Our News

Victoria’s growth is inevitable, but there is a viable alternative to a state with a population of 10 million people and Melbourne home to more than 8.5 million of them. That alternative is greater investment in regional Victoria. Read more

Over the past month, Committee for Ballarat has hosted Minister for Jobs and Growth, Steve Dimopoulos for a member Roundtable discussion, held our annual Treasurer’s lunch with the then Treasurer Jaclyn Symes and been entertained by the amazing James Morrison at our Round Table Dinner.  Read more

Thank you to Jaclyn Symes, Treasurer for Victoria, for once again being our guest for the Annual Treasurer’s Lunch. Members of Committee for Ballarat were treated to a detailed analysis of the State’s economy, the 2026-27 Budget, and the forward forecasts. Read more

At the end of Future Shapers, it feels like so many doors of curiosity have now been opened, and I can't help but wanting to peek in them...  Read more

We will always be at the forefront of long-term, sustainable, ambitious and responsible regional development. It is the robust voice of our members that will ensure our advocacy is trusted, balanced and forward-thinking. Read more

The passing of Neale Daniher is a time for reflection. Read more

Every year Committee for Ballarat surveys its members and as 2026 is a State Election Year, we asked members to identify priority issues they would like the State Government to focus on. We received a broad range of issues, all of which will help inform and shape our advocacy leading into the November election. Read more

Join Committee for Ballarat and play a key role supporting strong governance and executive operations and help shape the future of our region. Read more

Ballarat is Australia’s highest ranked city and the 16th in the world on the Happiest City Index. This is big news and worth celebrating. Read more

It’s hard not to feel the impacts of cost of living in the current environment. Increasing inflation, back-to-back interest rate rises and now the soaring price of fuel brought on by the war in the Middle East. Read more

2026 is of course a State Election year, and you can be assured Committee for Ballarat will be advocating for investment in projects that will help grow and transform, consistent with our vision for a thriving region, known for its liveability, sustainability and inclusiveness. Read more

Committee for Ballarat stands ready to work with both the federal and state governments to be part of the dialogue to prepare Victoria for the next stage of investment in regional high speed rail. This will accelerate regional growth, supercharge business development in regional economies, ease population pressures on Melbourne and provide a much needed stimulus for the state's productivity. Read more

20 years young and looking forward and what a night it was to celebrate with our members and guests. An incredible evening attended by our founding, current and new members, all united by Committee’s unwavering purpose: to inspire thought leadership and drive collaboration to shape a prosperous region. Read more

There is a great privilege inducting new Honorary or Life Members into an organisation, and Committee for Ballarat had great pleasure recently announcing Janet Dore and Lynne McLennan as our latest honorary members. Both have been instrumental since our inception, 20 years ago.  Read more

“I stand on my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way”. Robin Williams, Dead Poets Society. The Smart Cities Expo and World Congress is my opportunity to look up and around and see the work of Committee for Ballarat differently. It’s the chance to get off the dance floor and onto the balcony, and be inspired by possibility.  Read more

Following our application to ARENA through the Advancing Renewables Program, we presented the project at both the Regional Australia Institute’s National Summit at Parliament House in Canberra, and to the ARENA funding panel in Sydney. Read more

Our members and readers will be aware of Committee’s Vision 2050 project. We held a very successful member forum recently, bringing together government and industry as we continue to articulate the kind of regional community we aspire to be. Read more

Committee for Ballarat, along with its multiple stakeholders, are in the middle of an extensive application to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) for funding to advance the BEN project. We are looking to capitalise on the feasibility work completed early this year, focused on Commercial and Industrial (C&I) businesses located in BWEZ, and prepare the project for implementation and operation. Read more

The state government’s Plan Victoria has entered a new phase with its implementation into Victorian planning systems. The Planning Policy Framework (PPF) is a blueprint for Victoria’s planning schemes and contains policies and provisions that will influence development and land use across the state. Read more

Committee for Ballarat has announced the appointment of Felicia Mariani as Chair Elect, with the leadership transition to take place at the Annual General Meeting on 14 October 2025. Felicia will succeed George Fong, who has served as Chair for more than three years. Read more

