Regional Development includes three teams:
- Regional Coordination and Delivery
- Regional Programs and Partnerships
- Strategy, Policy and Evidence
The Regional Development Group is the key advisory, coordination and delivery team that ensures sustainable and strategic investments in regional communities.
As a group, Regional Development is uniquely placed to progress place-based opportunities or solve issues via early evidence-based policy advice and program design through to on the ground delivery of key government priorities.
Regional Development plays a key role in supporting local infrastructure restoration and business, industry and tourism recovery from natural disasters.
Regional Development takes a whole of government approach and focuses on four streams of work:
- Sustainable regional industries, including emerging and engine industries
- Aboriginal economic development and enterprise
- Community infrastructure and capacity building
- Improving regional service delivery, including cross border communities
Our teams are working across regional NSW to deliver on key government, priorities, projects and place-based initiatives.
Find out more about these teams below.
Regional Coordination and Delivery
The Regional Coordination and Delivery team are embedded in regional NSW and work with communities, industry, businesses, and state and local government to deliver on government priorities, projects and place-based initiatives.
The team uses local intelligence, established relationships and diverse skillsets to:
- provide a leadership and governance role in the regions, including chairing the Regional Leadership Executives and participating in Joint Organisations
- support the Minister for Regional NSW and five regional Ministers deliver government priorities in the regions
- broker innovative service delivery solutions, such as key worker attraction, early childhood care and place-based initiatives
- drive economic development by growing and supporting sustainable jobs and industries
- support the delivery of major government projects and investments, including transition to net zero, such as Renewable Energy Zones and Special Activation Precincts
- improve social and economic outcomes for Aboriginal communities across regional NSW through our Regional Aboriginal Partnerships Program
- work closely with local, state and federal colleagues to identify, analyse and resolve cross-border issues and advocate for border communities.
There are more than 130 Regional Coordination and Delivery staff across regional NSW.
The branch includes seven Directors across the following regional footprints:
- Central Coast
- Hunter New England
- Illawarra South East
- North Coast
- Riverina Murray
- Western NSW
- Cross-Border communities.
Regional Coordination and Delivery: Regions and Directors map
Download enlarged version of map (PDF 525.46KB)
Location | Email address |
---|---|
Hunter New England | regional.hunternewengland@regional.nsw.gov.au |
Central Coast | regional.centralcoast@regional.nsw.gov.au |
Illawarra South East | regional.illawarrasoutheast@regional.nsw.gov.au |
North Coast | regional.northcoast@regional.nsw.gov.au |
Riverina Murray | regional.riverinamurray@regional.nsw.gov.au |
Western NSW | regional.western@regional.nsw.gov.au |
Cross Border Commissioner | enquiries@cbc.nsw.gov.au |
Regional Programs and Partnerships
The Regional Programs and Partnerships team lead the design, delivery and initiation of a wide range of programs that benefit the economic, community, resilience and recovery of regional communities.
Regional NSW has endured many natural disasters in recent years with the impacts of prolonged drought, bushfires, storms and floods being felt right across the state. On top of this the COVID-19 pandemic has made it even tougher for communities, industries and businesses in regional NSW to thrive.
To build more resilient communities and industries for the future, the Department of Regional NSW has implemented a program of targeted initiatives and investments to support social, economic and environmental recovery in the regions most impacted.
Regional Programs and Partnerships team takes an informed, innovative and solutions-focused approach to grants administration and governance when delivering tailored grant funding programs to communities and businesses across regional NSW.
The branch supports over 2,300 projects across every regional local government area that deliver on social, economic and lifestyle benefits to communities in regional NSW. These projects support local business and communities as well as industry and tourism recovery from natural disasters. See Regional programs and grants.
Aboriginal Partnership and Outcomes
The Aboriginal Partnerships and Outcomes team’s vision is to provide better outcomes for Aboriginal people, communities and businesses across regional NSW. This is supported by our Aboriginal Outcomes Strategy 2022-2025 (PDF 5.14MB)
Our key domains of work include:
- central office function
- place and strength based projects
- economic investment, attraction and participation
- governance and capability in Aboriginal entities
- workforce enrichment
- evidence-based know-how
- cultural sustainability
- Aboriginal procurement
- digital connectivity.
A core outcome of this strategy is to make the Department of Regional NSW an employer of choice for Aboriginal people. This will be achieved by:
- growing Aboriginal cultural knowledge and understanding within the Department,
- building Aboriginal cultural knowledge and understanding into the organisation’s processes and practices.
Regional Youth
The Office for Regional Youth provide a coordinated, whole-of-government strategic approach to issues facing young people in regional NSW. The team ensures young people’s voices are heard and can influence regional youth initiatives.
Visit the Regional Youth pages for more information on programs, including the Regional Youth Taskforce and Youth Radio.
Other programs include the Regional Youth Community Coordinator initiative, which engages youth and community stakeholders to address challenges faced by young people in regional communities as part of natural disaster and COVID-19 recovery.
Key documents include the Regional NSW Youth Framework and the Regional NSW Youth Action Plan and the Regional Youth Insights Report.
Strategy, Policy and Evidence
The Strategy, Policy and Evidence team is a critical adviser to the Minister for Regional NSW and the Department’s Secretary on long-term opportunities and challenges for regional NSW. With its’ state-wide lens on regional NSW, the team takes a central role in partnering with other departments and all levels of government to develop evidence-based program design and delivery for complex issues affecting regional communities.
Key programs
The team takes carriage of new priority areas including:
- Regional Development Trust
- Regional Development Advisory Council
- Regional Development Roadmap
- Regional Drought Resilience Planning.
Office of the Cross-Border Commissioner
The Office of the Cross-Border Commissioner advocates for NSW border communities, businesses and organisations on issues that cross state lines.
For more about the Department's role and functions see Department of Regional NSW.