Advocacy

Wimmera Southern Mallee Development champions critical issues for our councils, industries, and communities, focusing on major infrastructure projects, digital connectivity, and transportation.

Submissions

Submissions made in 2026

Submission made to Consultation on the low carbon liquid fuel demand mechanism, Securing Australia’s Cleaner Fuels Industry – Sepetmber 2026

Submission made to Submission to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Strengthening Australia’s Fuel Security and Resilience, September 2026

Submission to the Select Committee on Productivity in Australia

Submission to the Standing Committee on Primary Industries – Inquiry into Social Licence and Economic Development Outcomes in Critical Minerals Projects

Submission to VicGrid – Draft Renewable Energy Zones Consultation

Submissions made in 2025

Submission to the National Bioenergy Feedstock Strategy (DAFF) November 2025

Submission to the National Food Security Discussion Paper September 2025

Submission to the Victorian Draft Transmission Plan July 2025

Submission to the Inquiry into the Supply of Homes in Regional Victoria

Submission to the Inquiry into Community Consultation Practices June 2025

Submission to the Productivity Commission – Net Zero June 2025

Submission to Infrastructure Victoria’s 30-Year Strategy (2025) May 2025

Here are some submissions we have made during the past few years to decision-makers on behalf of our communities:

Rainbow Weather Radar Project

The Wimmera Southern Mallee is a major agricultural and food producing region, producing more than half of Victoria’s total grain crop, oilseeds and pulses.

Accurate real-time weather information is essential to support these industries. WSM Development and the region successfully advocated for investment in a new Bureau of Meteorology radar station to be built at Rainbow.

The radar was completed in 2020 to fill a gap in the existing radar network.

2020 WDA Wimmera radar – benefits review

Photo credit: Dimboola Banner

Wimmera Broadacre Farming Net Zero Emissions Project

Agriculture is the largest source of carbon emissions, and our region has set some ambitious goals to address this issue before 2050.

The Wimmera Broadacre Farming Net Zero Emissions Project worked with farm managers to improve the adoption of carbon calculators to improve environmental and financial decisions and access to secondary carbon markets.

A variety of project recommendations and findings are now being implemented by a range of agencies to increase farm productivity, profitability and protection of natural resources across the region.

Drought Hub

In 2019, WSMD responded to the draft Australian Government Future Drought Funding Plan 2020 to 2024.

The program aims to help farmers and communities become more prepared for, and resilient to, the impacts of drought.

As a result, The Victorian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (or Drought Hub) was set up with stakeholders to help farmers, agricultural businesses and communities become more resilient to the impacts of future droughts.

The University of Melbourne leads the hub and Birchip Cropping Group leads the North West regional node.

Main photo: Simone Dalton.

Federation University Campus
Level 1, Building C, 289 Baillie Street, Horsham VIC 3400

0429 811 744
info@wsm.org.au

Wimmera Southern Mallee Development acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands upon which we work – the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagulk peoples. We pay our respects to their culture and Elders past, present and emerging.