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PRIME MINISTER
*** CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P. J. KEATING, MP
LAUNCH OF THE SOUTH METROPOLITAN ( WA) ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIAN SPECIALITY ALLOYS
PTY LTD, CANNINGVALE, WA, 15 FEBRUARY 1995
It was with real excitement that I accepted the invitation to come here today
and ' launch the region', the first in the West.
This is a first step, taken by some very industrious people, to contribute to
their community by applying certain of the ideas articulated by this
Government in the White Paper, Working Nation.
One of the landmark initiatives in the White Paper was the Regional
Economic Development Program.
Many of this nation's economic problems, and the solutions to those
problems, are to be found at the regional level.
The idea behind the Regional Economic Development Program is simple, but
ambitious. The idea is to take a region and empower it.
To isolate its talents, to harness its energy, to coordinate its resources, to
bring together its people.
The Program is not about plying regions with extra funds, but allowing
regions to articulate their own visions and helping them to achieve those
visions, through business collaboration and development of regional
strategies, priorities and projects.
This agenda can only be achieved if the local stakeholders have a high
degree of participation in the regional institutions, and ownership of the
regional processes.
That is what differentiates this Program from the failed 1970s concept of
regional development based on urban growth centres. In those days,
economic strategies were dreamed up elsewhere, and imposed on regional
communities. The decision makers misread local conditions, and lacked local
support. By contrast, the Regional Economic Development Program has been
developed on a platform of broadly-based community participation. The
strategy is anchored in the regions themselves, and draws heavily on their
resources. Ideas and initiatives derive from the regional communities.
And as we see today, they are springing forth.
That's not to say the Commonwealth Government is a mere passenger.
In the initial stages, the Commonwealth is a catalyst a spark plug. It draws
all the parties together, and focusses community dialogue.
Where a core group of regional leaders emerge and form a Steering
Committee, the Commonwealth will establish a Regional Economic
Development Organisation ( a REDO) to help with directions.
Where required, and at the request of Steering Committee, the
Commonwealth will fund regional conferences to identify the strengths and
resources of the region, the capacities of its institutions, and possible bridges
to other regions. We will help to enhance those capacities, and build more of
those bridges.
The development and implementation of strategies to increase employment
and investment requires both vision and the commitment of resources. The
Commonwealth will commit up to $ 240,000 over three years to fund the
operation of a REDO, to support that vision.
Where infrastructure bottlenecks are impeding regional economic
development, the Commonwealth will help overcome them.
We will do it either by direct funding or by Infrastructure Bonds which
encourage private sector investment through Commonwealth tax
concessions. To accomplish all this, the Commonwealth will spend $ 150 million over four
years under the Program.
And this does not represent the totality of Commonwealth assistance to
regional economic development.
The Regional Economic Development Program will be a vehicle for the
delivery of other Commonwealth assistance and services to the regions.
These services will be channelled in focussed and imaginative ways, and
their impact will be profound.
I said on Australia Day that the development of regional Australia along these
lines has a potential comparable to our immigration programs.
It can make Australia more dynamic, adventurous and outward-looking; more
diverse and much stronger.
If we can get regional economies going with a place in the mainstream of the
national economy and indeed the global economy we will get stronger
communities in every other sense, including the social sense.
Above all, of course, we are going to get jobs and jobs with a future.
The Commonwealth Government's regional development strategy boasts an
ambitious agenda.
Such an agenda is only achievable if we work in concert with local and state
governments, as well as with business, unions and education research
bodies. The Commonwealth does not seek to duplicate or usurp the economic
development programs undertaken by other governments. Rather, we seek
to build on and add value to these already-existing programs.
Deputy Premier Cowan and his department have cooperated in the initial
steps. I am also pleased to hear that these initiatives in the metropolitan area have
been supported by the Western Australian Chamber of Commerce and
Industry, the Western Australian Municipal Association and the Trades and
Labour Council of Western Australia.
So this region, embracing the municipalities of Melville, East Fremantle,
Fremantle, Cockburn, Kwinana, Rockingham, Gosnells, Armadale,
Serpentine-Jarrahdale and the proposed municipality of Shepperton, now has
an opportunity to work more effectively towards employment and investment.
To Kyle Abbott, thank you for making this venue available today. A most
appropriate venue for a program promoting Australian exports.
To the business and industry leaders of the region, thank you for accepting
the responsibility of leadership.
Your investment of knowledge and skills in the community is an investment in
the future. It is like applying the old agricultural axiom return to the soil what
has been taken from it.
The most extraordinary resource of this region is clearly its people. The
South Metropolitan Region is fortunate in having a very dedicated group of
community leaders who form the Steering Committee:
Mrs Charlotte Stockwell of the South West Corridor Development and
Employment Foundation;
Mr Jay Hardison of the Heritage Country Development Agency;
Mr Lyn Metcalf of the City of South Perth;
Mr John Hardwick, also of the City of South Perth;
Ms Lorraine McKeig of the Kwinana office of the Chamber of
Commerce and Industry;
Professor John Wood of Notre Dame University; and
Professor Peter Newman of Murdoch University.
To this pioneering Steering Committee, I offer you my congratulations and my
Government's support.
As tangible proof of this support, I am pleased to announce a major
Commonwealth Program Delivery Initiative in this region a result of
recommendations made in the Kelty report, subsequent studies by
government officials, consultations with regional communities and a study by
Price Waterhouse.
A group of Commonwealth officials will be formed here to assist with your
regional strategies, to search for partnership opportunities and help address
problems impeding the region's growth strategy.
This group will consist of the senior officials from key Commonwealth
agencies involved in the region such as the Departments of Employment,
Education and Training, Housing and Regional Development, Social Security,
Defence, Industry Science and Technology, the Australian Technology,
Science and Industry Council, and Austrade.
As this Initiative is progressively established it will provide ballast for your
regional strategy, broadening and deepening the region's capacities.
I am pleased to hand over a cheque for $ 23,800 to fund the regional audit
and search conference process to help the Steering Committee to identify the
region's strengths, possible social and economic linkages between the
various municipalities and to develop a proposed structure for a REDO for
your region.
I wish you well in your endeavours.