Media Releases

The Nationals member for Lowan Hugh Delahunty has congratulated the organising committee on another successful Grampians Grape Escape Food and Wine Festival.

In representing the Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Minister Delahunty said that for 21 years the Grampians Grape Escape Food and Wine Festival had celebrated and promoted on of Victoria’s premier gourmet food and wine regions.

“People attending the festival enjoyed the different food and wines and festive atmosphere which, over the weekend, attracted 100 exhibitors and was a major tourism drawcard drawing thousands of visitors many of whom stayed in the region,” Minister Delahunty said.

“In opening the festival, I was pleased to announce, on behalf of Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional and Rural Development, that the Grampians Grape Escape Festival would receive $8,000 for the Twitter Plus project, which would use social media to showcase the region and grow the festival,” Minister Delahunty said.

“The Grampians Grape Escape Festival is in its 21st year and is widely recognised as the premier food and wine festival and provides a significant stimulus to the regional economy.”

“The Twitter Plus project will deliver a social media strategy to encourage ongoing relationships between exhibitors and attendees at this year’s festival and showcase the region and its produce.

“It will also incorporate market research to better determine the market attracted to the event and undertake an economic impact assessment to understand the economic impact of the festival on the town of Halls Gap, the Northern Grampians Shire and the broader Grampians region,” Minister Delahunty said.

“Putting Locals First is a $100 million state government initiative that enables regional communities to devise and deliver service and infrastructure responses that reflect local priorities,” Minister Delahunty said.

“It is supporting stronger and more sustainable regional communities by building their capacity to drive development in their region.”

“The Grampians Grape Escape is a wonderful event for western Victoria which is well patronised and I know everyone who attended thoroughly enjoyed the weekend,” Minister Delahunty said.

The Nationals member for Lowan Hugh Delahunty said he was pleased to attend the Regional Living Expo and has congratulated the local councils in the Lowan electorate and a number of other organisations in promoting our region at the inaugural Regional Victoria Living Expo at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre held over the last weekend in April.

“All western Victoria’s local councils and other organisations were present to showcase what the region had to offer, and it was pleasing to see some 8,000 people take the opportunity to visit the expo,” Mr Delahunty said.

“This was a wonderful event which gave Melburnians who are considering the option of moving to rural and regional Victoria the opportunity to meet with representatives of the local councils, as well as exhibitors from western Victoria who were there to provide various displays as to our regions’ attributes.”

Mr Delahunty said that recently released figures indicated that about like 11 per cent of Melburnians or about 450 000 people were actually considering moving to regional Victoria in the next three years, and another 39 per cent are considering doing so at some stage in the future.

“The opportunities for us in western Victoria are huge from all aspects including economic development, retail opportunities and tourism prospects as western Victoria has the Grampians as well as excellent climbing at Mt Arapiles,” Mr Delahunty said.

The Expo provided Melbourne residents and businesses with all the information they need when considering relocating to regional and rural Victoria.

“Here in western Victoria we have everything you need and a proud history of offering many opportunities including clean air, a healthy lifestyle, economic development and retail opportunities.  Our greatest asset is the people who live in our region.  I congratulate all those involved in Regional Victoria Living Expo from western Victoria on providing such a wonderful array of information for the visitors to the expo,” Mr Delahunty said.

Member for Lowan, Minister Hugh Delahunty will join western Victoria councils and businesses in promoting the region to Melburnians at this weekend’s Regional Victoria Living Expo at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC).

Minister Delahunty said all western Victorian councils and a host of businesses would showcase what the region had to offer at the 27-29 April Expo, which is expected to attract up to 10,000 people.

“For anyone considering a move, Western Victoria has everything you need,” Minister Delahunty said.

“The region, which boasts 25 per cent of Victoria’s wetlands, offers a relaxed, country lifestyle and is renowned for its national parks, spectacular wilderness, historic wineries and country hospitality.

“It also offers an attractive range of lifestyle choices from urban inner city living to peaceful rural blocks or affordable homes in smaller communities.

“Cultural events, impressive art galleries and an abundance of year-round sporting activities contribute to a relaxed, country lifestyle.

“As far as job opportunities go, western Victoria is Australia’s best performing grain-growing area, producing 70 per cent of Victoria’s grain, and is home to a vibrant manufacturing sector.

“Other employment areas include education and training, manufacturing, health and professional services, retail, hospitality, tourism and transport.

 “I congratulate all the western Victoria organisations participating in the 2012 Regional Victoria Living Expo and I’m sure they will do our fantastic region proud.”

Minister Delahunty said the free Expo would bring together all Victoria’s rural and regional councils as well as exhibitors under one roof at MCEC, making it easy to explore everything regional Victoria had to offer.

“The Expo will give Melbourne residents and businesses all the information they need when considering relocating to regional and rural Victoria, including promotion of education, housing and career opportunities,” Minister Delahunty said.

“It will provide all 48 regional and rural councils with an opportunity to promote the benefits and opportunities available in their areas so they can attract residents, skilled workers, business and investment.

“It will also showcase career, education and business opportunities and housing and lifestyle benefits.

“Expo visitors will discover that Victoria’s regional and rural areas provide huge advantages in livability, jobs, education and business viability that are at least the equal of those on offer in Melbourne.”

