BANGING THE DRUM IN CANBERRA

CHDC has seized a golden opportunity to promote its major liveability project in Canberra.

Our Regional Development Coordinator Deb Barns and Kate Isles from Infinitum Partners spent two days at Parliament House last week spruiking the Central Highlands Workforce Development and Accommodation Strategy (WDAS).

Highlights:

• Ms Barns and Ms Isles had the opportunity to meet several politicians, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Nationals Leader David Littleproud and Member for Flynn Colin Boyce.
  

• Ms Isles gave a presentation about the WDAS to the Regional Australia Institute’s (RAI) Regional Dialogue Day. The WDAS was the first of just six projects from across the country to be showcased at the event. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive from regional development organisations far and wide, Bendigo Bank, Telstra, Latrobe University and various Members of Parliament in the room. 
  

• Ms Barns and Ms Isles were also part of RAI’s press conference that called for national leaders and policymakers commit to ’40 for the regions’, an important piece of advocacy for regional areas. Read more.
  

• The pair attended the sold-out Regions Rising National Summit, RAI’s flagship event that brought together regional leaders, policymakers, industry, and community champions to discuss the next chapter for regional Australia.
  

• The two days were also an opportunity to promote the WDAS’ Smart Move talent attraction campaign to the broader regional Australia audience and for CHDC to connect with other regional advocates from Western Australia, South Australia and regional New South Wales. 
  

CHDC is proud to be a member of RAI’s Regional Activators Alliance, and the WDAS aligns with RAI’s Regionalisation Pillar of Liveability + Population.

Launched in April last year, the WDAS sets out actions to address housing shortages, childcare access and other barriers in order to make the Central Highlands a more attractive place to live, work and invest.

CHDC recently released a progress report, which demonstrates significant strides in several of the WDAS’ focus areas, particularly housing.

The Strategy and its progress report can be found at chdc.com.au.

The Strategy is led by CHDC in partnership with Infinitum Partners, the Central Highlands Resources Roundtable, Central Highlands Regional Council, and key stakeholders across the agricultural, education, construction and childcare sectors.