YOUNG people are the lifeblood of country Victoria but they need a reason to stay, writes JOHN BRUMBY

Rural and regional Victoria has fundamentally changed forever.

Our small towns, regional cities and farming communities have been transformed with new people, new jobs and new investment.

Confidence is high and country Victorians are very proud of where they live.

The old era of neglect has been replaced by a new era of progress.

None of this happened by chance.

It happened because we made a very conscious decision to restore services, invest in infrastructure and drive business investment. We actively supported local projects. We encouraged people to live and work outside of Melbourne. And we formed lasting partnerships with rural towns and regional cities.

Today, regional Victoria is a stronger, more diverse and more resilient economy than it was a decade ago. More than 120,000 new jobs have been created and our regions are contributing $62.6 billion towards the state's economy, up a massive 30 per cent since 1999.

More people and more families are moving to country Victoria, with the latest figures showing our regional population at 1.45 million - up 140,000 people since 2000.

I am very proud of what we have achieved in partnership with rural and regional communities.

But after a decade of growth, it is time to drive a new era of opportunity and prosperity.

Regional Victoria's population is expected to reach 1.7 million by 2026, and two million by 2048.

The blueprint I launched yesterday will help communities accommodate those extra people.

Population growth is a boon for rural and regional communities.

New residents will expand the workforce for current enterprises and bring skills and ideas for new enterprises.

Population growth will bring families, services and increased economic activity in our towns and farming districts.

We will work in partnership with country communities to ensure they reap the benefits of growth in maintaining our sporting clubs and facilities, planning new infrastructure and responding to environmental issues shaping our future such as climate change.

Our blueprint aims to ensure that new residents will add value to and strengthen country Victoria.

Over the years, we have worked very closely with regional communities to plan for the future.

We have learnt that each town and each region is different.

But there are some issues which unite them all - and one of the strongest themes in our discussions about Ready for Tomorrow was the importance of keeping young people living and working locally.

Young people are the heart and soul of regional communities. But they need a reason to stay.

I was delighted to read in the media recently about the success of Boort Secondary College's 2009 Year 12 students.

This group of young people are succeeding in tertiary study, apprenticeships and employment - they are an inspiration for every young person in rural Victoria. My wife, Rosemary, attended Boort High School. My parents still farm in western Victoria and my nephews and nieces are returning to work in country Victoria after study.

We need to make sure that our young people have opportunities in regional Victoria, whether it's in study, training, employment or making their own mark as the next generation of farmers.

That's why my Government's Regional Blueprint provides support for young people in the Tertiary Education Package, the First Farm Grant and the Industry and Jobs incentives.

In September last year, I was at the opening night of the new Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre. I vividly recall visiting the site before it was built, and being convinced we should help fund it. It was a project for the future. A business to secure the economic prosperity of the town and a place the local community could use and be proud of.

Today, it is a stunning example of what strong local partnerships can achieve - and a sign of what lies ahead as we keep working to make regional Victoria an even better place to live, work, invest and raise a family.

  • John Brumby is Premier of Victoria