Leaders pledge for South East
The business, manufacturing, tourism and local government leaders from across South East Melbourne have committed to advocate for jobs and investment in Melbourne’s south east following an intensive advocacy forum.
The forum – hosted by South East Melbourne (SEM, southeastmelbourne.org) – explored projects and ideas to help economic growth, jobs growth, liveability and the environment in the South East Melbourne region.
More than 30 stakeholders, representing business, manufacturing, tourism and local government sectors came together on Thursday 12 April to discuss strategies for the future of the region.
South East Melbourne is home to more than 1.2 million people and employs more than 470,000 workers and it is one of Melbourne’s fastest growing regions with 120 new families moving in each week.
The chair of South East Melbourne (SEM), Simon McKeon said: “The ideas that were brought forward were strong, creative, innovative and practical”.
‘As one of the fastest growing regions in Victoria we have pledged to make sure that our decision makers hear the same message from all the region’s stakeholders; we need better public transport options, investment in roads and large scale projects such as the South East Airport and the South East Freight hub to provide local jobs to the people calling the south east home’.
“Together we encourage organisations of south east Melbourne to raise their voice as one, it is a voice that needs to be heard.”
Mr McKeon said that following the meeting, the ideas generated would be prioritised and considered by the SEM board. Mr McKeon said SEM, together with the other regional groups, would continue to lobby state and federal governments to ensure the region got its fair share of investment. Among the groups in attendance were:
South East Melbourne (SEM)
South East Melbourne Manufacturers Association (SEMMA)
Committee for Greater Frankston
Committee for Dandenong
Metropolitan Partnerships Southern Region
Casey Cardinia Tourism Group
Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism Board
The Eastern Innovation and Business Centre
The South East Business Network
The business, manufacturing, tourism and local government leaders committed to strategies that will:
Deliver jobs and investment
Expand the region’s nationally significant manufacturing sector
Expand South East Melbourne’s world-class food economy
Achieve a more connected community
Work together to attract infrastructure that increase liveability
Projects discussed in the forum include:
National Employment and Innovation Clusters at Monash and Dandenong
Extension of Cranbourne and Frankston Rail lines
The South East Airport
A health and education precinct in Frankston
Environmental solutions that deliver sustainable outcomes
Connect the education and skills sector to industry
Support the South East’s Major Roads Package
Build the South East Freight Hub
Expand the region’s skills base
Advocate for bus services to where the jobs are
Build high-speed internet access for business communities
Bring government jobs to the south east
Providing recycled water for South East Farmers
Repurpose the Port of Hastings
Greater integration between research and innovation and lifting the profile of innovation in the region
About SEM: SEM includes the shires of Cardinia and Mornington Peninsula, and the cities of Casey, Frankston, Greater Dandenong, Kingston and Monash.
For more information contact: Jenny Ljunggren info@southeastmelbourne.org 0401 839 811