Mallee Regional Innovation Centre sets strategic direction

The Mallee Regional Innovation Centre has strengthened its commitment to facilitate new opportunities and innovations for the region with the release of its 2022–24 Strategic Plan.

Now available to read and download from the Centre’s website, the new strategic plan was developed over the last 12 months with broad input from the Centre’s Board, Strategic Advisory Panel and other key stakeholders.

Centre Chief Executive Officer Rebecca Wells said it was an ideal time to refresh the Centre’s strategy, after three years of focusing on building an initial portfolio of activities.

“One thing we have been struck by over the last few years has been the breadth of interest and opportunity for the Centre to contribute in the region,” Ms Wells said.

“The strategic plan will be a critical guide both for the Centre in prioritising its efforts, and to let our partners from across the Mallee region know what our priorities are.”

Centre Strategic Advisory Panel chair Leonie Burrows said the plan would help to ensure the ongoing sustainability of the Centre, providing a straightforward roadmap for the next three years.

“The plan very clearly sets out the Centre’s vision and values, and how we’ll build our programs and ongoing work around those values,” Mrs Burrows said.

“It also outlines our purpose and the way we will continue to facilitate collaborative innovation in the Mallee, with a focus on horticulture, water, energy and the environment.

“After significant input from our stakeholders, it’s important now for the wider community to see the plan, which will give them more of an understanding not only about who we are as an organisation, but also what we’re going to do in the region.” Mrs Burrows said.

To celebrate the release of the new strategic plan, the Centre will be holding a gathering for stakeholders. At the event, speaker Carl Larsen from the RMCG Consulting Group, will detail an Ag plastics recycling pilot, which is launching in north-west Victoria.

The pilot, one of two in Australia, is a part of the National Agricultural Plastics Stewardship Scheme. The new initiative is being led by agricultural consultancy firm RMCG in collaboration with Growcom and a diverse range of partners and local businesses in the region. The scheme is working to develop a viable market to recycle agricultural plastics.