The 2008 Economic Development Awards (the ED Awards) were presented at a gala dinner in Brisbane on 8 October. Attended by more than 250 economic development managers from Local Government, regional development agencies and State departments, as well as Councillors from across Australia, the awards ceremony was held on the evening of day one of the National Economic Development Conference.
More than 60 councils, regional bodies, State Government and private sector organisations submitted entries to the 2008 awards. New Economic Development Australia (EDA) Chairman, Stephen Chapple, congratulated the winners and finalists and commended all who had put entries into the 2008 awards. He also thanked the judging panel for their contribution and acknowledged the generous support of sponsors.
In addition to the eight awards, the outgoing Chair of EDA, David Keenan, was presented with a special award for outstanding excellence for his major contribution to the development of the EDA from a state based body into an influential national organisation for economic development managers.
The winners are listed below, together with a brief profile of their award submissions.
Strategic Economic Development
Award – National
(Sponsor Delfin Lend Lease)
Finalists: Andrew Millen (Sunraysia Mallee Economic Development Board), Mayor Roberto Paino (Wangaratta Rural City Council) and David Morgans (Tourism Queensland)
Winner: Wangaratta Rural City Council
One vital aspect of the project is the $250,000 pilot program under the Make Your Career Happen initiative of Regional Development Victoria. In a fine example of productive collaboration, the program has been instigated across three neighbouring municipalities: Moira Shire, the City of Greater Shepparton and as well as the initiating body, the Rural City of Wangaratta.
Strategic Economic Development Award – Regional
(Sponsor Regional
Development Victoria)
Finalists: Michel Wendst (Sunshine Coast Regional Council), Councillor Brenda Martin (Belmont City Council) and Councillor Adam Atmaca (Cities of Hume and Whittlesea).
Winner: Cities of Whittlesea and Hume
An initiative of the Cities of Whittlesea and Hume in northern Melbourne, the Plenty Food website aims to elevate the region’s food suppliers to local, national and international buyers and is indeed paying dividends.
Economic Development Marketing Award
(Sponsor Telstra)
Finalists: Suzette Sutton (Gold Coast City Council), Alicia Keogh (Greater Shepparton City Council) and Serge Markov (Parramatta City Council)
Winner: Greater Shepparton City Council
Established by Greater Shepparton City Council in 1998, the Shepparton Show Me project is successfully reinvigorating Shepparton’s local commercial and retail sector and cultivating a rosy outlook for the region in the long term. Funded by more than 1,700 businesses within the boundary of the CBD, Shepparton Show Me generates impressive annual revenues of more than half a million dollars.
Indigenous Economic Development Award
(Sponsor Australian Made Campaign)
Finalists: Andrew Harvey and Annette Schooner (Ipswich City Council) and Glenn Hickling (City of Onkaparinga)
Winner: City of Onkaparinga
In recognition of Southern Adelaide region’s Indigenous population – a significant one per cent of the total population – the City of Onkaparinga has trialled an approach to reflect the broader community by lifting its Indigenous staffing levels to one per cent.
With a total staff size approaching 600, the initial target was to employ six Aboriginal people. The City focused on the new Aboriginal Employment Program within the emerging Aboriginal School Based Apprenticeships model, aimed at encouraging young people into a career in Local Government.
Economic Development Partnerships Award
(Sponsor SGS Economics & Planning)
Finalists: Steve Waugh (City of Kingston), Lynda Bredin (Glen Eira Council), Trevor Sargeant (Port Macquarie-Hastings Council) and Bill Millard (Warnambool City Council)
Winner: Port Macquarie Hastings Council
In partnership with its local business community, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has implemented a progressive economic strategy titled ‘Building a High Performance Business Community’. Driven by people committed to increasing the area’s level of sustainable business activity, the focus of the strategy is on growth oriented businesses that are planning to sell products and services beyond the local area and to become globally connected.
Environmental Economic Innovation Award
(Sponsor Sensis)
Finalists: Kim Appleby (Hornsby Shire Council), Helen Ruddell (City of Yarra), Maria-Luisa Nardella (Hume City Council) and Michael Pickering (Logan City Council)
Winner: Logan City Council
SouthWest 1 is best described as a leading 120 hectare integrated environmental, recreation and Mixed Industry Business Area precinct – and all the indications suggest that it sets a new benchmark for public enterprise development. This unique project, which incorporates the latest in ecologically sustainable design and high end communication technologies, is reputedly one of the largest commercial and industrial developments undertaken by a Local Government in the Southern Hemisphere.
Economic Development Leadership
Award – Elected Members
(Sponsor Essential Economics)
Finalists: Bill McDonald (Caloundra City Enterprises), Ian O’Loan (Regional Development South Australia) and Councillor Paul Pisasale (Ipswich City Council)
Winner: Ian O’Loan
Epitomising the role of the dedicated public servant, Ian O’Loan has worked for more than two decades in serving his community, region, State and the nation in the economic development field.
Ian was in the middle of negotiations for this year’s new Five year Resource Agreements between Regional Development Boards and the Department of Trade and Economic Development in South Australia. He was the guiding impetus behind a new marketing program in his community of Mallala, and led the Yorke Regional Development Board in its successful quest to attract $2.5 billion worth of development to the region.
Economic Development Leadership
Award – Employee
(Sponsor Queensland Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry)
Finalists: Gerrie Carr-MacFie (Sunshine Coast Enterprises) and Jeff Bothe (City of Greater Bendigo)
Winner: Jeff Bothe
Jeff Bothe is the Industry Development Officer in the Business Development Unit of the City of Greater Bendigo, which is Victoria’s third largest urban centre.
With a population of more than 100,000 and industries that pump around $8 billion into the economy each year, Bendigo has won a reputation for dynamism in reshaping its industrial life in the past decade.
For further information, visit www.edaustralia.com.au
