The key to ensuring the long-term health of our community is availing the right jobs and opportunities for our people, through the provision of appropriate foundations.
With State Government’s Perth and Peel at 3.5 Million planning strategy indicating a population increase for the Shire of Murray from its current 18,000 to approximately 164,000 by 2050, the challenges faced to manage this growth are substantial.
The Shire’s recently adopted Economic Strategy 2018-2022 sets a course of economic growth, with a number of strategic actions already initiated to ensure its successful implementation. The Shire is working more collaboratively with community and local business and is currently considering strengthening its place-based approach to development, through the establishment of a town team/s that will work with representatives from Shire localities to empower growth.
The Shire has also partnered with the City of Mandurah to establish a strong economic relationship, to position the Mandurah-Murray sub-region as a key growth area. Projects and programs that have export characteristics and respond to the specific competitive strengths of the Shire, are being identified, planned and packaged to attract government funding and private capital. Through our collaboration with the Peel Development Commission and State Government, the Shire hopes to ensure that projects in Murray have a strong “local content, local jobs” focus.
The Shire is continuously lobbying the State and Commonwealth governments to nurture a sound understanding of local circumstances and a clear appreciation of the key economic initiatives being pursued.
The Shire recognises the need to build a strong local economy that is export-orientated and supported by a highly skilled and flexible workforce.
Our aim is to widen our economic base and create more jobs through strategic investment in industry and tourism.
Success can be achieved through projects such as the Dwellingup National Trails Centre project, the Dwellingup-Collie Trails Town Initiative and the Pinjarra Town Centre Revitalisation.
The development of Murray’s equine industry is another important facet, which lead council at the September meeting, to adopt a four-pronged approach.
An equine infrastructure business case will be developed to seek government investment for short, medium and long-term needs for the racing, pacing and recreational equine components. Several already identified infrastructure requirements at the Pinjarra Race and Trotting Tracks and Murray Regional Equestrian Centre, form the final prongs of the approach.
At its September meeting, council further voted in support of incentivising investment in the Peel Business Park, offering the first five enterprises purchasing land in the park an exemption from paying local government rates for the first three years, in addition to an exemption from paying local government development and building fees.
The Shire strives not to be a dormitory of Perth, but to diversify our economy away from an over-reliance on mining.
Economic development is one of the Shire’s key focus areas and we are determined to provide the foundations required for the prosperity of our community and businesses.
- Cr David Bolt is Shire of Murray president.