RDASI Newsletter - March 2023
CEO Report
What a month February was! Our Regional Connect events kicked off for the year and were so successful that we’re expanding them to include two additional LGAs. The sessions were a perfect mix of great information and positive networking and we were lucky to have some of the new business support representatives from Department of Regional NSW, Enterprise Plus and Services NSW in attendance as well.
The regional visa program has had another recent change in criteria, making it easier for skilled migrants to apply for the 491 visa. RDASI still has a number of places to refer and we’d love to support our regions with additional workforce by filling our allocations. Please take a look at the changes in the program on our website and if you have any questions, please contact our Migration Officer, Lenka on migration@rdasi.org.au.
February saw our Chair and I, travelling to Dubbo for RDA Orana’s Inland Growth Summit (IGS). Our Minister, the Hon Kristy McBain MP, was up there to open the event with her keynote speech and meet with NSW RDAs to hear our suggestions on how we’d like to see the future of our program develop. The meeting with the Minister and the conference itself were both filled with interesting information, vibrant conversations and positive relationship building. At the conference, I was honoured to moderate a panel discussion at the IGS on Future Foundations. It turns out, education is the way forward, which of course at RDASI we’re very passionate about.
At the end of the month, I attended the Snowies Special Activation Precinct (SAP) Community Action Group (CAG) meeting in Jindabyne where we provided feedback to the State government on the Indicative Layout Plan (ILP). I was impressed with some of the initiatives being suggested in the plan and the re-imagined school site is looking very promising as a key precinct.
I’m so pleased to announce that RDASI is growing, and I’d like to welcome our newest recruit Natasha Maguire as our Research and Policy Officer. Tash has vast experience with grants and tenders, policy development, research, reporting, communications and technology. We are so pleased to add a Yass local to our hybrid remote team and look forward to getting her out to meet you in May for our next suite of Regional Connect events on grant writing.
As always, we are interested to hear about projects and issues that are happening in your regions. Please get in contact with us at admin@rdasi.org.au so we can assist.
Carisa Wells
Regional Connect Roadshow
We kicked off the year with our Regional Connect events in Cooma, Yass, Goulburn and the Highlands over a two-week period in February, focused on regional visas and migration. Thank you to our sponsors in Cooma, Snowy Hydro and the Alpine Hotel. In Yass, Region Media and in Goulburn, Region Media and BDCU, we greatly appreciate your continuous support for these important events.
Expert representatives from the Department of Home Affairs (DOHA) and Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) joined us on the roadshow. Appreciation must go to everyone from DOHA, Neenu Behl, Ross D'Angelo, Menchu Corbitt, Rhett Henkel and Paul Gatto and MIA's presenter in Cooma, Yass and Goulburn, Jonathan Granger and in the Highlands, Julie Williams.
This suite of events were our most successful Connect’s to date with each event being extremely well attended by both a mix of businesses and migrants. The biggest event in Cooma with over 55 people attending, including Mayor Narelle Davis, was a great result for our first collaboration with Cooma chamber.
A highlight of the events were the real migrant stories that were shared, bringing a human reflection to the challenges migrants face when moving to a completely new country.
If you didn’t get the opportunity to join us, please reach out to Suzie on connect@rdasi.org.au to receive a detailed fact sheet on the most important information we shared.
Welcome to the Region
Aligned with our Regional Connect event in Goulburn, we also held our first Welcome to the Region event for the year. Taking advantage of DOHA and MIA on tour with us and bringing in several local service providers and community groups, the Welcome to the Region was another informative session for our new migrants in the region.
Thank you to our valuable stakeholders for providing helpful and inciteful information to our attendees:
The Department of Home Affairs, Migrations Institute of Australia, Goulburn Mulwaree Council, Hume Police District, Service NSW, Goulburn Multicultural Centre, Goulburn Health Hub, Think Recruitment.
Grant Writing Roadshow
Save the date for our May Regional Connect events where we will be focusing on grant writing tips and tricks. We are taking this roadshow to more locations this time around.
Put these dates in your diary:
Monday 15 May - Queanbeyan
Tuesday 16 May - Cooma
Wednesday 17 May - Yass
Thursday 18 May - Hilltops
Wednesday 24 May - Goulburn
Thursday 25 May - Highlands
If you would like to know more, please email connect@rdasi.org.au.
Festivals Australia
Festivals Australia is open for applications from 20 February 2023 to 20 March 2023 for projects commencing from 1 July 2023.
Festivals Australia funds high-quality arts projects that invite community participation and audience engagement. Projects can include but are not limited to a parade, performance, workshop, installation or exhibition.
The aim is to give community members living in regional or remote Australia the chance to participate in or attend an arts experience at a festival, or a significant one-off community celebration.
Please note: Festivals Australia will only fund a single project at a festival, not a range of unrelated activities across a festival program. All applications are assessed with the assistance of independent assessors.
Borealis In The Vines
Gluttony and Andrew Kay Management present Borealis In The Vines – coming to Centennial Vineyards, Bowral, May-June 2023.
Bowral’s night sky will light up in colour every Thursday to Sunday from 25 May to 30 June, with thanks to a $623,678 grant from the NSW Government’s Regional Events Acceleration Fund, which aims to support the social and economic recovery and prosperity of Regional NSW.
Dreaming of seeing the Northern Lights? Make it a reality without travelling across the world. Created by internationally renowned Switzerland-based artist Dan Acher, the captivating display is set to transport visitors to the Arctic Circle in an experience that will be unique to the Southern Highlands.
Borealis combines technology and art to create unique auroras over the Centennial Vineyards. Colour, movement, density of light beams and changing weather conditions work together to give infinite variations. “Surreal” is the only way to describe how it feels, to watch as the lights dance across the sky.
“The magic and awe of Borealis is elevated in darkness and surrounded by nature. With its own unique natural beauty, the Southern Highlands is the ideal location to recreate this spectacular effect. The Centennial Vineyards is a popular attraction in Bowral and with its vast stellar space, visitors will be in awe of this magnificent presentation .” Andrew Kay AM.
Jindabyne Snow Ball
The Jindabyne Snow Ball Tickets are available now!
You're not going to want to miss this magnificent fundraising event, all in a combined business & snow community effort to raise funds to light up the town of Jindabyne with a magical display of fairy lighting!
The Jindabyne Snow Ball is a Formal Black Tie Cocktail Party, to be held on Saturday Night 27th May, 2023 in a 'magically transformed' Jindabyne Bowling & Sports Club.
The Jindabyne Snow Ball will include;
Generous canapés by local chefs featuring Local produce in a stand up/leisurely paced dining experience.
Fun money to play roulette, blackjack and more at serviced tables.
Music by Venus Show Band, including a brass section!
Sensational professionally decorated venue with many great photo opportunities.
Silent Auction opportunities to bid for donated prizes.
Private party sessions in a sophisticatedly decorated Igloo.
Masterful Cocktails available, made by local Cocktail Mixologist, Collie of The Fine Zest.
