MEDIA RELEASE The Hon Maxine McKew MP Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government 06 February 2010 MM006/2010

McKew Corrects Misguided Truss Over RDA Gaffe Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Maxine McKew, has corrected a gaffe by the Leader of the Nationals Warren Truss in Parliament this week. "Mr Truss tried to tell the Parliament during Thursday's Matter of Public Importance debate that the Government had broken a promise to maintain the former Area Consultative Committees," said Ms McKew. "This is just plain wrong. In fact the transition to Regional Development Australia (RDA) was one of the Rudd Labor Government's key regional election commitments in 2007." "Mr Truss is clearly out of touch - the Rudd Government's national network of 55 committees is getting on with the job of tackling key issues in their regions. "For the first time Australia has a regional development body that has forged a genuine partnership across federal, state and local government. "RDA committees have been appointed in all states and territories and are currently working with their communities to identify issues, articulate local priorities and develop a Regional Roadmap. "Unlike their predecessors who focussed on grant applications, the new RDA network takes on a broader strategic role building partnerships to provide strategic and targeted responses to economic, environmental and social issues affecting the regions of Australia. "I especially look forward to welcoming the Chairs and Deputy Chairs of RDA Committees to the first Regional Development Australia Networking Forum in Canberra on the 18th of March.  "The Rudd Labor Government has made record investment in regional infrastructure and regional communities through our $42 billion Nation-Building Economic Stimulus Plan and its Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program. "This is in stark contrast to the Leader of the Nationals, whose party's regional development legacy was a shameful record of pork-barrelling and a litany of failed projects," said Ms McKew. "The Coalition should abandon its petty politics and get on with developing its own regional development policies." For more information on Regional Development Australia please visit www.rda.gov.au Media Contacts Matt Pulford ( McKew's Office ) 0434 655 781   URL: http://www.minister.infrastructure.gov.au/mm/releases/2010/February/mm006_2010.htm