Last quarter I committed RDA Logan & Redlands to releasing a summarised version of its 2019 to 2020 Business Plan. I am pleased to announce this commitment has been met.

The RDA Logan & Redlands Business Plan Summary for the 2019 to 2020 financial year is now available here.

A hard copy of the Summary has been provided to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Hon Michael McCormack MP who I had the opportunity of catching up with after the Inland Rail Conference held in Toowoomba in late August 2019.

Copies have also been provided to key stakeholders including other relevant Commonwealth Ministers, local Members of the Federal Parliament, relevant Queensland Ministers, local Members of the Queensland Parliament, the Logan and Redland Logan City Councils, Logan and Redland Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the South East Queensland Council of Mayors and the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation.

The emerging South East Queensland City Deal, planned Inland Rail, possible 2032 Olympics bid, Visitor Economy 2031 and implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme provide opportunities to better leverage the Region’s aspiration to be the centre of economic growth and employment opportunities in Australia. The RDA’s 2019 to 2020 Summary Plan provides a narrative which leverages these opportunities in the interests of the Region.

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.

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

On 15 March 2019, Australian Government Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure, the Hon Alan Tudge MP, Queensland Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, the Hon Jackie Trad MP and the (then) Right Hon. The Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Graham Quirk agreed on governance arrangements for the deal negotiations as well as signing a Statement of Intent for a SEQ City Deal. The Statement of Intent outlines a shared vision from all three levels of government for the SEQ City Deal, centred on the six priority areas of Connecting Infrastructure; Jobs and Skills; Liveability and Sustainability; Housing and Planning; Digital; and Governance and Leadership.

A copy of the Statement of Intent is available at citydeals.infrastructure.gov.au/south-east-queensland.

The SEQ City Deal will be negotiated over the next 12 to 18 months. Consultation will be a key part of the process to ensure the SEQ Deal gets the right outcomes for the region’s community.

The RDA was invited to and participated in roundtables to discuss the South East Queensland (SEQ) City Deal. The roundtables are being hosted by the Australian Government Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure, the Hon Alan Tudge MP, plus representatives of the Queensland Government and the Chair of the Council of Mayors (SEQ). Representatives of businesses and community groups together with senior officials from the Australian Government, Queensland Government and Council of Mayors SEQ are also in attendance.

Kagaru to Acacia Ridge and Bromelton Community Consultative Committee

The fourth meeting of the Kagaru to Acacia Ridge and Bromelton (K2ARB) Community Consultative Committee was held in Jimboomba on Monday, 5 August 2019.

The Chair’s summary notes the main purpose of the meeting was to provide a project update and general information regarding air quality investigations to be conducted. Presentations were provided by members of the Australian Rail Track Corporation K2ARB project team, and a representative of the consultancy that will complete the baseline air quality monitoring studies.

The Chair’s summary is available here.

For further information go to inlandrail.artc.com.au/K2ARB.

2019 Inland Rail Conference

The Australian Logistics Council and Australasian Railway Association held the 2019 Inland Rail Conference in Toowoomba on 21 and 22 August 2019, with 460 people in attendance. With the theme Connecting Regions, Building Australia, the Conference focussed on how this nationally significant infrastructure project will transform the movement of freight in Australia.

Participants explored multiple facets of the project and set out the actions needed to ensure local communities, consumers, producers, freight operators and the Australian economy derive the full benefits of Inland Rail, both during the construction phase and once it is operational.

