Dr Gaye Hart AM, Chair of Regional Development Australia (RDA) Hunter congratulated Hunter Valley Research Foundation (HVRF) on the opening of their newly refurbished Maryville Research Centre.

The $1 million HVRF upgrade was made possible by a $698,000 funding grant from the Australian Government’s Regional Development Australia Fund.

During her presentation at today’s event, where The Hon Joel Fitzgibbon officially opened the facility, Dr Hart acknowledged the contribution HVRF has made to regional development. An extract of her presentation follows,

My association with HVRF over nearly 20 years, first, through TAFE in days gone by: then, through various local Boards and organisations such as HMRI and NPC; and, more recently as Chair of RDA Hunter I know firsthand how ready access to good quality and independent local research and data analysis contributes to successful advocacy, positioning and marketing of the region; and, as such, enhances the comparative advantage of this region.

The credibility of RDA Hunter is highly dependent upon being able to present a strategic and evidence based business case for regional priorities and for that we have often turned to HVRF for support e.g.

Our advocacy for investment in infrastructure; and our successful case for doubling of the Tourle Street Bridge have been cogently supported by HVRF assessments of infrastructure and productivity within the Hunter Region.

HVRF research and information provided rigour for our recently launched Innovation Scorecard and gave credibility to our claims that this is as a vibrantly innovative region; an attribute many regions claim to be but, thanks to HVRF, the Hunter can actually produce the evidence.

Similarly, HVRFs regional community wellbeing survey supports our efforts to improve social inclusion and foster an even level of participation in the regional economy.

A particular highlight for RDA Hunter has been partnering with HVRF to bring demographer Bernard Salt to the Community Lecture Series in 2010 (650 guests). I mention this because ‘population’ is sometimes a controversial conversation. And while there is some disparity between RDAs aspirational goal of a million people and HVRFs projections of a lesser figure, our partnership has enabled the debate to be based on facts and figures rather than the emotion that often surrounds discussion about economic growth and population.

RDA Hunter supported this building project because we saw it as a contributing to our vision for the Hunter as a strong, vibrant and inclusive economy in a carbon-constrained future.

I am confident that these fine new facilities will stimulate an upward turn on the trend line showing HVRFs success and effectiveness: as a provider of independent and reliable research, as a community partner and an enabler of regional growth and well-being.