Committee for Gippsland

1. Committee for Gippsland South Eastern Australian Transport Strategy February 2012

2. Overview of C4G • Established in March 2011, launched by Victorian Deputy Premier in April 2011. • Self-funded, region-wide organisation that provides peak body representation to government on behalf of all industry sectors and businesses in Gippsland. • Community organisations like Greening Australia Gippsland, and education providers like Monash University and GippsTAFE provide excellent synergies with other members. • Our aim is to work collaboratively with existing government and non-government organisations in Gippsland to achieve better social and economic outcomes for our region.

3. Committee for Gippsland Vision: For Gippsland to be a prosperous region in a global economy. Mission: To foster, facilitate and encourage a Gippsland region that encourages and invites participation and innovation, business innovation, industry development and vibrant communities. Purpose: To be a business-led advocacy group that engages business and key stakeholders in positive decision-making for the sustainable future of Gippsland, contributing to a strong and vibrant Victoria and Australia.

4. Committee for Gippsland Executive Committee Member Businesses: Patties Foods – Chairman Harry Rijs GHD – Deputy Chairman Jon McNaught Burra Foods – Grant Crothers SafeTech – Toni Wakefield Telstra Country Wide Gippsland – Jeanette Vannapraseuth Radfords Meats – Robert Radford East Gippsland Marketing Board – Karly McCaskill LV Printers – Ian Needham bankmecu – Anthony Heinemann GippsTAFE – Dr Peter Whitley WGM Solicitors – Rohan Hubbard John Mitchell Consulting – John Mitchell Committee for Moe – Manny Gelagotis

5. Committee for Gippsland Who we represent: • Over 40 member businesses. • Many of our member businesses are in the SME sector – for example, Radfords Meats, Burra Foods, SafeTech, LV Printers, and East Gippsland Newspapers. • We have a number of large companies including the ASX listed Patties Foods, bankmecu, International Power, Telstra Country Wide Gippsland, NAB and GHD. • Our community and non-government members include Monash University, GippsTAFE, Greening Australia Gippsland, East Gippsland Marketing Board, Wines of Gippsland Group, & Southern Business Women’s Network.

6. Committee for Gippsland Guiding Principles: • We are non political in everything we do and are receptive to alternative opinions and proposals. • Our members drive the agenda and momentum for our initiatives. • Our Executive Committee maintain the necessary credibility for the Committee to be recognised as a respected advocate for Gippsland. • We develop and nurture partnerships between corporate business, governments, non-government organisations and the community. • We never act as an advocate for the pecuniary interest of individual members.

7. Committee for Gippsland Our aim is to help make Gippsland a premier destination in Australia to live, work, invest and play. Our vision includes a Gippsland: • With broadly based visionary leadership. • With a common sense of purpose. • That attracts talent and fosters creativity. • That offers a vibrant future for young people. • That has a dynamic and sustainable economy and environment.

8. Gippsland’s TransportEnvironment • Maintenance • Critical for safety and business efficiency. • Geographic Gap • Closing the geographic gap for more timely export of goods and services. • Reducing travel times to Melbourne and Canberra. • Over 41,000 square kilometres in the region. • Population Growth • Significant population growth forecasts. Increase by 20% or 50,000 by 2026. Bass Coast and Baw Baw Shires are the fastest growing regional municipalities in Victoria.

9. Gippsland’s TransportEnvironment • SEATS Gippsland projects • Identified projects and estimate costs are over $670m. • Economic output of the region • $10.7bn of regional exports each year. • Freight Task • Average annual freight task is over 6 million tonnes – expected to increase from between 5-9 tonnes per year by 2020. • Transition to a Low Carbon Economy • Reliance on the energy sector means significant challenges in the short term from a shift to a low carbon economy.

10. C4G’s Transport Priorities C4G supports the SEATS Priorities for Gippsland which include: • Bass Highway Duplication • Caulfield-Dandenong Third Rail Line • Gippsland Intermodal • Gippsland Logistics Precinct • Koo Wee Rup Road-Pakenham Bypass to South Gippsland • Leongatha Heavy Vehicle Route • Lang Lang Bypass • South Gippsland Highway Upgrade

11. C4G’s Transport Priorities Transport Priorities in C4G’s Strategic Plan include: • Princes Highway duplication between Traralgon and Sale. • Bypasses for Leongatha and Korumburra. • Improvements between Lakes Entrance and Bairnsdale to address peak tourism flows. • Increase passenger train services between Traralgon and Sale. • Increase rail services between Bairnsdale, Pakenham and Melbourne. • Upgrades to Warragul-Korumburra Road. • Development of East Sale RAAF Base. • Duplication and bypasses between Sale and Bairnsdale. • Transport projects address congestion in response to population growth along Monash Freeway and Gippsland rail lines. • Development of freight port capacity at Barry Beach

12. Collaboration We believe C4G and SEATS can foster a positive relationship because our strategic priorities are strongly based on SEATS priorities for the Gippsland region. Together we can promote broad based support for road priorities – which includes the strength of the Gippsland business community.

13. Get in touch with us Mary Aldred Executive Director Ph: (03) 5623 3219 Drop in to see us at 13A Smith Street Warragul (PO Box 380) Email: info@gipps.com.au See our new website at: www.committeeforgippsland.com.au