18 May 2010

18-May-2010

Welcome to RRD's Inside the Region for the 18th May 2010. Below you'll find links to this fortnight's articles. Click on the link to jump to the article.

Jump to article:

• From the Desk of the Chief Executive
• One Step Remaining For Merger
• Mooney to Outline the Townsville Experience
• Calling All Exporters!
• RING Networking Evening
• Tips For Inclusive Business Practices
• Tidy Towns People's Choice Award
• Queensland Cabinet to Meet in Emu Park
• INVEST Conference 2010
• Brolga Project's Campaign 100
• May in Review
• Enhance Customer Value
• New Super Rules

From the Desk of the Chief Executive

Today (Tuesday 18 May) is an important date for economic development in the Rockhampton region as the Capricorn Tourism (CTDO) members will vote on the merger with Rockhampton Regional Development at 6pm tonight at the CQ NRL Bid Leagues Club.

 

RRD members have already unanimously voted in favour of the proposition and Rockhampton Regional Council has agreed to provide funding to the new combined organisation for the coming financial year.

 

The approval by the CTDO members is the final step in the creation of the new organisation, Capricorn Tourism & Economic Development Ltd.

 

If the CTDO members give their approval, then Rockhampton Regional Development will cease operating on 30 June 2010 and the new organisation will start business the following day.

 

Rick Palmer

Acting Chief Executive

Rockhampton Regional Development
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One Step Remaining For Merger

At 6pm tonight the members of Capricorn Tourism & Development Organisation (CTDO) Inc will consider three resolutions which is the final step in the proposed merger with Rockhampton Regional Development.

 

The following resolutions which have been approved by the CTDO management committee will be considered by Cap Tourism’s members:

 

• That Capricorn Tourism and Development Organisation Inc (CTDO) merge with Rockhampton Regional Development Limited (RRDL) to form a new Capricorn Tourism and Economic Development organisation.

• The Board of CTDO are authorised to determine and transfer the net assets and operations of the organisation to the new tourism and economic organisation.

• The merger of the CTDO with RRDL is contingent on RRDL also transferring its net assets and operations to the same legal entity.

As part of the Notice of Meeting CTDO chairman Grant Cassidy said:

 

“Our vision is to create a high level dynamic organisation leveraging the strengths of two existing organisation by harnessing efforts and activities. We will create a focussed organisation that will re-position the region as powerhouse of Tourism and Economic Development and make up lost ground to ensure we are more competitive and raise the stakes in increasing and attracting visitation and investment, leading to an increase in economic development activity and jobs!

 

“We can’t keep doing the “same old thing” or we will continue to lag behind key competitive markets such as Townsville and Mackay. This region needs to raise the bar and compete better than we have, have a higher profile than we have, leverage off the strengths of the region better than we have – in short, we want to be the single “one-stop shop” offering a unique suite of products and services and working with all levels of government and the broader business community.”

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Mooney to Outline the Townsville Experience

Former Townsville City Council Mayor Tony Mooney will talk about the operations of Townsville enterprise Limited at two meetings on Monday 24 May 2010 organised by Rockhampton Regional Development.

 

The first meeting will be held at noon, while the second will run from 5-7pm.

 

Those invited to hear about the operations of Townsville Enterprise include:

• RRD board members

• Members of the three RRD advisory committees

• Rockhampton Regional Council councillors

• Capricorn Tourism board members

 

RRD chairman Mick Cranny said Tony would talk about how Townsville Enterprise started and the important things done to advance it to its current position, where it is regarded as the pre-eminent economic and tourism organisation in Queensland.

 

He would also give his view about economic development and tourism in Rockhampton and how to progress them.

 

Tony presently represents Ergon Energy on the Townsville Enterprise board. As Townsville Mayor, he played a crucial role in the organisation’s inception and later restructure.

 

Mick said, “Tony is well qualified to help those involved in Capricorn Tourism & Economic Development Ltd learn from the Townville experience and adapt those lessons to the Capricorn region”.
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Calling All Exporters!

We are excited to announce Rockhampton Regional Development (RRD) will be incorporating Trade Queensland in the prestigious Business Excellence Awards 2010.

 

The two regional categories - Emerging Exporter of the Year and Exporter of the Year - will be automatically entered through to state level awards, which host a wide range of categories.

 

Exporters will also have the opportunity to test their excellence using the Business Excellence Tool, addressing RRD Awards’ 6 Elements of Excellence criteria.

 

Nominations for the Business Excellence Awards will open in early July and close 10 September 2010.

 

For more information about the Awards, contract Sharyn Lowth.

 

Applications for the Trade Queensland awards are available online and close on 23 July.
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RING Networking Evening

Rockhampton Regional Development and the Rockhampton Innovative Networking Group (RING) will be hosting their June Networking Evening on Tuesday 1 June.

