FORMATION OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AUSTRALIA

On 20 March 2008 the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, the Hon Anthony Albanese MP announced in Federal Parliament that the Government had agreed to the establishment of Regional Development Australia (RDA), based on the Area Consultative Committee (ACC) network.

Since then, new arrangements for NSW have been announced, involving a joint Commonwealth-State regional development network, implementing a strategic and responsive approach to regional development and guiding economic growth across regional NSW.

As a result of these decisions, the Central Coast of NSW Area Consultative Committee Inc and Business Central Coast Inc will close at the end of the current financial year and be replaced by a Regional Development Australia local committee.

In March advertisements were carried in metropolitan and regional newspapers seeking registrations of interest from suitably qualified individuals to serve on the 14 RDA local committees to be established throughout the state.  The new RDA local committee boundaries will be based on those of the old State regional development boards.

It is intended that the new RDA local committees will be fully operational by 1 July 2009.