RDA Southern Inland's Southern Highlands Stakeholders Dinner held at Southern Highlands Brewing & Taphouse on 23 June was a great success! Almost 50 locals joined us to network and meet the new business support people servicing the Wingecarribee Shire.

Retail and hospitality businesses across the region are telling us this has been the quietest January on record and that the challenge to maintain their workforce while mitigating the covid landscape is overwhelming.

With the expected upsurge in regional travel from this weekend, we know we’ll be hearing from many of our small business owners about the issues of finding staff. Workforce development is a key strategic pillar for RDASI and we’re pleased to be working closely with the Local Jobs Facilitators in the Illawarra South Coast and Canberra regions as part of the Local Jobs Program funded by the Federal Government.

Looking forward, RDASI has an exciting year ahead filled with new opportunities, ideas and a few very big changes. Our most significant change is the appointment of our new chair to our board. RDASI welcomes Yass local, Rowena Abbey to our team. Rowena comes to us with years of economic development experience, being the Yass Valley council Mayor along with extensive business acumen and a dedication to Regional NSW.