Business Council looking for runs on the board

September 24, 2013

The Sunshine Coast Business Council (SCBC) today gave its qualified support to the Sunshine Coast Council’s newly launched Regional Economic Development Strategy, saying that while it was a good step forward for the region, the real test would lie in the Council’s ability to work with the community to implement the strategy’s objectives.

The Sunshine Coast Council’s strategy aims to triple the Sunshine Coast economy by 2033, provide 100,000 jobs in high-valued industries and increase the average household income level to above the state average.

SCBC Chair Sandy Zubrinich said research released by the Business Council in 2011 highlighted the under-performance of the region’s economy compared to comparable regions across Australia, and the urgent need for the region’s government and business leaders to take action.

“The adoption of this strategy effectively gets the Sunshine Coast to the starting line.  We now have an agreed strategy, agreed infrastructure priorities and an agreement from the Council to work collaboratively towards delivering a brighter economic future for the residents and business owners of the Sunshine Coast, which the business community has been requesting for several years,” Ms Zubrinich said.

Ms Zubrinich said while most people on the Coast would be supportive of improving the region’s economy, the key to success would lie in the council’s ability work with key stakeholders to implement the strategy.

“We remain concerned that delivering the objectives of the strategy relies on the business community doing the heavy lifting, without any clear explanation from Council about how this would be funded, resourced and monitored.”

“An SCBC survey conducted in late 2012 of global investment companies already investing, or looking to invest in the region, revealed our region’s economy is not currently viewed as strong in comparison to competing regions such as the Gold Coast, Gladstone and Ipswich.”

“The SCBC Investment Survey demonstrates that the investment environment has changed significantly since the Global Financial Crisis — we are now competing with every other region in Australia for new investment so we have a big mountain to climb.”

“The key will therefore be how the implementation strategy differentiates the Sunshine Coast from our competitors in regard to attracting investment and this requires a fundamental shift in how Council tackles the economic development portfolio.”

“The business community is looking to council to change its culture to one which welcomes new investment to the region,” Ms Zubrinich said.

As part of the strategy, Sunshine Coast Council has identified a number of high-valued industries including health and well-being; education and research; tourism, sport and leisure; knowledge industries and professional services; agribusiness; aviation and aerospace and clean technologies, which are expected to provide 100,000 jobs by 2033.

Ms Zubrinich said the concept of the seven high-valued industries was sound, provided each had an implementation plan that supported the strategy’s overarching goals and was supported by the key stakeholders, including all levels of government, community and business leaders and Sunshine Coast residents.

“We also acknowledge the urgent need to deliver the game-changer projects identified in the strategy such as the expansion of the Sunshine Coast Airport, the upgrade of the Bruce Highway and the delivery of the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.  We would now like to see Council appoint senior and experienced project directors for each of these projects to provide single-point responsibility for their delivery,” Ms Zubrinich said.

“There needs to be accountability in regard to the delivery of the strategy and this will require a high level of expertise and a significant commitment of budget.  While we will support the Sunshine Coast Council in any way possible in achieving these goals, these two requirements will be essential to their success.”

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Interviews:  Ms Zubrinich is available for interviews on request.

Media contact: Kristen Roder, Fresh PR & Marketing, 0406 546 461, kristen@freshprm.com.au

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