A critical role of Regional Development Australia Committees is to engage and consult with key regional stakeholders – including all levels of government (the ACT, Commonwealth, NSW and Local), business and industry associations, educational institutions and community organisations, and to incorporate the knowledge and expertise gleaned into forming a stategic and overarching understanding of the ACT – its economic, social and environmental priorities and future directions.
Incorporating this wide base of stakeholder knowledge of where the ACT is now, and the visions of its many stakeholders for its future, provides RDA ACT with a deeper understanding of ACT issues, needs and challenges from which priorities can be identified, and it will underpin local regional development planning.
This forward planning informs future iterations of the ACT Strategic Regional Plan. The Regional Plan also has significance for proponents for the Regional Development Australia Fund as all applications must not only be endorsed by the relevant RDA Committee/s, but must also be deemed to support the strategic objectives of RDAs as outlined in current Regional Plans.
It is with this purpose in mind that Regional Development Australia ACT called on key ACT stakeholders in May 2011 to attend the Canberra Leaders’ Consultative Forum (CLCF) - to discuss priorities for the ACT across the breadth of priority issues.
The CLCF was held on May 17, 2011 and was billed as… “a powerful conversation of ACT government, business and community leaders“ (Craig Sloan, RDA ACT Chairman).
