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Who is RDA-Riverina?
Regional Development Australia-Riverina (RDA-Riverina) is part of an Australian Government initiative based on building partnerships and ensuring that all governments and stakeholders are responsive to local priorities and needs. It is a conduit between government and local communities, and a provider of information.
RDA-Riverina is a non-profit, community-based organisation, with a committee of 10 members spanning 14 local government areas who represent local communities, businesses and local government. RDA-Riverina’s committee has a broad and diverse skills base and demonstrated networks and alliances. The RDA is a national network of 50 committees across Australia’s capital cities and regions, including the Indian Ocean Territories, Norfolk Island and Jervis Bay Territory. RDAs are champions for local communities, working towards developing local solutions to local problems, and ensuring the prosperity of the regions.
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RDA Riverina offers a wide range of services to help develop and grow your organisation.
Grant Writing/Proofing
Statistics
Economic Impact Analysis
Report Writing
Business Award Writing Assistance/Mentoring
Investment Impact Analysis for Business Case
Data Subscription
Tourism Impact Analysis
Regional/Local Economic Profile
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Latest News
The Albanese Labor Government’s Homes for Australia plan is delivering an additional $1 billion across the country to get homes built sooner.
States and territories will today be paid $1 billion collectively through the Priority Works Stream of the Housing Support Program to turbocharge construction of new homes.
This investment adds to the $500 million already under the Housing Support Program to boost housing supply.
The purpose of this discussion paper is to seek views from stakeholders – communities, businesses, unions, local governments, state and territory governments, education providers, and others – on how to improve regional migration settings to support strong and sustainable regions, while complementing existing government initiatives. It proposes objectives for regional migration, suggests opportunities where regional migration could work better and outlines questions on which the Government is seeking feedback from stakeholders.
The Albanese Government’s First Nations Digital Inclusion Advisory Group is seeking feedback on the key considerations that should be included in its long-term roadmap to narrow the digital divide.
This roadmap will outline the path forward towards achieving Target 17 in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, which aims for equal levels of digital inclusion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by 2026, and beyond.
The Albanese Government is seeking public feedback on the most effective options for governments, business and the community, to reduce emissions in the transport sector by 2050.
The Transport and Infrastructure Net Zero Consultation Roadmap, which has been released today, identifies opportunities for productivity benefits and innovation through decarbonising transport and transport infrastructure.
Wagga Wagga City Council has received funding of almost $4.5 million under the Federal Government's Growing Regions Program for a project to carry out works as part of the development of the Lake Albert Water Sports and Event Precinct.
Council is one of 40 successful applicants from Round 1 of the Growing Regions Program with total funding of approximately $207 million under the Australian Government initiative.
The Albanese Government is seeking public feedback on the most effective options for governments, business and the community, to reduce emissions in the transport sector by 2050.
The Transport and Infrastructure Net Zero Consultation Roadmap, which has been released today, identifies opportunities for productivity benefits and innovation through decarbonising transport and transport infrastructure.
The Regional Railway Crossing Safety Campaign aims to raise awareness of safe driving behavior around regional railway crossings. It forms part of the $180.1 million Regional Australia Level Crossing Safety Program – a national program aiming to improve safety at level crossings in regional areas.
Leeton Shire Council has made solid strides in advancing its commitment to environmental sustainability through the completion of a range of strategic energy-saving initiatives.
Nominations are now open for the 2024 Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government, which recognise the outstanding achievements and contribution of women in councils in NSW.
The Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government are a chance to recognise female councillors and council staff who make invaluable contributions to improve the lives of the people they represent and serve.
The awards were established in 2008 to recognise the outstanding efforts of women at the grassroots level of government in metropolitan and regional/rural councils.
The Local Government Boundaries Commission is examining a proposal to de-amalgamate the Snowy Valleys Council area
The Minister for Local Government has sent a proposal to the Local Government Boundaries Commission to de-amalgamate the Snowy Valleys local government area. If the proposal was implemented, it would re-establish the former Tumbarumba and Tumut council areas.
The Government’s Migration Strategy was released on 11 December 2023. The strategy outlines a new vision for Australia’s migration system. It contains a policy roadmap with 8 key actions and over 25 new policy commitments and areas for future reform.
One of the key areas of future reform outlined in the Migration Strategy is to explore a reformed points test to better identify migrants to drive Australia’s long-term prosperity.
Australia uses a points test which attributes weightings and a pass mark to tailor the points tested visa programs. This reflects Australia’s long-term labour market needs. We invite independent migrants to apply for a visa based on their skills, attributes, and suitability for employment.
The NSW Government has declared the South West Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) Access Scheme, the second of its kind after the Central-West Orana REZ Access Scheme.
Generation and storage projects that wish to connect to network infrastructure which is subject to an access scheme will need to apply for an access right through a competitive tender or allocation process.
Projects will be able to bid for access rights as part of a tender run by AEMO Services commencing in Q2 2024.
Flooding in the NSW Central and West regions last year has left many employees and volunteers in not-for-profits and community groups feeling burnt out and, in some cases, suffering from vicarious trauma after becoming frontline responders and accidental counsellors for those affected.
But help is at hand. With support from the NSW Government and Australian Government, through the NGO Flood Grant Program, Benefolk Foundation is running a series of free face-to-face training on managing wellbeing and overcoming and managing trauma. The training will take place from May to August 2024 and be delivered by an experienced psychologist and wellbeing trainer, both of whom are highly experienced in trauma informed training, facilitation and consulting.
The Hyne Timber Tumbarumba Mill has commenced construction on the largest, new site asset since the Mill was purchased and re-developed in 2001.
The new storage facility will be 4700m2 with the capacity to store 4000m3 timber known in the process as ‘Rough Sawn, Kiln Dried’ (RSKD) material.
With development approval granted earlier in the year, Albury based Joss Construction has been appointed to undertake the build.
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.