Bernard Salt supplies the recipe for success in Regional Australia. Here’s my big idea, why don’t we do a health check against Salt’s list and get all East Gippsland advocating for the gaps identified in our region to achieve success.
Key aspects of Salt’s perspective on regional success include:
– Unity and community engagement: Salt emphasises the power of a strong, unified community in driving regional development and prosperity.
– Understanding the “regional super consumer”: He highlights the growing spending power and unique characteristics of the “regional super consumer” in lifestyle destinations.
– Embracing global trends: Salt advocates for a proactive approach to future trends, including pandemics, and developing local solutions.
– Leveraging local resources: He stresses the need for regions to understand and leverage their unique assets, such as food production, energy, and resources.
– Developing a corporate culture of foresight: Salt suggests the need for a mindset that anticipates and considers the unknown, unknown, and potentially disruptive forces of the future.
– Focus on infrastructure and construction: Regional Airport. He advocates for developing local infrastructure, building, and construction capabilities, both for regional needs and for export to global markets.
– Community participation in planning: Salt emphasises the importance of involving local
communities in the planning and development of their regions.
– Prioritising education and skills development: He suggests the need for regions to invest in
education and skills training to attract and retain skilled workers.
– Attracting and retaining talent: Salt highlights the importance of creating a vibrant and attractive environment for people to live, work, and invest in regional areas.
Investing in innovation and technology: He suggests the need for regions to embrace innovation and technology to drive economic growth and competitiveness.
Mr Salt’s checklist for successful local town growth: airport; university; local media; military/CSIRO; hospital; national event; private school; affordable housing; aged care facility; sport and convention centre; local entrepreneurs and business awards; tourist attractions; vocational training; cafe culture; state/federal government.
“We want to cultivate people who are ‘can do’ and create opportunities,” Mr Salt said.
