News
Issue No. 17 - June/July 2004
Regions keep up the good work
When we devolve decision making we activate a model of collaboration and actively encourage community capacity building and value adding through joint initiatives. This is in sharp contrast with traditional decentralisation approaches, which often retain the final decision-making rights and do not tailor programme objectives to local conditions.
Such policy issues are being explored and implemented through the up to $100 million Sustainable Regions Programme, the major initiative of the Stronger Regions, A Stronger Australia statement, announced by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Regional Services, John Anderson, on 29 August 2001.
Playford/Salisbury is one of eight regions participating in Sustainable Regions nationwide. The programme supports regions undergoing major economic, social and environmental change to build a viable foundation for the future. It helps communities to move beyond the traditional funding grant process to sustainable regional investment. This is done by identifying and supporting activities that will promote sustainable development and:
- strengthen the economy
- improve social conditions
- sustain the environment
- enhance partnerships.
Sustainable Regions actively works to advance community leadership and strengthen partnerships between the private sector and all three spheres of government.
The Playford/Salisbury Sustainable Regions Programme is half way through its four year life. Current projects vary from $65,000 to $1.2 million in scale. So far, nine projects have been approved for a total investment by the programme of $3.4 million out of the $12 million potentially available from the Australian Government. With contributions from other stakeholders taken into account, this amount is expected to double in terms of contribution to the community. Further projects are being developed for the region.
Economic Development
While econo...
