Annual Report
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RCAWA 19/20 Annual Report Advocacy Collaboration Representation ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS RCAWA members would like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which they work and live, and recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. They pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging. RCAWA members would like to acknowledge and extend their gratitude to the Premier of Western Australia, Ministers, Directors General, State and Local Government Departmental Officers, Industry Body members, and private sector representatives who have attended RCAWA meetings in the 2019-2020 year or who have assisted with, or provided a forum for challenges and opportunities facing the Alliance. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword: Dennis Wellington - RCAWA Chair ............... 4 Overview: Paul Rosair – Executive Officer ................... 5 Who We Are ................................................................... 6 Overview of Key Outcomes for 2019/2020 ................ 10 Investment Framework ............................................... 11 RCAWA Metropolitan Office ........................................ 16 Other Activities ............................................................ 17 Stakeholder Engagement ........................................... 19 Outlook ........................................................................ 23 Board Structure ........................................................... 25 Members ...................................................................... 26 Financials ..................................................................... 28 RCAWA | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 3 FOREWORD: DENNIS WELLINGTON - RCAWA CHAIR Like many organisations around the world, Partnership and collaboration with the State Current global issues surrounding the Covid-19 Regional Capitals were impacted by the Covid-19 Government has underpinned our regional response pandemic have identified a requirement for pandemic which forced our structure, focus to Covid-19 and allowed the Regional Capital Australia to move to become an economy that is and priorities to shift in order to assist our Alliance to advocate for the 250,000 residents that more focussed on secondary processing of our communities to recover. call one of our ten regional cities home. natural resources. Supporting our regional industries to bounce back Key achievements following the Alliance’s Regional Western Australia incorporates established in the face of uncertainly and drive the State and advocacy efforts include a $1 billion Regional communities with well-developed infrastructure, Nations economy north in collaboration with all Coronavirus Fund, $500 million Local Roads and services and lifestyle opportunities with potential to levels of government became our major priority in Community Infrastructure Program and $1.3 boost the WA economy and drive growth during this the wake of the public health crisis. billion in advanced payments of the 2020-2021 time of change. Financial Assistance Grants. We were fortunate to have Jodi Cant; Director Now is the time to General, Department of Finance and Chair, Additional advocacy of State Government has facilitate and fast track Regional Stream of the State Covid-19 State resulted in $100 million for establishing the economic development Recovery Group at the June 18 Regional Capital Regional Aviation Fund, $570 million for regional opportunities across Alliance Meeting. universities and improving educational attainment Regional Western in regional students, $21 million for Regional Australia that support Her discussion around the State’s Covid-19 University Centres and the establishment of a our communities, Response and Recovery Plan focused on the role Regional Education Commissioner. residents and businesses of regional Western Australia as the state shifts in order to come out of In October we released our Investment Framework this pandemic thriving. into the recovery model of the plan and to key political parties with the aim to enter long highlighted priority areas of action to be term partnerships that deliver outcomes for Dennis Wellington | Chair incorporated in the recovery effort. Regional Western Australia. 4 OVERVIEW: PAUL ROSAIR – EXECUTIVE OFFICER Regional Western Australia has faced arguably Over the past 12 months the Alliance has community representatives and business one of its most challenging years with the focussed on developing a Regional Investment executives, all interested in the views and advice Framework to further this economic growth unparalleled impact of the worldwide COVID-19 of the Alliance and ready to offer their support. across regional WA. This framework is based pandemic hitting our shores in February 2020. on the premise that Alliance members have the The Alliance is now considered a trusted The Regional Capitals Alliance WA responded capability, capacity and business prospects to advisor to, and advocate of, Governments of in an exceptional manner, collaborating with align its agenda with State and Federal priorities all persuasions, a collaborator with regional communities and a developer of partnerships Governments, Industry and one another to in the delivery of its combined 10 year, $3.6bn forward capital works plans. with Industry and Not for Profit sectors. It is minimise the impact of the pandemic on its also a key representative communities, resulting in an initial response The success of the Alliance relies on a diverse body, which is often of $26.5m through a broad range of relief and network of stakeholders reaching common sought after by the ground. It once again has been my pleasure stimulus measures. media and key industry working individually and collectively with the ten organisations to speak Mayors and Presidents of each regional capital and on behalf of Regional WA. In 2019/2020 the Alliance and its members their Chief Executives. I would particularly like continued to make a major contribution to the to acknowledge Mayor’s Dennis Wellington and nation in areas of economic, social and community Peter Long and for their outstanding advice and development; building capacity and resilience Chairmanship of the Alliance, Mayor Shane Van amongst membership and the communities it Styn as Treasurer, CEO’s Andrew Sharpe and Chris represents. They contributed over $33bn to Gross Adams for their Secretarial roles. Regional Product, provided over 10% of WA’s I would also like to thank our strategic partners. employment, produced $71bn of port production, During 2019/2020 the Alliance engaged with Paul Rosair | Executive Officer $4bn of agricultural produce and $2bn in Tourism. Cabinet Ministers, politicians, public servants, RCAWA | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 5 6 WHO WE ARE Home to over 250,000 people, the ten local RCAWA advocates for strategic planning for government areas of the Regional Capitals growth and investment in Western Australia’s Alliance Western Australia (RCAWA) make up half regional capitals. Regional capitals play a pivotal of the population of regional Western Australia. role in both strengthening the Western Australian economy, and supporting the growth of their RCAWA local governments represent the most region’s economy. Each of the capitals are significant concentrations of employment considered to have high capability and prospects, in regional Western Australia. With diverse positioning them as ideal locations in which to economies and lifestyles, they offer exciting places focus the attention of government and industry to to live, work, visit and invest. grow both the population base and economy of Whilst they might encompass a large section of the the state. regional population, they are overshadowed by the population of the Perth metropolitan area. The “Entire regions are likely to be successful Alliance considers that significantly growing the if they are supported by a sustainable and regional population base, and strengthening the resilient regional capital.” diverse regional economies, is critical to the future Regional Capitals Australia growth of our state. Trends show that these regional centres offer a RCAWA members do not reflect the stereotyped genuine attraction, with a number experiencing rural idea of a regional centre. Rather, each very significant growth over the past five years. centre offers a unique, vibrant community with Leveraging this momentum and building well-developed infrastructure, services and communities that offer a real alternative to opportunities. Harnessing these assets and the metropolitan area requires a focused and building the regions of Western Australia is at the tailored approach. core of The Alliance’s vision for the State. RCAWA | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 7 OUR VISION AND FOCUS HOW WE WORK OUR VISION OUR FOCUS Vibrant, sustainable regional capitals across Advocacy & Policy Influence UNITY Western Australia that are attractive places to RCAWA provides strategic advice to government Acting as a strong, cohesive live, work, visit and invest. on the social and economic issues impacting on, alliance to lead change and and often unique to, regional locations. RCAWA implement projects aligned with WHAT WE DO advocates for fair consideration of these needs at the RCAWA mission. a State and Federal level – that legislation, policy, We lead the sustainable, strategic growth of planning, strategy and investment matches the Western Australia’s regional capitals, with a growth needs of the regions and builds thriving PARTICIPATION focus on excellence and opportunity creation. regional communities.