National’s Senator for Victoria, Bridget McKenzie said today Wodonga would be the ideal city for the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s re-location of some of its city staff.
The MDBA today announced that 10 percent of its staff, up to 30 employees is expected to voluntarily relocate to regional offices, including Albury – Wodonga.
Senator McKenzie said the City of Wodonga is a prime example of a thriving regional city with existing skills and infrastructure that would support such a move.
“Every public service job in Wodonga and elsewhere flows through the community and means more money for the local coffee shop, to the local mechanic, implores doctors to move there, schools to grow, and helps to deliver better transport services.
“I have been working with City of Wodonga Mayor, Cr Anna Speedie on this very plan and it is great to see the MDBA responsive to relocating some of its staff to the regions.
“Regional Australia deserves its fair share of government services and opportunities; and that includes being able to access quality public sector careers just as much as any capital city.
“Wodonga and surrounding areas deserves well-paid, skilled jobs. It deserves Centres of Excellence to be established to create knowledge hubs which continue to attract and grow those jobs.
Mayor Speedie said she was delighted that some MDBA staff could be re-located to Wodonga.
Wodonga is the perfect place for more Commonwealth agencies and jobs that would attract families and individuals to the area.
“This is a great place to live with the cost of living much lower than the capital cities and the cost of housing is a fraction of Sydney or Melbourne.
The Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee is currently investigating moving commonwealth agencies out of capital cities.
“As a member of that Committee I will be pushing for at least one hearing outside of Canberra so that city based senators can hear directly from regional communities about how much these jobs will be valued” Senator McKenzie said.
Senator Bridget McKenzie
Nationals Senator for Victoria
