Regional infrastructure, Olympic opportunities, manufacturing and skills were on the agenda when RDA Brisbane Chair Kieren Dell and CEO Nicole Duguid joined fellow Queensland RDAs for their quarterly network meeting with Dale Last, Queensland Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing, and Regional and Rural Development, on March 4.

The meeting also included Jason Kidd, Deputy Director-General for Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development, along with senior representatives from the Department. 

The quarterly forum provides an important opportunity for RDAs across Queensland to engage directly with the Queensland Government, share regional insights and discuss emerging economic opportunities and challenges.

A key topic was the regional sporting agenda linked to the upcoming 2032 Olympic & Paralympic Games. Participants heard from Eugenie Buckley, Deputy Director-General of the Olympic & Paralympic Games Office, who outlined opportunities for regional communities across Queensland to benefit from the Games.

The meeting also explored opportunities in the defence supply industry, the continued growth of advanced manufacturing and strategies to strengthen regional skills and jobs.

Following this Ministerial meeting, RDA Brisbane organised for Adam Copp, CEO of Infrastructure Australia, to brief the Queensland RDA Network on nation-building infrastructure priorities. The discussions highlighted the importance of investment and delivery in telecommunications, the Bruce Highway, housing and other nationally significant regional infrastructure including ports and rail.

These events play an important role in ensuring ongoing collaboration and information sharing between Queensland RDAs and their respective regions, the Queensland Government and other key stakeholders who influence the delivery of regional projects.