July 12, 2023
The State Government is inviting public feedback about the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA) and how it operates.
A statutory review is under way into the Rural and Regional Adjustment Act 1994, under which QRIDA operates.
QRIDA handles many government funding schemes, including natural disaster assistance and Rural Economic Development Grants, as well as the Household Waste Payment Scheme and the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Scheme.
In 2021-22, it approved more than 53,400 grants and loans applications totalling $657 million.
“QRIDA is the primary vehicle for the delivery of the Palaszczuk Government’s assistance to victims of natural disasters as well as to many other individuals and businesses across Queensland. It’s essential that this assistance be provided as efficiently and expeditiously as possible,” Agriculture Minister Mark Furner said.
“While the current arrangements are working well, it is always possible to do better, so I look forward to suggestions and proposals from the public on how we can improve the delivery of these schemes.”
The Act requires a review of its provisions every 10 years.
The government has released a discussion paper which is seeking feedback on issues including customer experience, streamlining, public accountability and transparency, QRIDA’s powers of recovering assistance provided and the scope of QRIDA schemes.
The review does not include funding levels or the details of decisions or assistance provided under individual assistance schemes.
The discussion paper is available on the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries’ e-Hub engagement website
Submissions close at midnight on July 28.
