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Committee Chair

The RDA Committee Chair has overall responsibility for setting strategic direction and ensuring that objectives and outcomes of their RDA Committee are achieved. They appoint the Deputy Chair (following Ministerial agreement) and the members.

The Chair has a hands-on role and is active in facilitating economic development opportunities for the region. 

The Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories appoints the Chair in all states except Victoria and South Australia.

In Victoria, all Chairs are appointed jointly by the Australian Government Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories and the Victorian Minister for Regional Development. In South Australia, the Chair is appointed jointly by the Australian Government Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, the South Australian Minister for Regional Development and the President of the Local Government Association of South Australia.

Individual RDAs may also advertise Chair vacancies via relevant online and media platforms, for example LinkedIn, Facebook and newspapers (online and print).

RDA Committee Chair position vacancies are now open for:

  • NSW: Central Coast, Central West, Far West, Hunter, Mid North Coast, Murray, Northern Inland, Northern Rivers, Orana, Riverina, Sydney
  • QLD: Brisbane, Central and Western Queensland, Darling Downs and South West, Gold Coast, Ipswich and West Moreton, Logan and Redlands, Townsville and North West Queensland, Tropical North, Wide Bay Burnett
  • SA: Adelaide Hills Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island, Adelaide Metropolitan, Barossa Gawler Light Adelaide Plains, Eyre Peninsula, Limestone Coast, Murraylands and Riverland, Yorke and Mid North 
  • WA: Goldfields Esperance, Great Southern, Kimberley, Mid West and Gascoyne, Peel, Perth, Pilbara, South West, Wheatbelt
  • Victoria: Grampians, Hume, Loddon Mallee, Melbourne
  • Northern Territory
  • Tasmania

Successful applicants will commence in their role from 1 April 2025 with the exception of the RDA Brisbane Chair position, where the successful applicant will commence from 1 July 2025.

Applicants will need to respond to selection criteria, based on the RDA Charter, which addresses the requirements of the role. These requirements are:

  1. Leadership and governance – experience in leading organisations including an understanding of the relevant governance and performance management principles as they relate to volunteer committees.
  2. Delivery focus – experience in leading high performing organisations that have had success in achieving outcomes within tight timeframes and in a difficult and complex environment.
  3. Stakeholder engagement – experience managing a broad range of stakeholders in a complex environment to achieve successful outcomes.
  4. Representational skills – experience representing regional, business and/or industry interests, highly developed networks and networking skills, can collaborate with integrity, transparency, respect and accountability, and an ability to translate these into economic development opportunities.
  5. Commitment to the region – have a clear and strong commitment to the region including an understanding of local/state issues and how the RDA(s) can broker solutions to these issues. Members of standalone Capital City RDAs should reside in the capital city, and/or have strong relationships with regional and capital city stakeholders.
  6. Commitment to diversity – have a clear and strong commitment to diversity, including building strong relationships with diverse communities, especially First Nations people, and supporting gender equality opportunities.

Applicants will also need to provide two referees, and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts may conduct other probity related checks if required.

Please contact the RDA Program Management Team by email at rdaapplications@infrastructure.gov.au if you have any queries about the application process

Read more about RDA Chairs here: Better Practice Guide (BPG) PDF: 1.24 MB.

Persons interested in applying should refer to the RDA Chair Information Pack PDF: 254 KB. This contains all of the information needed to make an informed decision about applying for a position.

Click here to complete and submit an application form (this is the preferred method)

Alternatively, you can:

All applications must include a brief Curriculum Vitae.

Please note when completing the application form:

  • Other attachments such as Letters of Support, Awards and Certificates etc. are not necessary and will not be considered as part of the appointment selection process.
  • *(Asterisk) denotes questions where responses are mandatory. Responses must be provided to all mandatory questions before the form can be submitted including those listed on the Private Interests Declaration and in the Consent and Declaration sections.
  • Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
  • Receipt of your application will be acknowledged immediately after submitting the form online, or within 5 working days if submitting via email, and will include a PDF copy of your application. You should keep a copy of your completed form for your own records.
  • Further information may be requested from applicants during the assessment process.
  • For your application to be considered, it must be submitted through the processes indicated above.

Applications close on Monday 23 December, 5pm local time.

The department will advise of the application outcomes in due course.