Maximising Leverage Opportunities for Your Region.

Regional  Australia  is at the forefront of national debates. Every day the media is reporting on key regional issues such as equitable distribution of resources, land use conflicts, food security and population distribution. The recent launch of the Regional Australia Institute embeds even further the importance of informed decision making and action in the regions.

The Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional Australia (SEGRA) network has a long standing commitment to regional Australia and enviable reputation as Australia’s most credible independent voice on issues affecting regions.  Now in its sixteenth year SEGRA has been consistently identifying critical issues affecting regional Australia and advocating policy and program options to address them. At the annual national conference the unique network of government, business, practitioners and researchers leads to robust debates awareness raising and agenda setting. Attendance at the national conference in Terrigal, Central Coast 20- 22 November will put you and your region atthe centre of assessment about the ongoing needs and interests of regional Australia.

This year SEGRA is focusing on ensuring regions leverage maximum benefits from regional growth, town centre renewal and large scale developments. Significant economic activities occur in regions –primary production, tourism, mining, tertiary education, military facilities, civic services to regional populations. Attached to these activities are infrastructure, support services and policy decisions that in turn affect host regions directly and regional Australia more generally. Host regions, the people living and working in regional Australia, need to maximise end to end value from these investments. Leveraging opportunities, employment multipliers, local procurement opportunities and ongoing legacies should be derived from regional economic activity and growth. To maximise development outcomes, practitioners must establish and use the right mix of community resources, human capital and strategic partnerships and linkages.Seize the opportunities and drive change in your region. Mark your diaries now.

The program comprises plenary sessions where national and international speakers will inspire delegates to look at the blue sky opportunities for regional development. In the concurrent sessions delegates will be able to choose from over 40 practitioners’ presentations drawn from the theme and action agendas demonstrating locality based responses to the range of challenges regions confront. This provides an excellent source of inspiration and ideas as well as acting as a meeting post for practitioners.

All delegates will have the opportunity to hear first hand new ideas - what worked, what didn’t, what’s next and as always, to discuss their own issues and concerns and share their own successes. Each afternoon there will be conversation pits which will be an interactive sessions where leaders in their specialty areas where issues and solutions can be discussed. On the third day of the conference delegates can enrol in one of the workshops or go into the field on a guided study tour.

SEGRA 2012 program is again setting the agenda on regional issues and has been designed to maximise the opportunities for participation , sharing of ideas and information and networking along with the opportunity to hear from some of the nation’s leading thinkers on regional issues. SEGRA is for those who are looking for real-action not reaction and have a passion for regional Australia.

I commend this conference to you.

Kate Charters
SEGRA Convenor