Mayor Keith Campbell - Economic Development Portfolio Report - 15 February 2017

Regional Innovation Hub

The State Government recently announced the Regional Innovation Program which is only available to 12 Queensland Regional Areas one of which is the Wide Bay Burnett.

This program presents the opportunity to build upon innovation in the South Burnett by working with Red Earth Foundation and in conjunction with other Wide Bay Burnett Councils through Wide Bay Regional Organisation of Councils (WBBROC).

A workshop was held with a number of local businesses to identify local innovative projects that may meet the program guidelines. It’s early days but the group is scoping two (2) projects:

• Water irrigation efficiency
• Fast telecommunications to support innovative projects in the region

I look forward to being involved in the scoping of these projects and providing feedback in the future.

Southern Queensland Country Tourism Conference

Southern Queensland Country Tourism (SQCT) chose the South Burnett – Kingaroy - to hold their annual conference. Around 100 delegates attended the 2 day conference including the Minister for Tourism Kate Jones and Mayors and Councillors from our neighbouring regions.

Our Visitor Information Centre staff did a great job setting up local business displays during the conference.

South Burnett Rewards

The unique shop local program has over 3,700 members signed on in the region to our South Burnett Rewards program. This has been growing at a great rate since the marketing campaign launch in January, with a substantial customer boost noted when the voucher competition started in February. This marketing campaign has focused in on Social Media which has proven successful for our community target group and local businesses with a great achievement of over 30,000 views on Facebook of our 50 promoted businesses. The Program has also seen an unpredicted growth in mobile phone application users, particularly now that some of our businesses are utilising ‘purchase forward’ technology which allows customers to place an order before arriving in store to pick it up. Over half of the businesses have now awarded a lucky customer with a $100 Voucher, which is encouraging shoppers to visit local shops which they may not have been in before.

For our businesses, the South Burnett Rewards campaign is proving successful by encouraging positive experiences in store through positive reinforcement through rewards. This service complemented by a marketing campaign support through Social Media has increased awareness and promoted local businesses, products and services that can be experienced in the South Burnett with no need to travel. Our businesses often have a diverse range of products which may not be appreciated unless you’ve been a customer in store. Businesses who have been part of the campaign have received technology assistance, tips to best utilise the REWARDLE technology and marketing advice through weekly newsletters as well as regular contact from project officers.

There are still $100 Vouchers to be won, with each store continuing to host their own rewards for purchases in their store. Make sure you grab a card and get swiping where you see a red flag out front to be rewarded for choosing local.

Works for Queensland

The Palaszczuk Government’s $200 million Works for Queensland infrastructure program to help spark job creation in the region has been a real boost to this Council. The $4.26 million provided to the South Burnett has been allocated to approximately 37 projects across the region. The program certainly serves as a reminder of the value councils can add to government efforts to encourage regional economic development.

I have formally written to the Premier and Deputy Premier thanking them for the Works for Queensland program. Of course, for such programs to have a lasting economic and employment impact they need to be backed up with further investment, both public and private.

Works for Queensland has demonstrated the effectiveness of local government’s partnership with the State Government. The strengthening of that partnership can only be to the long term good of Queensland, a point that could be reaffirmed by this Council moving a resolution thanking the Government and requesting that Works for Queensland remain until regional unemployment trends down to the state and national level.