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Executive Officer

Ewan Brown - Executive Officer of the Capital Region ACC

Ewan Brown's senior management and leadership experience, added to his strengths in policy formulation, advocacy and representation, strategic planning, marketing and promotion and research direction ensure he is a valuable addition to the Capital Region ACC team, particularly as it transitions to Regional Development Australia ACT.

Ewan's previous position as Executive Director of the Small Enterprise Telecommunications Centre Limited, where he represented the interests of small business in the telecommunications industry at policy level, stands him in good stead for his current role.

Over the past 25 years, Ewan has developed and implemented strategic plans for the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, the Australian Institute of Pharmacy Management, the ACT Little Athletics Association, the Small Enterprise Telecommunications Centre, the Council of Small Business Organisations and the ACT Division of the Australian Society of Association Executives. Within each of these roles, Ewan has provided a high degree of entrepreneurship and recognition of opportunities, and he has developed and led the realisation of goals that promoted both the interests of the organisation and the needs of the clients/users.

Ewan said, "I look forward to assisting the newly formed RDA ACT committee to address the concept of regional development in the ACT region and to begin to fulfill its charter of key external advisor to the Federal and ACT governments on matters relating to RDA interests."

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Regional Development Australia (RDA) ACT was officially incorporated on 28 September 2009, the culmination of a transition process from the former Capital Region Area Consultative Committee and the Capital Region Development Board.

RDA ACT forms part of the national regional development network of 55 Committees that serve rural, remote and metropolitan communities across Australia. It is a non-profit, apolitical organisation funded jointly by the Australian Government (under the aegis of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) and the ACT Government (Chief Minister's Department) and is comprised of a Committee of nine volunteer Members, supported by a Secretariat of staff located in Canberra.

The role of RDA ACT is to build networks and partnerships with key regional stakeholders and identify and develop local solutions to local problems, with the aim of achieving regional economic growth. RDA ACT promotes and disseminates information on government priorities and programs for the benefit of local communities and businesses throughout the ACT and surrounding region. RDA ACT also supports regional planning initiatives and provides valuable, independent advice to the Commonwealth and the ACT governments on a range of issues and opportunities pertinent to the ACT and Capital Region.

The transition to Regional Development Australia

The transition from Area Consultative Committees (ACCs) to Regional Development Australia (RDA) began in March 2008, with the Commonwealth Government's announcement that Australia's network of 54 ACCs were to become RDAs.

The overall objective of the RDA network is to bring all levels of government together to enhance growth and development in regional Australia.

For more information on Regional Development Australia, nationally and for each state and territory, view the latest news on the new RDA website at www.rda.gov.au/

Regional Development Australia ACT

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Commonwealth and ACT governments was signed on 25 May signaling formal agreement to establish Regional Development Australia ACT (RDA ACT) - read the Joint Media Statement.

At the MoU signing the Ministers announced appointments to the new RDA ACT transition Committee, to be in place for 12 months. Five of the 14 members of the Capital Region ACC were appointed including: David Malloch (Deputy Chair), David Gregory, Christopher Bourke, Faye Powell and Elizabeth Brown. They have been joined by Ross Barrett (Chair), Diane Hinds, Marita Corra and John Howard, previously members of the NSW Capital Region Development Board. The RDA ACT transition Committee are managing the transition to RDA, and guiding the first year of the Committee's work. After this period the Commonwealth and ACT governments will publicly invite Expressions of Interest for membership in the final composition of the RDA ACT Committee.

Regional Development Australia NSW

The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on 25 February between the Commonwealth and New South Wales governments laid the foundation for the establishment of 14 RDA Committees in NSW, replacing the 14 Area Consultative Committees in NSW and the 13 NSW Regional Development Boards - read the Joint Media Statement. A map showing the NSW RDA regions is available on the website: www.rda.gov.au

The region surrounding the ACT is the responsibility of Regional Development Australia Southern Inland, which includes the local government areas of Bombala, Boorowa, Cooma-Monaro, Goulburn Mulwaree, Harden, Palerang, Queanbeyan City, Snowy River, Tumbarumba, Tumut, Upper Lachlan, Wingecarribee, Yass Valley and Young. RDA NSW Chairs and Deputy Chairs were announced on 30 June 2009; for RDA Southern Inland, Ken Prendergast has been appointed Chair, and Monica Alcock Deputy Chair.

Updated: 23 November 2009