Chair Colin Ryan and executive officer Karen Foster met with Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas on Monday, advocating for more cash to be delivered to regional Victoria. 

Cr Ryan said Mr Pallas recognised and accepted to more needs to be done to support rural areas. 

“I can’t speak for all of regional Victoria, but we believe that regions such as ours, which are significant economic contributors to this state, deserve a bigger share of the port sale funds,” he said.

“Generally speaking, our region is supportive of the plan to lease the Port of Melbourne,” he said.

“We understand that the Government has election commitments it has to fulfil, but as major contributors to our state economy, we simply say that, with our city cousins, we are equally deserving of benefit.”

During the meeting Cr Ryan outlined important infrastructure needs in the region, including “crumbling transport corridors” leading to the Port of Portland.

“We are expecting a 700 per cent increase in forestry alone, but our major roads are already broken,” he said. 

“We had a good hearing with the treasurer – he seemed genuinely keen to make sure rural and regional Victoria gets a better share than what has been promised so far.”

Cr Ryan also sought the treasurer’s support to lobby the federal government for the inclusion of Princes Highway West on the National Land Transport Network.

He said inclusion of the highway west of Colac to the South Australian border could unlock important federal funds, lessening the burden on the state.

“The Princes Highway is a critical transport route, not only for freight and industry, but for tourism and for our regional communities,” Cr Ryan said.