Committee for Ballarat have joined with 50 organisations, from grassroots groups to peak bodies, to released an open letter to Minister Bowen calling for the government to fund Local Energy Hubs. Read more

Mr Newbury spoke to Committee for Ballarat members about his party’s readiness to govern and their plan for economic reform for Victoria. Underpinning Mr Newbury’s discussion is the Coalition’s policy position for decentralisation and their concerns for the projected population growth of Melbourne.  Read more

We want to see a state that is thriving, one that enables vibrant, sustainable and innovative businesses as well as an enviable quality of life for all.  What we do not want to see is political point scoring that is more about short term headlines, aimed at maintaining or getting into power, at the expense of the long-term interests of the state and all people who live here. Read more

Committee for Ballarat is one avenue for business to consider their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Our collective impact, bringing together the robust member voice of over 100 business across all sectors, provides a powerful platform for us to help shape the future of the region as a thriving and vibrant one, recognised for its liveability, sustainability and inclusiveness.   Together, our collective impact is significant. Read more

The Treasurer spoke to over 120 members at our recent lunch event held at Sovereign Hill. The presentation was both thorough and frank and the Treasurer was open to the feedback from the room as she answered a number of questions. Whilst some in attendance may have had a different view, she was understandably positive about Victoria’s financial position with a budget that delivers an operating surplus – the first since 2020 – and an average surplus of $1.9 billion over the forward estimates. Read more

Felicia Mariani, outgoing CEO of VTIC and long term advocate for the Visitor Economy, along with Tourism Midwest Victoria EO Sarah Pilgrim and Chair John Pandazopoulos, were our special guests for an Insights session focused on our Vision 2050 work. Sara Quon was our expert facilitator and guided the discussion, positioning leadership and collaboration as central features of effective advocacy for the industry’s future.  Read more

For all our Tax Accountant members – Happy New Year is just days away and marks the end of FY25.  It also marks a new financial year, one that we hope shows great signs for our regions’ prosperity and vibrancy.  With that in mind, Committee for Ballarat will host the Victorian state Treasurer, the Hon. Jaclyn Symes for lunch on 23 July. Read more

The Western Rail Plan was announced by the Victorian State Government in the lead up to the 2018 election.  It was focused on extending Melbourne’s fully electrified Metro service to Melton, enabling Melton and all the stops to Sunshine, to come off the V-Line network and allow for faster travel times for Ballarat commuters.  That was 2018.  In the years since there have been a number of budgets allocating money for Planning, whilst the new growth suburbs between Melton and Caroline Springs have been planned and delivered and are booming.  And still it seems electrification and Metro services are years away.  Read more

Thought leadership is at the core of Committee for Ballarat’s purpose and it drives our advocacy for a thriving and vibrant region. The collective voice of our members give us strength and demonstrates alignment across industry sectors, helping us keep government and other key stakeholder accountable for their decisions. Read more

Committee for Ballarat’s tagline is Thinking Ahead. Inherent in this is Thought Leadership and Advocacy. Important to both is the ability for members to share their knowledge, insights and expertise to inspire and drive positive change. This is our one world! We exist, at least in part, to provide the opportunity for collaboration, curiosity, conversation, innovation and inspiration as we play our role in helping to shape our region’s prosperous, sustainable, inclusive and liveable future. Read more

Committee for Ballarat has launched its VISION 2050 project. The project will be undertaken by Committee’s diverse membership, to establish a shared vision for what Ballarat and the region could and should look like in 2050. “Having a vision matters. If we can create a clear vision for our future, it’s no longer a case of ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’ – a clear vision drives our progressive path forward”, says Committee for Ballarat CEO, Michael Poulton. Read more

As we publish this, we await an imminent announcement of the date for the 2025 Federal Election. Committee for Ballarat, along with our city and regions’ leaders, are well prepared and ready to advocate strongly for the key projects as identified as part of the Ballarat Now and Into the Future (BNIF) project The Federation University City Centre project, Sovereign Hill’s Gold Vault as part of the continuation of their Master Plan, the City of Ballarat’s Circular Economy Precinct, and the duplication of Dyson Drive continue to be priorities that will enable our regional growth and prosperity. In addition, work done in the past 2 years regarding the Western Victoria Aviation Precinct at Ballarat Airport demonstrates its significance as a regional transformational project. Read more

