Melbourne's South East (MSE) � A Regional Approach

MSE The Region

Melbourne�s South East offers a uniquely diverse range of business opportunities in a growing and vibrant economy, all on the doorstop of one of the world�s most liveable cities. It is a crucial and dynamic business hub for Australia, and certainly key within Victoria.
High technology research and development assets combined with a thriving manufacturing industry, world class transport infrastructure and a strong financial services base, make Melbourne�s South East a premier business location.
Melbourne�s South East is an expansive and diverse area with an economic profile ranging from the agricultural areas of Bunyip food belt, the manufacturing Hub of Greater Dandenong, the Science and Technology precinct surrounding the Australian Synchrotron to one of Australia�s fastest growing wine and tourism regions on the spectacular Mornington Peninsula.
It is the perfect investment destination.

Melbourne South East�s demography:

Home to about one third of Melbourne�s population (1.4Million people)
Productive $142b local economy
Site of almost 50% of Melbourne�s Greenfields sites � over 2500 hectares of available employment land
80% of the workforce residing locally

The region extends over about a third of Melbourne:

South east around Port Phillip bay are the beachside suburbs of Mentone, Frankston to the mouth of the bay near Portsea on the Mornington Peninsula � close to 200 kms of magnificent coastline
East through the growth area of Casey and Cardinia to the Westernport Bay
North through the high technology industrial areas of Clayton and Scoresby to the vital hubs of Box Hill and Ringwood, adjoining the spectacular Dandenong Ranges.

This region offers a vibrant, innovative and growing economy, premium quality residential areas, and a diverse mix of leisure opportunities unmatched anywhere in Australia.

MSE The Organisation

An alliance of 10 local government authorities, major utility companies and state and federal government decision makers form the Melbourne South East regional economic group (MSE), and together promote and influence the strategic direction for the region�s substantial economy.

Formed in early 2000 the alliance produced its first regional strategy in 2003, identifying the economic development direction and initiatives that would influence businesses and employment growth over the period 2003 -2030. That initial Strategy has been an influence on economic policy at local, state and federal government levels since, and in 2009 was updated to take into account the impacts of EastLink, Climate Change, globalisation of the economy and other factors.

Member Councils :

Associate Members:

MSE The Vision

The vision for Melbourne�s South East is that it will develop as a substantial city and economy in its own right, closely linked with the wider metropolitan area, but with a distinctive focus on manufacturing and technology and featuring a high degree of employment self containment.

The economic and urban structure of the region will befit a city of almost 1.5 million people. This includes the regeneration of Dandenong as a strong regional CBD, which is well networked by rail and road with a series of Principal Activity Centres, employment zones and Specialised Activity Centres across the South East. In addition the region is richly served with high quality natural environments, diverse housing choices and fertile agricultural lands.

Through this structure, the region will deepen its emergent strengths in knowledge intensive services, to aid in the continuing capacity for innovation amongst the regions key propulsive sectors, including manufacturing, wholesale trade, retail trade, and property and business services. This city-region will be an exemplar in sustainable development, showing how advanced economies can prosper in a carbon constrained future.

MSE The Strategy

The Economic Strategy for Melbourne�s South East provides a long-term strategic framework for the economic and strategic development of the region. The Strategy has provided a fresh perspective of Melbourne�s South East as a clearly identifiable and self contained region of national significance. The assessment of resources, opportunities and constraints and the identification of challenges have been undertaken from an integrated Melbourne South East perspective, in consultation with industry leaders and government.

At a search conference in 2008 a range of strategic issues facing Melbourne�s South Eastern economy were considered. These issues were in the areas of:

Skills and Employment
Transport
Other Infrastructure
Innovation
Environmental Sustainability
Social Cohesions and Culture
Urban Planning and Growth

The single most important factor which is likely to influence a successful outcome for the region is the quality and application of leadership in the championing, communication and delivery of the Strategy to the Region.

Click here to view the 2009 Regional Economic Strategy for Melbourne�s South East