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Sunshine Coast as one under new Regional Development Australia structure
Sunshine Coast Division 8 Councillor Debbie Blumel has welcomed news that the Coast will be recognised as a region in its own right under the new Regional Development Australia (RDA) structure announced late yesterday.
Cr Blumel represents the Sunshine Coast Council on the Sunshine Coast Area Consultative Committee—an entity which will translate into the new Sunshine Coast RDA organisation from mid-2009.
Cr Blumel met with the Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development and Northern Australia, Gary Gray, in March this year to advocate for the Sunshine Coast to be recognised as a region in its own right.
“Mr Gray listened very thoughtfully to my arguments and his immediate response was that he thought I had made a good case for the Sunshine Coast to be recognised as a single region, rather than be amalgamated with areas of the Moreton Bay Regional Council as had been proposed,” Cr Blumel said.
“Planning and advocacy will be a lot easier if the Sunshine Coast Regional Council boundaries are the same as the Sunshine Coast RDA boundaries.
“We can develop one integrated set of data, maps, planning process, infrastructure priority list and so on.
“The aim is for the Sunshine Coast RDA committee to give us a stronger voice in Commonwealth Government programs.”
A memorandum of understanding, signed by the Commonwealth and Queensland governments, has signalled the start of both levels of government joining forces to create the new network.
The RDA’s role is to provide advice and to work with all levels of government to address regional issues and promote regional development.
In a media release issued yesterday, Mr Gray said the RDA would operate throughout the country to tap local knowledge and help people living in regional areas learn more about the Commonwealth Government's ongoing funding of local community infrastructure.
"The RDA committees will be informing government about what is happening at the grass roots level in order to advance regional understanding, development priorities and to retain jobs," Mr Gray said.
Voluntary committee members of the RDA will act as valuable sources of regional advice and advocacy.
The committee members will have local experience in business and industry, local government and the wider community.
The committees will develop regional strategic plans and identify key local issues.
In a presentation to Mr Gray, Cr Blumel emphasised the importance of the Sunshine Coast RDA Committee functioning as a regional hub to drive job creating initiatives and other social and economic initiatives as the full brunt of the global economic crisis impacts on this region.
Mr Gray supported this vision stating that the formation of the RDA committees is particularly important during the current global economic downturn when communities are experiencing unemployment and tough times.
Cr Blumel said that she had approached the current Sunshine Coast Area Consultative Committee members about taking a leadership role in helping the Sunshine Coast through the global economic crisis after previously floating the concept with fellow councillors.
“Councillors indicated that they were happy for me to undertake further consultation with stakeholders outside of council and the Sunshine Coast Area Consultative Committee jumped at the opportunity to fulfil that role.
“We have had a number of workshops since that time to further develop the ideas, strategies and organisational arrangements.”
In a press release, Queensland Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland, Tim Mulherin said the Queensland Government fully supported this initiative from day one because it meant that all three tiers of government would work together with industry and the community to advance regions.
"The committees will also support community engagement, regional planning, whole-of-government activities, individual government programs and community development," Mr Mulherin said.
"We want to make sure that government money is provided where it is needed most, to help local industries thrive and create more long-term jobs."
A three week public nomination process, starting on 20 May, will be held to select local community members to the RDA Queensland committees
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