Rockhampton Regional Development Home Page

8 December 2009

Jump to article:
 - RRD News and Developments
 - From the Desk of the Chief Executive
 - Supply CQ Survey Closing
 - December in Review
 - Sustainable Planning Act
 - Tropical Expertise Roadshow
 - 2009 CQUniversity Ball
 - Free Tax Seminar
 - Relay For Life

RRD News and Developments
Rockhampton Regional Development launched their new website last week, including the exclusive Members Area.

Passwords for the new area have been sent to your nominated membership liaison. If your company’s membership liaison has not received a password, please ask them to contact RRD for details.

The RRD office will be closed from Friday 18 December 2009 until the 4 January 2010 for the holiday break.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our members for their support and wish everyone a safe and happy new year.

The first Inside the Region for 2010 will be published on Tuesday 12 January. 

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From the Desk of the Chief Executive
What a year!! 2009 will go down as one of the busiest, and probably one of the most successful years that RRD has had in a while.

With all the doom and gloom that was forecast because of the Global Financial Crisis, the Rockhampton Region survived it remarkably well. There was still plenty of work around and there was little impact on jobs in the region compared to other regions around Australia.

During the year RRD was active in a number of very important areas affecting businesses in the region.

Industrial land, or the lack of, has also been a high priority for RRD and we have been working closely with Rockhampton Regional Council in improving the development approval processes which have improved significantly over the last 12 months.

Our advisory committees have involved over 60 of our members interested in planning and infrastructure, economic development and communities.

Other outcomes that we have achieved during the year include mining services and agribusiness investment, assisting local businesses to access major projects and stimulus package programs, raising awareness of the impacts on the region from a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and promoted the region and jobs in South Africa and Brisbane.

One great success was the Rockhampton Region being awarded bronze at this year’s International Awards for Liveable Communities. All the work and most of the financial contribution was done by RRD.

Next year will see some more challenges and opportunities for RRD. We will be working to grow the retail and education sectors in the region as well as working more closely with the Council and CQUniversity to deliver even more significant outcomes for businesses in the Rockhampton Region.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our supporters, Stanwell Corporation, Ergon Energy, CQUniversity, Gladstone Ports Corporation and the Rockhampton Regional Council for their support in 2009.

Also on behalf of the staff at RRD, I wish you and your family a happy and fulfilling Christmas and a safe and prosperous 2010
 
Until next year.

Gary Kerr
Chief Executive
Rockhampton Regional Development 

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Supply CQ Survey Closing
Major projects will commence work in the next 1 to 2 years but smaller projects may create work opportunities in the shorter term. While major projects are still in the development stage, we have an opportunity to build skills, form networks and get ready for this work.

To assist businesses in the region, a Mining and Major Projects Supply Chain Initiative is working with 6 major projects in the region to create better links with local suppliers.

Supply CQ will be an important vehicle to showcase the capabilities of local businesses to major projects proponents as well as many other multi-million dollar developments through one single contact point.

To get involved in Supply CQ, we invite you to complete the Supply CQ Capability Survey of suppliers interested in this initiative by Friday 11 December.

Please follow the link to the survey and once completed return via email.

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December in Review
The final Herron Todd White Month in Review for 2009 has been released with the news that first home buyers dominated the market in the first three quarters of the year, resulting in a modest increase in values.

Within the commercial sector, retail has seen major expansion and significant planning for future growth.

Stage One of Stockland’s $93 million redevelopment was completed mid-year with Stage Two underway.

Planning for new centres in Berserker and Parkhurst is well advanced, however the Gracemere Shopping Centre proposal seems to have stalled.

The market in the Rockhampton Region has been stable and, with the current sentiment in the resources sector, should continue with that trend.

To read the full December in Review, click here.

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Sustainable Planning Act
Rockhampton Regional Council is hosting a seminar on the Sustainable Planning Act that should come into effect in late December.

The seminar will cover the changes the Act will bring to the current Integrated Development Assessment System, used by the Council.

The seminar will be held on Wednesday 16 December from 9:30am.

To find out more, download a brochure.

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Tropical Expertise Roadshow
Australian Tropical Expertise, along with Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation will be holding an ATEC Business Matching Roadshow in Rockhampton on Thursday 10 December.

The Roadshow will introduce local businesses to Australian Managing Contractors who may be interested in utilising local knowledge and expertise in their projects.

Businesses and individuals interested in international project work, researchers and government organisation are all encouraged to attend.

The Roadshow will be held at the Rockhampton Leagues Club from 8:45am-2:00pm and will cost $44 per person.

To register for this event, click here.

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2009 CQUniversity Ball
Staff, students and members of the community are invited to attend the 2009 CQUniversity Ball on Friday 18 December.

Tickets are $25 per person and dress is black tie. Music for the night will be provided by Traffic Jam.

To purchase your ticket for the Ball, click here. Bookings close on Sunday 13 December.

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Free Tax Seminar
The Australian Tax Office is holding a seminar for small business owners and those thinking about starting a new business.

The seminar will cover getting started in businesses, income tax and deductions, record keeping and other important details for starting a business.

The seminar is being held in Rockhampton on Wednesday 9 December and in Gladstone on Thursday 10 December.

To find out more about these seminars, click here.

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Relay For Life
The Cancer Council Queensland’s Relay For Life will be held over the weekend of 22-23 May 2010.

Teams are asked to start recruiting and fundraising for next year’s event and to consider joining the Relay committee.

For more information about the Relay, contact Laura Carr on 4927 7088.

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