A Regional Perspective on Transport & Economic Development

1. A Regional Perspective on Transport & Economic Development

2. Presentation outline • Background – traditional vs regional approach • SEATS Region & Make-up • SEATS - Vision & Aims • SEATS - Strategic Transport Network • SEATS - Priority Projects • SEATS - Examples of Successful Outcomes • SEATS - Future Challenges • SEATS - Membership Benefits & Costs • SEATS - Communications • SEATS - Key Elements for Success

3. The challenge before us • Individual Councils recognise the critical importance of transport infrastructure to the social and economic well-being of their communities. • How do we best argue our case for improved transport and subsequent economic and social outcomes for our communities?

4. Councils – Traditional Approach • Traditional approach before SEATS: • compete for our slice of the cake as individual councils; • work in relative isolation of industry, our neighbour councils and other levels of government; • focus mainly on road transport; • limit our area of concern based on State borders;

5. SEATS – Regional Approach • Advantages of a regional approach • United voice with greater access to and impact on Federal and State funding bodies • Councils working together instead of competing against neighbours • Takes account of other stakeholder needs including industry, insurance and research groups • Looks at the “whole of transport chain” and integration issues

6. SEATS – Regional Approach • Advantages of a regional approach • Takes proper account of cross border transport needs (eg HML into Canberra) and opportunities (eg Port of Eden) • Provides direction to funding bodies as to priority projects for the region • Improves alignment of local government’s case for funding against the Federal and State Governments’ strategies for the economic wellbeing of the Nation • Takes advantage of the wealth of experience and talent and information available to be shared across organisations

7. SEATS Testimonial • “SEATS intends using the strategic network to provide a collective focus for its future planning. It is also intended as a planning and funding tool because it promotes projects that go beyond the confines of individual councils and benefit the region as a whole as well as the individual states. This seems to me to be a very enlightened approach and in stark contrast to the usual competitive and selfish attitudes on display elsewhere.” - Dale Crisp

8. SEATS – Region • Wollongong NSW to Dandenong Victoria and out to Goulburn/Tumut NSW • Population of 1.5M people and growing rapidly • SEATS Membership make-up • Local government • State government (RTA/VicROADS) • Port authorities • Economic development boards – now changing • Industry representatives • Research organisations • Motoring/transport organisations

9. SEATSRegion

10. SEATS Executive Committee • Executive • Cr Sue Whelan – Chairman (CRDB) • Cr Graeme Middlemiss - Deputy Chairman/Public Officer (Latrobe City Council) • Mr David Byrne – Secretary/Treasurer (Cooma/Monaro Shire Council) • Mr Chris Vardon OAM - Chief Executive Officer • Committee Members Victoria (Victoria) Representatives • Cr Karen Baxter (City of Casey) • Cr John Duscher (Bass Coast Shire Council) • Chris Waites (East Gippsland Shire Council) • Committee Members New South Wales (NSW) Representatives • Mr Barry Russell (PHocus) • Mr Greg Pullen (Shoalhaven City Council) • Cr Bob Stewart (Bombala Shire Council)

11. NSW - New South Wales AECOM Bega Cheese Bombala Shire Council • Capital Region Development Board Cooma-Monaro Shire Council Eurobodalla Shire Council Dept Planning, Infrastructure & Resources (NSW) NRMA • NSW ATA PalerangCouncil PHocus Port Kembla Port Corporation Queanbeyan City Council RTA - Roads and Traffic Authority NSW SEACC Shoalhaven Area Consultative Committee Shoalhaven City Council Snowy River Shire Council Softwoods Working Group South East Fibre Exports Southern Councils Group (NSW) Tumut Shire Council Wollongong City Council VIC – Victoria Bass Coast Shire Council Baw Baw Shire Council Cardinia Shire Council City of Casey Council City of Greater Dandenong Council Dyers Transport – Gippsland East Gippsland Shire Council Gippsland Area Consultative Committee Grendas Transit Management LaTrobe Shire Council Monash University Gippsland Campus Port of Hastings South Gippsland Shire Council VICRoads Wellington Shire Council ACT – Australian Capital Territory NatRoad Limited

12. SEATS Vision • The South East Australian region between Wollongong and Dandenong, will have high quality transport links forming a regional network that facilitates economic growth and production, and enhances the lifestyles of the region’s population

13. SEATS Aims • To stimulate and facilitate investment in transport infrastructure in south eastern New South Wales (NSW ), eastern Victoria (Victoria) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) region. • To provide a highly coordinated and influential advocacy for the development of transport infrastructure in the South East Australian region that supports sustainable economic development and the prosperity of its constituents.

