RDA Hume delivers and supports regional initiatives and projects to drive economic development by working closely with all levels of government, regional organisations and other local stakeholders.
Examples of some of the projects the committee has delivered previously or are currently underway are listed below:
Strategic Planning
RDA Hume is supporting the renewal of the Hume Strategy for Sustainable Communities 2010-2020 (PDF 9998.22 KB) 
The 10-year strategic plan was developed to provide advice and recommendations for investment in the Hume region and a ‘unified voice’ to strengthen its competitive advantages, harness opportunities and agree on regional outcomes.
Taking the lead in thinking about the development of the next plan, RDA Hume have commissioned a review of its progress to gain an understanding of where to from here, as well as laying the foundations for the next long-term strategic regional plan.
This work has been captured in the Hume Region Growth and Change Analysis (PDF 7720.42 KB) .
Specifically, this has involved:
- Undertaking a review of the Hume Strategy in order to understand what has been achieved, determine how well it has progressed and to highlight what is still left to do in the region;
- Considering where to from here for the region, what might be some opportunities for success; and
- Completing some initial planning for the next version for the region’s strategic plan.
RDA Hume worked closely with local government authorities, departmental representatives, regional partnerships, water authorities, community organisations, Alpine resorts, tourism authorities and members from community leadership groups including the Alpine Valleys, Fairley, and Rivers and Ranges to develop these resources.
State and Australian Government representatives have been briefed on this project.
The suite of documents that make up the Hume Strategy including sub-regional plans are listed below.
RDA Hume is also advocating strongly to progress regionally significant projects and has developed the Hume Regional Priorities 2019 - 2021 (PDF 1161.73 KB) in consultation with local government authorities and Alpine Resort Management Boards.
The projects listed below align with the Hume Strategy objectives and supports the long-term strategic objectives of the region.
- Hume Strategy for Sustainable Communities 2010-2020 (PDF 9998.22 KB)
- Hume Strategic Plan 2010-20 Executive Summary (PDF 1199.06 KB)
- Central Hume Sub-Regional Plan 2010-20 (PDF 3616.13 KB)
- Goulburn Valley Sub-Regional Plan 2010-20 (PDF 3822.45 KB)
- Lower Hume Sub-Regional Plan 2010-20 (PDF 3825.37 KB)
- Upper Hume Sub-Regional Plan 2010-20 (PDF 3635.04 KB)
Accessible versions of these documents are not currently available. Please email RDA Hume if you need further information.
If you would like to know more about this project, email RDA Hume.
Decentralisation Report
Following the Australian Government House of Representatives inquiry into regional development and decentralisation, a number of recommendations were made in the final Regions at the Ready: Investing in Australia’s Future report (PDF 4.27MB).
In response to the recommendations RDA Hume commissioned a report on Opportunities for Decentralisation in the Hume Region (PDF 1457.18 KB) . The RDA Hume Submission to the Inquiry into Regional Development and Decentralisation (PDF 647.14 KB) report outlines the region’s attributes and liveability requirements to attract government agencies to relocate to the region.
Working with key local government authorities, RDA Hume will advocate to state and federal agencies the region’s readiness for decentralisation.
If you would like to know more about this project, email RDA Hume.
Accessible versions of these documents are not currently available. Please email RDA Hume if you need further information.
Workforce Development Planning
There are three separate research initiatives which are being undertaken to inform workforce planning and to address skills shortages.
They are:
- Updating of the Hume Workforce Development Plan 2015 - 2018 (PDF 2739.19 KB) to identify the achievements of the previous plan, completing an audit of current workforce pressures within the six key sectors including health/aged care/community services, manufacturing, agriculture, transport/warehousing and logistics, defence and tourism.
- Analysis of the current labour market in Benalla, given future skills requirements with recent investment in Benalla with the establishment of the Benalla precast manufacturing plant and additional defence sector developments.
- Research into identifying and addressing skills shortages in the food manufacturing industry in the Goulburn Valley.
If you would like to know more about these projects, email RDA Hume.
An accessible version of this document is not currently available. Please email RDA Hume if you need further information.
Building Economic Development Capacity for Local Government in the Hume Region
This project has involved the design and delivery of a professional development program to build the economic development capacity of local councils in the Hume region.
With a focus on creating the conditions for local economic development and improving local economic viability and sustainability, the professional development program included members of the Hume Economic Development Network - made up of economic development officers, or their equivalent, from each of the 12 local councils in the Hume region.
As a focus for the new RDA Charter, RDA Hume identified training local government officers in economic development would attract investment for the region, drive economic growth and create local jobs. This charter takes RDA Hume into a more active and facilitative role in the region and increasing the focus on attracting investment.
A number of workshops for economic development officers from across the Hume region are being held and professional development and support will continue through the RDA Charter post completion of workshops.
If you would like to know more about this training, email email RDA Hume.
