Welcome to the quarterly RDA GW newsletter
Welcome to the September 2022 eNewsletter. Well, the financial year 2022/23 started with a bang - with Mackay hosting the Developing Northern Australia Conference. Aligned to the conference, RDA GW hosted a workshop called “A Date with Northern Australia”. The workshop was officially opened by Hon Anthony Chisholm - Assistant Minister for Regional Development and invited the leading federal agencies linked to the Northern Australia Development Program to give an update on initiatives and activity supporting development of the North of Australia. In total, seventy regional stakeholders came along to the workshop and engaged in discussions concerning regional development. A thank you to those who attended the workshop and to those agency's staff who presented. Copies of the presentations and information covered can be found on the RDA GW website.
Before outlining key actions that RDA GW has competed in the quarter, I wanted to pay tribute to Mrs Tonia Wilson - many would know of Tonia in her role at GW3 as operations manager. In late August 2022, Tonia made the decision to start a new chapter in her professional life. RDA GW has worked closely with GW3 and directly with Tonia over the past few years and has seen first-hand her tireless efforts and work in supporting regional development. The team at RDA GW wish Tonia all the best in her future endeavours.
In the quarter, RDA GW continued its work in supporting regional development with active involvement across a number of development initiatives, including:
Aquaculture and Agriculture Tech Skills Hub
Supported via the Federal Government, $1.5M over two years via COVID recovery funding and contracted via DSDILGP - this project is operated by TAFE Queensland and CQUniversity, and is oversighted by a management committee comprised of TAFE Queensland, CQUniversity, RDA GW, GW3, DSDILG & P. The focus of the project is to create skills curriculum products aligned to enhance agribusiness use of digital technology in the workplace. It commenced in November 2021, and the project has to date completed the following:
- Established governance and operational frameworks – which include product development technical advisory groups from agribusiness and training sectors.
- Identified types of personas and developed initial training offering outlines.
- Reviewed all existing available curriculum and training products across Australia (not seeking to reinvent the wheel), which included reviewing other non-agribusiness learning/skills development products and developing a range of skills course offerings - micro-credentials, certificates, diploma etc.
- Project is now commencing development of new curriculum/learning products where there were gaps in offerings - development includes sanity checks with technical working group and stakeholders.
- Future work will include gaining formal national accreditation for the learning offerings/products and then trialing the material via pilot rollout to users.
- Noting that, once completed, the learning curriculum and products will freely be available for use by any RTO or industry group – thus dramatically lowering the cost for skills development delivery aligned to a national standard learning product.
Agribusiness Development
RDA GW in collaboration with GW3 and QDAF, and with in-kind support from industry peak bodies, has successfully established the MIW Agribusiness Futures Alliance (MIW AFA). The focus of the alliance is to work on those shared cross rural industry areas of focus that can support increased production and economic viability. MIW AFA is not an advocacy or political body, its focus is toward underpinning research and knowledge creation and using this information to further agribusiness sector commercial development. MIW AFA is now in its third year of operations and has supported several key actions and programs, including:
- Regional Water Strategy - rural use section.
- Regional assessment of exports capacity and capability, and the determination of improved and new export opportunities.
- Regional Agtech Adoption and Development - including an assessment of rural digital connectivity and literacy needs, and development of an Agtech Hub to promote and foster increased information sharing, awareness and adoption of technology in the sector. Also has overseen the Agriculture and Aquaculture Agtech Skills Hub
- Skills and jobs development across agribusiness - includes skills development programs.
For the period 2021-2023, RDA GW, GW3 and QDAF agreed to be the underpinning investors for the MIW AFA (startup) arrangements. With this base investment, MIW AFA has been able to secure staff resources and attract additional grants funding to support actions. In addition, GW3 has committed considerable additional staff resources as in kind during the first three years. This startup model of operations is not sustainable in the long term. It is now time to open up dialogue and discussions concerning the transition of MIW AFA to an upgraded structure and set of operations that has direct multi-stakeholder funding commitment and a revamped set of governance and administration operations that allows the MIW AFA to be more autonomous. RDA GW in collaboration with GW3 and QDAF has developed an options and discussion paper, and intends to run a workshop with MIW AFA collaborators and other stakeholders to determine possible operating arrangements post June 2023.
CRC TiME and Smart Transformation Project Collaboration
RDA GW is commencing a collaboration toward a number of respective CRC TiME and BHP Smart Transformation project initiatives - looking at future economic and business opportunities within a longer-term timeframe, giving consideration to the existing resources and infrastructure of the Bowen Basin as it relates to economic and social changes and disrupters associated with Industry 4.0 and low carbon economies. RDA GW's role includes providing project delivery oversight and support and, in some cases, direct project involvement via data and information provision and exploring grant funding opportunities.
Sports Industry Development
RDA GW has commenced working with regional stakeholders in supporting investigations and assessment of development of the sports sector and industry in the region. The Regional Development Roadmap identified a priority toward the development of a Regional Sports Centre of Excellence Hub - where investment and support are not solely toward a single facility or piece of infrastructure but multiple assets and offerings to support development of a sports industry sector that can:
- Provide high quality and high-performance sporting facilities supporting athletes, spectators, administrators and sport sector service providers.
- Further nurture regional sporting talent.
- Develop commercial teams and/or partner with existing teams to support their representation within global, national, and state sporting competitions.
- Increase capacity and capability growth in sports medicine, sports science and sports administration and, in doing so, see commercial services and business aligned to sports health and administration in the region - where such services enhance regional liveability and where these business and services provide commercial return aligned to infrastructure use.
