Mayor Keith Campbell Economic Development Portfolio Report - 13 December

Advancing Regional Innovation Program – South Burnett Water Efficiency Project

The South Burnett Water Efficiency project is underway with crop being planted and designs for the machine at the centre of the project being developed.  The South Burnett project is a little unique across the Wide Bay Burnett suite of projects in that it is agricultural based and also physical in nature.  To this end, it is expected to generate regional interest as the project moves forward and early plans for a field day or similar, showcasing the project and the built machine, have commenced.  The Project Steering Committee will meet again in January to progress project implementation.

Meeting of Business groups

The South Burnett Directions office hosted a meeting of representatives of business groups across the region to discuss ongoing collaboration.  Representatives from Kingaroy Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Nanango Tourism & Development Association and Burnett Inland Economic Development Organisation attended the meeting which allowed the three groups to compare notes/share experiences and discuss implementation of the 2020 South Burnett Economic Development Strategy with Council’s Economic Development staff.  It is anticipated that this meeting will be followed up early in 2018 to further develop working relationships between Council and the region’s business groups.

WBBROC Water for Economic Development

Steve Brown, WBBROC, spoke to a small group of persons interested in water for economic development on 27 November.  The meeting heard from Steve Brown about the work being undertaken by WBBROC and timeline for documentation of a report.  Steve suggested that it was worthwhile for interested parties to come together to discuss water for economic development and that it made sense for all parties upstream of Paradise Dam to work together. Further meetings will be held in 2018 as the WBBROC Water for Economic Development project continues.

Wide Bay Burnett Economic Growth Forum

Thanks to Ken Mills and BIEDO for use of small bus which was used to great effect on the travel to and from the Wide Bay Burnett Economic Growth Forum.  Highlights from the day included the industry talks, with Jason Kinsella representing the South Burnett region.  His story was well received and some of the photos, from flood to every day views, were just amazing.