2025 shapes an exciting year as we celebrate 20 years of thinking big, advocating, holding decision-makers accountable and building our regional capability and capacity. We look forward to sharing this year with you and importantly, through our members’ robust voice, help shape the region as we focus on the next 20+ years. Read more

Ahead of the upcoming federal election, Ballarat. Now and Into the Future - Enabling Growth 2025 is calling on all sides of politics to support eight transformational projects for our city and region. We have a clear vision for our region, focused on education, sustainability, tourism and the infrastructure to support a growing population. Above all, we want to partner with the federal government to help continue to build our region as a thriving regional community with an unparalleled quality of life. Read more

Thank you to all who have supported the work of Committee for Ballarat again in 2024. It’s been another full year, made possible only because our committed members, key stakeholders, board and staff. Population Growth has been a major focus of our work and in particular, our response to the State Government’s Plan for Victoria. Readers will be aware we have engaged extensively with the Government, the Opposition and many others, through direct advocacy, formal submissions, thought leadership and a state-wide collaborative approach. Read more

From hydrogen powered heavy vehicles to recycled glass pavements, autonomous helicopters, big data and AI, every possible form of energy generation and management systems, to the humble bicycle, the 2024 Smart Cities World Expo and Congress (#SCWEC24) had more innovation than one could ever imagine. And whilst it’s easy to be in awe of tech, what is fundamental to the success of a Smart City is people; their ability to collaborate, to inspire vision and to lead. Read more

Readers may know I was fortunate recently to attend the World Smart Cities Congress, an amazing gathering of over 25,000 people from 850 cities from 180 countries across the world. A consistent theme in so many of the presentations and innovations from across the world was the importance of bold, ambitious and visionary leadership. Read more

It was Charles Darwin who said something like… its not the strongest or the most intellectual of the species that survives; but the species that is best able to adapt and adjust to their changing environment. Our members continue to adapt, to innovate and to be creative as they look to adjust to the changing environment of our region. Read more

One of Committee for Ballarat’s Strategic Objectives is Advocacy and Accountability. In recent weeks we have been active in this space with the Federal Government and Opposition in Canberra. Read more

Committee for Ballarat along with the City of Ballarat attended the State Housing Summit on 5th August. The Premier and Treasurer were the keynote speakers and both positioned housing as a key priority for the government. Further, they highlighted the importance of partnerships with industry as being crucial to achieving the ambitious housing goals and assured participants there will be ongoing dialogue with industry to ensure all opportunities to accelerate housing growth across the state are explored. Read more

Since late last year, Committee for Ballarat has liaised extensively with its members, government and others to prepare our response to the state’s Draft Plan for Victoria – to 2050. Regional areas, including ours are on the edge of an enormous opportunity. We can either advocate for and manage growth or accept our decline. Read more

This week saw the Future Shapers 24 delve into the future of transport in our region. The day kicked off at the Ballarat Airport with a discussion on activating aviation in Ballarat with Cr Samantha McIntosh and Ballarat Airport Commercial Manager, Jonathan Willsher Participants gained firsthand insights during a tour of Field Air, exploring its pivotal role in Ballarat's aviation future. Read more

The Australian Clean Energy Summit brought together 1,200 people from every sector of the renewable / zero emissions industry with a laser focus on Australia’s progress towards its Net Zero Emissions plan. Read more

Our region continues to grow. We are working with all levels of Government to ensure a population plan and associated infrastructure plan, achieves a ‘better balance for Victoria’ with a stronger focus on regional development. Our members are front and centre in this discussion as we embrace the opportunities for our region. Read more

The state government recently released its new draft housing targets including regional cities. Under the proposal, Ballarat will see 46,900 new homes between now and 2050. If we average this at 2.5 people per dwelling (the current state occupancy rate), that’s an additional 118,000 people living in Ballarat in 2050. Read more

A recent program day saw the 2024 Future Shapers cohort exploring the theme of Connectivity – creating safe, cohesive and inclusive regional communities. Read more

