Our latest Report to the Region for January to March 2021 is on the website now.

Find out what's been happening around the Logan and Redlands region, including updates on:

• RDA Logan & Redlands Committee Deputy Chair and Committee positions
• Logan and Redlands strategic planning
• Information businesses and the community need to know about COVID-19 initiatives
• Building Better Regions Fund
• Inland Rail: Kagaru to Acacia Ridge and Bromelton (K2ARB)
• Joint SEQ Regional Development Australia Activity
• Funding opportunities.

Click here to view the report.

The Australian Government has recognised the importance of the ongoing work of the Regional Development Australia (RDA) Network in driving economic development and growth across regional Australia. In late October 2020 the Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories, the Hon Nola Marino MP, announced the Australian Government’s recommitment to the RDA Network, including RDA Logan & Redlands under a new 4.5 year funding agreement and refreshed Charter.

The Network involves 52 RDAs across Australia, including the Indian Ocean Territories and Norfolk Island. RDAs work with all levels of government, business and community groups to support economic and workforce development, local procurement, strategic regional planning and to inform programs and infrastructure investments.

In early November 2020 Assistant Minister Marino announced applications were open for Chair positions for 46 Regional Development Australia (RDAs) Committees across Australia including for RDA Logan & Redlands.

On 23 December 2020 Assistant Minister Marino advised the reappointment of the Hon Gary Hardgrave to the position of Chair of RDA Logan & Redlands to 30 June 2025. In making this announcement, Assistant Minister Marino said: Mr Hardgrave has provided strong leadership for RDA Logan & Redlands during his time as Chair, having successfully steered the committee through the challenges of 2020 and, along with the members and staff, provided great support for the region’s business community and future economic development.

“Mr Hardgrave will lead RDA Logan & Redlands under a refreshed Charter that focuses its role on driving investment and local procurement opportunities and through this, creating jobs and economic growth for our regions.

“I look forward to working with Mr Hardgrave and the RDA Logan & Redlands members and staff over the coming years and encourage the community to reach out to their RDA to discuss how it can help business succeed.”

In accepting the appointment, Mr Hardgrave noted: "Regional Australia needs local leaders with the skills and knowledge to develop and coordinate strategies to address challenges facing their region and create opportunities for growth. The refreshed RDA Charter provides an emphasis on greater alignment across all levels of government and regional planning that identifies and advocates strategic long-term investment priorities.

“RDA Logan & Redlands will continue its efforts to ensure the voice of the Region is heard. We have a determined corporate goal to ensure the Region will be at the centre of economic and employment growth for South East Queensland, statewide Queensland and Australia wide.

“To this end in October 2020 we released Logan and Redlands: The Centre of Economic and Employment Growth for Queensland. The purpose of this document is to promote discussion and provoke commentary about the economic and social future of the Logan and Redlands Region and the wider South East Queensland. It is hoped its release will generate public interest and debate.

“There is still much to be done and, as always, I encourage all in the community to contact the RDA to discuss topics of interest.”

For more information on the RDA program click here or go to www.infrastructure.gov.au and www.rda.gov.au.

Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick delivered the states 2020-21 Budget on the same day the borders opened to New South Wales and Victorian travellers.

Similar to budgets released by other states, the focus was on creating jobs, while also focussing on 'rebounding from COVID-19 impacts' and celebrating the success of Queensland in response to the pandemic.

The budget is focused on the economy moving sooner with the priorities listed as:

• creating jobs
• backing small businesses to support jobs and communities across the state
• increasing investment in manufacturing including $1 billion towards building trains in Queensland again
• driving the largest infrastructure program in over a decade of $14.8 billion
• growing our regions and supporting key industries including tourism, agriculture and mining
• protecting the environment
• providing more Queenslanders with access to the skills and training they need for careers
• enhancing frontline services
• delivering lower debt than New South Wales and Victoria.

Backing Small Business

The budget did not propose any further tax breaks for small business in addition to those already provided under the Governments $7 billion Unit and Recover Economic Recovery Plan.

It acknowledged the investment already made in (amongst other things):

• concessional job support loans
• payroll tax, land tax, gaming machine and health services levies relief measures
• Small Business Adaptation Grants
• Electricity bill relief for small businesses.

The Government has stated it is supporting small business by introducing a procurement target, with 25 per cent of all Government spend to go toward small and medium businesses.

Further, an additional $15.5 million was announced to boost the ‘Made in Queensland’ grants program and was indicated that further rounds will be made available. We will keep you up to date with this as further information is released.

Infrastructure

Key infrastructure and spending commitments include:

• $1 billion to bring train manufacturing back to Queensland
• $1.6 billion for health infrastructure projects across the state
• funding for front line services across the next four years, including:

• • 5,800 additional nurses, 1,500 doctors and 1,700 allied health professionals
  • four new schools opening in 2022 and 2023
  • investing almost $1 billion in four years for school upgrades and employing 6,190 new teachers and 1,139 new teacher aides during the same period
  • funding for a new fire station at Mount Cotton
  • $36 million for Surf Lifesaving QLD
  • $55.8 million in infrastructure for the QLD Ambulance Service
  • 2,025 new police, 357 new firefighters and 475 new ambulance operatives
  • $6.3 billion for transport infrastructure in 2020-2021, including continued construction of the Cross River Rail Project ($1.5 billion) and ongoing spending to fund major upgrades to the M1 Pacific Motorway and the Bruce Highway

Regional Action Plans

The Government have developed a snapshot of the key Budget initiatives and projects announced for each region.

View them all on the interactive Regional Action Plans map or click below for snapshots covering Logan and Redlands.

Brisbane and Redlands

Logan

The Australian Government recognises and commends the important ongoing work of the Regional Development Australia (RDA) Network in driving economic development and growth across regional Australia.

Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories, the Hon Nola Marino MP, has announced the Australian Government’s recommitment to the RDA Network, including RDA Logan & Redlands, under a new 4.5 year funding agreement and refreshed Charter.

“RDA Logan & Redlands will continue to play an important role supporting the economic recovery of the region as it emerges from COVID-19 and the effects of bushfires and drought. RDAs are a highly valued and respected network of volunteers and staff who drive economic development in our regions and provide critical intelligence back to the Australian Government about key issues impacting local communities”, Mrs Marino said.

The Network involves 52 RDAs across Australia, including the Indian Ocean Territories and Norfolk Island. RDAs work with all levels of government, business and community groups to support economic and workforce development, local procurement, strategic regional planning and to inform programs and infrastructure investments.

RDA Committees are made up of passionate and dedicated local leaders with a broad range of experience, including from local government, business, community and the not-for-profit sectors.

A refreshed RDA Charter will emphasise greater alignment across all levels of government and regional planning that identifies and advocates strategic long-term investment priorities.

Australia’s regions are diverse, although they also face many similar challenges. RDAs network, share information and collaborate across the country to develop innovations and solutions that can be adapted across the country.

The Government’s commitment to regions will be further enhanced by redirecting the role of metropolitan RDAs in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth to focus on working with regional RDAs in their state to identify and connect regions with decentralisation and economic development opportunities coming out of the capital cities.

Regional Australia and RDA Committees will play an important role in revitalising Australia’s economy as we emerge from COVID-19. The new funding agreement and revised Charter will provide a strong basis for this work.

For more information on the RDA program please go to www.infrastructure.gov.au and www.rda.gov.au.