Despite Albury-Wodonga being overlooked, Liberal member for Benambra Bill Tilley said he was not disappointed at losing out to the Sunraysia.

“Yes I am on the public record of saying that Albury-Wodonga with the largest population along the Murray River would be an ideal location,” Mr Tilley said.

“But taking into consideration that the anomalies are also cross border with South Australia as well as NSW and Victoria, so siting it in Mildura…..businesses across all our borders can be serviced.

“I anticipate and expect that we will see a whole lot of the cross border commissioner if we’re given the opportunity to govern after the next election.”

Mr Tilley said the Coalition would spend $4 million on establishing and funding the commissioner’s office in its first 12 months.

The Victorian Labor government last year committed to investigating the feasibility of bankrolling a cross border commissioner.

It has not committed funds or decided where it would locate a commissioner.

Mr Tilley suggested Labor may have a commissioner closer to Albury-Wodonga than Mildura but not on the Murray River.

“I’m not necessarily confident….that this government would have a cross border commissioner in a regional setting,” he said.

“I think jobs for the boys and the girls and they would have it down running out of Melbourne.”

NSW’s cross border commissioner James McTavish, who would like a Victorian counterpart, lives in Wagga.

In addition to Mildura being near two state borders, the city’s leaders have also been party to a push for a commissioner via the Mallee Regional Partnership.

Regional Development Minister Jaala Pulford recognised the North West in saying the government would consider a commissioner.

“We’ve listened to the concerns of our border towns such as Swan Hill, and this work will ensure these communities are getting the services and support they need, now and into the future,” Ms Pulford said.