Our members recently gained access to a deep analysis of the current economic climate from Chief Economist and Head of Economic and Markets Research, David Robertson.  David provided his expert insights into the data involved in both the State and Federal budgets and the impacts for business on a national, state-wide and local level. Key to David’s analysis was the challenge we face in relation to productivity. Read more

Members may be aware Committee for Ballarat was invited to present to a Senate inquiry considering Australia’s preparedness to host the Commonwealth, Olympic and Paralympic Games. We had provided a written submission originally in May and were subsequently invited to the panel hearing in Bendigo on 29 August.  Read more

Over the past two weeks, we have seen both State and Federal budgets delivered. Neither has resulted in any significant funding for the transformational projects we have been advocating jointly for over the past few years.  These include the completion of the Sovereign Hill Master plan, Federation University’s initiatives to position Ballarat as a University Town, the circular economy precinct at BWEZ, a fit-for-purpose Community Mental Health facility and of course the much-needed duplication of Dysons Drive. Each of these remain key projects for our region’s future.  Read more

Committee for Ballarat are very pleased to see an additional $54m for the Ballarat Base Hospital redevelopment. It will go a long way in helping to ‘kit-out’ the new spaces within the hospital and ensure its operational capability matches the investment in its bricks and mortar. Read more

Consistent with its vision, Committee for Ballarat is keen to ensure its membership base is representative of our diverse regional community. It is therefore inviting eligible Not-for-Profit organisations, with vision and passion, to apply for NFP membership. To be eligible to apply, organisations must be classified as a Not for Profit for tax purposes and have identified cost as a barrier to Committee for Ballarat membership. Read more

Whilst there is much going on for our members and the region, it’s hard to imagine anything more distressing than the tragic deaths of three women in our community. Samantha Murphy, Rebecca Young and Hannah McGuire had their lives taken prematurely and tragically, as a result of gendered violence. Read more

Committee for Ballarat, together with more than 20 of Ballarat’s largest businesses and industries, will commence a project that could see Ballarat as Australia’s first regional city to be powered by 100% locally generated renewable energy. Read more

Welcome to 2024! We look forward to keeping you up to date on the work Committee does in in collaboration with valued and varied members from across Ballarat and the region.    Read more

With just a few days to go before Christmas, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all our members and stakeholders for your on-going support through 2023. Committee for Ballarat continues to help shape the future of our region and it is only through great collaboration and a steadfast focus on our Purpose and Vision that we can do this effectively and with impact. For Ballarat and the region, we can reflect on a remarkable journey through 2023. Read more

The BEN is more than just an idea for distributed energy, it is also a model based on the premise of local ownership, partnered with an energy retailer, where the profits are retained in the community and invested into community wealth building outcomes. Those who know the Bendigo Community Banks (see Buninyong, Beaufort, Avoca and others), will understand the model for banking. BEN will see whether the model can be applied to energy. Read more

I am pleased to announce Committee for Ballarat will launch both our 2021-22 Annual Report and new 2023-2026 Strategic Plan at our Annual General Meeting, Tuesday 31 October. Members and other interested stakeholders are encouraged to review both documents and we look forward to your feedback. Whilst the Annual Report looks back at the year that was, the Strategic Plan affirms our purpose, sets our vision and identifies our key focus areas as we continue to strive for a liveable, sustainable, inclusive and prosperous future. Read more

Last month Future Shapers 2023 travelled to Canberra to visit Parliament House and attend the Regional Australia Institute's National Summit. It was a jam-packed three days starting with a presentation from the Parliamentary Education Office Read more

Committee for Ballarat staff and our Future Shapers 2023 recently attended the Regional Australia Institute’s (RAI) Regions Rising National Summit in Canberra. The Summit was attended by over 300 leaders from around Regional Australia, with speakers from government, industry, business and the community. Read more

For the final of our Future Shapers days designed and delivered by participants, FS23 explored volunteering and the impact it has on individual and community wellbeing. Read more

Committee for Ballarat recently welcomed Rob Adams to a Member Insight Session to share his international experience delivering great Urban Design outcomes. Rob has been the City of Melbourne’s lead architect for the past 40 years and among may other things, led the Postcode 3000 strategy which transformed Melbourne’s CBD to a vibrant living precinct. Read more

