Victoria’s regions warn of dire shortages in critical local roles

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Like much of Australia, regional Victoria has a shortage of houses. It’s making it harder for young people to buy a first home and stay in our regions, and harder to attract new people for jobs.

Our story is not unique. That’s why there’s a national push to build more houses and units – to make homes cheaper and rentals easier to find and afford.

But long before anyone puts the key in a door and unlocks the great Australian dream, we need things like pipes, poles and paths in the ground – and the experts to put them there.

Federal Priorities for 2025–26

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Regional Cities Victoria is a leadership group dedicated to building a sustainable regional Australia by providing strategic advice, coordination, and advocacy to state and federal governments.

Comprising the Mayors and CEOs of the ten largest cities in regional Victoria – Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Horsham, Latrobe, Mildura, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Warrnambool, and Wodonga – Regional Cities Victoria is focused on achieving real change in regional Victoria through policy development and implementation. We represent the more than 800,000 Australians that live in these municipalities.

Victoria’s regional cities underpin region-scale economies, liveability, and support the state’s economic growth. People living across regional Australia also rely on regional cities as ‘hubs’ for access to education, health, financial, transport and social services, as well as retail, sport and recreation, and cultural amenities.

Every single day, an extra 35 people call one of our regional cities home. Local government is at the forefront of responding to this net population growth and maintaining the liveability for which regional Victoria is renowned. Regional Cities Victoria’s vision is to develop and advocate for policies that invest equitably and sustainably in our regional cities to support a growing and prosperous Australia.

Still more to do to meet housing demand in regional Victoria

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Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) has welcomed the Allan Government’s announcement that land around some of our major regional centres will be protected for agricultural and industrial uses, but warned that major obstacles remain if Victoria is to meet its targets for new housing.

RCV had hoped Plan for Victoria would express a vision that put regional Victoria at the heart of the state’s growth strategy and encouraged a greater proportion of the population to live in our regional cities.

“Regional cities see an opportunity to attract the key workers we need in our regional hospitals, schools and local businesses, while easing the pressure on housing in Melbourne at the same time,” said Cr Shane Sali, RCV Chair.

RCV’s submission to the government called for a broad plan that would drive decisions and investment to attract more people to live and work in regional Victoria; better connect our regional cities to Melbourne and each other; coordinate housing growth with infrastructure investment; protect rural amenity and support resilient, healthy communities; increase housing choice and diversity; and address housing affordability for locals.

A New Plan for Victoria: Submission from RCV

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Victoria is changing. Over the next 30 years, our population is set to grow by around 320 people every day – to more than 10 million.

One in four people live outside of Melbourne. And around half of all regional Victorians – more than 800,000 people – live in one of our ten regional cities. These ratios haven’t changed in decades.

The new plan for Victoria is an opportunity to ensure that regional Victoria is part of the state’s growth strategy and home to a greater proportion of the population and economic prosperity.

As we imagine the future of our regional cities, the Victorian Government’s plan for Victoria must be more than a target for new dwellings. It must be a plan for growth and larger communities that supports the whole of Victoria and its economy. Success will depend on genuine consideration of the rural and regional context.

Each of our regions is unique. Some will house a significant portion of Victoria’s new residents. Others must be supported to ensure stable populations that service and underpin rural industries and regional economies.

Councils have invested significant resources and undertaken extensive community consultation and research to develop long-term housing and growth strategies that will better serve current and future residents, businesses, and visitors.

Our vision is a plan for Victoria that reflects these strategies and articulates clear actions that will drive decisions and investment to attract more people to live and work in regional Victoria; better connect our regional cities to Melbourne and each other; coordinate housing growth with infrastructure investment; protect rural amenity and support resilient, healthy communities; increase housing choice and diversity; and address housing affordability.

Transformative investment in regional cities can benefit the whole state.

RCV takes workforce shortage concerns to Canberra

A delegation from Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) is in Canberra today for high-level pre-Budget meetings to discuss federal priorities for regional Victoria.

RCV Chair Cr Shane Sali – Mayor of Greater Shepparton, and Deputy Andrea Metcalf – Mayor of Greater Bendigo will lead talks, outlining to Ministers and members of Parliament that regional Victoria is facing unprecedented workforce shortages critical to delivering federal policies like boosting housing.

