On 12th August 2008 RDA Illawarra coordinated the first Illawarra Transport Infrastructure Priorities Forum at the request of Sharon Bird MP and Jennie George MP. The Forum held at iC Central was very well attended by regional stakeholders. The purpose of the event was to prioritise the major transport infrastructure needs of the Illawarra region in order to develop a strong case for funding from the Federal Government's Building Australia Fund. To qualify for funding, projects must be regarded as nationally significant infrastructure. Several organisations represented at the forum delivered presentations about their infrastructure priorities. Extensive discussion took place as participants attempted to reach a consensus about projects that could be considered to be of national significance. The facilitator, Roger Summerill, used the framework provided by RDA Illawarra to guide discussions to, what most participants agreed, was a logical conclusion. The Forum decided to pursue the following priority projects for funding of the:
- Expansion of the Port of Port Kembla’s Outer Harbour;
- Maldon-Dombarton rail link;
- Upgrade of the Picton Road;
- Upgrade of the Princes Highway (4 lane dual carriageway from Gerringong to Jervis Bay intersection).
Meyrick and Associates were commissioned to undertake research for preparation of the Illawarra submission. The PHOCUS group prepared a submission relating to the Princes Highway. The Illawarra submission was lodged with Infrastructure Australia by RDA Illawarra on 15 October 2008.
To download a copy of the submission please click on the following link:
Download PDF
Regional Engagement Reports 2008
These two reports are the result of a broad-ranging consultation process conducted by RDA Illawarra. In June 2008 the RDA network around Australia was asked by the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Anthony Albanese to undertake intensive community and business consultations. Stakeholders were asked for feedback on a range of issues, including the future delivery of regional development services, channels of communication between Federal Government and local communities, priorities for the development of community infrastructure, and the principles and priorities for a new Regional and Local Community Infrastructure funding program.
To download copies of these two reports please click on the following links:
Report - Work Plan Item 1 Download PDF
Report - Work Plan Items 2 & 3 Download PDF
Regional Development Australia
On 20 March 2008 the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, the Hon Anthony Albanese, MP made the following announcement:
This Government is committed to supporting Regional Australia.
Today I am announcing one of the Australian Government's initiatives to help drive economic prosperity in regional Australia and deliver on our commitments in the lead-up to the election.
One of our key regional election commitments was that Area Consultative Committees (ACCs) would provide the basis for the creation of Regional Development Australia (RDA).
Consistent with this commitment, today the Government announces that ACCs will make the transition to become local Regional Development Australia committees. As a first step, the ACC Chair's Reference Group will become the RDA Interim Board until 31 December, 2008.
Parliamentary Secretary, Gary Gray and I will convene a meeting with the Interim Board to discuss the transition of the ACC network to RDA, including the development of a Charter for Regional Development Australia and its proposed responsibilities. We shall also want to discuss with the Interim Board ways of ensuring closer ties with the local government sector. Regional Australia's communities and economy will benefit from a closer relationship between the new RDA and the local government sector.
The ACC Network was established by the previous Labor Government in 1994 under the Employment Services Act 1994. ACCs originally provided advice and generated support for labour market programs. Over time their role has evolved and recently their primary role has been to promote, identify projects and assist in the development of applications for the Regional Partnerships program.
There are 54 ACCs across Australia, which are not-for-profit community-based organisations. Hundreds of Australians give their time to serve their communities as members of ACCs. Only the Chairs and their Deputies are appointed by the Government. Committee members are volunteers from all walks of life: business people, farmers, retirees, local government representatives, educators, They are united by their commitment to their local communities. They are a valuable source of local knowledge and advice for the Government. Some have been more effective than others and there is a need to recognise that Regional Development requires a reform of existing advisory structures.
The new RDA network will build on the success of its predecessor, but will take on a broader role to develop strategic input into national programs to improve the coordination of regional development initiatives and ensure that there is effective engagement with local communities. The Rudd Government is committed to listening to communities and the RDAs will assist that process.