Committee for Ballarat are delighted to introduce our new Consultative Panel: (from back row L to R) Kelly Lappin, Shoaib Riaz, Matt Bowd, Nick Clare, Joanne Gilbert, Tracey Ward and Rob Layton. Read more

On 26 July our Future Shapers explored the significance of the Arts, Heritage and Culture sector on social connection, cohesion and diversity in our community. Read more

Given the Commonwealth Games’ announcement last Tuesday, we are grateful to Harriet Shing, Minister for Regional Development, Water, Equality, and formerly Minister for Commonwealth Games Legacy, for upholding her commitment to attend our Round Table Dinner and participate in a Q&A session. Read more

The Advisory Group of the BEN, Chaired by Federation University’s Bill Mundy, met for the first time recently and confirmed two key principles. First, that BEN is a model that seeks to aggregated locally generated renewable energy, share it across business, industry, local government and the community, and trade on the National Energy Market (NEM). Read more

In their second June session together, Future Shapers 2023 began workshopping their current project ideas and self-organising around the topics that most excited and inspired them. In a wonderful show of collective leadership, they were joined by members of the Future Shapers 2021 and 2022 cohorts who shared their best tips, tricks and advice on bringing a community project to life Read more

We recently held a Corporate Citizenship follow-up lunch to explore each organisation's interest in furthering Corporate Citizenship in our city and region. Read more

We have hit Community Project time in FS23 Land! Last week we had our workshop on project management, to provide Future Shapers with the skills and knowledge needed to manage their community projects. The day was expertly delivered by Claire Huntington, Chief Storyteller, Business Story Lab (Alumni FS22). Read more

Some very pleasing news to start this June update. The Minister for Regional Development, the Hon Harriet Shing, recently announced an extension of funding to the nine Regional Community Leadership Programs, including Future Shapers, until the end of 2023. Read more

On Wed 24 May the Future Shapers had their second participant coordinated program day exploring the topic of Jobs and Skills – Innovative solutions to securing skilled workforce in our region. As always it was a huge day, packed full of opportunities. Read more

Our visit to HM Langi Kal Kal Prison is one of the hallmark days of the program. This unique experience provided an opportunity to take participants out of their comfort zone, to challenge them to be uncomfortable and sit with a feeling of discomfort. Read more

It is with great disappointment that we learn of the State Government’s budget decision to terminate the funding for our Future Shapers community leadership program (formally LBWR). Future Shapers is one of nine regional community leadership programs (RCLPs) across the state, all of which are now victims of the 2023-24 state government cuts. Despite no further funding from 30 June 2023, Committee for Ballarat will provide all the necessary resources to ensure the Future Shapers 23 program is delivered in full. Read more

Committee for Ballarat is now inviting expressions of interest for Panel Membership from members of our regional community who are passionate about the community in which they live, and who are willing to share their knowledge, skills and experience to assist Committee in delivering on its purpose of inspiring diverse thought leadership and unlocking the potential of our region. Read more

What a day, Syndicate 1, what a day. you've set the bar and it sure is high. The whole morning blew me away, discovering Gekko-Town - I'm so grateful they pulled back the curtain and showed us what a fantastic world they are building there with the Gaia project. World-class innovation here at home. Read more

On Friday 2 June, Committee for Ballarat will launch our vision to be Australia’s first community-owned energy network, powering a regional city of more than 100,000 people, with 100% locally generated renewable energy. Read more

Our recent program day started with a meaningful Acknowledgement of Country, thanks to Shannen from Wadawurrung Traditional Owners who shared her story and knowledge, facilitating the Future Shapers in sharing their own connection to country and family. Read more

We are excited to see Federation University launch its Cooperative Education model which will position them as Australia’s first Cooperative Education University. ‘Co-Op’ as it is known, will transform the way industry and higher education work together. This will ensure we have graduates who can enter the workforce with the attributes and experiences that make them immediately employable. Read more

