Former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk will join some of the Sunshine Coast’s most influential council, industry and development leaders next month to examine how more than $20 billion in public and private investment expected over the next 15 years will shape the region’s future.
The Sunshine Coast Business Council (SCBC) conference – The Economy, Catalytic Investment, What to Expect – is being held at UniSC on Wednesday, 7 October.
SCBC Chair Sandy Zubrinich said this conference provides a rare opportunity to not only look at how far the Sunshine Coast economy had progressed over the past decade or so, but to hear directly from those helping shape its next phase.
“More than a decade ago, the Sunshine Coast made some very deliberate decisions about the type of economy it wanted to build and the infrastructure and investment needed to support that,” Ms Zubrinich said.
“Many of the projects identified as ‘game changers’ in the 2013 Regional Economic Development Strategy are now part of the fabric of our region and have helped to fundamentally changed our economy.
“But we are now at another important point in our growth story. With an estimated $20 billion in public and private investment projected over the next 15 years, significant population growth and Brisbane 2032 on the horizon, the decisions we make now will have consequences well beyond the Games.
“This conference gives business and community leaders access to an exceptional line-up of people who can help us understand where our economy sits today, what has driven our progress and, importantly, what we need to get right from here.”
Renowned national economist Stephen Walters from Optimal Economics will open the economic discussion with his assessment of the Australian economy and the major forces likely to influence growth and investment in the years ahead.
He will be followed by respected economist Michael Campbell from Lucid Economics, who will reveal findings from new research commissioned by SCBC and RDA Moreton Bay & Sunshine Coast examining the economic performance of the Sunshine Coast and the contribution by the region’s major ‘game changer’ projects.
Ms Zubrinich said the combination would give attendees the opportunity to consider the Sunshine Coast’s performance within the context of the broader national economy.
“We don’t often get the opportunity to have national economic analysis followed immediately by evidence-based research into our own regional economy,” Ms Zubrinich said.
“It will allow us to move beyond anecdotal assessments of how the Sunshine Coast is performing and really understand what the data tells us about the impact of the investments made over the past decade.”
Former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk will deliver the conference keynote, bringing a particularly timely perspective as the Sunshine Coast prepares for the opportunities and challenges associated with Brisbane 2032.
Mr Quirk served as Brisbane Lord Mayor from 2011 to 2019, has been a board member of Infrastructure Australia and chaired the independent 2024 review into venues for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Drawing on this vast experience, he will explore how major catalytic investment can be leveraged to create enduring economic, social and community benefits – and what the Sunshine Coast can learn as it prepares for one of the most significant periods of investment in its history.
Mr Quirk will then participate in a panel discussion alongside Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli, Walker Corporation’s Peter Saba, who is in charge of delivering key elements of the Maroochydore City Centre – Australia’s largest greenfield CBD – and Stockland’s David Laner whose portfolio includes Aura, Australia’s largest master-planned community here on the Sunshine Coast. The session, facilitated by Jess Caire, Queensland Executive Director at the Property Council of Australia, will focus on the opportunities, challenges and priorities that will determine how the region manages its next phase of growth and gives our business community direct access to the people at the centre of many of these decisions.
Ms Zubrinich said having government and major private-sector investors at the same table would be one of the most valuable elements of the conference.
“We have a substantial investment pipeline ahead of us, but investment alone does not guarantee the best outcomes,” she said.
“The real question is how we harness that investment to create the jobs, infrastructure, productivity, housing, connectivity and liveability our growing region needs.
“If you have an interest in where the Sunshine Coast is heading over the next decade and beyond, this is a conversation you should be part of.”
The conference will be held at the UniSC Auditorium from 12.15pm to 5pm on Wednesday, 7 October with tickets available at https://www.trybooking.com/DPHTW.
About the Sunshine Coast Business Council
Sunshine Coast Business Council remains the peak business advocacy body on the Sunshine Coast, with membership spanning key national and regional industry groups and major private-sector employers across tourism, property, construction, retail, finance, telecommunications and professional services. Through this network the Sunshine Coast Business Council touches approximately 10,000 businesses.
