Twelve months ago I started my message for the January to March 2020 quarterly report with the following:

For many years Australia has suffered the ravages of drought. In January this year bushfires devastated our country. Floods quickly followed. Throughout these events, the spirit of Australia shone brightly. Now the COVID-19 pandemic is plaguing the world.

The resilience of Australians has been stunning with our capacity to keep fronting up, care for each other and focus on opportunities while dealing with challenges. This is what characterises our Region.

Discussed below is your RDA’s planning for our future and our role in ensuring the corporate objective of the RDA is achieved, i.e.: Ensure the Region will be at the centre of economic and employment growth for South East Queensland, statewide Queensland and Australia wide.

There is still much to be done and, as always, I encourage all in the community to contact me or our Director Steve McDonald to discuss topics of interest.

There is an opportunity for direct involvement with the call for applications to volunteer for Deputy Chair and Committee Member positions on the Regional Development Australia Logan & Redlands Inc. Committee. This is an exciting time for the Region and for the RDA as we broaden our engagement strategy under the continuation of the funding agreement with the Commonwealth and the refreshed Regional Development Australia Charter.

If there is any information you wish to draw to the attention of the RDA in relation to the above, please send it to admin@rdaloganandredlands.org.au

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

We are seeking highly-motivated individuals with vision, drive and passion for regional development to volunteer for Deputy Chair and Committee Member positions on the Regional Development Australia (RDA) Logan &Redlands Committee.

The successful candidates must possess strong advocacy skills and be capable of leading the committee, setting the strategic direction and achieving outcomes. Appointment terms are up to 4.5 years in a hands-on role suited to local community and business leaders with expertise and a desire to generate economic opportunities in the Region.

We believe the stronger our RDA committee is, the stronger our community becomes. So don’t miss your chance help support, inform and deliver on life-changing regional initiatives. Learn more or apply directly here. 

Women, people from Indigenous and diverse cultural backgrounds and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Applications close 20 April 2021.

Building on the continuation of its funding agreement with the Commonwealth and the refreshed Regional Development Australia Charter, RDA Logan & Redlands held a strategic meeting on 27 January 2021.

The key areas of focus from the strategic meeting are aligned to the RDA strategic document Logan and Redlands: The Centre of Economic and Employment Growth for Queensland which is confirmed as the base from which the identification of specific issues/activities will occur and from which broad and specific messaging will be mined.

Identified immediate areas for development include:

• Infrastructure (hard, soft and public transport; and social)
  Research
• Skills Audit against expected industry profile
• Workforce skills development capacity
• Analysis of and opportunities for investment
• Industry 4.0
• Internal SEQ migration.

The meeting also identified the work of the RDA should provide the evidence through which the RDA’s advocacy role is achieved and through which it achieves the 4 streams of the refreshed RDA Charter.

The meeting discussed the requirement that by 30 June 2021, the RDA is to determine whether there is a recognised, existing strategic plan in place, which is up to date, and for the most part, meets the needs of the Region or if the Region does not have an appropriate strategic plan in place, nor plans to develop one, the RDA should develop a methodology for working with stakeholders to develop a new strategic plan.

In undertaking its work the RDA regularly meets with key stakeholders on issues relevant to the Region as they relate to the RDA’s strategic document (available here) and the RDA’s roles under the Regional Development Australia Charter (available here).

These include but are not limited to:

• Redland City Council
• Logan City Council
• Beenleigh Yatala Chamber of Commerce
• Logan Chamber of Commerce
• Logan Regional Chamber of Commerce
• Redlands Coast Chamber of Commerce
• Southern Moreton Bay Islands Chamber of Commerce
• Straddie Chamber of Commerce
• Local community organisations
• Local businesses
• Queensland Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning
• Queensland Department of Employment, Small Business and Training
  Education Queensland
• Jobs Queensland
• RDA Committees from around the broader South East Queensland region
• Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.

Logan and Redlands residents and businesses can continue to get the latest information on COVID-19 at these links:

The Prime Minister's Media Statements 

treasury.gov.au

Federal Government's information entry point for details of COVID-19 and support for business

Smart Traveller information & advice

business.qld.gov.au

Logan City Council COVID-19 Resources

Redland City Council COVID-19 Resources

Each of these sites provide links that navigate to other relevant sites.

There was a high level of interest in Building Better Regions Fund (Round 5) across the Logan and Redlands Region. It is understood a good number of applications were submitted by the closing date of 12 March 2021. Announcements are expected in mid 2021.

Market engagement for Building Better Regions Fund (Round 6) will begin in July 2021 (4 months prior to the expected invitation for applications opens). Initial workshops for small groups and individual organisations such as Councils and Chambers will be developed, tested and rolled out based on the Building Better Regions Fund (Round 5) Guidelines which are expected to be similar for Round 6 with perhaps an area of specific focus (e.g., Round 4 related to bushfire impacts and Round 5 related to Tourism impacts).

