Cathy McGowan (Indi, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Today I would like to pay tribute to the largest city in my electorate, Wodonga, and to the role of private sector investment in making Wodonga on the one of the fastest-growing regional centres in Victoria. Over the past decade, Wodonga has been experiencing unprecedented substantive private sector growth in investment. It gives me great pleasure today to welcome to the House four people who have played key roles in this development—Ralph and Wilga Clark, and Bill and Marita Perry—and to acknowledge and thank you for your commitment to our region.

Some of the examples of this private sector investment include: the Huon Hill pub and Quest Apartments development—over $20 million; the Wodonga Homemaker Centre—over $23 million; the $91 million Woolworths Distribution Centre at Logic, employing over 450 people; the development of a fully integrated, $15 million major truck stop, trailer interchange and fatigue management centre, also at Logic in Wodonga; the $20 million-plus, state-of-the-art Wodonga Livestock Exchange; and the soon to be started $60 million-Mann Central Shopping Centre. All this investment has led to substantial direct employment of well over 1,000 jobs with a significant multiplier impact on the Wodonga region. For successful investment on this scale, it takes leadership—and Wodonga has been blessed by strong, persistent and courageous leadership. (Time expired)

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