Communiqué - 13 July 2006
3RD MEETING REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCILS
Australian and State and Territory Government Ministers responsible for regional development and the Australia Local Government Association met today in Alice Springs for the third Ministerial meeting of the Regional Development Ministerial Council (RDC).
Attendance and participation at this meeting in a key regional centre demonstrated the high priority all jurisdictions place on regional development and their willingness to share ideas and progress issues collaboratively. The meeting was chaired by the Minister for Transport and Regional Services, the Hon. Warren Truss MP.
The meeting's key themes included: Regional Investment and Regional Manufacturing; Measuring Regional Performance; Regional Skills shortages; demand aggregation in the Information and Communication Technology sector; Rapid Growth Communities; Cooperation activities between jurisdictions. In addition Desert Knowledge Australia provided the Council with a presentation on desert knowledge and current activities. This communiqué sets out the agreed outcomes of the discussion.
Regional Investment
The Council agreed to work together to raise the profile of Australia's regions to foreign investors through an independent comparison of business costs and or case study approaches to highlight business cost advantages in Australian cities, towns and regional economic communities in comparison with overseas cities. The Council considered that by working collaboratively they could more effectively highlight and promote opportunities in regional Australia to foreign investors.
Desert Knowledge
The Council noted a presentation by the Hon Fred Chaney AO and Jan Ferguson concerning the two principal desert knowledge organisations, Desert Knowledge Australia and the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre. The presentation focused on the operation of desert knowledge networks and partnerships across Australia's desert regions and the proactive role played by both organisations in promoting business solutions in Australia's desert areas.
Regional Research
The Council agreed to share information on regional research, develop a nationally consistent regional indicator framework and to develop a common set of regional indicators. The findings of each jurisdiction's regional analysis can help to better inform and target regional initiatives. The aim will be to develop a more comprehensive body of evidence to better target regional policy-making.
Indigenous Participation in the Growing Resource Sector
The Council agreed that the growing resources industry provided a strong opportunity to increase Indigenous employment participation in this sector, particularly in remote communities where significant mining activity is taking place and the need for industry and community engagement to develop opportunities.
Regional Manufacturing
The Council recognised the efforts of various governments to promote economic and business growth within the regions and agreed that work continue to better coordinate responses to manufacturing closures and to pursue opportunities to collaborate on reviewing the availability and appropriateness of existing programs and services to support communities where there are manufacturing closures in regional areas.
Information & Communication Technology (I&CT) - demand aggregation
The Council noted the significance of telecommunications to regional economic development and the existing 'Connect Australia' framework, being coordinated by the Australian Government's Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. The Council agreed to contribute to that process to enhance I&CT development in regional areas through the National Broadband Strategy Implementation Group (a standing committee of the Ministerial Online and Communication Council).
Rapid Growth Communities
The Council discussed issues facing many regions across Australia that are experiencing rapid population growth and noted the work of the Local Government and Planning Ministers Council and other bodies to address the impacts of high population growth on regional communities. Council members agreed to exchange information on high growth regions within their jurisdictions to promote better awareness of the issues surrounding the 'Sea change' and 'Tree change' phenomena.
Regional Skill Shortages
The Council noted the positive regional outcome of the contribution made by RDC to the Council of Australian Governments' deliberations on skill shortages. At its 10 February 2006 meeting, COAG announced funding for a regional program, Targetting Skills Needs in Regions to improve the supply of skilled labour in industries and regions of strategic economic importance and the establishment of new labour market data sharing arrangements to identify shortages and make appropriate policy responses.
Fuel Prices
The RDC expressed its concern about the impact of rising fuel costs on regional Australia. While the matter was debated by Council agreement could not be reached on measures to address this matter.
Framework for Co-operation
Regional development organisations play an important role in delivering regional outcomes on behalf of government by developing regional strategic plans and networks and delivering program and services. Improvement in the way these organisations work together will benefit regional communities by reducing overlap and duplication and clarifying roles and responsibilities.
The Council recommitted to better cooperative arrangements between State and Territory regional development organisations, local government, and the Australian Government's Area Consultative Committees.
Next Meeting
The Council agreed to next meet in Cairns in July 2007 and subsequently in Western Australia.