FEDERAL LABOR TO SUPPORT EVOCITIES PROJECT FOR REGIONAL NSW

6 November 2007

Simon Crean, Shadow Minister for Trade and Regional Development, together with Bob Debus, Labor Candidate for Macquarie, committed $1.2 million for the Evocities project in Bathurst today.

The Evocities project will be significant in addressing the significant skills shortages across the Central West region of NSW.

The cities of Dubbo, Albury, Armidale, Bathurst, Orange, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga have worked together to deliver a marketing strategy to attract people from Sydney to live, work and invest in their cities.

" The seven member cities have addressed the misconception in Sydney that there are few opportunities west of the Great Divide in NSW," said Mr Crean.

" They also recognised the value in working together to deliver a fresh, new marketing strategy.

" Federal Labor is committed to rewarding innovative local solutions for sustainable regional development, such as this one."

The investment will be made from Labor's new Better Regions program which will address the growth challenges of regions.

Market research undertaken by the seven cities identified that 28 per cent of the people surveyed in Sydney, had or were considering moving out of the city.

The cities offer an excellent alternative to metropolitan living and are attractive, vibrant places to live with enormous job opportunities, cultural and recreational facilities and quality education and medical services.

Federal Labor's commitment will enable the project to proceed for the first year and will be delivered in partnership with the Local Governments together with a range of corporate sponsors including the Commonwealth Bank, Babcock and Brown, Country Energy and Soul Communications agreeing to support the initiative.

Not since Federal Labor's Better Cities program, has there been a strategic vision to inject funding into innovation and infrastructure to renew and sustain regional and urban communities.