The Good Oil by Rod Brown*
As a callow youth, I was led to believe that Victoria was the smartest State in the Commonwealth. In an insulated environment, who could ever question Premier Bolte or the Melbourne Sun? South Australians had a serious chip on their shoulders. Queenslanders’ brains suffered from the combined effects of XXXX and sunshine. And occasional forays to Sin City confirmed that NSW citizens were inferior in so many ways. Melbourne was an absolute hotbed of style and innovation.
Fast forward to the 21st century, where we have North Sydney, Noosa, the Gold Coast and Canberra claiming to be home to the brightest and most creative people. While this might be dismissed as harmless posturing, the fact remains that governments collectively commit substantial sums to ‘smarten up’ their cities and towns. And better understanding how milieux of talent create wealth goes to the heart of industry and regional development policy.
The UK’s National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) has been studying why certain places are poles of attraction in the economy. Its concern is that because innovation policy has been set at a national level, there is no appreciation of the widely differing innovation performance and needs of regions and localities.
NESTA argues that every region has an innovation system of sorts, but many lack the full suite of assets to stimulate innovation. Even where the assets are present – universities, TAFEs, hightech companies, entrepreneurs, risk capital, R&D institutions – they may not ‘connect’ properly, thus leading to suboptimal technology flows and commercial outcomes.
The same situation applies in Australia, where we have no method of measuring innovation at the local level, and no track record in connecting the assets that make up local innovation systems. For example, the locational decisions associated with the rollout of Howard’s Technical Colleges, and earlier efforts with Cooperative Research Centres and regional universities, have been criticised for a lack of connection to other regional assets and actors. For a nation with massive locational issues, we really must get a handle on this. However, the economic literature on regional innovation measures is rather obscure.
Accordingly, I am proposing to undertake a research study to develop some simple and measurable indicators. What we want is a user friendly mechanism that explains how North Sydney rates against the Monash and Parkville precincts. It will also shed light on what additional capacity might position Daylesford, Torquay, Cairns, Tamworth, Angaston or Albany as diamonds of the future.
If your council is interested in understanding how your community rates in the innovation stakes, please contact me ASAP.
Regional food branding –
long way to go
Lakes Entrance Victoria,
21 December – Looked to buy fresh fish at the time honoured Fishermen’s Coop, to smell the sea, feed the seagulls and wander around the wharf. But the sign said it had moved to an uptown arcade. Finally found it in a sea of concrete, next to a major supermarket. Might as well have been in Alice Springs.
Batemans Bay NSW,
30 December – Strolled into longstanding seafood outlet, just downstream of the bridge. Confronted with signage offering ‘prawns and coffee (instant)’, ‘oysters and coffee (instant)’ and related options. So instead we stroll up the main street for mouthwatering whiting or bream. On the wall, a column is headed ‘HAMBURGERS’, and another headed ‘GREASIES’ which covers chiko rolls, spring rolls, dim sims and simply ‘fish’. Might as well have been in Alice Springs.
Moral of the story? Tourism is increasingly the lifeline of regional towns. The locals must work together to build their ‘unique selling proposition’ rather than trash it. Marketing experts desperately needed.
Forestech
(Lakes Entrance) –
success story
While on the subject of Lakes Entrance, it’s great to see Forestech going so well. This is a ‘Living Resource Centre’, established in the mid 1990s when I was working with Deputy PM Brian Howe – the Feds paid for most of the capital costs, and the Victorian Government now helps with running costs. It has a training facility, a laboratory, a furniture design workshop, a library and nice cafe. It really is an excellent model (in certain circumstances) for other regions and industries.
Manager Richard Owen was very helpful in showing me around, and might do the same for you – rowen@egtafe.vic.edu.au
Zero tolerance on road speeding?
I reckon 110km/hour is a fair clip, but it wasn’t fast enough for the majority of motorists on the Hume Highway during the Christmas break. One idiot was doing a high speed slalom while giving the finger to all and sundry. Meanwhile road deaths escalate.
The paucity of police cars on NSW roads is noticeable, and road authorities continue to be obliged to inform motorists of speed camera locations. This is lame, brought on by motorists viewing speeding cameras as another form of taxation, and politicians responding with a wet lettuce.
Well I have a serious proposal to put to councils across Australia – let’s develop a trial program for ZERO TOLERANCE on road speeding, with a few tweaks.
It would involve fixed and mobile speed traps on a covert basis, more regular highway patrols, major public education and awareness, strong signage, and basically a fine when you are detected, say, two to three per cent over the speed limit, as distinct from the significant latitude provided at present.
People would howl? Perhaps, but the trial would apply only to a region for a designated trial period, and every cent of revenue from speeding tickets would go to designated charities within the region in question.
Now my friends, who would oppose a trial to save lives, reduce family trauma and help those less fortunate? It would suit a well defined rural region where councils are used to collaborating – perhaps the Wimmera, Darling Downs or the Peel region.
The active support of the relevant State Police Minister and Police Commissioner would be crucial. The local council would be heavily involved in selling the concept and ensuring the revenues stay within the region. The Feds would watch from the sideline, and work with the State to monitor progress.
The current situation is nonsense. Who has the vision and guts to trial a new approach? Ring me please!
*Rod Brown is a Canberra-based consultant specialising in industry/regional development, investment attraction, clusters and accessing Federal grants. He can be contacted at apd@orac.net.au or phone (02) 6231 7261. Go to our blog at www.investmentinnovation.wordpress.com for 400+ articles on issues relevant to Local Government.