Last week our new cohort of Future Shapers for 2023 delved deep into the what, why and how of their program over two days in Melbourne during their Opening Retreat. With this came many curious and insightful questions, just the way we like it, and the passion in the group was unmistakable! Read more

Our recent member survey noted 55% of respondents were more optimistic or significantly more optimistic for their business than they were at this time last year. 27% of respondents reported “about the same” level of optimism and 18% were less optimistic. Read more

Committee for Ballarat is delighted to welcome Jeff Haydon to our Board. His skills in stakeholder engagement, planning and project management will add to the rich diversity of our current Directors. Read more

Always the most important reminder as we reflect on the year is that it’s our people who make the most significant difference. Cities and regions are all about the people who commit to making ‘their place’ the best it can be. Happy people, living in a happy region, makes for happy and fulfilling lives! Read more

Programs that build valuable skills, leadership and resilience in local communities across Ballarat and western Victoria are at risk due to the state government’s lack of commitment to ongoing funding. Read more

Committee recently hosted a meeting of Ballarat, Moorabool, Golden Plains and Geelong local government areas to discuss the opportunity to reinstate passenger rail between Ballarat and Geelong. Far from being ‘pie in the sky’, the prospect is actually achievable and will become only more and more desirable as both regions continue to grow. Read more

With the 2022 state election fast approaching, Committee for Ballarat together with the City of Ballarat, Grampians Health Services, Federation University and ACU, Sovereign Hill, Central Highlands Water, Ballarat Regional Tourism and Commerce Ballarat, are ‘doubling down’ on our commitment in support of the six transformative projects for our city and region, known collective as Ballarat Now and Into the Future 2022. Read more

At its recent National Summit held in Canberra, at which Committee for Ballarat was well represented, the Regional Australia Institute launched its Regionalisation Ambition 2032: A Framework to Rebalance the Nation Read more

If like me, when watching the Athletics at the recent Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, you could not help but let your mind wander to March 2026 and get a little excited to think the next time we see this, it will be in Ballarat! Read more

When we interview prospective participants for Future Shapers each year we ask them to tell about the topics that excite and inspire them. Health promotion in our community emerged as an early theme in 2022 and this week our passionate participants and advocates for healthy, active lives led a Program Day exploring movement, mood and food. Read more

The three key pillars of Committee for Ballarat’s Strategic Action Plan are Liveability, Connectivity, and Leadership. In 2022, Committee is running its 17th consecutive Regional Community Leadership Program, known as Future Shapers – previously known as LBWR (Leadership Ballarat & Western Region). Our Leadership ‘agenda’ aims to deliver transformative leadership programs that unlock the potential of our participants for the benefit of our region Read more

Access to housing, including social and affordable housing is an issue that permeates so many of our conversations regarding the sustainable development of our region. Regional population growth and ‘regional migration’ in part due to COVID, as well as increasing house prices and rent, are impacting our communities and becoming significant social and economic issues for ours and many other regions around the country. Read more

Newly appointed Chair of Committee for Ballarat, George Fong, is confident that our region has the ability not only to meet the challenges of a growing population but also to prosper, building on our unique strategic advantages - our proximity to Melbourne, our diverse economy, access to an abundance of renewable energy, and our outstanding natural and cultural tourism assets. Read more

As we move towards the close of FY21-22, we reflect on what has been and plan for what is to come.  It is never lost on us that Committee’s strength is in our capacity to collaborate. We bring together our diverse, highly-regarded and informed membership to enhance the long-term opportunities for our region’s social, environmental and economic prosperity. Read more

As Chair of Committee for Ballarat (2006-2009), David James provided strong leadership for the organisation during its formative years. A person of the highest integrity, David was respected and admired in our regional community. He was an effective collaborator who was able to build robust and enduring relationships with key stakeholders. Read more

Committee for Ballarat hosted the national Committees for Cities and Regions Network forum meeting in Ballarat on June 3. Held the week after the Federal election, it was timely for the network to collaborate on a collective approach to in-coming government for the city and region, shaping challenges and opportunities we all share. Read more

It is always so exciting to see the agenda come out and I loved learning about this regional priority. These program days are always so inspiring to listen to various members of our community and the passion they bring to not only their work, but making a thriving, connected and sustainable region! Throughout the day, these leaders demonstrated how they were constantly challenging the status quo to ask “how can we do this better?” and they were enthusiastically committed to a vision that benefited the region. Read more

