Advocacy

The Resource Ready Strategy is a regionally led initiative designed to ensure our communities are prepared for the significant growth and change that may come from proposed mining, renewable energy and major infrastructure investment. Across the Wimmera Southern Mallee, there is an unprecedented pipeline of potential projects including 36 renewable energy developments, 22 mining operations and 5 major transmission upgrades.

With this level of change on the horizon, councils are taking a proactive approach. Rather than having this transformation “happen to us,” the Resource Ready Strategy provides a clear, united regional voice to help shape outcomes. It calls for transparent information, effective planning, fair treatment of communities and a focus on securing long-term local benefits.

Importantly, the strategy recognises that jobs alone are not enough to sustain thriving communities. Early and targeted investment is critical to support housing, infrastructure, workforce development, healthcare, childcare and telecommunications. By investing upfront and planning together, we can manage impacts, attract the right investment and ensure our region benefits from a fair and sustainable economic transition.

For detailed information, click here (PDF, 6MB).

Ahead of the upcoming Victorian State election, Horsham Rural City Council is calling on all sides of politics to support seven transformation projects for our city and region.

Horsham Rural City Council is the regional city at the epicentre of a significant period of economic transition, driven by major investment in renewable energy and mining. However, this growth is already placing increasing pressure on housing availability, enabling infrastructure, workforce capacity and local government resources.

Horsham has a clear opportunity to harness this investment to drive long-term economic prosperity, support existing industries and attract new business and workers to our city and region

Horsham Bypass

• Project Cost : To be determined. We are calling for State and Federal funding to undertake a detailed business case to establish an indicative project cost.
  

Regional Sports Facility

•  Project Cost: $45 million

Horsham CBD CCTV Upgrade

•  Project Cost: $850,000

Aerodrome Upgrades

•  Project Cost: $1,060,000

Cameron Oval, Laharum – Community Facility

• Project Cost $1.7 million

Horsham Railway Corridor Revitalisation

•  Project Cost: $9.95 million

A-Double Truck Readiness

•  Project Cost $5 million

For detailed information, click here. (PDF, 6MB)

Cr Rebecca Sluggett, Cr Todd Wilson and CEO Gail Gatt recently attended the Australian Local Government Association’s National General Assembly in Canberra, joining council representatives from across the country to discuss shared challenges and opportunities.

Horsham Rural City Council moved three motions at the National General Assembly, emphasising the importance of key worker accommodation and housing in regional areas, calling for support for local councils in assessing and managing complex mining, energy and renewable infrastructure proposals and thirdly, highlighting the need for increased investment to improve the safety and efficiency of heavy vehicle movements through coordinated investment in freight road networks. Crs Sluggett and Wilson also took part in debate on a range of motions to ensure outcomes were in the best interests of HRCC.

For detailed information, click here. 

Horsham Rural City Council (HRCC) has welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the Australian Government’s National Food Security Strategy through a formal submission to the recent Discussion Paper.

In its submission, Council called for a regional-first approach to food security—one that empowers food-producing areas through targeted investment, long-term planning, and coordinated action to address systemic barriers.

Recommendations from HRCC include protecting high-value agricultural land from competing land uses, investing in critical infrastructure and housing to support workforce retention, and prioritising strong, well-connected regional cities that serve as economic anchors for food-producing regions.

To view the submission, click here.(PDF, 343KB)

To view the Media Release, click here

This initiative underscores Council’s commitment to proactively managing the complex social, economic, and environmental considerations associated with mining, renewable energy, and broader energy-related developments in the region.

The region is experiencing a significant influx of mining, renewable energy, and energy projects, reflecting broader State and national transitions. With many expressing concerns about their potential impact on local agriculture, land use, and community well-being, Council is committed to ensuring that all voices are represented and that’s why this working group is so important.

To view the Media Release, click here.

Horsham Rural City Council joined regional leaders and industry representatives at a high-level forum at Parliament House on Wednesday 13 August to collaborate on the future of housing, infrastructure, and economic development across Victoria’s regional cities.

Convened by Regional Cities Victoria (RCV), the forum included key stakeholders from the REIV, HIA, UDIA, Property Council, Infrastructure Victoria, and Master Builders Victoria to identify shared priorities for managing Victoria’s growth over the next 25 years.

As the 2026 Victorian State Election approaches, Horsham Rural City Council joins with other regional cities and industry leaders in calling for genuine partnership, strategic investment, and a shared commitment to balanced, statewide growth.

To view the Media Release, click here.

Horsham Rural City Council (HRCC) has strongly condemned the Victorian Government’s decision to increase the Emergency Services Levy (ESL), warning it will unfairly burden the municipality and strike hardest at the heart of its farming and rural communities.

