Regional Development Australia (RDA) Illawarra is pleased to provide this submission on the Draft Illawarra Escarpment Mountain Bike Strategy.

RDA Illawarra supports the implementation of the proposed Illawarra Escarpment Mountain Bike Strategy, as it:

• Enables Mountain Biking, which is one of the fastest growing adventurebased tourism activities, and is generating world-wide tourism benefits
• Is time to build a world-class Mountain Biking destination in the Illawarra that is well-planned and managed
• Is aligned with NSW, regional and local tourism strategies
• Is mindful of the unique biodiversity and important Aboriginal and nonindigenous culture heritage values, which have a low tolerance for disturbance
• Supports economic development of a significant Illawarra economic catalytic site, the Illawarra escarpment, including Mount Keira

RDA Illawarra provided a submission which responded to the questions identified in the Inquiry into National Freight and Supply Chain Priorities Discussion Paper, May 2017 in relation to Urban Growth Pressures and Port Corridor Pressures.

In summary, the submission outlines that the Illawarra’s economy is increasingly linked with Sydney’s. The Illawarra can support the freight challenge of NSW, if it is considered as a key part of an integrated freight transport system. The construction of the Maldon-Dombarton rail line is required to optimise the port of Port Kembla’s growth.

The Maldon-Dombarton rail line construction would also reduce pressure on Sydney’s road and rail networks, as well as the Illawarra’s passenger rail line and road networks. If freight could be removed from the South Coast rail line, this line could benefit from a more reliable and faster passenger service.

RDA Illawarra's response to "Transitioning Regional Economies Productivity Commission Initial Report Overview & Initial Findings, April 2017" was twofold:

• To address the Commission's Terms of Reference: "examine the prospects for change to the structure of each region's economy and factos that may inhibit this or otherwise prevent a broad sharing of opportunity, consistent with the national growth outlook"
• "To comment on the policy framework's assumptions, themes and observations as they relate to the adaptive capacity of the Illawarra region