November 2007:  the change of government following the federal election heralded a new approach for Australia's regional development.

March 2008:   the commonwealth government announced that Australia's network of 54 Area Consultative Committees (ACCs) were to transition to become Regional Development Australia (RDA), with a role to be determined following consultation.

May 2008:  the commonwealth government's 2008-09 Budget was delivered, closing the Regional Partnerships program and announcing a new Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program (RLCIP). 

Later in May, the commonwealth government requested ACCs undertake extensive consultation with their regional communities, businesses and governments to provide advice on:

• ways of improving the engagement of regional communities, regional development organisations and local government with the Australian Government;
• principles and priorities for the new Regional and Local Community infrastructure Program (RLCIP) to be developed as part of the 2009-10 Budget; and
• priorities for the types of local community infrastructure that could encourage economic development in local communities.

July - December 2008

Throughout this period, the Capital Region ACC (CR-ACC) undertook extensive regional consultation, organising five Community Consultation Workshops, a Local Government Consultation Workshop plus numerous face-to-face meetings with key regional stakeholders.

Three reports were submitted to government providing comprehensive advice on the establishment of Regional Development Austraila (RDA), regional funding programs, and regional infrastructure and investment needs and priorities:

• Report 1 – Regional Development Australia – Capital Region, 31 August 2008;
• Report 2 – Principles and priorities for the new Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program, 31 October 2008; and
• Report 3 – Priorities for types of local community infrastructure, 31 October 2008.

July:  a Submission was made to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government - Inquiry into a New Regional Development Funding Program.

November:  in light of information gathered during the extensive regional consultation process, a Supplementary Submission was made to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government - Inquiry into a New Regional Development Funding Program.

December:  the commonwealth and NSW governments released a joint media statement announcing new transitional arrangements between the two governments whereby in NSW, ACCs and Regional Development Boards (RDBs) would align to form RDA Committees.  A Memorandum of Understanding was being developed between the commonwealth, NSW and ACT governments that included arrangements for interim RDA Committees that would guide the transition from ACCs/RDBs to RDAs, boundaries for RDA regions were being determined, and Expressions of Interest were about to be sought for Interim Committee membership.

January – September 2009

January-June: the CR-ACC held numerous Board and Committee meetings to review the impact of the transition to RDA and to make plans to ameliorate any negative impacts.  Early plans were made based on the scenario that the CR-ACC would wind up operations as part of that transition.

21 January:  advice was received that the ACT government had formally advised the Hon Gary Gray AO MP that it would like a stand-alone arrangement with the commonwealth government regarding RDA; that is, it would no longer be part of a larger NSW regional development organisation as it was previously, but would maintain close ties and linkages.

March:  a formal announcement of the RDA regions in NSW was made.  The implication here was that the CR-ACC and the Capital Region Development Board were being transitioned into two separate RDAs:  RDA ACT and RDA Southern Inland, with some realignment of boundaries for both.

May:  letters were sent to Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and Departmental Secretaries that included summary extracts of the findings of CR-ACC's regional consultations - key themes and issues relevant to their portfolio, to advise them of relevant outcomes of regional consultations.

25 May:  a ceremonial signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the commonwealth (Parliamentary Secretary Gary Gray AO MP) and ACT governments (Chief Minister Jon Stanhope MLA) signalling formal agreement to establish and jointly fund Regional Development Australia ACT.

At the same time, Ministers announced nine appointments to the RDA ACT transitional Committee that were to take effect from the inaugural meeting of RDA ACT, including five Members from the Capital Region ACC:  David Malloch (Deputy Chair), David Gregory, Christopher Bourke, Faye Powell and Elizabeth Brown; to be joined by former Members of the NSW Capital Region Development Board:  Ross Barrett (Chair), John Howard, Diane Hinds and Marita Corra (Note:  Faye Powell had been a member of both organisations.)

May-September:  CR-ACC worked with commonwealth and ACT government officials to make preparations for the establishment of RDA ACT - including providing advice on the organisation’s objects and the new rules of incorporation and transition arrangements.

30 June:  the three-year funding contract for ACCs expired; however the CR-ACC was not wound up (as were the ACCs in NSW) but became a continuing entity until the special resolution to become incorporated as RDA ACT Inc. was affected.

June-September :  CR-ACC undertook the necessary steps to remove commonwealth ACC branding and logos from its stationery and website and produced a final edition of the monthly ACCent newsletter.  ACC material was boxed for archives, and new staff were appointed to replace the departing CR-ACC Executive Officer and Projects Officer.

19 August :  Member Induction - Members of the RDA ACT Committee came together for the first time for an official induction session. Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Maxine McKew MP, met with Committee Members to discuss their roles, responsibilities and ideas.

21 September:  CR-ACC’s final Committee meeting (and Farewell Dinner) that included a special resolution to accept the rules and objects of RDA ACT and the resignations of non on-going Members of the CR-ACC.

28 September:  RDA ACT officially commenced when the ACT Office of Regulatory Services accepted the name Regional Development Australia ACT Inc., along with the new rules and objects of the organisation.