E-Newsletter Issue 01: August 2009
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CEO REPORT
Welcome to the Pilbara Development Commission's electronic newsletter - keeping the Pilbara community abreast of the Commission's work in the region.
Over the last month the Commission has been out and about in the community, launching the Larry Mitchell / Yinjaa-Barni Exhibition, visiting Tom Price with the Minister Hon Brendon Grylls, presenting at a UWA luncheon, attending the Cossack art awards, touring with the Premier, discussing the RFDS latest proceedings, celebrating BHP's 40th anniversary with the Premier and involved in many working groups and committees.
The Commission has also been busy in the office with a new Board members, including the Chairman and Deputy Chair, drafting the 2008-09 Annual Report, end of year financial reporting, preparing the grant agreements for the Royalties for Regions funding, re-branding our publications and communications strategy, and of course enjoying the long weekend and beautiful weather we are all having this time of year.
Each month we will be updating you on various projects and important issues that the Commission is involved. So, sit back and have a light read of our new e-newsletter and for more information have a look around our website www.pdc.wa.gov.au.
ROYALTIES FOR REGIONS
The Pilbara Development Commission is one of nine Commissions to share in $40 million of State Government funding in the 08/09 financial year through the Regional Grants Scheme, an initiative of Royalties for Regions.
The inaugural round of the Scheme opened in March 2009 and the Commission received 75 applications for projects worth a total of over $11million. On the 30 June 2009 the Minister for Regional Development announced that 40 of the applications received by the Commission had been approved, resulting in over $3million to be distributed across the region to assist in attracting investment, increasing jobs and improving the quality of life for people living in the Pilbara.
For more information on Royalties for Regions, or to view the full list of successful applicants please visit the Commissions website at www.pdc.wa.gov.au.
INDIGENOUS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The Pilbara Development Commission in partnership with the Federal Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations employs an Indigenous Economic Development Officer (IEDO) to promote and support leadership and innovation in Aboriginal economic development across the region.
The role of the IEDO is to assist Aboriginal people in the region to identify sustainable business and employment opportunities and to develop enterprise. The IEDO works in cooperation with Aboriginal communities and individuals together with Commonwealth, State and Local government bodies and industry representatives to achieve positive outcomes in relation to Indigenous economic enterprise and employment.
You will have a regular update from the IEDO each issue so stay tuned. For further information on this project speak directly with the IEDO, Lee Sweeney, on (08) 9173 840 or lee.sweeney@pdc.wa.gov.au.
NEWMAN COMMUNITY CENTRE
The Pilbara Development Commission has been working with the Newman Community Centre Building Management Committee, the Shire of East Pilbara and BHP Billiton Iron Ore on a project to develop the Newman Community Collocation Centre.
The project was initiated by the Building Management Committee with the aim of establishing a purpose built collocated facility to provide affordable, permanent and occasional accommodation for existing not for profit and government funded service providers in Newman and to attract additional services to the town.
The building tender closed on the 15 October 2008, with Ri-Con Contractors being awarded the tender. Construction of the centre commenced in April 2009 and is currently ahead of schedule. The building is due for completion late 2009, with tenants expected to take occupancy in January 2010.
NEW HOUSING PUBLICATION
The Pilbara region is currently experiencing a shortage of land and all types of housing, particularly affordable housing. This shortage is impacting on the ability of towns to function as healthy and complete communities and remain economically viable and socially sustainable.
A number of significant government, private sector, industry and non government projects have been initiated in an effort to address the shortage of land and accommodation in the region. This includes transient and contract worker accommodation, social housing for lower income residents, industry housing to meet an increase in the permanent workforce of the resource sector and affordable land and accommodation to attract and retain people to the region.
The Pilbara Development Commission already provides information on the availability of land and housing in the main residential towns of the region through its quarterly publication, Housing and Land Snapshot (HALS). HALS provides information on the number of residential sales and rental availability, average house prices, information on land availability and sales, caravan park capacity and site availability as well as government housing stocks and availability.
The Commission has prepared the "Summary of Land and Accommodation Initiatives in the Pilbara" report to complement the HALS report and provide its stakeholders with information on the projects that are currently underway or proposed to address the shortage of land and housing in the Pilbara.
The "Summary of Housing, Land and Accommodation Initiatives in the Pilbara" report is currently being finalized for distribution. Once available, the report will be loaded onto our Publications page on our website www.pdc.wa.gov.au/publications.aspx.
PILBARA DIALOGUE
The Pilbara Dialogue was established by the Commission in early 2008 as a high level round table for the exchange of key information and the development of coordinated strategies and actions between major stakeholders involved in the planning and development of the Pilbara region. The Dialogue currently has over 100 delegates representing the resource sector, State and Feral Government agencies, Local Government, community and non government stakeholders.
At the last Dialogue meeting, the Minister for Regional Development, the Hon Brendon Grylls MLA was joined by expert speakers from the Reserve Bank of Australia, the Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA, the Department for Regional Development and Lands, and the Department of Housing, who presented on the immediate and potential impact of the global financial crisis and the actions being undertaken at a national and state level to stimulate the regional economy.
The next meeting is due to be held in Karratha on the 18 September 2009 and will include an update on Royalties for Regions, covering the Pilbara Revitalisation Plan and the Pilbara Underground Power Project. To find out more information on the Pilbara Dialogue please visit the Commission website at www.pdc.wa.gov.au.
PILBARA SPOTLIGHT
In 2007 the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) commenced a project to create a series of regional "Spotlight" reports for the Development Commission regions in WA. The principal aim of this project is to bring together information from a multitude of sources which can be used primarily to aid in the planning and delivery of services to regional WA. The Pilbara region was selected as the first in the series, with the ABS working in partnership with the Pilbara Development Commission.
Following several rounds of community and government consultation, the ABS arrived at a final version of indicators to report on for the region. During 2008 the ABS sourced and collected data for each indicator. In collaboration with the PDC a comprehensive website was then developed to showcase the regions indicators at a Pilbara wide and local government level. Indicators will be regularly updated as the data custodians are able to release the information.
The launch of the Spotlight website will be conducted at the next Pilbara Dialogue in September, closely followed by a Perth launch. Pilbara Dialogue attendees will be the first to see and use the website, with community access available after the launch. The website address and further details will be available next issue.
WOMENS FORUM
The Commission's next Women's Forum will be held at the Icon Restaurant in Karratha on Wednesday 16 September 2009. The Forums are an outcome of the successful Pilbara Women's Conference which was hosted by the Commission in October 2008.
The Karratha Forum will feature three guest speakers including Gabby Millgate, ABC North West's Breakfast Presenter. Gabby, who would be well known to many as the sister in Muriel's Wedding with the famous line "You're terrible Muriel" is a consummate speaker and comedienne. Gabby has performed live in Cabaret and Musicals and with 20 years improvising under her belt with Sydney Theatresports, you can expect an all round entertaining performance. Our two other guest speakers are being negotiated but you can be sure that they will be as interesting and inspiring as Gabby.
The Forum cost is $44 per head and will include a light lunch. For more details or to register for the Karratha Women's Forum please contact Kathryn Moelands on (08) 9173 8407 or email kathryn.moelands@pdc.wa.gov.au Seats are limited.
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