Plan to boost prosperity and take down fruit fly

Alongside these, council has compiled six additional priorities for which it is seeking federal, state and local funding.

“In setting a strategic direction for Greater Shepparton, we must look to address the key challenges and opportunities which our region faces,” City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali said.

“While we have three key infrastructure priority projects we are advocating for, we also have six policy items which need further Australian Government support.

“These policy documents address the need for further funding for these key services for the region — services which enhance liveability, improve lifestyles and continue to create a more thriving economy for Greater Shepparton.”

In Tuesday’s edition, The News is covering the final two secondary priorities, after covering the first four in Friday’s and Monday’s News.

Queensland Fruit Fly

With the current Victorian Queensland Fruit Fly funding program ending in June 2025, future management of the invasive species is at risk.

QFF is now established in the Goulburn Murray Valley, compromising the quality of produce within the region.

The GMV QFF Area Wide Management program was a means of managing and controlling fruit fly, but with significant funding reductions has led to a less proactive approach to control, placing pressure on the horticultural industry.

From 2017 to 2020, a high-input phase of AWM was running, which heavily reduced QFF numbers, but from 2020 to present, a low-input phase has been running, with increases of around 183 per cent since the high-input phase ended.

“The high-input (AWM) strategy was a fruit fly management success. Never before has the whole community, from the Victorian Government to the backyard grower, worked so well together to the benefit of all,” fruit fly specialist Andrew Jessup said.

A sterile insect technique trial saw reductions of over 83 per cent when run in Cobram from 2019 to 2021.

Council, after engaging experts to analyse the current situation, determined fruit fly numbers could go up by 200 per cent beyond 2026.

“The GMV has a proven fruit fly program that the local growers rely on to educate the general community to control and manage fruit fly,” Fruit Growers Victoria fruit grower and chair Mitchell McNab said.

“The program plays an important role in sustaining local production and protecting our valuable exports.”

Council is proposing a sterile insect technique facility to produce sterile QFF in the short term to manage the current threat in the region, with the potential to expand to sterilise other pests to safeguard horticulture.

Alongside this, council wants to reintroduce the high-input AWM program to enable a proactive approach to QFF.

To achieve both of these, council is seeking $12 million to establish the facility, $10 million for running costs over five years, and $1 million a year for the GMV AWM Fruit Fly Program.

Goulburn Murray Regional Prosperity Plan Activation

Closing the Gap remains an important target, with the Goulburn Murray Regional Prosperity Plan aiming to deliver shared prosperity and economic growth.

The plan sets a vision for First Nations parity and a prospering region, with a focus on workforce participation, business development, economic independence and partnerships.

The plan, co-chaired by Paul Briggs and David McKenzie, will provide strategic priorities and a 15-year action plan for the region, which will bring an additional $150 million gross regional product per annum through Yorta Yorta and First Nations’ economic inclusion.

So far, important social infrastructure for the local First Nations community has been implemented to support and complement the plan, including:

Mr McKenzie said the plan was really important for the future of the regional economy and community.

“The way that the plan is conceptualised and now sits in the region is really regarded as nation leading,” he said.

“There’s nothing else like this around.

“Under the framework of the prosperity plan, we can think about broader societal outcomes and think about Indigenous procurement, (about how we can) work with Aboriginal-owned businesses in the region, think about meaningful employment targets and training opportunities.

“These things are going to happen anyway, but it’s a way of making sure that we get the best out of any dollars spent locally.”