Shadow Regional Development Minister John Dawkins said regional SA was being forgotten by both the State and Federal Labor Governments and called on Minister Paul Caica and Parliamentary Secretary Maxine McKew to expedite the announcement of the boards.

 

Mr Dawkins said the new Regional Development Australia boards must be established in time to enable the considered approval of a constitution before the funding deadline of 31 December 2009.

 

“I’m concerned the existing Regional Development Boards (RDBs) are losing valued senior staff members due to uncertainty in the sector resulting from Government delays.

 

“The process of the amalgamation of RDB’s and Area Consultative Committees has been protracted since it was first commenced in the middle of last year.

 

“The feeling amongst many in the regional development sector is that a hurried process has been applied to the local government funding partners, while the State and Federal governments have dragged their feet.”

 

Only this week, the Murray and Mallee Local Government Association expressed its concern about the unexplained delays, saying:

 

“This has resulted in current Regional Development Board staff uncertainties, with a number of key staff throughout the State departing the sector” (Murray and Mallee Briefs Newsletter, Edition 48, October 2009)

 

“This situation follows on from the Rann Government previously delaying finalisation of RDB resource agreements – which was another period of uncertainty for staff and the sector.

 

“These delays are just another in a long pattern, which encapsulates the Rann Government’s indifference towards regional South Australia.”