Defence Industry in the Hume Region
RDA Hume recognises the significant contribution the defence industry makes to the Hume region; the sector currently generates an estimated $556 million of gross value-added product and supports 2,730 jobs. It has a strong presence in the region including barracks at Bandiana and Puckapunyal, significant defence sector manufacturing facilities in Benalla, and large service contracts between defence and Wodonga TAFE.
In 2017, RDA Hume and several Victorian organisations made submissions to the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. The inquiry looked into the impact of defence training activities and facilities on rural and regional communities.
Following the inquiry, RDA Hume now facilitates regular meetings to bring together industry personnel and to discuss how the defence sector could grow in the region.
Key stakeholders include representatives from the Department of Defence, the Australian Industry and Defence Network, Wodonga TAFE, Wadsworth Barracks at Bandiana, NIOA weapon supply and support, Pentarch, Thales, Broadspectrum and the Centre for Defence Industry Capability.
Following stakeholder consultation, RDA Hume commissioned a study to analyse the value of the Defence Sector in the Hume Region. The project sought to better understand the broader value of the sector to the region, identified challenges facing suppliers to the defence force, highlighted opportunities for grow and articulated ways to support businesses to become ‘defence ready’.
The final report, Defence Industry in the Hume Region: An assessment of Value and Growth Opportunities (PDF 3.3 MB).
RDA Hume Defence Industry Prospectus (PDF 1405.48 KB)
Accessible versions of these documents are not currently available. Please email RDA Hume if you need further information.
The future focus for RDA Hume will be to work with stakeholders to progress priority recommendations from the report and to continue to advocate for growth of this sector in the Hume Region.
If you would like to know more about this project, email RDA Hume.
Supporting the Wine Industry in the Region
RDA Hume has been working with Wines of the King Valley to capitalise on the growing popularity of Prosecco around the world. The King Valley Prosecco Business Case for Investment seeks to analyse the potential and capacity of the King Valley wine region, to capitalise on global growth in Prosecco sales and outline a plan of necessary steps for the next five years, and strategically for the next 10 years, to realise its potential.
This project will address challenges in the following areas:
- Growing – provide rationale for grape growers to graft for Prosecco, and for investors to develop green-field sites for new plantings
- Making – assess costs and benefits for developing an in-region bottling facility
- Marketing – outline scope and strategy for marketing investment to make membership of the King Valley region a valuable, marketable asset to grape growers, winemakers and tourism operators
- Funding – identify costs and potential funding sources.
If you would like to know more about this project, email RDA Hume.
Agritourism in the Hume Region
The Hume Region is primed for growth in agritourism. By working with innovative producers, there is an opportunity to develop new tourism markets and build on the success of current agribusiness and natural environment values to build stronger outcomes for the local visitor economy.
Reports commissioned by RDA Hume that investigates potential agribusiness opportunities in the Hume region include:
- Upper, Central and Lower Hume Sub Regions Food Opportunity Executive Summary (PDF 403.85 KB)
- Upper, Central and Lower Hume Sub-Regions Food Opportunity Vol 1 (PDF 4559.08 KB)
- Upper, Central and Lower Hume Sub-Regions Food Opportunity Vol 2 (PDF 798.29 KB)
- Upper, Central and Lower Hume Sub-Regions Food Opportunity Vol 3 (PDF 805.17 KB)
- Northern Victorian Food Opportunity Strategy and Action Plan; Executive Summary (PDF 476.89 KB)
- Northern Victorian Food Opportunity Strategy Volume 1 (PDF 1387.83 KB)
- Northern Victorian Food Opportunity Strategy Volume 2 (PDF 524.02 KB)
Accessible versions of these documents are not currently available. Please email RDA Hume if you need further information.
These reports recommended RDA Hume to collaborate with regional tourism bodies and articulate an agritourism vision for the region.
After consultation with the three tourism authorities from northern Victoria, RDA Hume funded two research projects to investigate the potential for agritourism and taking a strategic approach to planning for its development and growth.
RDA Hume worked with Tourism North East to develop a three-phase agritourism research and mapping project.
The deliverables for the project were:
- Consumer segmentation research that identified the types of people interested in agritourism and what they expect from their agritourism experience
- An industry mapping project which determined which agritourism experiences are currently on the ground, and associated development opportunities
- Industry development phase to identify the current demand with existing supply, with work underway to support industry and develop new or enhanced agritourism experiences.
This work has resulted in agritourism action plans that provide a strategic way forward for agritourism development in the region. These action plans may result in working with state and Australian Governments to fund key recommendations. RDA Hume will continue to collaborate with tourism authorities and consider further requests for support as they arise.
RDA Hume is also supporting Mansfield Producers Inc to develop a Paddock to Plate Agritourism Alliance Marketing and Implementation Plan. This plan includes priorities such as the development of a marketing plan, website and e-platform with overarching branding to maximise opportunities for small scale producers in the alliance.
If you would like to know more about this project, email RDA Hume.
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