“Demand for workers in regional areas is at an all-time high,” Cr Sali said.

“Regional businesses are suffering from skills and labour shortages across a range of sectors including health, early childhood education, aged care and disability services, agriculture, construction, accommodation and food services, and education and training.”

The local government sector in regional Victoria is itself experiencing extreme workforce challenges due to a statewide shortage of planners, building surveyors, and engineering staff. These workers are critical to delivery of housing policies like the National Housing Accord.

“The Australian Government can play a greater role in attracting critical workers to the local government sector to not only boost housing, but support local economies and plan the future,” Cr Sali said.

RCV’s 2025 agenda also includes new flexible funding for urgent roadworks, guaranteed annual billion-dollar spend for regional infrastructure programs, recurring funding for enabling infrastructure programs and ensuring communities can build back better after natural disasters.

“We’re not looking for sugar hits. We’re looking for certainty – and consistent investment for the long-term is key,” Cr Sali said.

“Our cities are at the forefront of responding to population growth and maintaining the liveability for which regional Victoria is renowned.

“Recurring funding, instead of one-off commitments, gives us a reliable foundation to build sustainable cities and the confidence to commit ratepayers’ funds to projects that will grow our regions.

“We will continue to work with our federal colleagues to develop policies that not only invest equitably and sustainably in our regional cities but ultimately support a growing and prosperous Australia,” Cr Sali said.

2025 Regional Cities Victoria 25th year

Cr Shane Sali, Mayor of Greater Shepparton and Cr Andrea Metcalf, Mayor of Greater Bendigo have today been re-elected Chair and Deputy Chair of Regional Cities Victoria (RCV).

RCV is a leadership group comprising the Mayors and CEOs of the 10 largest regional cities – Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Horsham, Latrobe, Mildura, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Warrnambool and Wodonga.
Cr Sali said now more than ever, it was important regional voices are heard.

“In 2025 RCV marks 25 years as the trusted voice to government for the regions, their cities and the rural communities they support,” Cr Sali said.

“With a federal election expected in the first half of 2025 and a state election in 2026, RCV is determined to ensure that through dynamic policy settings regional Victoria can home a greater proportion of the state’s population and economic prosperity.

“We will continue our work towards RCV’s vision for regional prosperity and enhanced liveability through sustainable growth,” Cr Sali said.

Deputy Mayor Cr Metcalf said investment in regional Victoria was vital, to enable Victoria’s regional centres to grow, to secure a skilled workforce, and to further enhance the liveability our regional centres.

“Our regional cities are central to what makes Victoria so great, and as more people embrace our opportunities – we must ensure that the jobs, housing and lifestyle offerings are matched with reliable services and community infrastructure,” Cr Metcalf said.

Following Mayoral elections, RCV has also welcomed seven new mayors to the group, including:
• Stretch Kontelj, Geelong
• Tracey Hargreaves, Ballarat
• Ian Ross, Horsham
• Dale Harriman, Latrobe
• Helen Healy, Mildura
• Irene Grant, Wangaratta
• Michael Gobel, Wodonga

RCV advocates for the sustainable growth of Victoria’s regions, and for policies and programs that help attract business investment and a diverse workforce to regional Victoria. Collectively, these cities are home to more than 800,000 Victorians.

Entire group from left to right: Evan King (CEO, Ballarat), Andrew Cooney (CEO, Bendigo), Andrew Mason (CEO, Warrnambool), Cr Tracey Hargreaves (Mayor, Ballarat), Cr Shane Sali (Mayor, Shepparton), Cr Helen Healey (Mayor, Mildura), Ali Wastie (CEO, Geelong), Cr Irene Grant (Mayor, Wangaratta), Matt Hyde (CEO, Wodonga), Cr Andrea Metcalf (Mayor, Bendigo), Cr Dale Harriman (Mayor, Latrobe), Fiona Le Gassick (CEO, Shepparton), Cr Ian Ross (Mayor, Horsham), Craig Niemann (CEO, Horsham), Cr Michael Gobel (Mayor, Wodonga), Brendan McGrath (CEO, Wangaratta), Steven Piasente (CEO, Latrobe).

RCV applauds commitment of outgoing mayors as it prepares for new cohort

Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) has acknowledged the commitment of outgoing mayors following the conclusion of the 2024 local government elections.

