Regional Development Australia (RDA) is an Australian Government initiative which brings together all levels of government to enhance the development of Australia's regions. A national network of RDA committees has been established to achieve this objective.

Following an independent review in 2017, funding for the RDA network has been extended through to December 2020 under a new, more outcomes-focussed charter. The charter requires that the RDA network moves beyond a planning role, to becoming an active catalyst in growing strong and confident regional economies.

This includes pro-actively connecting regional businesses with international trade partners, financial markets and potential investors, and working with regional entrepreneurs and emerging business leaders to explore new opportunities for innovation and jobs growth.

RDA Logan & Redlands is your local organisation within this network. We are made up of business, community and government leaders who work to support the development of this region. We are committed to achieving regional growth, economic diversification, job creation, development and investment across the Logan and Redlands region.

This Quarterly Report to Region provides an update on the latest regional trends and key activities and work undertaken by and planned for RDA Logan & Redlands.

The implementation of the outcomes of the independent review meant a more rigorous merit-based RDA Chair, Deputy Chair and Committee member appointment process was implemented. Earlier this year the Federal Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government, the Hon Dr John McVeigh MP, announced my appointment as Chair of the Logan & Redlands RDA Committee.

I believe my appointment as the RDA Chair is giving the RDA a focus on developing tangible, regionally-based projects in collaboration with key stakeholders. Our role is not about competing but working with the local business, community and government leaders to achieve sustainable economic growth and social capital for the Logan and Redlands Region.

This past six months has seen major changes in the structure of your RDA Committee with new members being appointed and retiring members bidding farewell.

I would like to acknowledge departing members for their efforts in representing this region and wish them all the best for the future. They include Ashish Shah, David Gardner, Tim Keeler, Nicola Dowding and Mike Pearson. 

Your new committee members are:

• Ms Kim Kerwin, Group Manager, Economic Sustainability and Major Projects, Redlands City Council (and Deputy Chair of your RDA Committee)
• Ms Chiou See Anderson, Owner and Managing Director, Elements Third Age Living @ Springwood
• Mr Ross Elliott, Regional General Manager, APP Corporation
• Mr Patrick Forbes, Business Partner, PYReco International Ltd
• Dr Douglas Hunt, teacher at San Sisto College and a Board member at Carmel College
• Ms Anne Livingstone, Research and Projects Director, Global Community Resourcing Pty Ltd
• Mr John O’Brien AM, a recently retired businessman
• Mrs Karen Prentis, self-employed.

I look forward to working with this highly experienced group of people as we take forward sustainable economic growth and social capital for your region.

I would also take the opportunity to announce the appointment of our new Director of Regional Development, Steve McDonald. I am sure Steve will quickly become a familiar face in our region.

I would encourage all in the community to contact Steve or myself to discuss topics of interest that we can assist with in your region. I will ensure that we provide as much topical commentary and information related to our region through our website, social media and these quarterly updates but also look forward to hearing from those of you in our community that would like to share your ideas and strategies with us here at your RDA.

I am looking forward to meeting more of you out and about in our region over the next three months. I am excited by the opportunity to be part of the development of our regional economy and commit my Committee to this goal.

The Hon. Gary Hardgrave
Chair
Regional Development Australia Logan & Redlands

We have continued our collaboration with our neighbouring RDAs and commit to this being a continuing theme to achieve maximum outcomes for our region.

While stakeholder engagement has been limited during this period, we continued to engage with local chambers of commerce and, to a limited extent, the Logan and Redlands Councils.

Our new Chair has met with the Logan and Redlands Councils and recommitted the RDA to regional objectives. Continued commitment to the RDA program was confirmed by the Councils.

The RDA is committed to its continuing membership of the Logan City Council’s Disaster Management team, specifically the Economic Recovery Group. The RDA has assisted in this regard previously following local flooding and will continue its commitment to this important group.

The RDA has maintained its commitment to working alongside other South East Queensland Regional Development Australia regions.

The RDA worked with RDA Brisbane in its organisation of a forum during the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. The forum was branded the Queensland and Commonwealth Collaboration and Showcase. It focused on collaborating to increase trade and investment opportunities for Queensland. International and domestic trade delegates attended and were afforded the opportunity to connect with South East Queensland, including Logan and the Redlands, regional representatives to discuss trade and investment opportunities. Representatives from Logan City Council and Redland City Council were in attendance to showcase what the region has to offer.

In conjunction with this initiative, South East Queensland Regional Development Australia regions produced a publication, Queensland Regions Trading Globally, further discussed below.

RDA Logan & Redlands has collaborated with 11 other Queensland RDAs to produce Queensland's Regions Trading Globally. This prospectus details key and emerging export sectors, innovative industries and opportunities for investment across Queensland.

The prospectus was developed as part of the Trade 2018 Games Time Trade and Investment Program to showcase the diversity and strength of Queensland’s regions to a global audience. It is a resource which will continue to be utilised long after the Games are over.

It also contains details of the Queensland Trade Collaboration Portal which presents a showcase of leading Queensland exporters.

Individually and in conjunction with RDA Brisbane, we provided interested stakeholders with background information regarding the application process for the Regional Growth Fund. This included participating in information sessions which were well received.

The Regional Growth Fund is primarily aimed at strengthening our regions from an economic development/job creation standpoint.

We were able to assist two of our regional stakeholder groups with their applications under the Regional Growth Fund. Applications have been submitted and we are keenly awaiting the announcement. Stage One applications closed on 27 April 2018 and successful Stage One applicants will be invited to submit a Full Business Case (Stage Two) later this year.

Regional Growth Fund Guidelines

We encourage you to read the above guidelines and bear this funding in mind if you are planning future projects or entering into collaborative discussion regarding big ticket items in the region. We at RDA Logan & Redlands are always available to assist with any applications of this nature. We also welcome the opportunity to enter into discussion with you at an early stage as this places us in a better position to be able to identify potential collaborative opportunities for our region.

RDA Logan & Redlands has continued its memberships with local chambers, including Logan Chamber of Commerce, Beenleigh Yatala Chamber of Commerce, Logan Country Chamber and Redlands Chamber of Commerce.

We attended the Logan and Redlands Employment Marketta (pictured), which was primarily aimed at connecting disability service providers with a wide range of programs aimed at getting people into work.

We also attended the joint Logan Office of Economic Development/Chamber of Commerce breakfast. The guest speaker was Olympian turned entrepreneur, Samantha Riley.

Logan Office of Economic Development invited us to a forum relating to the availability of Supply Chain Opportunities. The message being that South East Queensland is set to experience a tourism boom over the next six years with direct and indirect job opportunities coming from the Brisbane Airport expansion and the new Queens Wharf project.

We attended the Regional Growth Fund Briefing, courtesy of RDA Brisbane. Many of the attendees were from the Logan and Redlands region.

Invitation to Action

We are here to work for the Logan and Redlands Region. We welcome being contacted on any issue any member of the community wishes to raise. Please feel free to directly contact us with your comment at admin@rdaloganandredlands or drd@rdaloganandredlands.org.au