14. SEATS – Strategic Transport Network • Meyrick Report 2007 – Strategic Transport Network (funded by SEATS) • Transport network identification • Network deficiencies identified including lack of AUSLINK recognition • Agreed criteria for priority project selection (now under further review) • Priority projects selected and agreed to by SEATS members • Strategies in place to pursue priority projects

15. SEATS – Current Priority Projects • Bass Highway Duplication, Victoria (sections under construction) • Caulfield - Dandenong 3rd Rail Line, Victoria • Clyde Road Duplication, Victoria • Cranbourne Bypass, Victoria • Gippsland Intermodals, Victoria • Gocup Road, Tumut NSW (now back on the political agenda) • Kings Highway Upgrade, Batemans Bay to Canberra, NSW/ACT • Upgrades for HQJOC Defence Base (under construction) • Queanbeyan to Bundendore including ACT sections (under construction) • East of Braidwood to Batemans Bay (awaiting Kings Highway Route Strategy & funding)

16. SEATS – Current Priority Projects • Port Kembla Container Terminal Development (major redevelopment underway) • Princes Highway - Bega Town Bypass, NSW ($30M committed in Federal election) • Princes Highway - Brogo River Bridge, north of Bega NSW • Princes Highway - Wagonga Inlet bridge, Narooma NSW (concept designs complete) • Princes Highway - Batemans Bay to Dignams Creek, NSW • South Batemans Bay Bypass junction (concept designs with RTA) • Victoria Creek, north of Central Tilba (preliminary designs complete by RTA) • Digmans Creek, south of Tilba Tilba (preliminary investigations commenced by RTA) • Princes Highway - Orbost to Cann River, Victoria • Princes Highway - Traralgon to Sale, Victoria • Main Road 92 - Nowra to Nerriga, NSW (works nearing completion)

17. Pambula River floodplain crossing - $17M • Princes Highway NSW - South Nowra (Forest Road - • Jervis Bay Road - 4 lane highway) - $23M • Princes Highway NSW - Safety Program - $30M • Princes Highway NSW - Mt Conjola realignment - $45M • Princes Highway NSW - Bega Bypass SID - $1M plus $30M commitment • Kings Highway (Queanbeyan to Bungendore) - $23.3M Fed/$10M RTA • Main Road 92 - Nerriga - $120M • Princes Highway - Traralgon - Sale upgrade Vic - $140M • Funding for the East Gippsland Transport Study 2005 and update in 2008 • Princes Highway NSW - Victoria Creek/Digmans Creek - route selection studies SEATS – Examples of Recent Success

18. Assistance from Federal Government on roads not part of the AUSLINK National Network • Princes Highway, Pambula - $ 5M • Princes Highway, South Nowra - $15M • Princes Highway,Mount Conjola - $10M • Princes Highway, North Kiama - $34M • Princes Highway Bega Bypass - $30M (commitment) • Main Road 92 - $40M • Kings Highway - $23.3M (from the budget for HQJOC Defence Base) SEATS – Examples of Recent Successes

19. Princes Highway, Pambula NSW – improvements to limit regular highway flooding and to the road alignment – completed 2008

20. Princes Highway (south of Nowra) – Conjola Mountain Realignment - $45M

21. Princes Highway – South Nowra to Jervis Bay turnoff - $23.5M Upgrade in capacity from 2 to 4 lanes with junction treatments

22. Princes Highway – Jervis Bay turnoff near Nowra - $500,000 Intersection upgrade works

23. Princes Highway – Oak Flats to Dunmore (south of Albion Park) - $130M Upgrade from a windy two lane road to a high speed divided carriageway with four lanes

24. Bass Highway Duplication Victoria - construction of 6km section of highway duplication from Grantville to south of King Road – expected completion end April 2009 - $24.5M

25. Bass Highway Duplication Victoria - King Road to Woolmer Road - construction of 5.5km section – expected completion early 2010 - $27.1M

26. Princes Highway, Victoria – Road Safety Improvements – network actions to improve road safety and reduce the severity and incidence of run off road crashes - funded under the Victorian State Government’s arrive alive Safer Road Infrastructure Program

27. Final stage of the upgrade of the Bruthen - Nowa Nowa Road from Buchan Road to Nowa Nowa township - 7km section - completed in 2008. The Bruthen - Nowa Nowa Road provides an alternate truck route from Bairnsdale to Nowa Nowa allowing trucks to avoid the busy coastal fishing and resort township of Lakes Entrance

