Legislative Council Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3) 51 3 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Answers to Questions Regional Development Australia REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AUSTRALIA The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS Legislative Council REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AUSTRALIA In reply to the Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (4 June 2009). The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY Legislative Council Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AUSTRALIA The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business): The Minister for Regional Development has provided the following information: In negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding governing the establishment of Regional Development Australia (RDA) over the first half of 2009, the Parties, being the Commonwealth, State and Local governments, agreed that it was their intention to maintain existing levels of funding for the new RDAs, subject to appropriation. On 29 June 2009, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, the State Minister for Regional Development, and the President, Local Government Association of SA, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to this effect. In the 2009-10 budget handed down on 12 May 2009, the Commonwealth Government reduced its budget for the national RDA network to all States and Territories. The Commonwealth Government previously allocated $1.448 million for its Area Consultative Committee network in South Australia. Of this, $1.132 million was allocated for regional South Australia. The Commonwealth will now allocate $1.281 million for RDA in South Australia, with $1.200 million to be allocated for RDA in regions. The Commonwealth budget allocation for RDA in South Australia means more Commonwealth Government funds for regional communities than previously provided, at a time when the budget for the national RDA network has been reduced.