WOULD $1000 be enough to convince you to move to a regional area?
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That's one of the incentives a council candidate has put forward as part of his election campaign to bring money back into the south-west post COVID-19.
Economist Michael Emerson has unveiled the bold new plan ahead of the Corangamite Shire Council by-election in a bid to win the vacant central ward seat.
He wants to see $5 million more spent to help the region recovery financially from the pandemic.
"Governments across the world are taking unprecedented measures to overcome the economic impacts of COVID-19 and I feel that's got to be the major focus of the shire at the moment," he said.
"If elected I want to increase the shire's $2.5 million economic stimulus plan by $5 million to $7.5 million.
"This could be funded through the shire's reserves, fortunately our shire is in a very strong position financially and has that cash in reserves."
He said now was the time for the council to use the $5 million it stashed in the bank last year: "I believe now is the time to open the purse strings, the rainy day has come.
"There's no point saving for the future, this is the biggest crisis we've faced since the Great Depression."
Mr Emerson is a business economist and former economy and tourism manager at Corangamite Shire Council.
He wants to see a range of incentives, including giving $1000 to anyone willing to relocate to the shire to cover moving costs to address the municipality's declining population.
Mr Emerson also pitched a 10 per cent temporary rate cut, saving ratepayers around $1.8 million, a $5000 youth scholarship to keep young people in the area, and a boost of $2000 on top of the state government's First Home Buyer grant per home up to $100,000.
He wants infrastructure spending increased by 25 per cent, or $1.8 million, a $1000 renewable energy grant to each household connecting to renewables, and a $500,000 community recovery fund.
"Each one per cent fall on our GDP would cost the shire $12 million, and I'm expecting it to fall around five per cent," Mr Emerson said.
"$5 million sounds like a lot but it's not that big compared to the possible losses we are facing.
"We're in a dramatic situation and we've got the economic capacity to do it.
"There wouldn't be one person who hasn't been affected by this."
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