Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

Shortcut to local economic development in the regions

The President of the Australian Local Government Association, Councillor John Ross recently presented the Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government, Senator Ian Macdonald, with a copy of a practical new guide for Councils that want to take a more active role in encouraging local economic development.

The guide, Developing Competitive Regions, has been funded by the Federal Government with the needs of local Councils specifically in mind. The guide will help Councils position their communities to respond dynamically to global change, identify their communities' competitive strengths and help their communities build and retain wealth.

It also provides examples of how Councils can attract the knowledge and information industries, which bring skilled people into the local economy.

Developing Competitive Regions provides answers to questions such as: How do Councils develop sectors that have an export orientation? How can they focus on import substitution? How can communities complement the export activities of neighbouring regions?

The Guide also provides examples of Councils that are doing these things successfully. It contains some interesting case studies, like, How does the City of Kingston "Take Care of Business"? Why is Mildura Rural City doing so well? Did you know the City of Ballarat has a business broker in Hong Kong?

It's yours for free. A copy of the guide has being sent to the Chief Executive Officer of each of the more than 700 Councils in Australia. It is also accessible on the Association's RegionLink Internet website at http://www.regionlink.net.au/. This site is another valuable resource for Councils funded by the Federal Government.

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