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GANBINA is based in the Goulburn Valley region of Victoria, centered on Shepparton & Mooroopna.
GANBINA has sponsored extensive regional research addressing;
The Regional Economy
 The region has a vibrant economy based on the primary and secondary industries associated with the horticulture and dairy industries. The region is known as the food bowl of Australia . It is the home to companies such as SPC Ardmona, Murray Goulburn Dairy, Campbells Soups and Kraft.
In 2002 & 2004 GANBINA fully funded Economic Analysis surveys of the Goulburn Valley and City of Greater Shepparton . Conducted by consultants Linqage International these projects provide the only available assessment and detailed analysis of the Gross Domestic Product of Shepparton and of the Goulburn Valley . The full reports are available for purchase by phoning 03 9654 1410.
Overall growth rates in the two sectors that drive the region’s economy, the dairy and horticulture sectors, have been in excess of 8% per annum for the last 5 years. The overall trend in all industries in the area has been a decrease in the number of jobs for unskilled people, with significant opportunities currently existing for skilled and semi-skilled workers. A key issue within the two sectors, and the service industries and tertiary industries, is the shortage of skilled and experienced people. The vibrant economic environment of the region is conducive to the achievement of GANBINA’s employment outcomes for Indigenous people.
Regional Indigenous Employment
The Shepparton Regional Indigenous Community Employment & Development Strategies document, prepared in 2002 by Dr Katrina Alford for GANBINA, and funded by the Commonwealth Government under its Regional Assistance Programme, identified Indigenous employment in the region by sector.
Excluding the Community Development Employment Program Scheme (CDEP), 221 Indigenous people
were in work at the time of the 2002 survey. It means that number have at least one day’s paid work per week. Of those, 93 (or 42%) work for Indigenous organisations, 73 (or 33%) work for the mainstream private sector, 50 (22.6%) work for mainstream public/government sector,  and 5 (2.3%) are self-employed. Of the 73 working in the mainstream private sector, 24 were placed as a result of GANBINA’s programmes, all of whom were placed in full time work.
A further 45 are now (2005) in full time work as a result of GANBINA’S activities. In Dr Alford’s report, within the Shepparton / Mooroopna region in 2002, the total labour force, unemployed and employed, was 10,593. The total Indigenous labour force was 1,018. Within the broader community, unemployment was 7.5%. Within the Indigenous community, excluding those on CDEP, the unemployment rate for Indigenous people was 77.6%.
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