AN economic development strategy has been proposed for the new Murray River Council.
The border municipality was proclaimed by the New South Wales Government on May 12 with the merger of the Wakool Shire Council and Murray Shire Council.
The new council’s interim administrator, David Shaw this week adopted a recommendation from general manager, Margot Stork for the current review of the Wakool Shire Economic Development Strategy be expanded into the development of a Murray River Council Economic Development Strategy.
Ms Stork said that Wakool had adopted a 2014-2017 strategy which was due for review, but Murray Shire Council did not have a similar strategy.
The Wakool strategy “identifies actions and projects consistent with the desired outcomes of the Wakool Shire Community Strategic Plan, she said.
Ms Stork said that a revised version had not been adopted prior to the amalgamation of the two shire councils.
She said that since the development of the Wakool strategy, there had been a number of significant changes in the regional economic landscape:
– Council mergers, not only forming Murray River Council but the formation of Edward River Council from the former councils of Deniliquin and Conargo;
– Recommendation by the New South Wales Government that Murray Regional Tourism area merges with the Riverina tourism area to form a new tourism region;
– Confirmation of the roll-out of the National Broadband Network fixed line services into Barham in the third quarter of 2018.
“Each of these changes impacts upon economic activities in the region and actions included in the Wakool Shire Economic Development Strategy 2014-2017,” she said.
“The economies of the former councils, Murray Shire and Wakool Shire, show strength in different industry sectors.”
Ms Stork said that, when consolidated, the total output estimated for the Murray River local government area is $1,023,486 million.
She said that the new council faced a number of transition issues and would need to determine priorities in addressing the issues and opportunities of current and potential economic activity in the new council area.
