State of the Region Conference hailed a success
Organisers of the 2006 State of the Region Conference at the University of the Sunshine Coast have hailed the event a success.
The conference – with the theme "What if … Scenarios for the Sunshine Coast" – attracted more than 100 participants to discuss issues like water supply, population growth and changing tourism trends.
It addressed both the best and worst case scenarios for the environmental, economic and social future of the Sunshine Coast and involved many of the Coast’s top leaders and decision-makers.
The conference on Tuesday, October 31, was co-hosted by the USC Faculty of Business and the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) with support by companies KPMG, Investa and Parsons Brinckerhoff.
It featured several panel discussions and keynote addresses from 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.
Conference organiser and USC business lecturer David Gration the event was a great success for the University, CEDA and for the region.
"We have had a lot of good feedback from all the delegates and sponsors,’’ he said. "It has so far created a lot of media interest and community debate.
"It has been a way for the University to engage in regional planning for what’s happening in the future and it has met the objective of bringing together the key decision makers of the region."
Mr Gration said the USC and CEDA planned to record many of the issues that were raised at the conference for their own research and for the benefit of those who attended.
"The conference was very positive,’’ he said. "Obviously people came along with their own specific agendas, but the wish in the room was to find honest, workable answers for the future of the Sunshine Coast.
"The common thread was that everyone genuinely wanted to find win-win situation to gain a better Sunshine Coast."