HRCC stepped up its advocacy efforts with Cr Klowss and Cr Sluggett standing in solidarity with thousands of farmers and CFA volunteers at a rally on the steps of Parliament, demanding the government reconsider its approach.

To view the Media Release, click here. 

Horsham Rural City Council (HRCC) is calling for changes to the Payment in Lieu of Rates (PILOR) Scheme, which if approved will allow energy storage systems to pay lower rates than local businesses. With the rapid expansion of renewable energy projects, including the State Electricity Commission’s (SEC) Horsham Energy Park, Council believes it's time for a fairer system that benefits the community.

Council advocates for energy storage systems to be charged the same rates as other industrial facilities. This would ensure that local communities share in the benefits of the renewable energy transition, including better funding for services and infrastructure.

To view the submission, click here.(PDF, 280KB)

To view the Media Release, click here.

Horsham Rural City Council (HRCC) is calling on the State Government to provide urgent clarification on key aspects of the proposed Avonbank Mineral Sands Project before a decision is made on the mining licence MIN008642.

In a letter sent to Energy and Resources Minister Lily D’Ambrosio this month, HRCC Acting Mayor Cr Brian Klowss requested an update on the application’s progress and clear assurances that all conditions outlined in the Environmental Effects Statement Inquiry and Advisory Committee Report 2023 including over 100 Environmental Management Measures will be fully incorporated into any mining licence.

The WIM Resource-led project, located 15km north of Horsham, proposes to mine up to 3,426 hectares over 38 years, with up to 340 hectares disturbed at any one time. Council acknowledges this project plays a role in the state governments Critical Minerals Roadmap but remains concerned about potential long-term impacts—particularly on agricultural land, compliance monitoring, and the transparency of mining conditions.

To view the Media Release, click here.

Horsham Rural City Council (HRCC) is concerned about the potential impacts of this major renewable energy project on housing, the local workforce, and roads.

In Council meeting, 28 October 2025, councillors  endorsed the HRCC submission to the Environment Effect Statement (EES) Inquiry into the proposed Warracknabeal Energy Park.

Through Council’s advocacy work and this submission, Council is calling on both state and federal government and project proponents to make the strategic investment required to ensure Horsham and the broader region is ready for this energy and mining transition.

The Energy Park will comprise 219 wind turbines, 5 km northwest of Warracknabeal, and will potentially be the largest wind facility in Australia.

To view the full Media Release, click here.

VicGrid, the Victorian Government agency in charge of electricity transmission planning, released in May 2025 a Draft Victorian Transmission Plan . This long-term plan lays out how the state will upgrade its power infrastructure to support a future powered by renewable energy.

The draft identifies seven Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) and seven Priority Transmission Projects needed across the state. One of these zones, the Wimmera Southern Mallee REZ, is set to cover the northern part of the local area. A key project, the North West Strengthening Program, includes building a major transmission line through this region.

Council endorsed the submission as Council’s formal response to the draft plan, inclusive of words that identify:

a. the need for ensuring appropriate management and compensation for landholders who experience damage to crops during the works stage;

b. equitable compensation for landholders impacted by transmission line upgrades,

c. the investigation of old stock routes across the municipalities for the location of transmission lines.

Council urges VicGrid to:

• Protect valuable farmland and maintain agricultural productivity,
• Ensure transparent and fair approvals that involve and support local communities, and
• Create real, lasting benefits for regional economies.

To view the submission, click here.(PDF, 644KB)

Four councils in Victoria’s Western Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) — Northern Grampians, Buloke, Yarriambiack and Horsham — have jointly called on the Victorian Government and VicGrid to ensure that the State’s energy and mining transitions deliver fair outcomes and lasting benefits for their communities.

The councils support Victoria’s goal to transition to clean energy but stress that this must not come at the expense of regional wellbeing. They raise serious concerns about:

• The lack of integrated planning for major energy and mining projects.

• Social and economic pressures from rapid project development — including housing stress, workforce shortages, and strained local services.

• The visual and land-use impacts of transmission and renewable infrastructure.

Through their submission, the councils are advocating for:

• Strategic, region-wide investment in infrastructure, housing and services — not a piecemeal, project-by-project approach.

• A stronger role for local government in planning and decision-making.

• Genuine partnership and ongoing engagement between the State, councils and industry.

• Clarity on funding sources for the investments needed to manage transition impacts.

This joint submission reframes the energy transition challenge as an opportunity to secure legacy benefits for regional communities — ensuring that the move to renewables strengthens, rather than harms, the Western REZ region.

To view the submission,  click here.(PDF, 1MB)

Six councils from across the Wimmera-southern Mallee are exploring forming an alliance to better advocate for issues affecting the region.