For more information visit rdv.vic.gov.au/expo

The Nationals Member for Lowan and Minister for Sport and Recreation and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Hugh Delahunty said the Wimmera is preparing for the next wave of future leaders, when he officially launched the 2012 Leadership Wimmera Program (LWP) last night.

Representing Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional and Rural Development Peter Ryan in Horsham, Mr Delahunty said the Victorian Government would provide $405,000 to help deliver the program over the next four years.

“The Leadership Wimmera Program, now in its eleventh year, has a track record of delivering wonderful results to businesses and communities across the region, drawing participants from the Wimmera Mallee region,” Mr Delahunty said.

“This twelve-month Leadership Program is aimed at enhancing the leadership skills and capabilities of people working in small businesses, medium sized businesses, community organizations, government agencies and local government authorities.

“The Leadership Program recognises that regional communities need a diverse range of leaders, and people from all backgrounds are welcome to participate regardless of academic or professional standing. 

“After ten years of natural disasters, many communities in the regions have struggled, and the Leadership Wimmera Program takes into account such difficulties as distance, income levels and family and farm-life responsibilities.”

Mr Delahunty said the $405,000 in Victorian Government support would be provided to the Wimmera Development Association Inc over four years through the Regional Community Leadership Program (RCLP).

Mr Delahunty said the Wimmera Development Association Inc, with the support of sponsors, would also provide $434,000 toward the leadership program in the next four years.

“The $6 million Regional Community Leadership Program is part of our $1 billion Regional Growth Fund (RGF), which is the Victorian Government’s commitment to support the continued economic development of regional Victoria.

“The Regional Growth Fund represents the government’s commitment to drive regional development across the State to ensure that regional Victoria remains a key contributor to our future growth and prosperity.”

The Nationals Member for Lowan Hugh Delahunty has labelled the Brumby Government’s Regional Blueprint as a cynical election strategy rather than a long term plan for regional Victoria.

“This blueprint short changes regional Victoria by cobbling together a mishmash of existing departmental programs without any long-term vision,” Mr Delahunty said.

“The Brumby Government’s commitment to infrastructure development is both confusing and inadequate.  On any view $260 million over five years is utterly inadequate.

Mr Delahunty said this announcement was a pale imitation of the Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition’s $1 billion Regional Growth Fund,

 “The blueprint does very little to address key areas of disadvantage such as a lack of regional jobs and career progression.

“The regional blueprint also does not deliver any substantial improvement to higher education opportunities for our youth, as most of the money can only be used to infrastructure needs.  Studies have shown that he overwhelming barrier for country students participating in higher education is the cost of living away from home,” he said.

“The facts are the Brumby Government’s recent TAFE reforms have priced students out of higher education, causing a 60 per cent drop in regional enrolments this year.”

Mr Delahunty said that John Brumby’s reason for developing this blueprint is to appease angry voters in Melbourne electorates by promoting it as a means of easing Melbourne’s growing pains.  The quality of life of regional Victorians has clearly been a secondary consideration.

“While I welcome the announcement of funding for vital projects such as the Wimmera Regional Intermodal Freight Hub and the Kaniva Biodiesel project , this blueprint doesn’t seem to be quite up to scratch when it comes to delivering future outcomes for regional Victoria,” he said.

 “It is embarrassing and disappointing that after almost 11 years in government, this is the best John Brumby can produce for regional Victoria,” Mr Delahunty said.

The Nationals Member for Lowan Hugh Delahunty has welcomed the announcement made at the recent Nationals State conference of a $1 billion Regional Growth Fund.

The $1 billion Regional Growth Fund would deliver funding over eight years for building and upgrading local services and infrastructure as well as investing in local skills and industries to promote jobs.

“By Growing regional cities and rural communities we can take pressure off Melbourne and create new prosperity and opportunity in regional Victoria,” Mr Delahunty said.

Mr Delahunty said regional Victoria contributes more than $20 billion through food production and $3.4 billion in tourism every year to Victoria’s economy.

The Regional Growth Fund will be available for projects in regional Victoria which provide better infrastructure, facilities or services; strengthen the economic base of communities; or create jobs and improve career opportunities for regional Victorians.

“Rural and Regional Victoria needs this support to expand capacity and create new prosperity, more opportunities and better quality of life.”

 “The Nationals 94th annual State Conference was held in Wangaratta and was a great success with 200 delegates attending from all parts of Victoria,” Mr Delahunty said.

“As always there was spirited debate on a range of important resolutions and it was pleasing to see the conference pass a number of motions which affect country Victorians.  One motion to gain the nod of the Conference delegates was calling on the State government to freeze the rollout of smart meters until there had been a full and independent cost benefit analysis.”

Mr Delahunty said the youth allowance was again hotly debated and the conference not only condemned the Rudd Labor government for its bungled handling of the changes to student income support but called on the Rudd Government to effectively and efficiently address the barriers faced by regional youth.

”The $1 billion Regional Growth Fund announced at The Nationals State Conference is key plank of the Coalition’s plan to establish regional Victoria as a future driver of our state’s growth and prosperity,” Mr Delahunty said.

“I support anything good for country Victoria and the Regional Growth Fund will promote a grass roots approach to funding upgrades in infrastructure, community facilities and core education and health services as well as investing in industry to create new jobs,” Mr Delahunty said.