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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 Boards 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 three Economic Development Managers to drive our activities as follows:

Central Economic Development Manager (CEDM)

The role of the CEDM is to promote, facilitate and foster economic development and to stimulate employment growth in the region covering Port Augusta through the Central Corridor (communities between Port Augusta to Andamooka of the Far North region of South Australia), through:

Assisting the establishment of new commercial ventures,
Value adding and alternative opportunities in existing industries,
Improved marketing and promotion of the region,
Minimising impediments to business and adopting best practice philosophies,
Assist businesses in the region, to identify and facilitate opportunities for business growth resulting from the proposed expansion of the Olympic Dam mine
Assists in the planning processes of the Port Augusta City Council, Roxby Downs Council, OCA (Outback Communities Authority) and RDAFN (Regional Development Australia Far North) in regard to economic development matters
Seeks funding from available sources to assist in the economic development of the defined sub regions of Port Augusta & the Central Corridor.

The Central Economic Development Manager is based in Port Augusta but regularly travels to the Roxby Downs area.

To make an appointment please contact the RDAFN office.

Matt Leonard – Central Economic Development Manager
Phone: (08) 8641 1444
Email: cedm@rdafn.com.au

Far North Economic Development Manager (FNEDM)

The role of the FNEDM is to promote, facilitate and foster economic development and to stimulate employment growth in Coober Pedy and the Far North of South Australia, through:

Assisting the establishment of new commercial ventures
Value adding and alternative opportunities in existing industries
Improved marketing and promotion
The minimising of impediments to business and adopting best practice philosophies. In doing so the FNEDM facilitates the development of the opal industry
Facilitates the development of the broader resources industry in the Far North of South Australia including the support industries to the resources sector and employment and skill formation activities in support of the sector
Liaises with key industry groups, service sectors and local government on matters pertaining to regional economic development
Encourage and promotes economic development by assisting in providing an attractive climate for the development of business, commerce, industry and tourism
Assists in the planning processes of the District Council of Coober Pedy (DCCP) and Regional Development Australia Far North (RDAFN)
Seeks funding from available sources to assist in the economic development of Coober Pedy and the Far North of South Australia.

To make an appointment contact the RDAFN office:

Carmelo Crisa - Far North Economic Development Manager
Email: ccrisa@cpcouncil.sa.gov.au
Phone (08) 8672 5579

Flinders Ranges and Outback Economic Development Manager (FROEDM)

The role of the FROEDM is contributing to the economic development of the Flinders Ranges and Outback through project delivery, industry support and assistance, and investment attraction.

The role is particularly, although not exclusively focused on development of the tourism industry and Indigenous Economic Development.

Provides advice relating to industry development opportunities in the area of tourism and other emerging industries with economic benefit to the Flinders Ranges and Outback
Provides an industry advisory role to current industry participants in Flinders Ranges and Outback, including facilitation of appropriate training initiatives
Provides assistance and advice to prospective developers and community bodies with the preparation of their development proposals
Researches opportunities for the development of tourism and other emerging industries in the Flinders Ranges and Outback
Identifies existing and emerging industry sectors with significant capacity for Indigenous employment
Develops a list of opportunities and promote those oppotunities with Indigenous organisations so that skills development and training is geared to meet the business needs in the region (short and long term) and local employment opportunities are well understood by indigenous communities and individuals
Works with DEEWR and other funding providers to support those opportunities identified
Works with Indigenous communities to improve business prospects in the region and facilitates the development and provision of support services to new and existing Indigenous businesses in the Northern Region and to implement outcomes of Northern Indigenous Economic Plans.

To make an appointment contact the RDAFN office:

Troy Grover - Flinders Ranges Economic Development Manager
Email: tgrover@rdafn.com.au
Phone: (08) 8641 1444