Country Cabinet is an initiative by the South Australian government whereby they visit regional locations around the state and hear from local people about matters affecting them and their communities.
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Problems and Purpose
Regional communities make a "major contribution to South Australia’s identity, quality of life and prosperity" [1]. Regions "generate much of the state’s wealth, contributing more than $20 billion" towards the South Australian economy [1]. Local residents have the opportunity to attend a community forum to share their ideas about how to make their region a more prosperous and thriving place. The agenda for each Country Cabinet is informed and driven by issues raised by the local community during an extensive pre-engagement process.
The forum is usually held on a Sunday night and involves a casual BBQ followed by a Q&A session with the community and ministers.
The Premier and Cabinet Ministers also hold their cabinet meeting in the region and attend a series of events and meetings with key leaders and community organisations in the area.
Background History and Context
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Organizing, Supporting, and Funding Entities
Country Cabinet is part of a range of programmes to engage citizens in decision-making initiated by the South Australian government.
Participant Recruitment and Selection
Country Cabinet is open to all local residents of various regions visited. Since August 2014 there have been Country Cabinets in the Riverlands, Adelaide Hills, West Coast, Mid North, Barossa and the Lower North, Limestone Coast, Port Augusta and Northern Flinders Ranges.
Methods and Tools Used
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Deliberation, Decisions, and Public Interaction
Local residents have the opportunity to attend a community forum to share their ideas about how to make their region a more prosperous and thriving place. The agenda for each Country Cabinet is informed and driven by issues raised by the local community during an extensive pre-engagement process. The Premier and Cabinet Ministers also hold their cabinet meeting in the region and attend a series of events and meetings with key leaders and community organisations in the area.
Influence, Outcomes, and Effects
Following the event, the government collates feedback from each regional event into an issues paper. This is then made available on the YourSAy Engagements site, so that the community can review the paper and provide further feedback and comments.
Within 90 days, the government agencies responsible for the various issues raised respond to the paper and a report is released. All reports from past Country Cabinets are available through the YourSAy website.
Analysis and Lessons Learned
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See Also
References
[1] Government of South Australia. (n.d.). Country South Australia. Immigration South Australia. Retrieved from https://www.migration.sa.gov.au/live-work/living-here/country-south-australia
External Links
http://yoursay.sa.gov.au/initiatives/country-cabinet
Department of the Premier and the Cabinet
Labor heads back out to the country for the first Community Cabinet meetings
Community Cabinet to extend regional visits
Country Cabinet meetings revived for regional SA
Notes
Lead Image: Country Cabinet https://goo.gl/TAC87J