The election on Saturday 21 May ushered in the 47th Parliament of Australia and with it our country’s 31st Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. Whilst its makeup is yet to be confirmed, it is clear that the 47th Parliament will be more representative of our diverse Australian community. With that, we hope for a vision and policies to match,  to help us through the challenges we face in our region, Australia, and around the world. Read more

The announcement of Victoria and specifically Regional Victoria, to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games is an enormous opportunity for our City and region. Ballarat will host the biggest sport of all, Athletics, along with Boxing and Cricket. Read more

Committee for Ballarat Chair Damian Ross has decided to step down as Chair a few months prior to the AGM and take up the opportunity to travel. Damian’s leadership has been substantial and we thank him for his outstanding contribution to the work of Committee over the past two years. Read more

We do know that Ballarat will host the biggest sport of all at the Commonwealth games, athletics - it's fair to assume that the investment will be sizable given athletics is a sport that attracts tens of thousands of spectators to every session. Mars Stadium and the entire precinct will need to be ready with enhanced amenities and access to ensure athletics is one of the great highlights of the games. Read more

Committee for Ballarat, along with eight other lead organisations have released our Government Advocacy Campaign called, Ballarat Now and Into the Future: 2022.  The Campaign is focused directly at the 2022 Federal and State elections and aims to pitch six transformative projects.  Read more

Committee for Ballarat is offering three Corporate memberships, at reduced fees, to enable eligible Not for Profits to engage in its work. Organisations applying for these memberships will be willing to share their knowledge, skills and experience to assist Committee in delivering on its purpose of inspiring diverse thought leadership and unlocking the potential of our region. Read more

It is housing that has attracted much discussion in recent times as we continue to see our population grow. Committee has long advocated for - and will continue to advocate for - a balanced approach to ‘Green-field’ and ‘In-fill’ development. Read more

Committee for Ballarat will soon be inviting eligible Not-for-Profit organisations who share our vision, to apply for the new Not-for-Profit membership. Read more

Following our launch of the 2022 Future Shapers Program on 2 March, our brand new Future Shapers left Ballarat for Melbourne for our two-day Opening Retreat. Read more

Our story is to create a thriving and vibrant regional community, recognised for its liveability, sustainability, and inclusiveness. We can only do this in collaboration with our members and the key stakeholders in the region. We look forward to 2022 as collectively we look to inspire diverse thought leadership and unlock our potential. Read more

Ballarat Health Services are to be congratulated for reaching a significant milestone of 100,000 jabs in arms. Ballarat Health Services, along with UFS, Ballarat Community Health and our GP network are doing an outstanding job, helping to keep our community safe as we race towards over 80% of our eligible population being vaccinated. Read more

As we roll up our sleeve and savour the hope vaccination brings, take a moment to consider the amazing work of our health care professionals. Every jab they administer gets our community one step closer to a safer, COVID free community. A huge SHOUT OUT to those who are helping keep our community safe against COVID-19. Read more

Check here for a list of Covid-19 vaccination sites and how to book an appointment in Ballarat, Sebastopol, Lucas and Smythesdale Read more

Victorian members of the Committees for Cities and Regions are calling on the Victorian Government to actively consult with the community to develop a long-term Covid readiness plan for Victorian cities and regions. Read more

Ballarat Station Master Plan is moving along. Committee made submissions to the Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) in March regarding the Master Plan for the Southside of the Station, linking to the north side Mair street, east as far as Peel street. The VPA has now released its Phase 1 Community Consultation report.  Read more

Regional Victoria has largely avoided the impacts of this latest outbreak but we know the state is not yet through this. For a different set of restrictions to apply between metropolitan and regional Victoria gives our regional community the chance to quickly recover from this latest lockdown.  Read more

It’s time to drop the word Hotel from our quarantine discussion. Read more

This is an incredibly significant announcement and one that will energise manufacturing jobs growth in Ballarat for years to come. This announcement will again position Ballarat as a major train manufacturing centre, continuing our long and proud history and pushing the boundaries of technology and design for a new generation of metro trains.   Read more

