Guest speakers Dr Rachel Bacon, Deputy Secretary for the Regional and Territories Group at the Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities; Councillor Jenny Hill, Mayor of Townsville, QLD; and Dr Rebecca Huntley, Author and Principal at social research firm Vox Populi Research discuss the core challenges and opportunities for our regional communities and ask the question - what does the future hold for regional Australia? Nous Group Principals Simon Smith, who was former NSW Department of Industry Secretary, and Dr Prins Ralston, who leads the firm’s Queensland practice, also provide their expert insights to the debate.
Guest speakers Dr Rachel Bacon, Deputy Secretary for the Regional and Territories Group at the Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities; Councillor Jenny Hill, Mayor of Townsville, QLD; and Dr Rebecca Huntley, Author and Principal at social research firm Vox Populi Research join Simon Smith, Principal at Nous Group and former NSW Department of Industry secretary and Dr Prins Ralston, Principal and leader of Nous’ Queensland practice discuss the future for regional Australia. The panel examines both the greatest challenges and most promising opportunities for Australia’s regional and rural areas that outwardly reflect the core of our national character. Regional hubs power and nourish the nation, providing many of those living in our cities with the quality of life that urban-dwelling Australians have come to expect. However, more often Australia’s regions are discussed in our capital cities in the context of natural disasters, challenging social issues, alienated voters, and slow or declining business growth. Collectively, the panel explore what a prosperous future for regional Australia could look like. For more insights from Nous Group, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, visit our website and sign up to our newsletter.