FAQs

• The Regional Development Strategy will be designed to better guide, prioritise and coordinate the Government of South Australia’s long term investment in South Australia’s regions, as well as support key regional development drivers.

• Regional plans are important, and have a role in drawing attention to the individual needs of a specific region.
• However, the Regional Development Strategy will provide a statewide plan outlining how the Government of South Australia will invest in regional South Australia and support regional development over the long term.
• The Strategy will aim to provide transparency about how the Government of South Australia will support regional development, which will provide confidence to the private sector and other levels of government when deciding how and where to invest.

• A South Australian Regional Development Strategy has the potential to transform how the State Government prioritises investment and services, infrastructure and key regional drivers across regional South Australia over the long term.
• A Regional Development Strategy outlining how the government plans to invest in regional economies over the long term will have the capacity to foster business and investor confidence in regional South Australia and develop attractive, vibrant communities that have access to services and amenities to enhance regional liveability.
• We want to develop a strategic, whole-of-government approach to investment in regional South Australia for the longer term, so that all government agencies work collaboratively to foster strong economic, social and community development.
• The strategy, that is anticipated to be delivered in partnership with private investors and the community, will lead to a regional South Australia that attracts people to live, provides businesses and industries to invest in, and offers meaningful job opportunities.

• The Regional Development Strategy will be designed to better guide, prioritise and coordinate the State Government’s long term investment in South Australia’s regions, as well as support key regional development drivers.
• It is not an action plan for the State Government, but rather a high level strategy to guide future investment in regional South Australia and support key regional enablers.

• The Regional Development Strategy discussion paper focuses on the Government of South Australia’s investment in services, infrastructure and supporting key regional drivers such as population, capability development, and attracting investment, innovators and entrepreneurs.
• The strategy, in partnership with private investors and the community, will deliver a regional South Australia that attracts people to live, provides businesses and industries to invest in, and offers meaningful job opportunities.
• The strategy will improve transparency about how the Government of South Australia will support regional development, which will provide confidence to the private sector and other levels of government when deciding how and where to invest.

• The Regional Development Strategy is not a funding plan.
• It will not provide a list of projects that the Government of South Australia will fund.
• It is not a plan for an immediate resourcing of particular infrastructure and/or services.
• The Regional Development Strategy will provide a long term strategic, whole-of-government approach to investment in regional South Australia to foster strong economic, social and community development.
• The strategy, in partnership with private investors and the community, will deliver a regional South Australia that attracts people to live, provides businesses and industries to invest in, and offers meaningful job opportunities.
• It is intended to be a long term strategy, and is not intended to outline an extensive list of projects to be funded.
• Specific regional projects will still be funded through various State Government departments, either as part of core business or through grant funding programs. Individuals and communities can continue to apply for specific regional projects through these avenues.

• Key stakeholders will receive an invitation to present their feedback on the questions posed in the discussion paper to the Community Advisory Panel at a set time. They will have 15 minutes to present their responses and then the panel will have 5 minutes to ask questions of the stakeholder. The presentation can be in any form that the stakeholder chooses – verbal, verbal with supporting handouts, PowerPoint presentation (bring hardcopies in case of IT issues).
• Community members should come to the community sessions at the forum with pre-prepared responses to the questions asked in the discussion paper. You will then be able to verbally provide your feedback to the panel.

• At the community session, there will be individual groups for each of the sections of the discussion paper (‘Service provision’, ‘Investment in infrastructure’, and ‘Regional enablers’). Panel members will listen to feedback from community members on the relevant section of the discussion paper in a small group discussion. Community members will be able to move between groups as they choose. There will also be a ‘Community Feedback wall' at the community session, where community members can put their feedback.

• The consultation for the Regional Development Strategy will take place during June and July 2019.
• The engagement report will be prepared directly following the consultation process.
• Thereafter the Community Advisory Panel will prepare the Regional Development Strategy.
• It is anticipated that the Regional Development Strategy will be released in 2020.

For more frequently asked questions view the FAQ factsheet.