Report to the Region

During 2023 to 2024, the RDA Logan & Redlands (the RDA) Board’s priority is to take forward the Strategic Regional Plan Logan and Redlands: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Growth released in February 2023 . The detail of this work is being guided by the RDA’s 2023 to 2024 Business Plan as accepted by the Australian Government. To coin an old phrase, this is where the rubber hits the road.

The Business Plan encapsulates the four identified themes from the RDA’s To 2042 and Beyond: Investing in SEQ Summit held in September 2022 as captured in the Strategic Regional Plan. These 4 themes are:

• Economic Infrastructure
• Social Infrastructure
• Education, Skills and the Labour Market
• Leveraging opportunities including amenities.

The RDA’s identified themes are consistent with the Australian Government’s revised RDA Charter, Regional Investment Framework and key regional priorities as follows:

In pursuing its priority, the RDA Board’s focus is on longer term (20+ years), strategic enabling issues. This reflects the RDA’s role is not to duplicate or compete on specific local initiatives but rather to identify and advocate on behalf of the Logan and Redlands Region and the broader South East Queensland Region.

This includes ensuring the identification of intended and unintended consequences of plans and decisions within and impacting the Logan and Redlands Region and more broadly.

The strategic challenge is to make sure the current and future pipeline of activity across the Logan and Redlands Region is nourished, delivers benefits as expected and/or is as sustainable as should be the case due to the surrounding environment being considered and planned. It is this role the RDA pursues in its commitment not to duplicate or compete on specific local initiatives but rather to identify and advocate on behalf of the Logan and Redlands Region and the broader South East Queensland Region.

It is within this context the RDA welcomes the 24 August 2023 release of the Australian Government’s 2023 Intergenerational Report which projects the outlook of the economy and the Australian Government’s budget to 2062 to 2063.

The implementation of the 2023 to 2024 Business Plan has commenced with a series of key stakeholder focus group meetings across the Logan and Redlands Region with the Board looking forward to receiving feedback at its 17 October 2023 meeting.

If you wish to be part of this work, please contact our Director Steve McDonald at drd@rdaloganandredlands.org.au for further information.

For further information on the RDA, go to rdaloganandredlands.org.au. Information on Board members is available here.

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

Working Future: The Australian Government’s White Paper on Jobs and Opportunities was released in September 2023. The White Paper outlines the Government’s vision for a dynamic and inclusive labour market.

The vision aims to provide opportunities for secure and fairly paid work, fostering growth for individuals, businesses and communities. The five objectives which will contribute to achieving the Government’s vision are:

1. Delivering sustained and inclusive full employment
2. Promoting job security and strong, sustainable wage growth
3. Reigniting productivity growth
4. Filling skills needs and building our future workforce
5. Overcoming barriers to employment and broadening opportunity

This White Paper provides a Roadmap to position the Australian labour market for the future. It outlines the practical actions being taken and the further reform directions required to achieve this potential.

Under the RDA Charter released by the Australian Government in July 2023 the RDAs play a role in helping to drive economic growth, innovation and entrepreneurship in regions through facilitating investment in community, industry and the environment. RDAs assist to bridge the regional development gaps in regions by working with a broad range of stakeholders across sectors and supporting the delivery of identified Australian Government strategic priorities.

Specifically guided by the Charter, over the period July to September 2023, the RDA:

• visited North Stradbroke Island accompanied by Telstra representatives to meet the Straddie Chamber of Commerce
• visited Macleay Island to meet SMBI Chamber of Commerce and other stakeholders
• participated in Redlands Regional Jobs Committee meeting
• participated in Queensland VET Strategy consultation forum
• participated in AICC SEQ Showcase Investment, Infrastructure & the 2032 Games event
• participated in NDIS Review Panel live-streamed national event What We Have Heard – Moving From defining problems to developing solutions for a better NDIS
• participated in consultation with the Australian Government on Queensland RDA boundaries review
• participated in Australian Government Workforce availability webinar
• met with Redland City Council
• attended 2nd Redlands Champions Boardroom 2023: Tourism – Redlands Coast as a Destination
• participated in the Australian Government’s Thriving Suburbs Program – RDA virtual roundtable consultation
• attended the Logan Business Distinction Awards Finalists Breakfast
• attended as a member of Logan Connect
• attended SEGRA Conference from 25 to 27 July 2023 and RDA National Forum on 28 July 2023 in Toowoomba
• participated at the Redlands Regional Jobs Committee meeting including a tour of Busy School Cleveland Campus
• met with The Social Policy Group
• participated in Redlands Business Excellence Awards judging briefing
• participated at Redlands Coast Chamber of Commerce Tourism breakfast
• participated at Redlands Connect Quarterly Meeting membership of which includes Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning; Redland City Council; AusIndustry; RDA Logan and Redlands; Department of Agriculture and Fisheries; Trade and Investment Queensland; Department of Youth Justice, Employment, Small Business and Training; and Gold Coast Manufacturing Hub
• met with Redland City Council officials
• attended Beenleigh Yatala Chamber of Commerce Early Bird Networking Breakfast
• participated at Community Services Industry Taskforce meeting
• held discussions with Redlands Coast Chamber of Commerce; Champion Redlands Coast; and Redlands Regional Jobs Committee
• met with representatives of Walker Group
• provided submission to the Queensland VET Strategy review
• participated in Logan Local Recovery Group exercise
• contributed to National survey of regional conditions
• contributed to state of the regions report
• held discussion with Metro South Health
• Letter of support provided for Redlands Coast Chamber of Commerce funding application
• participated in local briefing from the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning on the Queensland Train Manufacturing Program as it applies to the South East Queensland region
• contributed to the Draft Environmentally Sustainable Procurement policy
• provided submission to the South East Queensland Regional Plan review
• participated in the Australian Government’s consultation on the regional Precincts and Partnership Program
• conducted focus group meetings with key stakeholders on the detail of taking forward the RDA Logan and Redlands Strategic Regional Plan.

If you wish to connect with the RDA, please contact its Director Steve McDonald at drd@rdaloganandredlands.org.au. For further information on the RDA, go to rdaloganandredlands.org.au.

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 (NSW)
• Sunshine Coast
• Wide Bay Burnett.

The RDAs met on 15 to 16 May 2023 in Mount Cotton to discuss, amongst other things:

• The RDA National Forum Agenda
• 2023 to 2024 Annual Plans
• 2023 RDA Key Priorities Matrix within and across RDAs.

The South East Queensland RDAs next meeting is yet to be scheduled.

In late June 2023 the following advice was received from the Australian Government Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, The Hon Kristy McBain MP.

The Department is to conduct a review of the effectiveness of New South Wales (NSW), Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Jervis Bay Territory (JBT) and Queensland Regional Development Australia Committee (RDA) boundaries. The review is limited to these jurisdictions given:

• the relatively high number of RDAs in NSW and Queensland when compared to other jurisdictions
• differences in NSW between state government regional development and RDA boundaries, and instances where some local governments are being serviced by multiple RDAs
• potential opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery in the ACT and JBT, given that these territories border, and are closely tied, to NSW.

The review included consultation with RDAs, state governments and local governments in these areas with the outcome expected to be announced later in the year.

When searching for funding, keep in mind you will 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 rdaloganandredlands.org.au/funding. 

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 or query at admin@rdaloganandredlands.org.au.