Mackay Regional Council looks forward to hosting the 2018 Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional Australia (SEGRA) conference, 22-25 October.
Australia’s premier conference on regional issues, SEGRA examines ways for regional, rural and remote communities to source the techniques, skills and issues needed to achieve successful economic growth and development.
Chair of the SEGRA National Steering Committee, Kate Charters, said, “Major changes affecting regional, rural and remote Australia can be expected in the next 10 years.
“Employment and training, innovation and technology, geotourism, product value adding, and the growth of collaborative investment in localised catalyst infrastructure will all be at the forefront of sustainable economic growth in regional Australia.
Regional Australia is a significant contributor to Australia’ economic wealth.
“Sixty percent of the value of Australia’s exports comes from regional rural and remote Australia.
“The increasing application of biotechnology in the engineering of food from raw products to the consumers and the restructuring of the distribution system to and from the producers will all provide opportunities for greater value adding for commodity producers in regional Australia,” Charters said.
“We also know that by 2030 what we do in almost every job will change.
“This will impact on rural, regional and remote businesses and we need to be creating strategies for education and employment to meet this change now.
“Skillsets for the future include a greater focus on people, solving strategic problems and thinking creatively.
“Another key issue will be responding to the aging population and provision of NDIS services in regional, rural and remote Australia.”
Charters added that there is also much to celebrate in regional, rural and remote Australia and clear opportunities including a considerable depth of human capital, natural assets and a strong sense of community. Combined this leads to strong vibrant regions each unique in their own right.
Full information at segra.com.au
*Copy supplied by SEGRA