Presentations and photos from the Conference are available at austlogistics.com.au/inlandrail2019

It is unfortunate the RDA was not successful in its funding submission under the NDIS Jobs and Market Fund. A funded project was intended to produce positive outcomes for market and workforce growth for the Logan and Redlands Region through investment in strategic evidence-based projects to build an effective disability services market and workforce by:

• achieving a minimum reduction of the current gap in service capacity from 60% to 20% within the 2 year project funding period
• ensuring all necessary arrangements have been initiated to further reduce from 20% the gap in service capacity to zero within the 12 months immediately after the project’s conclusion
• ensuring that the workforce that is grown has the relevant skills to match the needs of NDIS participants locally (i.e. that the services and the workforce align with NDIS plan requirements)
• ensuring that the opportunity is taken to grow local employment and enterprises (sole trader and small business) with characteristics similar to the participant market (Indigenous; Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities; People with a disability able to provide services; remote locations and thin markets)
• ensuring through informed choice all entitled participants have been identified, arrangements are in place (their plans) and entitlements are being received through a demand driven market where suppliers are highly capable, and capacity meets demand.

However, as can be seen from the previously noted RDA Logan & Redlands Business Plan Summary for the 2019 to 2020 financial year, the commitment to the work remains with the support of a number of local organisations and individuals indicating their desire to work with the RDA on a scaled back version of the project but with no less a commitment to achieving the original outcomes.

If you would like to participate, please register your interest at admin@rdaloganandredlands.org.au 

Residents in the Logan suburbs of Crestmead and Marsden are among the first residents of Queensland to experience air delivery as Project Wing (an initiative of Alphabet, the parent company of Google) commenced delivering a range of items to their homes, by drone, within minutes.

Using the Wing app, customers can order hot coffee, fresh eggs, milk, hot roasted chickens, and hardware products from three Logan businesses: Extraction Artisan Coffee, Friendly Grocer Crestmead and Browns Plains Hardware.

Anyone with questions about the service, can email support-AU@wing.com

Redland City Council and the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) have announced Karragarra Island on the Redlands Coast as the site for Queensland’s first trial of a driverless bus – the RACQ Smart Shuttle.

The driverless bus trial, a joint initiative between the RACQ and Redland City Council with the support of the South East Queensland Council of Mayors, will run for six months from November, and residents will have the opportunity to take part for free.

The RACQ Smart Shuttle has a maximum speed of 20km/h and will use sophisticated sensors to navigate and detection lasers which can identify obstacles within 40 metres before stopping safely or slowing down as needed.

Karragarra Island currently has no public transport at all, so this trial is expected to make life much easier for residents and visitors who previously had to rely on private vehicles.

The driverless bus, supplied by international mobility company EasyMile, will have a chaperone on board to answer any questions and take feedback. The vehicle is also all-abilities friendly with an automated ramp providing access as needed.

The RACQ Smart Shuttle will operate on a three and half kilometre fixed loop route, starting at the Karragarra ferry terminal, continuing along The Esplanade; Maryanne Street and Treasure Island Avenue. A timetable of services will be coordinated with ferry arrivals and passengers can hop on or off at one of eight bus stops along the route.

For more information, click here. 

Taking in Logan, Redlands and North Gold Coast regions, the 30 August 2019 mall Business Expo included 175 exhibition stands and 1200 business professionals in a sales-focused business-to-business marketplace. This one day event was focused on generating sales leads for exhibitors and attendees.

For more information go to www.smallbusinessexpos.com.au

The RDA is extremely appreciative of the support for the RDA’s participation at the Expo from the following companies from the Logan and Redlands Region:

• All Purpose Transport
• Bodyfit and Flex Pilates Studio
• Kingston Park Raceway
• Logan East Community Neighbourhood Association
• Redlands Coast Kayak Tours
• Sirromet Winery
• STAR Community Services
• Substation 33
• The Yarrabilba Exchange (A Lendlease initiative in partnership with facility manager Access Community Services, Yourtown, Gold Coast School of Construction, the Perry Group and The Hornery Institute)

2019 is the International Year of Indigenous Languages. Respectfully, the theme of the Quandamooka Festival 2019 was Jandai Wuluara, Ngaliya Wulara ‘Jandai Lingo, Our Lingo’.

