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2023 is nearly half way done, and the effort on border issues for 2023 is well underway. Our investment in the Ask the Border Question program is paying off already, as it raises the profile of border issues and capacity of agencies to get ahead of them. My NSW counterpart James McTavish reports similar success from his work within NSW agencies. This newsletter includes some news about programs that have seen border improvement following representations from the team and I, as well as external agencies now Asking the Border Question in their work.
The message is also spreading into agencies dealing with government. In March, I joined a panel convened by the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare in Albury as part of its Connecting Communities Tour. The Centre represents over 100 Victorian organisations working across the continuum of child and family services. The Albury event allowed the Centre to hear from organisations operating in that border area about the challenges presented and some of the solutions that could be applied. Kudos to the Centre for being willing to bring the tour to Albury-Wodonga. It is now able to bring those border stories into its advocacy with government more strongly.
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April 2023 saw the commencement of South Australia’s Cross Border Commissioner, Ms Liz McKinnon. I have already met with Liz to discuss the kinds of issues arising along the SA border – both locally specific issues as well as those that are reported no matter where you are along the border.
While based in Mount Gambier, the remit for South Australia’s Cross Border Commissioner extends around all of South Australia’s borders – over 3000km of land border abutting Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia. This includes that short (and, border-wise, undefined) section of the Murray River in the northwest corner of Victoria where Victoria is to the south of South Australia.
In March, NSW Cross Border Commissioner James McTavish and I had the opportunity to meet with Liz McKinnon in Mildura at a gathering of regional state agency leaders and regional police commanders from the three states. We are grateful for the opportunity, noting that Liz had not commenced officially at that time. We have certainly been in regular contact since commencement. There should now be more opportunities for tri-state coordination to occur, as well as bilateral border opportunities between Victoria and South Australia.
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Finally, following Victoria’s state election in November 2022 the makeup of Victoria’s new ministry was announced in December 2022. The Hon Harriet Shing MP continues as Minister for Regional Development. Ms Michaela Settle MP is now the Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development. The regional development portfolio, in which the Cross Border Commissioner role is held, is serviced through the newly named Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR).
Luke Wilson
Victoria's Cross Border Commissioner
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| Recent border initiatives |
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Three recent border related initiatives are highlighted below, showing that raising a border issue can lead to change. Indeed, sometimes it may take just one person to raise one enquiry. That was certainly the case with the changes to the apprentice registration discount: one parent, making one enquiry, resulted in a change to eligibility for border residents.
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In August 2022, the Victorian Government announced a new program of scholarships for tertiary nursing students commencing in 2023. Following discussion with the Department of Health, the program’s design accommodates the inclusion of nursing at Charles Sturt University at Albury, UniSA at Mount Gambier and the University of Wollongong at Bega. While the numbers are larger in the Albury-Wodonga area, this change is of particular significance to our more isolated border communities in far-east Gippsland and south-western Victoria.
For further information and other eligibility requirements refer to free nursing and midwifery study.
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For some years Victoria has offered reduced vehicle registration fees for apprentices with vehicles used for work purposes. However, until recently the discount was not available to a Victorian resident apprentice working across the border if the apprenticeship was registered in that state – NSW or SA.
That has now changed, with SA and NSW apprenticeships now recognised. For further information and other eligibility requirements refer to trade apprentice registration discount.
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Regional public transport fares in Victoria are now capped to match metro fare levels. The teams at V/Line and the Department of Transport and Planning Asked the Border Question and have included arrangements for fares for Victorian (V/Line) services that cross into SA and NSW, to reduce any fare anomalies that might have arisen otherwise. The fare cap continues across the border for quite some distance – for some routes it is the entire route that is covered.
For further information visit Public Transport Victoria.
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Business owners are encouraged to visit the Business Victoria website. It is a comprehensive online resource designed to help Victorian businesses start, run and grow their business. On this website you can:
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access information about key business issues and get your questions answered
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access information about specific industry sectors
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identify the government licences and regulations that apply to your business
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step through interactive guides customised to your business situation
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find relevant financial support including grant programs, advice and training.
Several Sport and Recreation Victoria funding programs are also currently open. For more information visit Sport and Recreation Victoria.
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| State Government Consultations |
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Have your say, so that border views are heard.
Many government consultation processes in Victoria go through Engage Victoria. Check the website regularly or register to be notified of topics that are open.
If you live along the border with New South Wales, you might be interested in New South Wales government consultations, or for South Australia visit South Australia Better Together.
These Victorian consultations are now accepting contributions:
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You may also wish to take part in parliamentary committee inquiries. Submissions and hearing for these in Victoria are listed on the Parliament of Victoria website. Similar committee inquiry details can also be found on the websites for the Parliament of New South Wales, Parliament of South Australia, Parliament of Tasmania and Parliament of Australia.
Victoria
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If you know of a border issue, raise it with us. No matter how big or small, or even if you think others have raised it already. Ideas that seem fine in Melbourne, Sydney or Adelaide don’t always make sense at the border. One voice can make a difference!
You can get in touch via:
Email: enquiries@crossborder.vic.gov.au
Post: PO Box 1332, Wodonga VIC 3689
Phone: 0436 642 436
Connect with us on LinkedIn.
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| What happens with an issue after it has been raised? |
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At a minimum, every border issue or opportunity raised is reported to the Minister for Regional Development, The Hon Harriet Shing MP, the Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Victoria, Ms Michaela Settle MP, relevant Victorian and interstate government departments or agencies and relevant Ministers.
When required we play an active role helping departments and agencies to understand the issues raised and how they are impacting on border residents and businesses. This includes bringing agencies to the border to meet with their cross-border counterparts and to hear from impacted residents and businesses directly.
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