A further $200 million is now available for Round Two of the $1 billion Regional Development Australia Fund (RDAF), Federal Member for Calwell Maria Vamvakinou announced today. Ms Vamvakinou said: “With $200 million available for Round Two of the RDAF, it is an opportunity for  various communities to work with the relevant Regional Development Australia (RDA) committee in order to identify  investment-ready projects they may want to put forward.The Government has already allocated $150 million to 35 projects in Round One of the RDAF program and why we are now opening applications for Round Two and increasing the amount of available funding to $200 million.”

Minister for Regional Australia Simon Crean said for the RDAF to work effectively, proposals must stack up.“We want well-researched strategic applications that set clear priorities and leverage funds or partnerships investment from local, state government or the private sector,” Mr Crean said.Ms Vamvakinou added the RDAF application process had been revised to give RDA committees a greater role in ensuring local expertise was used to prioritise  projects. “For this to happen we need the regions and all three levels of government  to work together, to ensure that all of the areas of our economy contribute to and share the benefits of growth.”

The RDAF Round Two guidelines and fact sheets can be found at www.regional.gov.au/regional/programs/rdaf.aspx