The Allan Labor Government is supporting regional businesses to attract and retain staff with new homes for thousands of regional Victorian workers and their families.
Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan and Minister for Regional Development Gayle Tierney today visited Goulburn Valley Health in Shepparton to announce the first round of the $150 million Regional Worker Accommodation Fund - more than 20 projects which will boost affordable housing for workers and their families across Victoria.
All successful projects are shovel-ready and include co-investment from private businesses, industries or local community groups - unlocking nearly $250 million in combined private and public investment in new regional housing.
Each local housing project will be unique to the area - from self-contained units, worker villages, family dwellings, shared accommodation, and studios - and will be built to meet the skills needs of key sectors such as health, agriculture, education, manufacturing, and tourism.
In Shepparton, Goulburn Valley Health will build 15 self-contained apartments on site at the Shepparton Hospital for doctors and health staff, easing demand on the local rental market and helping the hospital attract new workers to the region.
Also in the Goulburn Valley, two leading fresh food producers will build new accommodation for agricultural workers to support workforce growth and stability. Seeka Australia will build a new worker village for 60 workers at their site in Mundoona, and the Kalafatis Group will build 12 new townhouses in Shepparton.
Backing local tourism and hospitality businesses at Victoria's famous alpine resorts, the Grollo Group will build worker accommodation at Mt Hotham, Mt Buller and Falls Creek for more than 1,300 workers. The three sites will provide modern accommodation facilities for workers across the state's biggest ski resorts.
The Regional Worker Accommodation Fund is part of the Labor Government's record $45 billion investment in regional and rural Victoria since 2014 - making our regional and rural towns even better places live, work and visit.
The more than 20 projects supported through the first round of the Regional Worker Accommodation Fund will be announced over the coming days. For more information, visit rdv.vic.gov.au/rwaf.
As stated by Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan
"You can't work in a regional community if you can't find a place to live. By helping essential workers find affordable accommodation, we're also making it easier for employers to attract and keep their staff."
"These projects will mean Victorians can live close to where they work and our incredible regional towns are attracting the skilled workers they need to keep their local economies booming."
As stated by Minister for Regional Development Gayle Tierney
"We're working closely with private sector businesses, industry and community groups to build the homes and accommodation our towns need - making sure regional areas have the skilled workers they need so our communities can prosper."
"The Regional Worker Accommodation Fund is one of the ways we're supporting our regional communities to be even better places to live, work and visit."
As stated by Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes
"These new apartments at Goulburn Valley Health will attract essential healthcare workers to Shepparton, strengthening local services and caring for our community."
As stated by Goulburn Valley Health Chief Executive Matt Sharp
"The new apartments will help us better support our workforce by providing fit-for-purpose accommodation onsite which will attract and retain more health professionals in Shepparton and the Goulburn Valley."