- Leverage opportunity that exists to mirror our regional sports industry aspirations, actions, and deliverables to similar developments that have already been completed within other regional areas of Australia (learn from others).
The first aspect is to work with others via collaboration of efforts and actions, and gain an agreement toward a collective strategy and shared vision on what we mean by a Sports Industry Hub program and areas of investment and assessment of economic and social returns to the community.
Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA)
RDA GW is working with a cross section of industry peaks bodies, GW3 and local governments toward establishment of a Greater Whitsundays DAMA - which is a services agreement between a legal entity services provider and Department of Home Affairs (DoHA) to support three-to-four-year temporary visa immigration, leading to permanent residency into the region.
Under the current proposal which is being pitched to industry stakeholders, the Whitsunday and Mackay Chambers of Commerce would partner to deliver a DAMA in the GW region. RDA GW has facilitated the role of the Chamber of Commerce entities and has facilitated interest from the stakeholders and the DoHA toward the opportunity of a GW DAMA. An information and discussion workshop regarding a GW DAMA was set for 15 September 2022 - at which stakeholders were asked if they are supportive of the proposal and role of the Chambers, and if stakeholders are prepared to provide cash investment for two years to help the DAMA and services become established.
After two years, it is expected the DAMA and its operations will be able to operate under full user-pay service arrangements. If successful, a DAMA program could attract upwards of 300-400pa skilled immigrants to the region on full time temporary work visas, that lead to permanent residency within the region. The DAMA program offers several concessions to the type of job and worker able to apply for a visa to work in the region. Given the recent commitment from the Federal Government toward additional migrant allocations to Australia, it is hopeful that this program will be well supported.
Jobs and Skills National Summit
Most would be aware of the recently completed National Jobs and Skills Summit - while RDA GW did not attend the Summit, we did complete one-to-one engagement with Minister McBain, Minister O’Connor and Assistant Minister Chisholm where RDA GW highlighted several matters and solutions, many of which are touched upon in the Jobs and Skills Summit outcomes report.
In addition, RDA GW raised the need for government to not only focus on skills and training but to also recognise the need for solutions. Please visit our website to read the three main factors addressed.
Digital Connectivity
Greater Whitsunday has a strong focus on the growth of higher technologies and emerging industries, such as knowledge-intensive mining, advanced manufacturing, biofutures processing and agtech. It is vital for the region to be underpinned by robust digital infrastructure and capability to support these industries to evolve and embrace technology. The Greater Whitsunday Regional Digital Connectivity Forum (RDCF) was formed in 2021 to act as a consortium of stakeholders from local government, regional industry sectors, and economic development organisations located within the Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday local government areas. RDA GW is a member to this forum entity, and its purpose is to address priorities within the Greater Whitsunday regional digital connectivity space through collaboration and leadership.
RDA GW continues to support the RDCF in the development of a Regional Digital Roadmap to support a strategy and operational plan to coordinate activities, guide strategic program investment decisions and tap into funding opportunities to ensure the Greater Whitsunday region is globally competitive in an increasingly digital world. RDA GW support has included:
- Provision of staff (CEO) to review, shortlist and recommend successful consultant to Roadmap EOI applications.
- Involvement in Roadmap workshops and one-to-one input.
- Participate in project governance group to review and finetune Roadmap.
Increasing Use of Committed Regional Water Allocation
In 2021, a collaboration of RDA GW, QDAF, GW3 and water management stakeholders completed the development of a regional economic strategy aligned to water use. Amongst a range of water strategy and operational reform recommendations, the following two areas are a focus for RDA GW:
- Low levels of water/irrigation utilisation, particularly in the sugarcane sector, with usage of available water for the period 2013-2019 averaging 37%, 25% and 39% for the Eton, Pioneer and Proserpine water supply schemes respectively. From 2020-2021, the water via irrigation usage rates have been even lower. Consultation with the industry indicates that many growers do not believe that the incremental gate revenue associated with increased production from irrigation is sufficient to justify the irrigation costs (water and energy). Industry research and economic analysis concludes this is not the case and that good ROI can be realised from use of available water allocation. Based on industry analysis, it is conservatively estimated the non-use of water allocation is resulting in lost gross annual revenue outputs for the sugar industry nearing $40M per annum for direct stimulus to the industry and an estimated $240M per annum loss to the regional supply chain and regional economy. When you further consider that producers are paying for 97% of water allocation costs, whether they use the water or not, this economic loss for producers is further exacerbated.
- 185,000ML of mine wastewater is located across 32 water storages within the Bowen Basin and this volume is increasing each year. This volume of water represents similar total water volume as seen from Kinchant (72,000ML) and Teemburra (147,000ML) Dams. At present, this mine wastewater is effectively unused and discharged within natural environments in periods of peak over land catchment water flow - solution to pollution is dilution.
In response to the above findings, the following is currently being completed:
- RDA GW, GW3, SRA and QDAF have completed the development of a project proposal to support increased irrigation water use via irrigators across the four major irrigation supply schemes and are now pitching project proposal to investors.
- RDA GW, QDAF and irrigation scheme managers are evaluating several project options that can solicit federal funding to enhance water supply and lower water supply costs to irrigators. The reduction in costs and improvement in supply coming from irrigation and water supply infrastructure upgrades, The initial focus is to validate a range of water supply solutions and infrastructure upgrades that can reduce water and energy costs linked to water supply schemes.
- RDA GW and GW3 have developed joint project proposals seeking research assessment of economic development options for the reuse of mine wastewater. The proposal has been pitched to several funding entities but to date has not obtained investment traction - further investment identification and pitching is required.
Regards,
Robert Cocco
CEO - RDA GW
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