The actual roles and responsibilities of Regional Development Australia will reflect our consultations. I am confident that the Interim Board will have ideas to present to the Government. The role of individual RDAs and the network as a whole could provide advice to government on a range of issues, including:
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advise on community infrastructure
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advise on regional issues and opportunities
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advise on local implementation of specific Commonwealth initiatives in the region, as requested
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facilitate economic development planning and investment attraction
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identify any unique local attributes that would favour the development of new and innovative industries
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promote initiatives to retain and expand skills and local businesses and industries
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disseminate information about Commonwealth programs
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undertake had hoc consultations on behalf of Federal agencies where a regional network is required
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advise on adequacy of service delivery in regions
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build networks and relationships with other levels of government and key stakeholders in the region
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advise government on social inclusion issues
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advise on ways to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and coordination of Commonwealth regional initiatives
I am looking forward to working with Regional Development Australia and receiving valuable advice on the development needs of regional Australia
To conclude, this Government's new vision for Regional Australia is based on building partnerships to ensure the Government is responsive to local priorities and needs, but is underpinned by major new investments in the areas of infrastructure, broadband, housing, health care, education, skills development innovation and water.
The message to regional communities is clear - this Government will work with you to make your solutions work. We will bring fresh ideas and a new approach which will harness the potential of our regions and develop them for a better future.
Today's announcement relating to the establishment of Regional Development Australia is the first in a number of initiatives of the Rudd Labour Government
We will strengthen and invest in the future of Regional Australia.
Showground to be reinvigorated as a regional facility
There was more exciting news in July about Australian Government funding for local infrastructure. RDA Illawarra is proud to have directly assisted Kiama Council to obtain $1.1 million under the Australian Government’s Regional Partnerships programme for the new Kiama Showground Events and Exhibition Centre.
Kiama Showground has been a focal point of community activity for generations. The new Events and Exhibition Centre will have facilities, features and architectural attributes that will do justice to this wonderful location. It will be constructed on the site of the current showground pavilion and will provide greatly enhanced facilities to the community, including an auditorium and a commercial-quality kitchen.
As well as offering greatly improved infrastructure for traditional users of the Showground, the centre will also provide an opportunity for the local business community to attract additional seminars and conferences to Kiama and will therefore contribute to growth in the economy. The RDA Illawarra Board congratulates Kiama Council on its initiative to develop this important regional facility.
This is just the latest in a number of exciting projects funded in the Illawarra by the Australian Government under the l Partnerships programme during the past three years. The Regional Partnerships programme offers opportunities for organisations throughout the Illawarra region to apply for funding for a broad range of local projects. The RDA Illawarra team is available to work with organisations to help develop their funding applications.
A new tourism panorama for the Illawarra Region
The entire Illawarra region is to benefit from a 1.315 million dollar grant (incl GST) to Wollongong City Council under the Australian Government’s Regional Partnerships program. John Grace Executive Officer of the Regional Development Australia Illawarra (RDA Illawarra) has explained that the grant will be used to assist Council and its partners in the construction of the Southern Gateway Centre, to be located at Bulli Tops.
Mr Grace says “This iconic glass and steel building will house the new state-of-the-art Wollongong Visitors Centre, an Indigenous Interpretive Centre and a high quality restaurant facility, and will boast spectacular views from the escarpment and across Wollongong to the sea. The centre is expected to become a tourist drawcard in its own right and a major contributor to regional growth in our economy.” “The RDA Illawarra team is pleased to have directly assisted Wollongong City Council in preparing its successful funding application. Council and its partners are to be commended on taking the initiative to construct such an outstanding tourism facility.” RDA Illawarra Chairman, Eddy De Gabrielle, says he is delighted with the decision of the Australian Government to become a vital partner in the development of the new visitors centre. “This is a powerful signal of the Australian Government’s commitment to the Illawarra Region, and its faith in the future of the Illawarra tourism market. The funding for the Southern Gateway project represents the largest Regional Partnerships grant approved in the Illawarra region so far.”HARS
The International Historic Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) will establish an international centre of excellence for historic aircraft restoration and a world class tourist attraction at the Illawarra Regional Airport. The facility will enable tourists to view the restoration of aircraft which form an important part of Australia's civil and military aviation history.
