Economic Development

In broad terms, a community’s economic development revolves around the generation of sufficient income to sustain an attractive quality of life for the community’s residents.

Governments have a role in stimulating, facilitating and inducing economic development where this is necessary to overcome barriers or because of some other form of market failure.

Governments do this by among other things:

  • Building or facilitating needed infrastructure
  • Removing trade barriers
  • Providing policies that encourage investment
  • Providing business extension services
  • Providing or facilitating training

Regional Development Australia Committees are an integral part of this.

Their role is very much at the delivery end. They are also the "eyes and ears" of other arms of government. To this end they play a vital role in ensuring that all tiers of government understand the impact of government policies in the region.

RDA Far North is committed to the continuous economic development of the Far North Region. Through various roles RDA Far North supports development and attraction of new enterprises to the region, assists the growth of strong and viable businesses and skills to support the resources sector, identifies innovative ways of increasing activity, supports and delivers a viable and robust emerging industry sector, addresses infrastructure gaps and works towards attracting new business investment to grow the economy of the region. RDA Far North employees Economic Development Managers to drive our activities as follows:

Economic Development Officer (EDO)

The Economic Development Manager contributes to the economic development of the Far North region through project delivery, industry support and assistance, investment attraction and investigating renewable energy opportunities. The position works closely with councils, community and businesses in the region. This position brings together networks of people from across the region and state including Indigenous communities, community developers, business people, representatives from all levels of government to work together to determine needs, community assets and strategies that will assist in developing a long term economic and social viability plan for the region.

The following outlines the different aspects of the role:

  • Economic profiling and informed planning attracting new business and developers who support communities and bring economic growth to the region.
    • Work collaboratively with Local Government partners to support new developments in the region.
    • Provide assistance to prospective industry developers and community bodies with the preparation of their development proposals.
    • Host community/business events relevant to the requirement of industry/community/businesses within the region.
    • Research opportunities for the development of emerging industries in the region and provide advice to relevant parties relating to industry development opportunities with economic benefit to the region.
  • General economic development
    • Establish effective communication processes to enhance existing and prospective economic development opportunities in the Region.
    • Prepare comprehensive project proposals and briefs and actively pursue new project opportunities; facilitate their development and implementation; progress existing projects and initiatives; and support appropriate investment in the Region.
    • Facilitate and support economic development in the Region through the provision of quality and timely information and assistance to all levels of government and to new and existing businesses seeking to establish, relocate or expand their activities in the Region.
    • Actively promote the Region as a suitable location for business investment, including the coordination of appropriate marketing and promotional materials.
    • Support and promote initiatives that increase sustainable employment opportunities in the Region.
    • Identify and pursue opportunities for facilitating sustainable economic and community development in smaller towns and rural districts in the Region.
  • Communities, Industry and Government working together achieving coordinated regional development and implementing initiatives which maximise opportunities and address challenges faced by communities.
    • Position the region as an ideal location to pursue "green" energy initiatives through sourcing appropriate resourcing opportunities and assisting green energy projects
    • Working with Local Government partners to assist in achieving goals and objectives as set out in Councils individual strategic plans
    • Facilitate partnerships between local councils and industry to address challenges facing communities impacted by industry presence.
    • Work with Indigenous communities to improve business prospects in the region and facilitate the development and provision of support service to new and existing Indigenous business in the region.
    • Identify existing and emerging industry sectors with significant capacity for Indigenous employment and promoting opportunities with Indigenous organisations. Including working with RDAFN Project
    • Officers in assisting with skills development and training is geared to meet the business needs in the region and local employment opportunities are well understood by Indigenous communities and individuals
    • Assisting Regional Development Australia Far North (RDAFN) to meet its corporate objectives by contributing pro-actively to the performance outcome targets set by RDAFN.
  • Regional infrastructure and assets are developed supporting industry and community needs which increase the vibrancy and liveability of the region.
    • Advocate for the provision of hard and soft infrastructure to support industry and the community throughout the region via involvement in planning consultations and the provision of regional intelligence to the three levels of Government, industry and community.
    • Monitor potential funding opportunities and where appropriate assist councils and community groups to prepare applications.

To make an appointment contact the RDAFN office:

Josh McDonnell - Economic Development Manager
Phone: (08) 8641 1444
Email: ed@rdafn.com.au