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| Regional Development Australia Riverina | |
|---|---|
| Name | Regional Development Australia Riverina |
| Formation | 1990s |
| Type | Regional development board |
| Headquarters | Wagga Wagga |
| Region served | Riverina, New South Wales |
| Parent organization | Australian Government |
Regional Development Australia Riverina Regional Development Australia Riverina is a regional development board serving the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. It operates within frameworks established by the Australian Government and interacts with state authorities in New South Wales and local councils such as Wagga Wagga City Council and Griffith City Council. The board liaises with national bodies including the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, and interfaces with industry stakeholders such as the Murray Irrigation Limited and Murrumbidgee Irrigation Limited.
The organisation focuses on regional planning across the Riverina, encompassing towns and shires like Wagga Wagga, Griffith, Leeton, Narrandera, Coolamon, Junee, Temora, Bland Shire, and Berrigan Shire. It collaborates with state agencies including Transport for New South Wales, NSW Department of Primary Industries, and the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, as well as federal entities such as Infrastructure Australia and the Australian Trade and Investment Commission. The board engages with educational institutions like Charles Sturt University and TAFE NSW, health providers including Murrumbidgee Local Health District and St Vincent's Health Australia, and agricultural organisations such as the National Farmers' Federation and Grain Producers Australia.
The entity traces origins to national regional development reforms linked to the Howard Government and the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agendas, aligning with policies advanced by the Australian Labor Party and Liberal Party administrations. Its activities intersected with major projects funded through the Regional Australia Institute and grant programs modeled after the Federation Fund and National Stronger Regions Fund. Historical collaborations included partnerships with the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation in response to irrigation and drought challenges that affected communities from Hay to Deniliquin and Tocumwal.
Governance comprises a board appointed by the federal minister, with representatives drawn from local councils like Berrigan Shire Council and Griffith City Council, industry leaders from organisations such as Dairy Australia and Cotton Australia, and community groups including Landcare Australia branches. The organisational structure parallels models used by Regional Development Australia committees across Australia, reporting to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications and aligning with legislative instruments such as the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act frameworks. Executive functions liaise with auditing bodies including the Australian National Audit Office and oversight by ministers from portfolios like Regional Development and Agriculture.
Programs have included regional tourism development with Destination NSW, infrastructure advocacy with Infrastructure Australia, workforce development with Jobs Australia initiatives, and agribusiness support with the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre and Meat & Livestock Australia. Initiatives targeted resilience through partnerships with the Bureau of Meteorology, Emergency Management Australia, and the Murray-Darling Basin Authority on water planning. Skills and training programs partnered with Charles Sturt University, Australian Apprenticeships Centres, and National Skills Commission, while small business support worked alongside the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman and Business NSW.
Regional Development Australia Riverina has influenced investment in sectors represented by Ricegrowers Limited (SunRice), the wine industry with enterprises in Griffith and Riverina wineries, and cotton production linked to Cotton Seed Distributors and Cotton Australia. It supported logistics and transport nodes including the Junee Rail Precinct and Wagga Wagga Airport, engaging freight operators such as Pacific National and SCT Logistics. Economic planning referenced data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, economic analyses by the Reserve Bank of Australia, and supply-chain studies involving the Port of Melbourne and ports at Adelaide for export routes.
The organisation formed alliances with municipal councils including Leeton Shire Council, Narrandera Shire Council, and Coolamon Shire Council; state ministers in New South Wales; federal agencies including the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; and peak bodies such as the Regional Australia Institute and the National Farmers' Federation. It engaged with philanthropic and community groups including the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, Rotary Australia, and Landcare Australia, as well as private sector partners like Elders Limited, GrainCorp, and NSW Farmers' Association.
Critiques centred on funding allocations from programs analogous to the Regional Growth Fund and the National Stronger Regions Fund, with scrutiny from the Australian National Audit Office and commentary in media outlets such as The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian. Stakeholders like private irrigation companies and environmental NGOs including the Australian Conservation Foundation, Environmental Defenders Office, and Friends of the Earth raised concerns regarding water policy, Murray-Darling Basin outcomes, and the balance between agricultural expansion and environmental flows. Debates involved political figures from the Coalition and Labor, regional advocates, and submissions to inquiries managed by the Productivity Commission and Senate committees.
Category:Regional development in Australia