Regional renaissance through Regional Development Australia

The Chair of Regional Development Australia (RDA) Sunshine Coast predicts that the Sunshine Coast is on the cusp of a regional renaissance following the resounding success of the inaugural RDA National Networking Forum held at Parliament House in Canberra last week.

Chairs and deputy chairs of fifty-five RDA organisations from across Australia gathered in Canberra for an intensive round of meetings and presentations. This event, hosted by the Hon Maxine McKew, Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, provided extensive opportunities to network with a range of ministers and departmental heads on matters relevant to the Sunshine Coast.

These included Hon Anthony Albanese, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government; Hon Lindsay Tanner, Minister for Finance and Deregulation; Senator the Hon Mark Arbib, Minister for Employment Participation and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery; Hon Martin Ferguson, Minister for Resources and Energy and Minister for Tourism; Dr Mike Kelly, Parliamentary Secretary for Water; and Senator the Hon Ursula Stephens, Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector.

Senior officials from a range of Australian Government agencies, including Treasury, Health and Ageing, Veterans and Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy among many others, provided an overview of strategic directions, programs and initiatives of interest and relevance to the Sunshine Coast.

RDA Sunshine Coast is the new formal inter-governmental vehicle to achieve practical outcomes through improved regional cooperation and cohesion. This will be achieved by building on and advancing work already undertaken by the three levels of government and other regional institutions and sectors.

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