The Committees for Cities and Regions Australia and New-Zealand network renews its call for a consistent and collaborative approach across local, state and national jurisdictions to help our cities and regions return to the vibrant and safe places we have come to expect.  Read more

Commerce Ballarat, Ballarat Regional Tourism and Committee for Ballarat have today released a letter to the Premier Daniel Andrews, the Treasurer Tim Pallis, the Honourable Martin Pakula – Minister for Industry Support and Recovery and Jaala Pulford – Minister for Small Business. Read more

Our first Round Table Dinner in over 12 months is here! On Thursday 25 March we will Round Table again..... with our guest speaker Read more

Early in February Committee welcomed back our members for an engaging Big Ideas forum, where 60+ members explored the opportunities for our region in preparation for the federal and state election cycles and the new Council Plans. Read more

A new chapter in Committee for Ballarat’s distinguished history of advocacy for Ballarat and the region commences with the appointment of new Chair, Damian Ross who will commence in the role on 1 February 2021. Read more

We are very excited about the future of our Community Leadership Program, aptly named Future Shapers for 2021.   Expressions of interest are now open! Moving forward we will see a reinvigorated focus on turning intention into action for participants in the community leadership space. Read more

Community membership applications are now open. Applicants for these positions will be passionate about the community in which they live, and be willing to share their knowledge, skills and experience to assist Committee in delivering on its purpose of inspiring diverse thought leadership and unlocking the potential of our region. Read more

2020 has been the year of disruption.... Mark Evans has a strong track record of using disruption to lead positive change in organisations. Read more

The regional City of Ballarat will leverage its ranking as one of Australia’s most liveable cities, as part of the newly launched Regional Activators Alliance (RAA). RAA is made up of 36 Councils, Regional Development Australia regions (RDAs), economic development groups and industry representatives with the purpose of creating national awareness of the benefits of regional living, to drive population growth in Regional Australia.   Read more

Aligned by our common vision to make Ballarat the best city and region! 2019-20 annual report now released. Click to view. Read more

Committee for Ballarat have joined with City of Ballarat and Commerce Ballarat to call for a review of the COVID-19 Roadmap. We believe a more appropriate, regionally specific set of targets should be applied. Read more

The insightful discussion of Gekko's GeVentor story shows just what is possible when expertise, innovation, enterprise and collaboration come together. Read more

Renewable Energy forms part of the make-up of a sustainable, liveable region and Committee has announced its ambition to work with its key stakeholders and the community, to develop Ballarat as a Sustainable City, carbon neutral, driven by 100% renewable energy. Read more

Committee for Ballarat, along with the City of Ballarat, Commerce Ballarat and Ballarat Regional Tourism, joined a growing list of submissions to the Prime Minster directly, to extend Job Keeper payment beyond 30 September, for those industries who need it the mos Read more

Thanks to those who participated in our webinar at the end of June with The Hon Malcolm Turnbull. We were privileged to have Australia’s 29 Prime Minister join us and help launch our priorities, focused on Liveability, Sustainability, Connectivity and Leadership. Liveability and sustainability in the face of inevitable population growth, continues to be a […] Read more

At the end of this financial year Dr David Deutscher will step down as Chair of Committee for Ballarat. It’s a decision that has not been made lightly. In announcing his intention to step down David said “The last few months have been challenging for all of us as we continue to learn lessons in […] Read more

Recording of our Action Plan Beyond 2020 session with special guest The Hon Malcolm Turnbull. Read more

CEO Michael Poulton talks with, David Robertson, Head of Economic and Market Research, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank and Beth Jones, Chief Executive, Regional Development Victoria and Deputy Secretary, Rural and Regional Victoria (DJPR) about economic recovery with a western region lens. Read more

A carbon neutral future for the Grampians region is now in clear view and the roadmap to guide the region to its net zero emissions destination has been released, announces Grampians New Energy Taskforce (GNET) Chairman Stuart Benjamin. Read more

Sovereign Hill Chair Damien Butler and CEO Sara Quon share their leadership learnings following the shutdown of their operations due to COVID-19.   Read more