RDA Riverina - facilitating regional growth and prosperity

As the digital landscape evolves, so too does our need to adapt and embrace new technologies. In 2019, the three large telecommunication providers announced they would be shutting down their 3G networks to transition to 4G and 5G networks, designed to support faster internet speeds, better call quality, and can support more devices at once.

BayWa r.e. is pleased to announce the second round of the Bullawah Wind Farm Community Grants Program. This follows the successful completion of our 2023 program which shared almost $35,000 to community and not-for-profit groups in Hay, Murrumbidgee and Edward River regions.

Applications for project support from $500 to $5,000 from organisations within the target local government areas are now open.

Regional local governments are urged to take a new survey by the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) in response to the Federal Government’s Inquiry into the sustainability of regional, rural, and remote councils.

The results of the survey will inform the RAI’s submission to probe and advance calls for measures to strengthen local government areas’ sustainability in the face of increasing pressures.
 
The House of Representatives Standing Committee Inquiry will look at the funding frameworks for local government with a focus on councils’ changing infrastructure requirements, service delivery obligations, and workforce shortages.

Destination Riverina Murray (DRM) proudly announces the launch of its Riverina Murray Agritourism Development Strategy, aimed at transforming the region into a premier agritourism destination. The strategy, now available for public access, outlines a visionary roadmap to harness the unique agricultural assets and natural beauty of the Riverina Murray area.

The Junee RSL Sub-Branch will conduct THREE Commemorative Services on ANZAC Day — Thursday, April 25, 2024

Cenotaph, Broadway, Junee

·         Dawn Service @ 5:40am

·         Main Service @ 10:40am

Junee Reefs Ivor Hall (Junee Reef Road, west of Ivor Road)

·         Afternoon Service @ 3:00pm

Bethungra Dawn Service

The Integrated Service People's Association of Australia will also conduct a Dawn Service at Memorial Park, Olympic Highway, Bethungra commencing at 6:15am sharp (Please arrive at 6:00am)

Last year we announced that we were excited to be bringing Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity, powered by Starlink, to our customers across Australia. 

Today, after months of comprehensive testing – we're even more excited to say it’s here! 

While many Aussies already have reliable home internet through our nbn plans, some of us live in more remote locations where a different connectivity solution is best. 

Sport and physical activity are important to physical and mental health and wellbeing. Participating in sport also helps to foster a strong sense of community belonging and pride.

Women in Australia are under-represented in sport and physical activity. The Play Our Way program will support ongoing involvement in sport and physical activity by giving women and girls:

• more equal opportunities

• access to facilities, equipment and initiatives.

Find out how you can get free coaching from a highly trained expert to help you create or fine tune your mentally healthy workplace.

Our coaching service is available to business owners, leaders, and managers.

Having a mentally healthy workplace isn't just good for your people, it is good for your business too.

The next stage of community consultation for the North Wagga Flood Mitigation Options Project is underway.

At its Ordinary Meeting on Monday 11 March, Council accepted the Floodplain Risk Management Advisory Committee's recommendation and endorsed for the analysis reports to go on public exhibition and to invite submissions from residents and stakeholders.

Submissions are open for 42 days from 15 March 2024 until 26 April 2024 (recommendation, reports and details of how to make a submission is available further down page).

A further report following the public exhibition and submission period will be presented to Council addressing any submissions and providing preferred recommendations for flood mitigation options for North Wagga.

Australia is an immigrant nation. Around 30 per cent of the population was born overseas. But we are still failing to make the best use of migrants’ skills in our workforce. This is despite many migrants having been selected precisely for the skills and knowledge they bring in a system designed to target skilled workers. 

Our failure to match the skills of migrants to the most appropriate jobs is holding back productivity at a time of historically weak productivity growth. In an economy facing widespread worker shortages, access to the right skills at the right time and getting the right people into the right jobs is critical. 

Wagga Wagga City Council is preparing a new CBD Masterplan which will guide land-use and development in our city centre.

The CBD Masterplan will produce a clear strategic planning and place-based approach for the future of the Wagga Wagga CBD. It will support a vibrant, active and people-focused central business district, and ensure its identity as the thriving heart of our city.

The Australian Government is committed to finding better ways to improve the safety of level crossings in the regions.

We are committed to working with State, Territory and local Governments as well as industry to achieve the goal of zero harm at level crossings.

The National Level Crossing roundtable has provided an opportunity to bring people together and continue discussions about priorities and consistency of approach to improving safety.

Australians feel less connected, less valued and less included at work than they did before the pandemic, according to a major new study of employee attitudes.

The 2023–24 Inclusion@Work Index by Diversity Council Australia (DCA) has for the first time assessed worker wellbeing in a full year not impacted by the pandemic.

The biennial study found workers were feeling disillusioned post-covid, with discrimination, harassment and other forms of workplace exclusion on the rise – a reversal of the trend experienced during the pandemic.

However, the study also revealed that organisations focused on diversity and inclusion were bucking the trend.

The Albanese Government is committed to delivering a better NBN for Australians and welcomes NBN Co’s proposal to provide highly accelerated speeds for households and small businesses.

Under the proposal, NBN’s three highest speed tiers would see download speeds boosted by up to 5 times at no extra wholesale cost, with the 100/20 NBN product turbo-charged to 500/50 Mbps.
 
Subject to industry consultation and readiness, these speeds would be made available in around 12 months’ time. Based on NBN Co’s well-progressed fibre upgrade program, eligibility will be open to an estimated 9.1 million homes and businesses by December 2024, and up to 10.2 million eligible premises – about 90% of NBN Co’s fixed line network – by December 2025.

