12 months, there is still significant stress being felt regarding its eventual rollout and the financial impacts it will have on primary producers and regional and rural areas more broadly as they recover from drought.

“Victoria’s regional cities must be heard. We need considered investment to underpin our long-term economic prosperity and ensure we can maintain everything we love about living in our regional cities.”

RCV is the trusted voice to government for the regions, their cities and the rural communities they support.

“Our leadership group – led by the Mayors and CEOs of the 10 largest cities in regional Victoria – has provided strategic advice to government, ministers and industry stakeholders for the last 25 years,” Cr Sali said.

“We are committed to working with governments, on behalf of regional and rural Victorians, to ensure our regional cities see the right investment to support our growth.”

Media: Emily Broadbent – 0413 133 627

RCV appointment to drought taskforce

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STATEMENT FROM THE CHAIR CR SHANE SALI, MAYOR OF GREATER SHEPPARTON

RCV has been appointed to the Victorian Government’s drought taskforce.

RCV is the trusted voice to government for the regions, their cities and the rural communities they support.

Our leadership group – led by the Mayors and CEOs of the 10 largest cities in regional Victoria – has provided strategic advice to government, ministers and industry stakeholders for the last 25 years.

When we are at the table, we are a direct report for our communities, our businesses and the industries that the state’s economy relies on.

I have called an extraordinary meeting of RCV Mayors for Monday to discuss the priorities we will take to next week’s inaugural taskforce meeting.

We’re all facing this challenge together, no regional city is immune from the consequences of drought.

While we acknowledge today’s announcements from the Victorian Government including the $37.7 million statewide drought package and the ESVF reprieve for primary producers, we are acutely aware of impacts from current policies for rural and regional Victoria.

Right now, we need to support our farming communities in drought, but we also need to see a broader reset on government investment priorities to capitalise on the economic opportunities the regions offer.

This is why we continue to advocate for the return of the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund – a guaranteed $100m investment every year that our cities, industry and businesses could rely on to back projects that support growth.

Strengthening the Victorian economy will depend on genuine consideration of the regional and rural context.

MEDIA:
Emily Broadbent
0400 390 008

Regional Cities Victoria response to State Budget

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Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) Chair Shane Sali said today’s State Budget was another modest budget for regional Victoria, with missed opportunities for the regions.

While acknowledging investment in services statewide for health, education and transport, Cr Sali said strengthening the Victorian economy depends on genuine consideration of the regional and rural context.

“We need to see a reset on government investment priorities to capitalise on the economic opportunities the regions offer,” Cr Sali said.

“Many regional Victorians look at the tens of billions being spent to ease growth pains in metro Melbourne and wonder about the potential of some of that level of investment in growing our regional cities.

“Today’s State Budget is a missed opportunity to provide dedicated investment in Victoria’s regions.

“The introduction of the Emergency Services Volunteer Fund levy at a time when regional and rural Victorians are experiencing significant cost of living pressures and concerningly dry conditions will continue to further impact the regions.

“There is so much opportunity outside Melbourne to give rise to new and emerging industries, create more jobs, more affordable housing, and stronger communities,” Cr Sali said.

“Regional Victoria is ready to go. Our governments need to look beyond metropolitan areas. Collectively we must raise aspirations for our regional cities,” Cr Sali said.

RCV’s 2025-26 State Priorities missing from the budget include:

• a new grants-based community infrastructure fund to establish partnerships with federal government for large-scale projects such as arts or aquatics centres, interchanges etc.
  
• a new enabling infrastructure fund to unlock housing supply in regional Victoria, boosting affordable and diverse housing types by directly funding the design and construction of water, utilities, and sewerage upgrades, upgrading local roads and intersections, and other housing-related infrastructure through grants.
  
• expansion of existing programs to address critical workforce shortages so more planners, building surveyors and civic engineers enter the rural and regional local government workforce.

Introduction of the ESVF

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Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) member councils are bracing for a $60m hit to communities next financial year from the Victorian Government’s Emergency Service Volunteer Fund (ESVF) levy.

RCV Chair Cr Shane Sali, Mayor of Greater Shepparton, said Mayors and CEOs across the cities hold significant concern about the financial impact on residents, primary producers and regional businesses already struggling with cost-of-living pressures and dry conditions.

“Farmers can hardly afford to feed and water their stock at the moment – and now they’re being slugged the ESVF. The new levy is tone deaf to the situation in the regions. It really feels like the Government’s not getting it,” Cr Sali said.

“We are the nation’s food bowl – the Government should be pouring money into our regions not taking it out.”

