Vision Statement

Working together to create a thriving future for our island communities

愿景声明 - 携手合作为我们的岛屿社区创造繁荣的未来

Pernyataan visi - Bekerjasama untuk membina masa depan yang berkembang untuk masyarakat pulu kita

Pernyataan wawasa - Sama-sama berusaha mewujudkan masa depan yang berkembang maju untuk komuniti pulau kita

IOT RDO Community Newsletter –
March 2024

About us

The Indian Ocean Territories Regional Development Organisation (IOT RDO) is one of 50 organisations located across Australia that are part of the national Regional Development Australia (RDA) network, funded by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (DITRDCA). The RDA network comprises regional committees made up of local leaders who work with all levels of government, business, and community groups to facilitate and support economic development in their regions. The IOT RDO works to facilitate sustainable development in the Indian Ocean Territories (IOT), and to build strong and confident local economies on both Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Message from the Chair

The IOT RDO is focussed on developing opportunities to collaborate with key regional stakeholders to address the barriers to sustainable development in the region; to support economic activity and diversification; and to achieve improvements in liveability for our communities.

As many of you will be aware, the IOT RDO and the Christmas Island Business Association (CIBA) partnered to commission an independent review of the IOT supply chain, and to form the Joint Committee of key regional stakeholders to provide governance and oversight for the review.

The review is now complete, and the project report and recommendations will be finalised in the coming weeks. I would like to thank the Joint Committee members from the IOT RDO, CIBA, Shire of Christmas Island, Shire of Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and Ms Marion Scrymgour MP, for their time and commitment to the review, and all stakeholders who participated in the consultation process.

The Joint Committee, and its focus on recommending practical solutions to improve the region’s supply chain, has I believe set a new benchmark for collaboration and local input into identifying and progressing solutions to the barriers to sustainable development in the region. It provides a case study which forms a foundation for another of the IOT RDO’s priority activities, being the development of a regional engagement framework for the IOT. The development of the framework will begin in the coming months, and key regional stakeholders will be contacted in due course about how they can participate in the co-design of the framework.

Farzian Zainal
Chair of the Indian Ocean Territories Regional Development Organisation
Administrator of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands

What we’ve been working on

IOT RDO Annual Business Plan 2023-24
IOT RDO Annual Report on Outcomes 2022-23
Committee news
Funding and finance opportunities
IOT Business Directory

IOT RDO Annual Business Plan 2023-24

Each year the IOT RDO develops an annual business plan. This is an operational document that details the organisation’s high-level activities for the coming financial year, including its work program, priorities and resources. It links directly to the IOT RDO 2030 Strategic Regional Plan and the Australian Government’s Regional Investment Framework, and provides operational parameters for the organisation. The IOT RDO Annual Business Plan 2023-24 is available now from our website.

Please find some information below about progress with two of our top priority business activities for 2023-24.

Independent review of the IOT supply chain

The need for an independent review of air freight, shipping and passenger services is identified in the IOT RDO 2030 Strategic Regional Plan. In early 2023, the IOT RDO and the Christmas Island Business Association (CIBA) joined in partnership to commission the review and form a Joint Committee of key regional stakeholders to provide input into and oversee the project. Joint Committee membership includes representatives from the IOT RDO, CIBA, Shire of Christmas Island, Shire of Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and our local Member of Parliament Ms Marion Scrymgour. The review, conducted by Centred Solutions, is complete. The project report will be finalised in the coming weeks, and communications about the report will be issued from the Joint Committee in due course.

Supply ship and barge at the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Photo credit: Shak Keegan.

Regional engagement framework for the IOT

The development of a regional engagement framework for the IOT is identified as a priority in the IOT RDO 2030 Strategic Regional Plan. Commencing in May 2024, the IOT RDO will begin the formal process for the co-design of the framework with key regional stakeholders. The purpose of the regional engagement framework is to bring together all levels of government, the private sector, and other key regional stakeholders, to work together to achieve improvements in local and regional priorities that impact sustainable growth and development, and liveability, that can only be influenced at the macro level. The Joint Committee for the IOT Supply Chain Review is an example of how such a framework can work in practice.

The regional engagement framework will assist with the implementation of the Australian Government's Regional Investment Framework, and will recognise the regional engagement that is already being undertaken by the Australian Government via the Administrator of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, DITRDCA, other government agencies and members of parliament, and the community-level engagement frameworks of local government.

Consultation with key stakeholders is likely to commence mid-year.

Annual Report on Outcomes 2022-23

The IOT RDO Committee has approved the Annual Report on Outcomes 2022-23. The report will be available soon from the Resources section of the IOT RDO website. Key achievements in the reporting period included:

development of the IOT RDO 2030 Strategic Regional Plan;
in partnership with the Christmas Island Business Association, commissioning of the review of the IOT supply chain and establishment of the Joint Committee of key regional stakeholders to oversee the review;
completion of the construction of the pathway and viewing platform on Christmas Island; and
early-stage development of a draft digital action plan for the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Rocky Point Viewing Platform, Christmas Island.

Committee news

Committee memberships

On 1 October 2023, the IOT RDO Chair welcomed the new Committee members for 2023-24, being Shanizah Grant (CKI), Lisa Preston (CI), and Sarah Coote (CI), as well as the continuation of existing members Thomas Battcher (CKI), Stephanie Lai (CI), and David McKinney (CKI).

Annual General Meeting

The IOT RDO Committee held its Annual General Meeting on 6 December 2023. The Committee is pleased to announce its office holders for the next 12 months, being Farzian Zainal - Chairperson, Thomas Battcher – Deputy Chairperson, Shanizah Grant - Secretary, and Stephanie Lai - Treasurer.

IOT RDO Committee meeting 19 March 2024

The IOT RDO Committee held a meeting on 19 March 2024. Agenda items included an update on the IOT supply chain review; a progress report on the implementation of the Annual Business Plan 2023-24; the draft Annual Report on Outcomes 2022-23; and a presentation on the development of a regional engagement framework for the IOT. The next meeting is scheduled for late May on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Funding and finance opportunities

A focus area for the IOT RDO is to support the development of local business and organisation capability and capacity, so that local businesses are able to realise their potential and obtain maximum benefits from emerging opportunities. Part of the IOT RDO's work in this area is to identify and inform our local communities about funding and finance opportunities. The latest opportunities are available from the Grants section of the IOT RDO website.

IOT Business Directory

The IOT RDO developed the IOT Business Directory to showcase the business community in our region, and to shine a light on the local resources and skills that are available. The IOT RDO advocates for local training and employment opportunities for all projects in the IOT. If you would like to add or update your business details on the directory, please visit the website and complete the online form.

Working together to create a thriving future for our island communities

Our door is always open. Please reach out to Committee members or our Director if you have issues that you would like to discuss or bring to the Committee’s attention.

Chair: Farzian Zainal
Deputy Chair: Thomas Battcher
Committee Members: Stephanie Lai, David McKinney, Shanizah Grant, Lisa Preston and Sarah Coote
Director: Bianca McKinney