Rural and Regional Adjustment Act 1994

The authority’s primary function is to put approved assistance schemes into effect by—

ensuring the schemes are properly and fairly administered; and

directly giving the assistance the schemes provide for.

The other functions of the authority are—

to arrange for education, training and advice to applicants under approved assistance schemes; and

to negotiate for assistance funding with all levels of government; and

to carry out research into, develop policies on and give advice to the Minister about—

issues affecting persons likely to receive assistance under this Act; and

the financial performance and sustainability of the rural and regional sector in Queensland, in particular, primary producers, small business and other components of the State’s economy; and

areas of need, and assistance, for farmers in financial distress and farming businesses that are unlikely to be financially viable in the long-term, including, for example, ways to restructure a farm debt or to ensure a farmer who stops carrying on a farming business remains in the best possible financial position; and

to review, and give advice to the Minister on—

proposed assistance schemes; and

the implementation of approved assistance schemes; and

economic and other conditions in the rural and regional sectors; and

to consult, and liaise with—

commercial lenders and financial advisers; and

public sector units with the function of helping the rural, regional and small business sectors of the economy, and equivalent entities of other States or the Commonwealth; and

organisations representing the interests of persons likely to receive assistance under this Act; and

to partner with commercial lenders and financial advisors to—

perform another function under this subsection; and

further the object of this Act under section 3; and

to administer authorised interstate schemes or parts of the schemes; and

to perform functions incidental to a function under another paragraph of this subsection; and

to perform other functions given to the authority under this Act or another Act; and

other functions prescribed by regulation.