28. SEATS – Future Challenges • Improve the alignment of SEATS strategies & priorities to the AUSLINK National Network criteria and State Transport Plan • Achieve recognition of Princes Highway as an integral part of the AUSLINK National Network (eg Gerrigong to Bomedary upgrade to divided carriageway $0.9B) • Work with State agencies to: • Develop route strategies for all roads within the SEATS Strategic Transport Network • Improve our depth of understanding of the transport demand and links to economic development • Improve the scoping and business case development for individual projects within the Strategic Transport Network • Improve planning and integration of asset management planning, traffic and development work on strategic transport routes to maximise efficiency of the funds available • Assist the NSW government lobby for an improved share of AUSLINK funding • Work with government and industry on key Intermodal Freight/Transport Hubs • Investigate opportunities associated with ports (eg Hastings, Eden, Port Kembla)

29. SEATS Membership Benefits • Why Join SEATS? • First and foremost, SEATS membership gives a collective voice to all levels of Government to show the south east region of Australia is working as one to improve transport infrastructure. • It provides a united and co-operative front with diverse inputs to the many issues of transport infrastructure affecting our region. That gives our members confidence in espousing issues of local and regional interest to Government. • It means issues are not looked at in isolation, but are viewed from a wider perspective encompassing New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT.

30. SEATS Membership Benefits • Why Join SEATS (cont) • SEATS is the paramount organisation to make these cross border issues uppermost in the minds of all Governments. SEATS was recognised by the Federal Government at the 2004 Regional Roads Conference as being a significant group with a wide interstate role to play in advancing regional roads and other transport infrastructure issues. • Industry benefits from being able to advise SEATS on issues of importance, such as “weight of loads” issues, use of highways and byways by B Doubles, and other matters of interest.

31. SEATS Membership Benefits • Why Join SEATS? • Bega Cheese sees SEATS' Benefits - Bega Cheese Chairman Barry Irvin praised the value of industry membership of SEATS. "It's essential for industry to be involved with SEATS to ensure everyone recognises each others transport needs and to ensure information is disseminated to all those involved” Mr Irvin said. Bega Cheese sends over 900 trucks a year out of Bega NSW - 560 to Melbourne and 360 to Sydney. This will increase as Bega Cheese expands. “It has the largest cheese cutting, packaging and processing plant in the southern hemisphere, employs over 500 people and exports to 53 countries.”

32. SEATS Membership • Current Fee Structure • Council Population Annual Membership Fee (inc GST) <20,000 $1,118.91 20,000 to 30,000 $2,237.82 30,000 to 40,000 $3,356.73>40,000 $4,699.42Government Agencies $1,096.97Other Organisations $ 532.51Private Sector $ 532.51 • Membership Form • Complete the online Membership Form on the SEATS website at this direct linkhttp://www.seats.org.au/forms/membershipform.html

33. SEATS September Newsletter

34. SEATS December Newsletter

35. SEATS Presentations • NatRoads • Eurobodalla Shire Commercial Development • Casey Economic Profile • VIC Metropolitan Transport Forum • Port of Hasting • Graduated Licence System VIC Roads • NSW Forests • RTA - Bombala • Monash University, Gippsland Campus, Co-operative Education Program • Regional Development Victoria Transport Infrastructure • Gippsland Research and Information Service • Cooma-Monaro Shire Profile • Heavy Vehicles Capability • Moira Shire Dairy Roads Study

36. SEATS Presentations • Kings Highway • Port Kembla • RTA East West • SEATS Guidelines • VICRoads • Les Wielinga • Patties Foods • VTA - Victorian Transport Authority • Intermodal Terminals • ACIFSM • Plantation Forestry • Intelligent Transport Systems • Port Kembla Port Corporation • Port of Hastings Corporation - Securing The Future • Gippsland East Transport Project - Let's Get Connected

37. SEATS – Key Elements for Success • Established and maintain strong political support amongst Councils • SEATS pro-actively engaged support of the RTA/VicROADS (definite benefits to both parties) • Membership is broad and includes industry groups • SEATS Business and Marketing Plan adopted • SEATS engaged a dedicated resource in the CEO and media professional • Work undertaken by constitute Councils and others • SEATS engaged specialist resources as needed (eg Meyrick)

38. Contact SEATS • Mr Chris Vardon OAM, Chief Executive OfficerSEATS, PO Box 2106, Malua Bay NSW 2536Ph: 02 4471 1398Fax: 02 4471 3741Mobile: 0413 088 797Email: seats@acr.net.au • Mr David Byrne, Secretary/TreasurerSEATS, C/- Cooma-Monaro Shire Council, PO Box 714, Cooma NSW 2630Ph: 02 6450 1750Email: david.byrne@cooma.nsw.gov.au • SEATS Websitewww.seats.org.au