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Coast leaders to tackle tough issues
19 October 2006
Sunshine Coast leaders and decision-makers are set to thrash out some serious environmental, economic and social issues at the second annual State of the Region Conference at the University of the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday, October 31.
The conference – co-hosted by USC Faculty of Business and the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) and supported by businesses KPMG, Investa and Parsons Brinckerhoff – will address both the best and worst case scenarios for the future of the Sunshine Coast.
It will feature keynote addresses by Wotif.com CEO and founder Graeme Wood, Parsons Brinckerhoff principal water engineer Dean Toomey, CSIRO sustainable ecosystem program leader Dan Walker and Local Government and Planning principal demographer Alison Taylor.
USC Cultural Studies senior lecturer Dr Karen Brooks will lead the final session of the conference, a panel discussion about “Social futures – dreams or nightmares”. The panel will include Caloundra mayor Don Aldous, Noosa mayor Bob Abbot and Maroochy deputy mayor Zrinka Johnston.
Conference organiser and USC business lecturer David Gration said the event was aimed at business, government, academic and other community leaders and decision-makers who will shape the Coast’s future.
“The Sunshine Coast is now one of the fastest growing regions in Australia,’’ Mr Gration said. “Decisions made today will impact on our community for decades to come.’’
“The conference program is designed to maximise interaction and networking with leading business entrepreneurs in the tourism, retail, building and manufacturing sectors and other key regional decision makers.”
Mr Gration said the conference also was for those who wanted to be better informed about trends facing the Sunshine Coast and those seeking business expansion opportunities.
He said he expected particular interest in Wot.if CEO Graeme Wood’s keynote address on issues such as building creative business cultures, facing up to business challenges and dealing with changing tourism trends.
“He will talk about what new businesses there might be that we don’t have now and what he sees in the future in terms of tourism . . . like where tourists are going to be coming from in the future and what they are going to demand,” he said.
Mr Gration said the conference would be relevant for business entrepreneurs, investors, professionals, industry associations, tourism bodies, government agencies, researchers, policy advisers, community groups and elected representatives.
For more information or to register for the conference, contact Rachel at CEDA on (07) 3229 9955. The registration brochure is available at State of the Region 2006 conference brochure (PDF 237KB).