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Kerin to lead regional transition

28 April 2009

The State Government has appointed former Premier, Rob Kerin, to lead South Australia's transition to regional development organisations that partner with the Federal Government's new program, Regional Development Australia.

Announcing the appointment today, Minister for Regional Development, Paul Caica, says the
Commonwealth Government is now implementing Regional Development Australia (RDA)
throughout the country as its major vehicle for engagement with regional communities.

"The South Australian Government believes that Regional Development Australia will provide an opportunity to put in place an agenda of renewal and opportunity to regional South Australia,' Minister Caica says.

"It presents an opportunity to integrate all spheres of government and to focus their collective efforts on regional economies and local communities.

"And we believe that it will help sustain regional communities into the future, positioning us to better align our regional and State priorities for social and economic development, with priorities at the national level, for the benefit of South Australia's regional communities.

"We have appointed Rob Kerin, who is both a former Premier and a leader of significant regional standing, to head up the Transition Team for these new arrangements.

"In regions as diverse as our State, and in working through the transition arrangements to the new RDAs, it's inevitable that there will be a wide range of local views and Rob Kerin, with the Transition Team, will work closely with the RDA partners to fine tune local transition arrangements under the partnership."

The Commonwealth's proposal for new RDA organisations in South Australia will bring together the Commonwealth's Program of Area Consultative Committees and SA's Regional Development Board Program.

The proposal in South Australia is to transition from the current 13 current Regional Development Boards and five Area Consultative Committees to eight RDA's, with seven of those in regional SA and one covering the metropolitan area. It's proposed the eight RDA entities largely match the State Government Regions.

At a meeting in July 2008 of the Regional Development Council, the Australian Local Government Association and Federal, State and Territory Ministers agreed to move forward in aligning Regional Development Australia with regional development organisations.

The Commonwealth has been progressing discussions with the State Government and the Local Government Association of SA (LGA) towards the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) relating to the establishment of RDA.

Minister Caica says South Australia is the only jurisdiction seeking to establish RDA with local government as a founding partner.

"The State Government and the LGA have worked hard to ensure that local government can be a signatory to the MOU, together with the Commonwealth and State Governments," he says.

"The MOU demonstrates the commitment of Commonwealth, State and Local governments to
South Australian communities."