The Albanese Government is ensuring more new Australian homes have mobile coverage, with new telecommunications policy released today.

Under the new rules, all new housing developments of 50 house lots or more should include consideration of mobile coverage during planning processes.

The changes place expectations on developers to actively consider the inclusion of mobile infrastructure in new developments to help ensure residents have access to a reliable mobile service when moving in to a new home. 

For those who would love to become part of a strong and spirited community, to enjoy that sense of belonging to something worthwhile, then the tiny village of Illabo, population 144, may just provide that very opportunity.

An exciting future is emerging at the Longhorn Hotel within the centre of this small village in south west NSW. Not only is the Hotel now under energetic new management but the community has formed the Illabo Co-Operative Limited to buy the Hotel, store, accommodation, Licenced Post Office and associated land and they are inviting residents, regular visitors, and supporters of the village to join them.

Individuals, community organisations, and local businesses who have a project, event or great idea for the local community are being invited to apply for funding under Wagga Wagga City Council’s Annual Grants Program. Applications for the 2024/25 program open on Monday 19 February, with a total of $217,450 available across 10 categories: Community Programs and Projects, Recreational and Community Facilities, Neighbourhood and Rural Villages, Rural Halls, Arts, Culture and Creative Industries, Local Heritage, Events, Environment, Youth Programs and Projects and Small Business.

We’re committed to supporting regional Australia. Our country has had some tough times in recent years, and we want to help rebuild and strengthen regional Australia. One of the best things we are good at is helping people connect.

Last year we introduced Telstra’s Connected Communities Grant Program and we are now looking for nominations for 2024. This program aims to deliver $600,000 in support over three years.

The Australian Government has released the 2024 State of Australia’s Regions report.

This new report showcases data and insights on key issues and opportunities impacting Australia’s regions – further building the evidence base that supports our commitment to targeted and coordinated regional investment that works better for people and regions.

In line with the Government’s Regional Investment Framework, which emphasises the importance of listening and responding to the voices, knowledge and priorities of regional Australians, the 2024 report focuses on contemporary and pressing issues as identified at the local level

Collaboration is the key to success for a resource starved not-for-profit sector, says Nina Laitala, lead trainer, Institute of Community Directors Australia.

A concern shared by many NFPs across Australia is a lack of resources, whether it’s funding, time, volunteers, skills, diversity of thought, or experience on the board. This will come as no surprise to anyone working in the sector.

Griffith has been named among the TOP TEN places to visit in Australia, ranking number seven in the Wotif 2024 Aussie Town of the Year Awards.
Now in its seventh year, the Wotif Aussie Town of the Year Awards recognise 10 deserving locations across the country for their contribution to Australian tourism. Designed to celebrate the many Australian cities, towns and regions worthy of the spotlight, the awards provide travellers with inspiration on where to travel in Australia in 2024.

A group of Leading Australian Resilient Communities (LARC) graduates from the NSW- Victorian border is taking on a complex issue which threatens their community’s wellbeing.

Through the Bridge the Digital Divide Between Country and City project, the Rivers to the Plains LARC cohort is focusing on digital connectivity, aiming to ensure projects impacting the region allow for access limitations while addressing the region’s expanding digital economy. A group of Leading Australian Resilient Communities (LARC) graduates from the NSW- Victorian border is taking on a complex issue which threatens their community’s wellbeing.

The Albanese Government is delivering more cars that are cheaper to run, giving motorists choice by introducing a New Vehicle Efficiency Standard for Australia. The Albanese Government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard will push car makers to give Australian motorists more choices of new cars, utes and vans that use less fuel and that have until now only been available to buyers in overseas markets.

Yanco Creek and Tributaries Advisory Council Inc. (YACTAC) are excited to announce a CHICKS IN THE STICKS event is landing in Jerilderie on Sunday 17th March 2024. This project is supported by Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR). Key elements of the day will be a casual pre-gathering on the banks of Lake Jerilderie, before heading to the networking luncheon in the Civic Centre.

Regional Development Australia Riverina is delighted to share that our Board Director and Chair Dianna Somerville has been selected as a member of the NSW Government Regional Development Advisory Council. This Council has been tasked to provide independent advice to the NSW Government and Minister on regional investment and economic development. Dianna has been nominated as a suitable appointee by the Australian Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, the Hon Kristy McBain MP.

Communities across the country will be able to enjoy unique Australian art and storytelling as part of the Albanese Labor Government’s Visions of Australia program.

More than $1.3 million in funding will be shared amongst nine projects to support the development and touring of exhibitions, with a particular focus on venues in regional and remote Australia.

The Communities in Control autumn season will present a range of leaders from the community sector and beyond to discuss the future of leadership. We’ll consider the way we work and live, how we might think differently to avoid burnout, what Gen Z looks like in the workforce (and how we can work with them – and they with us – to achieve the best results), and how we can break out of the echo chamber and spread our message far and wide.

Council is facilitating the development of a new Community Strategic Plan (CSP) which is the highest-level plan that a Council will prepare. Our CSP will be known as “Wagga Wagga 2050”.  All of our community are being asked to share their views, thoughts, aspirations, and visions for the future of the City of Wagga Wagga and its surrounding villages.

Support for landowners, their families, tenants, and directly affected parties impacted by property access and acquisition.

The property acquisition process can be emotional and stressful. EnergyCo takes the wellbeing and mental health of landowners and affected parties seriously.

Telstra will be upgrading its mobile base station located at Galore Hill by adding additional infrastructure to bring better 4G & 5G services to the surrounding community, but the works will require a series of temporary outages or reduction in mobile coverage.