RDANI connecting with North West communities

RDANI Deputy Chair Herman Beyersdorf and Project Officer, Kim-Trieste Hastings are pleased with the community input into the Regional Plan to date.

Regional Development Australia Northern Inland (RDANI) is now taking its public consultation process to the North West. RDANI is building a Regional Plan that both State and Commonwealth Governments will use to determine funding allocation. The aim of the meetings is to capture a cross section of grass-roots insights about what needs to be done towards the region’s development and how, directly from around 19 communities.

Meetings have already occurred in Glen Innes, Deepwater, Tenterfield, Bingara and Barraba. RDANI Project Officer, Kim-Trieste Hastings is co-ordinating and attending all of the meetings. “So far, they have been well attended, with a range of local issues and common regional concerns being discussed,” she said.

The next round of RDANI public consultation meetings will take place at the following venues:

• Werris Creek at the Werris Creek Bowling & Tennis Club, Tuesday 3 August, 1:30pm – 4:00pm
• Quirindi at the Council Chambers, Tuesday 3 August, 6:00pm – 8:30 pm
• Manilla at the Town Hall, Wednesday 4 August, 1:00pm – 3:30pm
• Gunnedah at the Council Training Room, Wednesday 4 August, 6:00pm – 8:30pm
• Inverell at the Inverell RSM Club, Monday 9 August, 6.00pm – 8.30pm
• Tingha at the Tingha Recreation Club, Monday 9 August, 10:00am -12:30pm
• Warialda at the Warialda Golf and Bowling Club, Tuesday 10 August 6:00pm-8:30pm
• Ashford at the Ashford Central School, Wednesday 11 August, 1:00pm-3:30pm
• Moree at the Max Conference Centre, Thursday 12 August 6:00pm-8:30pm

According to Deputy Chair of RDANI, Herman Beyersdorf, getting out and communicating with communities is extremely important. “RDANI is a body that is jointly funded by the Federal and State Governments. These public consultation meetings are a valuable and practical way to ensure that regional development efforts in the Northern Inland region are relevant and responsive to local communities,” he said. “I hope we continue to see attendance and contributions from industry and community leaders, particularly people in Local Government. As a regional body, we must connect with the 13 councils throughout the Northern Inland.”

The tangible outcome from the meetings and other research conducted at the University of New England, will be a Regional Plan, designed to identify and outline responses to developmental challenges in the region. Local level issues and priorities will be collated into this strategic plan for Northern Inland NSW. The Plan will become the strategic blueprint that RDANI will work to for the next five to ten years. It will also serve as a resource tool that will put Federal and State Government representatives in touch with the region. The Regional Plan is due to be submitted to the Government at the end of August.