Melbourne's West Economic Response Taskforce
In February 2014, Toyota Australia announced that it would stop building cars in Australia by the end of 2017 and become a national sales and distribution company.
Consequently, LeadWest facilitated formation of the Melbourne’s West Economic Response Taskforce.
Chaired by the Mayor of Hobsons Bay City Council, the Taskforce has a membership that includes respresentatives of the six local governments in Melbourne's west, the Victorian Government's Department of State Development Business and Innovation, the Australian Government's Department of Employment and Department of Industry, the Western Melbourne Regional Development Australia Committee, LeadWest, and representatives of Toyota.
The role of the Melbourne's West Economic Response Taskforce is to provide regional coordination for the whole of government response to adjustment of the regional economy associated with the end of motor vehicle manufacturing in Melbourne’s west.
It is focused on the following key objectives:
- Establishment of a sustainable partnership model and governance structure suited to the role of the Taskforce.
- Commissioning of research on what businesses will be affected, how and to what extent (in order to better understand the repercussions for the supply chains and what needs to be done to minimise the impact of local retrenchments, what industries may offer opportunities for transition of employment, what skills and training will be required for transitions to be effective and meaningful for those involved).
- Provision of highly effective regional coordination for the whole of government response for Melbourne’s west and the conduct of effective advocacy to the Australian Government and Victorian Government in order to provide a local perspective, access funds and cooperate on mutually beneficial projects.
- Coordination of advocacy and promotion of regional activity to create local jobs for local people.
- Identification of other opportunities for business and employment growth through government funds, commercial infrastructure and investment attraction.