 

Don’t miss your opportunity to network with businesses from throughout the Rockhampton Region.

 

The cost of the evening is $25 per person, payable at the door and any profits will be donated to the Royal Flying Doctors Service.

 

For more information about the evening, click here.
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Tips for Inclusive Business Practices

Many businesses involved in a busy work environment may not have reflected on simple ways their workplace can become more inclusive. 

 

This week, visit the Building Belonging Event at Rockhampton City Library from Monday 17 May for a comprehensive free program of workshops and displays.

 

The Business Tips for Inclusive Practices has been formulated by Rockhampton Regional Development in conjunction with this event to raise business awareness within community about our actions.

 

Become a business a leader with the best inclusive practices today!

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Tidy Towns People's Choice Award

Online voting is now open for the Tidy Towns People’s Choice Award for 2010, with Rockhampton one of the nominated towns.

 

The Rockhampton Region has done particularly well in this competition and in the Clean Beach Awards.

 

RRD Acting Chief Executive Rick Palmer said, “I urge you to record your vote and enhance the recognition of the Region’s liveability.”

 

To cast your vote for this year’s winner and to go into the draw to win one of ten Navman GPS devices, click here.
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Queensland Cabinet to Meet in Emu Park

Rockhampton Regional Development is set to play a significant role in the community cabinet meeting which the Queensland Government is to hold in Emu Park on Sunday 30 May 2010 and in Rockhampton the following day.

 

Grant Cassidy and Mick Cranny hope to talk with Premier Anna Bligh and Treasurer Andrew Fraser about the proposed operations of the combined new economic development and tourism entity, Capricorn Tourism & Economic Development Corporation Ltd.

 

RRD’s Planning & Infrastructure Advisory Committee plan to speak with Minister for Planning & Infrastructure, Stirling Hinchliffe about possible sites for industrial land in the Rockhampton Region and the difficulties posed by the Capricorn Coast’s inclusion as an iconic Queensland place.

 

The Economic Development Advisory Committee could talk with the Minister for Transport & Main Roads Rachel Nolan about the need for further transport infrastructure between Gladstone and Rockhampton.

 

The Community Advisory Committee is looking at ways of implementing some of the lessons which arose from the LivCom Application in Pilsen last year where the Rockhampton Region gained a bronze award for its liveability.

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INVEST Conference 2010

The INVEST Mackay Whitsunday Isaac Conference is being held on Thursday 20 May in Mackay.

 

The conference will include presentations from leading investment experts about the current investment landscape, emerging opportunities and how local government can better capitalise on these opportunities.

 

Speakers include Ian Fletcher, Director General of the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, Geoff Dickie, Deputy Coordinator General of the Department of Infrastructure and Planning, plus many others.

 

To find out more about this event, visit Mackay Whitsunday Regional Economic Development Corporation’s website.
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Brolga Project's Campaign 100

The Brolga Project seeks to place metropolitan-based university students into work experience positions with rural and regional businesses, to encourage students to look to regional careers when they graduate.

 

Campaign 100 is an initiative by the program to place at least 100 students for the June/July semester break with regional businesses.

 

To find out about becoming involved in Campaign 100, click here.
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May In Review

The May edition of Herron Todd White’s Month in Review was released with the news that the residential housing market in Rockhampton is experiencing a relatively slow but stable rate of sales.

 

Agents have reported the number of properties listed for sale is stable to slightly growing with new listings coming from the stock held by investors.

 

Commercially, the market has been slightly boosted since 2009. A record lease has been signed for a newly refurbished, high grade, inner city building at approximately $310 per square metre gross.

 

This is a benchmark rent for the Rockhampton office market and there are further tenancies available for lease in this locality. It remains to be seen whether these rental levels are sustained throughout the balance of the building.

 

To read the full Month in Review for May, click here.
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Enhance Customer Value

QMI Solutions and the Rockhampton office of the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation invite you to a breakfast clinic to show you how to enhance customer value.

 

The clinic will be held at the Rockhampton Leagues Club on Thursday 27 May.

 

At the breakfast clinic, you will be introduced to the concept of Value Enhanced Manufacture (VEM) and learn how to re-orientate your business to become more service and customer focussed.

 

For more information about this breakfast clinic, click here.
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New Super Rules

Sunsuper is hosting a series of seminars designed to give employers the latest rules and regulations for super.

 

The Rockhampton seminar will be held on Tuesday 1 June from 9-11am at the Rockhampton Leagues Club.

 

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn about the key issues facing employers in the lead up to the end of the financial year.

 

For more information visit the Sunsuper website.
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