The centre will offer employment and training in occupations where there are currently shortages of skilled people, offering immediate employment opportunities for 10 people, with further jobs expected to be created over time.
The addition of the Restoration centre co-located with HARS fleet of historic aircraft, will take HARS to the next stage of its development as a major tourist attraction in the Illawarra. The new facility when constructed will house- the Restoration Workshop - which will restore historic aircraft to airworthy condition. This centre will be the only one of its type where visitors can observe aircraft undergoing restoration
- HARS Library and Shop
- Office and education facilities
CI Ceramics
CI Ceramics is a Shellharbour based company that manufactures and supplies refractory and ceramic products to industry. One of these products, mould flux, is important in the manufacture of steel. CI Ceramics is increasingly coming under competitive pressure from imports, and has embarked on a $3.7million investment in plant and equipment, to better equip itself for the future business environment. With the assistance of the Illawarra ACC, the Company successfully applied for a $275,000 Regional Partnerships grant. This will help to construct the state-of-the-art technology required to manufacture spherical mould flux; not currently produced in Australia. This investment will not only have a significant employment impact (including saving jobs), but will also save the Australian economy $3million dollars per year in imports; this being the value of the product required each year at Port Kembla Steelworks. Further economic benefits of $1.5 million per annum are achievable, as it is currently supplied to steelworks in Whyalla and New Zealand by European manufacturers. Beyond this, there is a massive market for the product in Asia, particularly in the burgeoning Chinese steel industry.
The Angel of the North
During 2005 small business specialist Linda Marquis has been employed by the Illawarra ITEC to assist businesses throughout the Northern Suburbs cope with the closure of Lawrence Hargrave Drive. She is now helping them take advantage of the increased opportunities for trade. Linda’s position was largely funded by the Regional Partnerships program. We spoke with some business people that Linda has assisted, and they were glowing in their praise for her.
Wendy Lepre owns and manages Pepie’s in Stanwell Park. Business at this general store suffered a tremendous upheaval when the road was closed. Passing trade disappeared, literally overnight, and the business has struggled to survive on local custom since.
Wendy said “Linda has been marvellous. She has been our organiser here in Stanwell Park. For instance, our business was really suffering last winter. I’d written a letter to the Australian Tax Office (ATO) asking them for relief on payment of GST and had received no reply. Linda used her contacts and knowledge to gain a hearing from the Minister’s Office. She negotiated a dispensation on payment while the road was closed. Now that business is picking up again, we are on a payment plan to repay the money owing. Linda’s intervention made a real difference to us.”
About twenty businesses in the Northern Suburbs have made arrangements with the ATO. Linda believes some would have ceased to trade without this financial relief.
Linda is now helping the community apply for funding for a feasibility study into a Community and Cultural Centre for Stanwell Park that will have a strong focus on the unique history of the area. “We would love to see Linda continue in the role” said Wendy. “There is so much to be done here to make it a better place for residents and tourists.”
Adrian Naccari and Mina Altamura of the Austi Beach Café were equally enthusiastic. They stated “Linda has been great at bringing the businesses in Austinmer together. Meeting and seeing our common problems was the catalyst for us forming Austi Traders. We now meet regularly and are working on promoting Austinmer as a whole entity, not just on promoting our individual businesses. We are now planning to revive old Austinmer events like Austi Ball, and the Flats vs Hills Australia Day Cricket Match, as well as running twilight markets and outdoor movies during summer.”
The Austi Beach Cafe is thriving since the opening of the Sea Cliff Bridge and has put on four new staff members, so that it now employs twenty six people. Eighty percent of these are young people from the Austinmer and nearby suburbs.
Figtree High School – New engineering technology
A local youth project has been highlighted as an example of ‘best practice’ at the Area Consultative Committee national conference held in Canberra during April this year. The Applied Technology Pathways project was funded through a partnership between the Australian Government, Leussink Engineering and the Figtree High P & C Association.
