SKILLED migration, employment and transport will remain priorities as regional development shifts up a gear in the Murray region.
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Regional Development Australia (RDA) – Murray’s newly-appointed Director of Regional Development Edwina Hayes said the RDA National Forum this month confirmed the federal government’s commitment to RDAs as the key drivers of economic development.
She said access to a skilled workforce and sound telecommunications and digital speeds were priorities.
“We’ll be building on our skilled migration and workforce programs,” she said.
“Infrastructure to do business is something that comes up over and over again; energy infrastructure and communications are also priorities.”
Mrs Hayes said she spoke to key forum stakeholders including Austrade to discuss how they could support trade and investment in the Murray region.
“The forum was really positive and very timely in informing our priorities and being able to express fresh ideas and new thinking from the Murray region among our federal colleagues,” Mrs Hayes said.
“I took so much out of it, the focus now is to sit down and prioritise what we can do to make sure that what we do has purpose, represents our stakeholders and will build our regional capacity.”
RDA – Murray chairwoman Perin Davey said the forum’s focus was on using innovation and networks to attract investment to regional areas.
“The forum was an opportunity for us to meet people from other RDAs and hear about what others are doing to see what may work for us or look for opportunities to partner on initiatives where there is common benefit,” she said.
“We sat down with our immediate neighbours, RDA – Riverina and Hume – RDA from Victoria and it is clear there is a lot that we can be doing together to promote our region and to get positive outcomes.
“It was also an opportunity for us to discuss our priority issues such as skilled migration, employment, new industries and transport.
“Coincidentally the keynote speaker for the forum dinner was Denis Wagner from Wagners, owners of the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport so I got the opportunity to speak to him about the Deniliquin airport proposal.”
Mrs Hayes said she would meet community groups at Wentworth and Dareton next week to help shape a Regional Aboriginal Economic Development Plan.
RDA – Murray is also seeking applications for committee members keen to help attract investment to the region.
Applications close 9am on September 17.
