Led by City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali, the group included representatives from GV Health and the Committee for Greater Shepparton, who met with ministers, shadow ministers and senior advisors last month. They presented a detailed advocacy document highlighting shovel-ready projects designed to boost economic growth, productivity and investment in the region.
“Greater Shepparton is the food bowl of Australia. We are an agricultural powerhouse that supplies produce on a national and international scale,” Cr Sali said.
“As a big regional city doing big city business, we are continuing to see people moving to the region and establishing their lives and businesses here; however, we haven’t got the services and facilities to match this growth.”
Projects outlined included the Goulburn River Bridge, the Shepparton Sports and Events Centre, and upgrades to GV Health — with all described as having state and national significance.
“We also reinforced the urgent need for a staged funding approach to completing the Shepparton hospital redevelopment, emphasising the community’s right to access care close to home,” Cr Sali said.
GV Health chief executive Matt Sharp said access to quality healthcare remained critical.
“Closing the gap on cancer care through a new integrated cancer centre is a top priority for our region, and a critical next step towards the completion of the remaining 50 per cent of the Shepparton hospital redevelopment,” Mr Sharp said.
“We are working hard to ensure people from our region have equitable access to high-quality care across all our services. A new integrated cancer centre is an important part of this, and we appreciate council’s recognition of the Shepparton hospital as a vital regional priority in these constructive discussions with our representatives in the Victorian parliament.”
Committee for Greater Shepparton executive officer Linda Nieuwenhuizen said regional investment was crucial to the state’s future.
“A strong Victorian economy relies on strong regional economies,” she said.
Council is also pushing for improvements to bus services and seeking a $5 million-plus state contribution for the Shepparton Sports and Events Centre.
“This isn’t just about what’s fair — it’s about what’s right for Greater Shepparton and for Victoria,” Cr Sali said.
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