Ready for tomorrow – A blueprint for regional and rural Victoria

• Regional Development Victoria

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Image: mugley / flickr

23 September 2010This policy document is the Victorian State Government's $630.7 million plan for a sustainable and prosperous regional and rural Victoria.

It supports the government’s vision for regional Victoria: a state of many choices made up of unique regional cities, centres and small towns that offer access to a range of opportunities no matter where you live.

Ready for Tomorrow includes new initiatives that will create more jobs, improve education opportunities, connect communities and support economic development.

It is a long-term plan that will manage growth and protect the regional and rural way of life, now and for future generations.

Ready for Tomorrow articulates the government’s new approach to regional development in which it supports regions, through a series of flexible strategies and initiatives, to make their own decisions and plans, based on their unique strengths and challenges.

Highlights include:

• a $260 million boost to the Regional Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF), which is now more flexible so it can deliver better infrastructure, tailored to each region.
• a $103.6 million package to improve tertiary education opportunities for regional Victorians.
• a $50 million package to support the ongoing sustainability of small towns.
• ongoing support for the implementation of regional strategic plans, and assistance for councils to guide growth and development of their regions.

Image: mugley / flickr