ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT QUARTERLY
DAY 1: Winning in job and business creation:
An old game with new rules for success: The
Conference will explore how economic development
practitioners can succeed in creating wealth in their
communities. Job and business creation is at the
heart of strong economic development and NEDC will
feature presentations, content and panel discussions,
which deliver practical skills, advice, techniques
and best practice case studies to illustrate job and
business creation success.
FROM THE CHAIR
This time last year, we announced that Economic
Development Australia (EDA) was ready to invest
in growth. The EDA Board appointed a part time
executive officer and prioritised a range of initiatives
with the aim of positioning the organisation
strongly as the peak national body for economic
development.
As we reflect on the last 12 months, I am proud to
announce that membership has doubled, increasing
to over 550 members. The new membership
structure has yielded stronger engagement in EDA
amongst the economic development practitioner
community which will assist the organisation continue
to flourish.
The revised Study Tour Program, the economic
development webinar series and the many high-
quality professional development events and projects
that have been delivered across the country over
the last 12 months indicate a great appetite amongst
Australia’s economic development practitioners
for collaboration and professional and personal
development. I look forward to further growth and
exciting developments for EDA over the next 12
months.
We hope to see you at the National Economic
Development Conference (NEDC) 2018 in
Rockhampton from 16-19 October. The three-day
conference will attract economic development
practitioners from around the country and
representatives from all levels of government. EDA’s
flagship event will feature a compelling program
which will challenge delegates, and encourage
robust dialogue around the conference’s central
themes:
DAY 2: Disruptive innovation to diversify
economic growth: With digital disruption rewriting
every part of our lives, all industry sectors are being
affected by the dramatic changes being delivered by
innovation. The adoption of disruptive technologies
will be critical to economic growth in Australia.
National Economic Development Conference (NEDC)
2018 will explore how disruptive technologies will
affect innovation and drive economic growth. The
Conference will provide skills, advice and techniques
to help economic development practitioners foster
and facilitate innovation, global competitiveness and
diversification.
A number of headline speakers have already been
announced including, Mark Bouris, Dr Catherine
Ball and Chris Helder. The full program and the
networking events offer a range of opportunities to
mix with thought leaders in economic development
and we hope to see you there! www.nedc.com.au
Welcome to all our new EDA members. We urge you
to get in touch, let us know what you would like from
your peak national body and how EDA can support
you as an economic development practitioner.
Thank you to the State Practitioner Network (SPN)
committees who work tirelessly to plan and deliver
quality events and projects for EDA members in their
states. A huge welcome to the new Tasmania State
Practitioner Network!
I would like to extend my sincere thanks and great
appreciation to each of the current EDA directors,
Virginia Miller, Paul Martins, Paula Brennan, Greg
Fenwick, David Power, Susie Bower and Jason
McFarlane for investing their valuable time and effort
in directing the strategic direction of the organisation
with innovation and vision.
Kind regards,
Mark Holdsworth ACEcD
National Chair,
Economic Development Australia
VOL.11 NO.1 2018 | 5