AGY-2695 | Albury-Wodonga Development Corporation

Full description

INTRODUCTION
Albury-Wodonga was designated a national growth centre when the Prime Minister, Mr Gough Whitlam, the NSW Premier, Sir Robert Askin, and the Victorian Premier, Mr Rupert Hamer, met at Albury-Wodonga on 25 January 1973 and agreed to develop Albury-Wodonga to a population level of some 300 000 around the turn of the century (1).
One of the reasons why Albury-Wodonga was chosen to become the first centre for national growth or decentralisation was its central location. It is located on a major highway and rail corridor that links Australia’s two major cities of Melbourne and Sydney, making it central to approximately 75 per cent of Australia’s population (2).

The Commonwealth, New South Wales and Victorian governments, in a unique agreement dated 23 October, 1973, recognised the need to encourage more balanced development in Australia and provide an alternative to capital city living (3).
The Commonwealth Albury-Wodonga Development Act became effective on 21 December 1973. Complementary legislation was passed in Victoria in that same year and in 1974 in New South Wales (4). The three corporations had common membership and sat concurrently. The corporations were accountable to a tripartite Ministerial Council comprising New South Wales, Victorian and Commonwealth Ministers with regional development responsibilities, which was chaired by the Commonwealth Minister (5).

The Albury-Wodonga (New South Wales) Development Corporation was constituted under the Albury-Wodonga Development Act, 1974 (Act No.47) (6), and consisted of three members, a Chairman and two Deputy Chairmen appointed by the Governor (7).

FUNCTIONS
The principal functions of the State corporations- the Albury-Wodonga (New South Wales) Corporation and the Albury-Wodonga (Victoria) Corporation- were to acquire, hold, manage and provide land in those areas designated for development. The Development Corporation undertook the planning and development (8).

Under the Albury-Wodonga Development Corporation Act, 1974, the New South Wales Corporation had the following responsibilities, powers and functions:
· acquisition and management of land to encourage development of the Albury-Wodonga area
· to close or realign public roads for development purposes
· demolition of buildings
· provision of utility services within development areas
· power to set aside land as sites for buildings, works or for religious, charitable or municipal purposes
· power to subdivide or re-subdivide land and to construct roads
· acquire land by lease or purchase or by resumption or appropriation
· ability to make or enter into contracts for the carrying out of works or the provision of services
· the Corporation could enter into arrangement or agreements with any public authority of New South Wales, Victoria or the Commonwealth
· the Corporation could make use of the services of any officers or employees or the facilities of any Government Department of New South Wales, Victoria or the Commonwealth
· Council powers could be transferred to the Corporation
· the Corporation could delegate any of their authorities, duties and functions to an individual member or officer of the Corporation (9)

MINISTERIAL COUNCIL
The Albury-Wodonga Development Agreement also established a Ministerial Council consisting of three members- an Australian Minister, a New South Wales Minister and a Victorian Minister.
The Ministerial Council’s function was to supervise the development of the growth complex, to determine broad directions and overall policies for the Corporation and, any resolution before the Council had to be carried unanimously (10).

MAJOR REVIEWS
Staff were common to all three corporations, which in practice, worked as a single entity responsible to the ministerial council (11).

A major review in 1977 confirmed Albury-Wodonga as “a pilot project in selective decentralisation with demonstrable national significance” and halved the population target to “around 150 000” by the turn of the century. Relocation of government agencies would no longer be the springboard for development. Instead, Albury-Wodonga would seek out job-generating private sector investment.

A second major review in 1989 resulted in significant changes to the role, structure and objectives of the Corporation. Outcomes included a requirement that the Corporation make an annual return to the Commonwealth Government; the Corporation be restructured; a Chief Executive Officer be appointed and assume responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the Corporation. In 1991 the Corporation consisted of eight members of whom seven were appointed members and the other the chief executive officer (12), and planning powers were returned to the Albury City Council and the Hume Shire Council (13). The 150 000 population target was replaced by a trend-based population projection of 106 000 at the turn of the century. The pro-active quest for private sector investment was replaced by a more passive, “facilitating” role.

A major review in 1995 resulted in a decision by the Albury-Wodonga Ministerial Council that the Corporation gradually be wound up and its assets sold in an orderly manner. Ministers directed that the minimum sale price for Corporation real estate be the market valuation of the relevant state valuation authority.

The council resolved in February 1997 that the best way to progress the winding up was for New South Wales and Victoria each to repeal its own legislation and withdraw so that the Commonwealth could take sole control of administering the winding-up process. Assets, contractual rights and obligations, and liabilities of the State Corporations were to be transferred to the Development Corporation, subject to the consent of the Commonwealth Minister. The three governments agreed to enter into an Albury-Wodonga Area Development Winding-up Agreement to terminate the Albury-Wodonga Area Development Agreement (14).

DISSOLUTION OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES CORPORATION
The Albury-Wodonga (New South Wales) Corporation was dissolved by the Albury-Wodonga Development Repeal Act 2000 (Act No.18, 2000) on 26 September 2003 and all assets, contractual rights and obligations, and liabilities were transferred to the Albury-Wodonga Development Corporation, which is a Commonwealth body (15).

ALBURY-WODONGA AREA DEVELOPMENT WINDING-UP AGREEMENT
The Albury-Wodonga Area Development Winding-Up Agreement was dated 7 October 2003 (16).
The winding up of the Albury-Wodonga Development Corporation was to take place in 2005, but it has now been extended to 2007 (17).

ENDNOTES
(1) Albury-Wodonga Development Corporation website http://www.awdc.gov.au/about/a3xvkc84.htm accessed 4/2/2004
(2) Victorian Hansard 17 September 2003 p.139
(3) The Government of New South Wales Directory of Administration and Services 1977-1978 p.101
(4) New South Wales Hansard No.9 4/5/2000 p.3
(5) New South Wales Hansard No.71 23/5/2000 p.1
(6) Albury-Wodonga Development Act, 1974 (Act No.47) Part III section 6 (1)
(7) Ibid., Part III section 7 (1)
(8) The Government of New South Wales Directory of Administration and Services 1977-1978 p.101
(9) Albury-Wodonga Development Act, 1974 (Act No.47) Part IV-VII
(10) Ibid., Schedule 1 Part II Section 4; and Albury-Wodonga Development Corporation website http://www.awdc.gov.au/about/a3xvkc84.htm accessed 4/2/2004
(11) The Government of New South Wales Directory of Administration and Services 1977-1978 p.101
(12) Albury-Wodonga Development (Amendment) Act, 1991 (Act No.29) Sechedule 1 Section 7
(13) New South Wales Government Gazette No.26, 21 February 1992 p.1036
(14) New South Wales Hansard No.9 4/5/2000 p.1; and Albury-Wodonga Development Corporation website http://www.awdc.gov.au/about/a3xvkc84.htm accessed 4/2/2004
(15) Albury-Wodonga Development Repeal Act, 2000 (Act No.18) Part 5; and New South Wales Government Gazette No.154, 26/9/2003 p.9515
(16) New South Wales Votes and Proceedings No.34 Tuesday 14 October 2003 p.340
(17) Victorian Hansard 17 September 2003 p.139