Instead, in this term of government alone, the regions were stripped of the Commonwealth Games – costing the state $600m, and the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund – which provided $100m annual investment in the regions.

Councils are also picking up an increasing tab for the State for libraries, school crossings, maternal child health services, kindergarten infrastructure, waste services and environmental protection.

Meanwhile on the eve of next week’s State Budget, regional Victorians look at the tens of billions being poured into metro projects – like $13.48bn for Metro Tunnel, $11bn for West Gate Tunnel and $216bn for Suburban Rail Loop (east/north) – and wonder about the potential of some of that investment in our regions.

The ESVF is another ongoing cost to local government too, when the revenue base of local government is already unsustainable.

“It’s concerning that ensuring someone answers the phone at Triple Zero relies on regional and rural communities being slugged this new levy,” Cr Sali said.

“Councils have a rate cap – this government needs a tax cap.

“This consistent cost shifting from the State is ultimately borne by our ratepayers, and it has to stop,” Cr Sali said.

With the levy now due to come into effect on 1 July 2025, councils are still yet to receive advice on implementation of the levy, and whether their existing administrative systems can facilitate the process.

RCV is a powerful assembly representing the Mayors and CEOs of Victoria’s 10 regional cities – Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Horsham, Latrobe, Mildura, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Warrnambool and Wodonga.

ESVF will take $60m from regional cities next year

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Debate is scheduled to continue Tuesday in Victorian Parliament’s Upper House on legislation to introduce the new levy.



Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) – a powerful assembly representing Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Horsham, Latrobe, Mildura, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Warrnambool and Wodonga – wants the levy dumped, expressing significant concern for residents already struggling with cost-of-living pressures.

RCV has strongly objected to the legislation to the Government, Opposition and the cross bench, warning the ESVF also represented an ongoing and increased cost to local government, both as landowners and in the administering of a significantly more complex program.

Councils will incur costs to alter rates notices and to implement the system changes needed to administer the changed land classifications and proposed exemptions.

It has not gone unnoticed that the first year of the new levy will collect approximately $600m – basically covering what it cost to cancel the Commonwealth Games on regional Victorians.

COMMENTS FROM RCV CHAIR CR SHANE SALI, MAYOR OF GREATER SHEPPARTON:

“Our member councils hold significant concern about the financial impact on residents already struggling with cost-of-living pressures.

“The ESVF is another ongoing cost to local government too, when the revenue base of local government is already unsustainable.

“Councils are already picking up an increasing tab for the state for libraries, school crossings, maternal child health services, kindergarten infrastructure, waste services and environmental protection.

“Meanwhile, regional Victorians look at the tens of billions being poured into metro projects and wonder about the potential of some of that investment in our regions.

“This consistent cost shifting from the state is ultimately borne by our ratepayers, and it has to stop.”

RCV congratulates Albanese Government on re-election 

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Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) congratulates Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Party on success at the 2025 federal election.

RCV Chair Shane Sali said RCV cities have the space to grow and prosper.

“What we need is equitable and sustainable investment to fast-track construction of more homes, fill critical jobs, improve resilience to natural disasters and ensure councils are financially sustainable so we can deliver services people rely on,” Cr Shane Sali said.

“RCV has consistently advocated to our federal representatives for policies to address critical workforce shortages, upgrade local roads, and build more homes.”

RCV advocacy pays off with Coalition’s LRCIP commitment

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Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) welcomed today’s $1bn commitment from the Coalition for a revitalised Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program (LRCIP).

RCV has consistently advocated for more autonomy for councils to fix roads and invest in community infrastructure through non-competitive grants programs like the LRCIP.

“RCV’s persistence for greater, more flexible investment in regional Victoria in the lead up to the federal election is paying off,” RCV Chair Cr Shane Sali said today.

“Safer roads are a priority for RCV councils and the communities they support to ensure everyone gets home safely.”

Cr Sali said providing councils with a stream of funding for community infrastructure was vital for growing populations that rely on council-run facilities.

He said demand for services was placing an increasing burden on local government as population growth in regional cities outpaces all previous forecasts and the ability of councils to build and manage facilities – sporting, libraries, halls, parks, maternal health centres and kindergartens – was limited by revenue caps.

“Giving local councils the flexibility and the autonomy to direct funding where it’s urgently needed is the most efficient and effective way to improve liveability in our regional cities,” Cr Sali said.

“RCV’s vision is for prosperity and enhanced liveability through sustainable growth in regional Victoria, and we will continue to advocate for policies that invest in our economies to support the entire nation,” Cr Sali said.