A grant of $22,390 under the Australian Government’s Regional Partnerships program, combined with generous sponsorship from C & M Leussink has provided Figtree P & C with the funds needed to install the latest Mastercam software on the school’s CNC lathe. This will enable students at Figtree and other schools to learn industry-standard skills in Computer Numerically Controlled machining.
This project is impressive for several reasons, including its potential to address medium-term skill shortages in engineering trades, the unique linkages between school, the private sector and government, and the speed with which this partnership has enabled new technology to be introduced to school students.
Mr Kenley Leussink says that the project is on track to deliver some excellent outcomes by the end of the year. He believes that students will gain a real insight into the career opportunities now available in engineering trades. Mr Chris Fraser from Figtree High School expressed his enthusiasm for the project. Mr Fraser says that students will not only be able to undertake practical CNC machining work but will do so using the very latest version of Mastercam software.
RAILROADED – in the nicest possible way!
The Illawarra region will benefit from yet another announcement of funding from the Australian Government’s Regional Partnerships program. The Illawarra Light Railway Museum Society has been granted $15,500 for the next stage of its museum development.
There were smiles all round at the Light Railway Society on 9th May when a letter arrived, advising Society members of the approval of the funding request by Minister Warren Truss.
The Light Railway Society is home to one of the region’s best kept tourism secrets. The volunteer organisation operates a working light railway complex at Tongarra Road, Albion Park which is open to visitors three days a week. The volunteers of the Illawarra Light Railway Museum Society have done a wonderful job of creating an excellent historic light rail complex.
Until now, the continued development of the museum has been hindered by the lack of a building that can be used to display the Society’s collection of historic locomotives and rolling stock.
The grant will assist the Society to provide improved facilities for visitors and will enable the museum to open on a more regular basis. When completed later this year the Light Railway Museum and the HARS Historic Aircraft Restoration Centre will attract greatly increased numbers of visitors to Shellharbour City.
The RDA Illawarra team worked with the Light Railway Society’s treasurer Mr Brad Johns to prepare a successful funding submission. Mr Johns is very enthusiastic about the future of the Light Railway Museum. The Light Railway Museum project is another example of the type of assistance that can be provided to local organisations by the Regional Partnerships program.
Rebuilding lives and Families – another success story in the making.
RDA Illawarra is also delighted to have been able to assist The Salvation Army obtain $110,000 in Regional Partnerships funding from the Australian Government. The ‘Rebuilding Lives and Families’ project will be based at the new Salvation Army complex in Burelli Street, Wollongong. The Regional Partnerships grant will assist the Salvation Army to fit out a brand-new hospitality centre, an updated and expanded version of the well-known Banjo’s Bistro.
The focus of the project will be to expand a program that provides vocational skills and post-placement support to people who have had drug-dependency problems. Trainees will work in a practical restaurant environment to gain highly marketable hospitality skills and qualifications. People assisted by the project may often be those who have been previously regarded as being in the ‘too-hard basket’.
Trainees will be supervised by qualified hospitality staff and will also receive ongoing counselling. Following completion of their traineeships, participants will be placed into jobs with a range of employers in the region who support the project.
The new Salvation Army centre will also be home to an enhanced counselling service that aims to assist a large number of Illawarra families affected by drug use. The Salvation Army is making a significant investment in the project, believing that it is an essential part of a broader strategy to assist individuals and families combat the negative affects of drug dependency.
This project is another example of the broad range of initiatives that may be assisted by the Australian Government’s Regional Partnerships program.
Regional Partnership takes off at Albion Park Airport
The RDA Illawarra is constantly seeking out projects in our region that are suitable to be funded by the Australian Government’s Regional Partnerships programme. A great example of the work being done by RDA Illawarra is the Light Aeronautics Industry Cluster project at the Illawarra Regional Airport, Albion Park which has just received approval for funding.
