About RDA Wheatbelt

The vision for our organisation is to actively shape the future of the Wheatbelt Region.

To realise this vision, we commit to our mission of collaborating across communities, advocating with key decision makers and harnessing innovation to create local opportunity, growth and impact.

And we do this because our purpose is to be the Wheatbelt’s local voice to Federal Government to facilitate social and economic development.

The RDA Charter – 

RDAs play a role in helping to drive economic growth, innovation and entrepreneurship in regions through facilitating investment in community, industry and the environment.

RDAs assist to bridge the regional development gaps in regions by working with a broad range of stakeholders across sectors and supporting the delivery of identified Australian Government strategic priorities.

As representatives of their local communities, RDAs will:

– focus their activities and strategy on delivery of the Regional Investment Framework (RIF) in their region, including investment in people, places, services, and industries and local economies. (See the RIF diagram)

– support regional stakeholders, including local government and the not-for-profit-sector, to seek grant opportunities that advance strategic regional priorities

– support decarbonisation efforts and the transformation to a net zero economy and enable regional linkages between sectors to achieve these aims

– build the evidence for economic development, including innovation and diversification strategies

– facilitate meaningful engagement across the three levels of government to ensure investments deliver better outcomes for regions, and

– contribute relevant data and local intelligence to support the evidence base to inform regional
development strategies, program design and policy responses.

RDAs use their local, cross-sector expertise and regional voice to:

–   collaborate with integrity, transparency, respect and accountability

–   engage with diverse communities, especially First Nations people

–   support the Government’s ambition of ‘no one held back and no one left behind’, and

–   support gender equality opportunities in their regions.

Our stakeholders include:

• The 42 Local Government Authorities that make up the Wheatbelt region.
• The Wheatbelt Development Commission (WDC) – a statutory authority charged with the role of implementing the State’s Regional Development Policy.

• Local community members and community groups.
• The 41 Wheatbelt Community Resource Network Centres and Network.
• WA Local Government Association – Three zones Great Eastern Country, Avon-Midland Country and Central Country. 
• Regional Organisation of Councils (ROC) – Seven active groups.
• The Wheatbelt Business Network (WBN).
• Local industry groups (such as Wheatbelt Grower Groups).
• State and Federal government agencies and departments.