We explore the question challenging many regional leaders: should our region deepen its current economic specialisations and strengths, or do we need to diversify to improve our resilience? Professor Andrew Beer, Executive Dean of UniSA Business and leading authority in Australia on economic structural change presents on research his team completed for the RAI looking into specialisation and diversification as pathways for growth and resilience in Regional Australia. Professor Beer’s research has shown that there can be economic gains from both strategies, depending on the region, and he will highlight the success factors identified by the research that help regional leaders identify which pathway offers the greatest rewards for their community. The second session features a panel with a focus on how digital technology can be the power to supercharge regional businesses, especially in a post-COVID-19 economy.
The Hon Mark Coulton MP
Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government
The role of the creative industries in regions are more than just “feel-good” – the sector is the economic backbone of many regional areas. The panel speak to this economic role, and how a range of creative industry businesses have adapted in response to challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Sarah Stanley
Chair, Collie Community Bank; President, Shire of Collie; Director, Gumfire Marketing
The panel discuss how the tourism industry has changed over the course of the pandemic, and what it might look like in the future, even when borders reopen. Panellists will share their insights about how local tourism operators can attract visitors from their own backyard, and will ask, is this enough to fill the void left by national and international visitors?
Coralie Bell
Chair,
Australian Regional Tourism
COVID-19 restrictions have put a strain on many sectors in regional Australia, and this webinar will focus on Health from economic and community perspectives. The panel analyse how the Health sector in regional Australia has coped and adapted during the challenges imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, and how it can transition during this time and into the future.
As COVID-19 continues to disrupt the world as we know it, we are starting to see the impacts of schemes like JobKeeper, and how the labour market as a whole is reacting and changing across various sectors. After everything we have been through, are regions potentially the key to ensuring a quick and strong recovery from the economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis? The panel discuss the resilience of our regions and how we might come out of this period stronger than ever. When the regions are strong, the nation is strong.
Alexandra Gartmann
CEO Rural Bank and GroupExecutive Partnerships, Marketing and Corporate Affairs Bendigo and Adelaide Bank
Ivan Neville
Labour Market Research and Analysis Branch Manager, Department of Education, Skills and Environment
Our latest research busts the urban myth that people are leaving the regions in droves. In May, we shared our headline piece of data that regional Australia had a net inflow of over 65,000 people in the last census period – more people chose to move from the capital cities to the regions than the other way around. Join the panel for an engaging discussion about the population trends of the last decade as we unveil our report, The Big Movers: Understanding Population Mobility in Australia.
Cr Chris Bilkey
Mayor
Murray River Council
Liz, Marnie, and the Minister discuss the benefits of focusing on the regions as the nation begins to recover from the health and economic crises that COVID-19 has triggered. There will be an overview and wide ranging discussion on regions and local government’s response.
Marnie Baker
Managing Director
Bendigo and Adelaide Bank
Hon Mark Coulton MP
Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications, and Local Government