The Inland Rail Community Consultative Committee (CCC) for the Kagaru to Acacia Ridge and Bromelton section of the project has welcomed several new members who took up their roles for the first time at the 22 February 2021 meeting. The new members were selected from the local community following an open call for nominations, which were reviewed by an independent assessor.

CCC Chair Gary Hardgrave said he was pleased to welcome the six new members to the committee in addition to those remaining members. “As the Chair of the CCC and a long-standing member of the local community, I’m pleased people from the area have taken the chance to become a part of the committee as it allows for local knowledge and input to inform the project’s approach to planning and design,” Mr Hardgrave said.

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on 31 May 2021. Details will be shared closer to the date to ensure those who would like to attend have the opportunity.

In the meantime, information relating to key dates, publications and the project timeline is available at inlandrail.artc.com.au/K2ARB. The CCC membership, Agendas, Minutes and Chair’s summaries from each of the previous meetings of the Committee are available at inlandrail.artc.com.au/k2arb-ccc.

South East Queensland and adjacent areas are served by several Regional Development Australia Committees including for:

• Brisbane
• Darling Downs and South West Queensland
• Gold Coast
• Ipswich and West Moreton
• Logan and Redlands
• Moreton Bay
• Northern Rivers
• Sunshine Coast
• Wide Bay Burnett.

These RDAs communicate regularly to discuss issues across the South East Queensland Region and how best to work together in the interests of the broader South East Queensland region. On 4 to 5 February 2021 the RDAs met in the Ipswich and West Moreton Region to focus on the refreshed RDA Charter. The RDAs will next meet on 6 to 7 May 2021 in the Sunshine Coast Region.

In January 2021, RDA Logan & Redlands:

• Met with the North Stradbroke Island Aboriginal & Islanders Housing Co-operative Society Ltd in relation to Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF) Round 5 opportunities
• Participated in a Department of Small Business and Training teleconference
• Met with STAR Community Services in relation to Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF) Round 5 opportunities
• Held its Strategic Meeting.

In February 2021, RDA Logan & Redlands: 

• Met with Redland City Council officials to work through Building Better Regions Fund (Round 5) opportunities
• Participated in the meeting of South East Queensland Regional Development Australia Committees covering:
  • Brisbane
  • Darling Downs and South West Queensland
  • Gold Coast
  • Ipswich and West Moreton
  • Logan and Redlands
  • Moreton Bay
  • Sunshine Coast
  • Wide Bay Burnett
• Participated in the Redlands Coast Small Business Roadshow
• Participated at meetings as a member of the Inland Rail Kagaru to Acacia Ridge and Bromelton Community Consultative Committee
• Met with the Queensland Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning
• Undertook discussion with regional organisations on Building Better Regions Fund (Round 5) opportunities including with:
  • Macleay Island Bowls Club
  • Southern Moreton Bay Islands Chamber of Commerce
  • Russell Island Progress Association
  • Redlands Coast Chamber of Commerce
  • North Stradbroke Island Chamber of Commerce
• Participated at the Championing Redlands Coast Futures Forum
• Participated in forums addressing the regional opportunities from the change of focus of
• Capital City Regional Development Australia Committees
• Participated in the Redland City Council’s Financial and Economic Recovery Taskforce
• Met with Redlands Coast Chamber of Commerce on Business Awards Judging Processes
• Met with Regional Development Australia Committees and community organisations to take forward supporting families relocating across Southern Queensland regions for work.

In March 2021, RDA Logan & Redlands:

• Met with the President, Logan Chamber of Commerce
• Met with Logan City Council officials
• Met with Redland City Council officials
• Participated in the RDA National Forum 2021 Reference Group
• Met with local businesses to provide operational guidance.

When searching for funding, keep in mind that you’ll generally need to meet certain criteria to be eligible. Aside from funding assistance, many programs can help your business by building your skills and knowledge.

GrantConnect [Aust Govt]
GrantConnect publishes forecast and current Australian Government grant opportunities and grants awarded.

Grants Finder [Qld Govt]
Find a grant or assistance in Queensland including information on grants, rebates, loans, subsidies or training.

business.gov.au
The Australian Government's business.gov.au site has information on grants and assistance for business from all levels of Government.

Austrade Export Grants
The Export Market Development Grants scheme is a financial assistance program for aspiring and current exporters.

Advance Queensland
Are you an innovator? Browse the range of grants and assistance from Advance Queensland for startups and entrepreneurs.

Logan City Council
Logan City Council offers a range of grants to community organisations, individuals, clubs and services.

Redland City Council
Redland City Council provides grants and sponsorship to individuals and organisations for projects that benefit the local community.

More details are available at our funding portal here. 

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.org.au