EDA Journal Vol 11. No.2 Summer 2018 | Page 10

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT QUARTERLY FINALIST REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AUSTRALIA (RDA) BRISBANE INC Queensland and Commonwealth collaboration and showcase event . 1.“ Why Youi Chose the Sunshine Coast”. Build on the existing strong relationship with insurance giant Youi, to leverage the opening of Youi’s global headquarters on the Sunshine Coast 2.“ Business with Benefits”. Establish new partnership with NSW Business Chamber to promote Sunshine Coast as a business expansion destination for Sydney companies. This initiative was successful for a number of reasons: • Used an existing strong partnership to form stronger, ongoing collaborative alliances. • Created a new partnership and event to achieve new investment leads. • Built on the successful FY17 “Your HQ with IQ” campaign, using the headline “Why Youi Chose the Sunshine Coast”. Touted as “one of the Commonwealth Games’ most exciting events to occur away from the sporting arena”, the Queensland and Commonwealth collaboration and showcase event with accompanying official Trade2018 publication, ‘Queensland’s Regions Trading Globally’ and the Queensland Trade Collaboration Portal, placed a spotlight on trade and investment opportunities in Queensland’s regions. Listed as an “official Trade2018” event, lead agency RDA Brisbane leveraged the extraordinary marketing reach of the Commonwealth Games trade and investment program in this unique opportunity to bring together Queensland’s regional and economic development leaders and practitioners to discuss trade and investment opportunities, ways of better connecting and collaborating to improve outcomes and address professional development and training needs. Almost 150 delegates packed a full house at the Southport Yacht club on 12 April 2018 to meet, share, learn and network. The program included a “Queensland Investment Briefing” by Under Treasurer, Warwick Agnew, and an official welcome by Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk. A Trade Showcase was followed by a special “Cross-Commonwealth Collaboration Panel” with visiting Commonwealth representatives, moderated by Kyl Murphy, State Director, Committee for Economic Development Australia (CEDA). • Created a fun, cheeky campaign, “Business with Benefits” to describe the positives on offer. • Reached business leaders through strategic market segmenting. Attendees included Commonwealth delegates, economic development practitioners, EDA members, RDAs, the Federal Government’s Industry Growth Centres (IGCs), trade and investment professionals, councils, innovative businesses, chambers of commerce, peak industry bodies and associations. The campaign was a component of Sunshine Coast Council’s Investment Attraction Plan, which in 2017/18, contributed to successful investment in the region with an Annual Recurring Economic Impact on the local economy of $255.4 million and the creation of 1032 full time jobs. (Source: Economy.id) The event was an example of successful partnering and collaboration to achieve economic development outcomes on a state-wide basis and was considered one of the most important and popular events of the Commonwealth Games’ Trade 2018 program. VOL.11 NO.2 2018 | 10