In recent years, Shellharbour City Council has received increasing numbers of enquiries about Illawarra Regional Airport from light aeronautics engineering companies, seeking a suitable location for their businesses. Council realised that enhanced infrastructure and industrial work facilities were needed to help grow the aeronautics industry in the Illawarra. The development of suitable facilities was seen by Council as a great opportunity to attract much needed jobs to the Shellharbour area. Furthermore, an influx of new businesses servicing the aeronautics industry would provide a new dimension to our regional capabilities, and provide a platform for further development of a Light Aeronautics cluster.
The RDA Illawarra team worked alongside Shellharbour City’s Economic Development Officer in the preparation of a Regional Partnerships application seeking $330,000 towards the cost of constructing industrial premises to house new aeronautics maintenance and repair businesses, and specialist manufacturers. Council will invest $667,000 in the project in addition to the Regional Partnerships funding.
The Regional Partnerships programme can provide funding for a wide range of projects. Project applications are most likely to succeed if they provide increased opportunity for economic and employment growth, and community benefit for the region.
‘No Dole’ is Regional Partnerships goal
Another Regional Partnerships project has been approved for funding by the Australian Government Once again it is a project that addresses employment issues in the southern Illawarra, but this time from a different, but equally important angle. The Shellharbour City ‘No Dole’ Program is a terrific example of how a community can work together to solve its own problems. In 2003 Oak Flats High piloted ‘No Dole’ in the Illawarra, with the aim ensuring that no student left school without an employment or training position to go to. This was done by engaging the students, their parents, local employers and training organisations to work in partnership to achieve this goal. Great results were achieved last year, with all but a few of the Oak Flats High school leavers gaining employment or a vocational training placement. It was all done on a shoestring, largely by school staff contacting employers in their own time.
Warilla High will join the programme this year, with Lake South High and Albion Park High set to follow next year. With this expansion, it became evident that the project could not be managed successfully in the same voluntary fashion. With advice and assistance from Shellharbour City Council and RDA Illawarra, the ‘No Dole’ Management Committee has successfully applied for Regional Partnerships funding of $60,000 to add their own contribution for the employment of a full-time co-ordinator. The role of the co-ordinator will centre around the promotion of the ‘No Dole’ programme to the business community, to establish firm relationships with each school and to enlist support for job creation, employment of trainees and apprentices, and provision of work placements. Regional Partnerships funding is being used to support young people at a point in their lives that is crucial to their future well-being.
Engineering industry nets funding with assistance from RDA Illawarra
They say it never rains, but it pours. Well, hot on the heels of Regional Partnerships funding being granted for the Light Aeronautics Industry Cluster and the Shellharbour City ‘No Dole’ project, a third application has been successful in gaining funds under this Australian Government programme.
The i3net Business Development project has great economic and employment potential for the region. Over the last couple of years there has been a blossoming realisation amongst some Illawarra engineering industry employers that there is more that joins them than separates them. They understand that in today’s increasingly competitive business environment they need to be able to offer world class engineering solutions to a wider client base. Expansion beyond their traditional Illawarra based markets is crucial for their survival and future growth. To win major contracts elsewhere in NSW, Australia and the Asia Pacific region they have formed i3net, the moniker for Illawarra Innovative Industry Network. Working collaboratively the sixteen members of i3net are better placed to win major project work from elsewhere in Australia and overseas. This will create employment opportunities in the region.
The i3net managers realised that there was a need for a skilled person, with engineering and management know-how, to be employed to research upcoming projects and to co-ordinate joint tenders amongst i3net members. The Regional Development Australia Illawarra assisted i3net in the development of a Regional Partnerships application for $79,970, to part fund the employment of a business development manager for two years. This funding will complement funds committed by i3 net members, the Australian Industry Group and the Illawarra Regional Development Board / Dept. of State & Regional Development. The business development manager position is expected to become self-sustaining.
On announcing the project funding, Senator Helen Coonan stated that “This project will assist in sourcing both national and international engineering work, resulting in extensive new business, employment and economic opportunities for the Illawarra. It is estimated that the project will bring to the region $33 million worth of new business and 76 new jobs.”
The RDA Illawarra is proud to have played an integral part in establishing these important projects.