Aunty Sandra Delaney, a local woman from Quandamooka country who has dedicated many years of research to maintain and strengthen Quandamooka culture said “The Quandamooka Festival theme for 2019 is “language” – respecting The United Nations’ International Year of Indigenous Languages dedicated to raising awareness about languages of Indigenous peoples all over the world. The ‘Jandai’ language of the Quandamooka peoples freely shared and recorded in the 1800s is revitalised through festival programs. Our Queensland winter festival showcases events, performances, and cultural activities to support a continuous living language. Quandamooka Festival events will enrich visitors’ experiences of the Quandamooka Coast and celebrate shared environments of this beautiful region.”

Highlights of this year’s festival included the official Yura (Welcome) event, Yura Yalingbila Yalingbila (Welcome the Whales) at Mooloomba (Point Lookout), a traditional Aboriginal celebration which welcomes the whales migrating through Quandamooka waters and past the lands, Buwangan (Dolphin) Day, Winnam (Wynnum) Kunjeil and Kunjeil.

The Festival was held from June to August 2019 in the coastal region of the Redlands Coast and provided a great opportunity to become immersed in one of the oldest living cultures on earth. The Festival was 91 days of celebrating culture, country and people with 7 major events, 2 evening concerts and 4 workshops.

For more information click here.

In July 2019, the RDA Logan & Redlands:

• Participated in the Southern Moreton Bay Islands Hub Meeting
• Attended the Quandamooka Peoples Native Title Consent Determination 8th Anniversary
• Met with North Stradbroke Island Chamber of Commerce
• Chair participated at the 2019 Asia Pacific Cities Summit
• Met with North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah) Economic Transition Strategy Team, Department of Innovation, Tourism Industry Development and the Commonwealth Games
• Met with Export Council of Australia
• Met with Asialink Business
• Met with Deputy Secretary, Regional & Territories, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development
• Attended Redland City Chamber of Commerce Bendigo Bank Breakfast
• Chair initiated network discussions with Chairs of South East Queensland Regional Development Australia Committees.

In August 2019, the RDA Logan & Redlands:

• Chair met with Griffith University
• Participated in the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation public consultations for the Arts and Cultural Centre Program Plan, Arts and Culture Strategy and Quandamooka Festival Plan
• Attended Logan Chamber of Commerce business breakfast and annual general meeting
• Chair met with the Hon Cameron Dick MP, Member for Woodridge
• Met with representatives from Department of State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning
• Chair met with Principal and senior staff from the Australian Industry Trade College
• Met with Redland City Council’s Project Coordinator, Regional Skills Investment Strategy
• Participated in and supported the 2019 Inland Rail Conference, Connecting Regions, Building Australia
• Attended Redland City Chamber of Commerce Bendigo Bank Breakfast
• Chair attended Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry breakfast
• Chair met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development
• Chair participated in Brisbane based South East Queensland City Deal Stakeholder Roundtable
• Met with representatives from the National Measurement Institute, Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
• Chair met with the Chair, Sycamore School
• Met with Logan East Community Neighbourhood Association Inc
• Attended Toondah Harbour Jobs Forum at Alexandra Hills TAFE
• Chair participated at Joint Conference of Australia-Taiwan Business Council (ATBC) and Republic of China-Australia Business Council (ROCABC)
• Participated in the Logan and Surrounds Small Business Expo
• Participated in the Queensland Chief Entrepreneur/Advance Queensland – Building Innovation in the Regions Program.

In September 2019, the RDA Logan & Redlands:

• Chair participated on the RDA National Forum 2019 Reference Group
• Met with Global AFR Pty Ltd
• Participated in Logan based South East Queensland City Deal Stakeholder Roundtable
• Met with Access Community Services
• Participated at the Visitor Economy 2031 Vision launch
• Attended Redland City Chamber of Commerce Bendigo Bank Breakfast
• Met with Department of Employment, Small Business and Training
• Participated in Redlands based South East Queensland City Deal Stakeholder Roundtable
• Attended Department of Industry, Innovation and Science Manufacturing Modernisation Fund Information Sessions
• Participated at NDIS Make it Work Forum in the Redlands.

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