RCV is widely recognised as the pre-eminent voice for regional Victoria.

It comprises of the Mayors and CEOs from the 10 largest regional cities in Victoria – Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Horsham, Latrobe, Mildura, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Warrnambool and Wodonga.

Collectively, these cities are home to more than 800,000 Victorians and contribute to approximately 10 per cent of Victoria’s economy. 

RCV’s vision is for regional prosperity and enhanced liveability through sustainable growth, and advocates for policies that invest equitably and sustainably in regional cities to support a growing Victoria.

Outgoing 2024 Mayors include Robyn Gulline (Horsham), Dean Rees (Wangaratta), Des Hudson (Ballarat), Liam Wood (Mildura), and Ron Mildren (Wodonga) (Geelong and Latrobe TBC).

All have shown a tremendous commitment to the work of RCV and played an important role in shaping many of RCV’s advocacy platforms.

Newly elected mayors will join their first RCV meeting in December and elect a Chair and Deputy Chair to lead the group in 2025. Cr Shane Sali, Mayor of Shepparton, and Cr Andrea Metcalf, Mayor of Bendigo, led as Chair and Deputy Chair respectively for 2024.

Next year RCV will mark its 25-year milestone. During that time, councils have worked tirelessly together to strengthen regional economies, support sustainable growth, and improve the liveability of major centres and the rural towns they support, for the benefit of the many Victorians that choose to live and work in regional Victoria.

RCV welcomes moves to address workforce shortages

26 August 2024

Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) Chair Cr Shane Sali, Mayor of Shepparton, has welcomed the Victorian Government’s moves to address local government workforce shortages, but said there was still more that can be done.

Mr Sali said the present skills shortage is causing to delays in decisions around permitting and precinct planning, directly exacerbating housing shortages and contributing to unaffordability, and costing councils and ratepayers more in private consultants.

Mr Sali said RCV was keen to work with the consortium of higher education providers led by RMIT University on the two-year pilot, designed to fill skills shortages in areas like engineering, town planning and allied health. Training will commence in 2025, for more job pathways for local government workers wishing to retrain and new opportunities for jobseekers.

Cr Sali said RCV was deeply troubled about both low enrolment numbers for planners at universities and the potential consequences this would have housing supply and affordability.

“We support efforts under the National Housing Accord to streamline approvals for more homes, and key to this process is having a qualified and consistent planning workforce,” Cr Sali said.

“Regional planning is not just about building houses. Planners also provide important work toward mitigation of the increasing risk of bushfires and floods, and consideration of native vegetation and heritage protection.

“Planning courses and degrees at local universities are critical to building a regional planning workforce that is not only invested in the future of our cities, but can deliver on the housing aspirations of federal and state governments and the demands of Victoria’s growing population.”

In recent submissions to Commonwealth and Victorian parliamentary inquiries and government engagement processes, RCV has called for:
• the Commonwealth to deem statutory planners as critical to the National Housing Accord and encourage more people to take up this occupation in the public sector;
• scholarships for those studying urban and regional planning;
• forgiveness of Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) debts for planning practitioners who live in regional Australia and work in local government;
• eligibility for the ‘Commonwealth Prac Payment’ for students undertaking mandatory placements whilst studying a course accredited by the Planning Institute of Australia; and
• inclusion of Urban and Regional Planner (ANZSCO 232611) in the Critical Skills Occupation List, to encourage skilled migrants to regional Australia.

“The $6.3m pilot program is a step in the right direction, but there are further measures that must be considered to sustain the workforce long term. Right now, we need a joint effort between universities, governments and industry bodies to facilitate promotion of these degrees – and the planning profession – to prospective students,” Cr Sali said.

“These courses are critical to building a planning workforce that can deliver on government housing aspirations and the demands of Victoria’s growing population.

“RCV is committed to continuing to work with the government to turn this skills shortage trend around.”

Regional Cities Victoria comprises the 10 largest regional cities in Victoria – Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Horsham, Latrobe, Mildura, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Warrnambool and Wodonga.

Collectively, these cities are home to more than 800,000 Victorians, and contribute to approximately 10 per cent of Victoria’s economy.

Media contact: Emily Broadbent 0413 133 627