FROM THE CEO
Jacqueline Brinkman, Chief Executive Officer
It is my pleasure to present the first edition of the Economic Development Australia( EDA) Journal for 2026. As I write this introduction, the team and I are heading home after attending the final event of the 2026 EDA National Roadshow. It has been incredible to connect with hundreds of economic developers who attended events in Adelaide, Launceston, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.
It is wonderful to see EDA members connecting in person, building deep connections and sharing knowledge and experiences during the Roadshow events. With each event centred around the theme; Shaping Tomorrow’ s Economy, it became clear to me that the future economy is not something that simply happens, it is something we shape, deliberately, through the choices we make in our businesses, our communities, and our places.
The Roadshow is another example of how EDA is amplifying our members’ collective impact, how economic developers shape places, attract investment, build resilience, and prepare communities for the future.
This edition of the EDA Journal brings together expert perspectives exploring practical, place-based approaches to strengthening regional economies and supporting communities.
Kushla Gale and Nic Cooper examine how destination managers can guide tourism toward stronger environmental and community outcomes. Their article highlights the growing importance of sustainability in destination competitiveness and outlines practical ways destination managers can support tourism businesses to reduce emissions, enhance visitor experiences, and deliver lasting benefits for local communities.
Mel Garibaldi shares how the District Council of Kimba transformed place branding into a powerful economic development tool. Through the community-driven“ I’ m Kimba” initiative, the article demonstrates how an authentic and strategically embedded brand can strengthen investment attraction, tourism development and community pride, while providing a clear framework to guide longterm economic development decisions.
Michael Dalley explores the growing opportunity of astro-tourism and the role governments can play in supporting its development. Drawing on case studies and industry insights, his article highlights how councils and governments can strengthen the visitor economy by enabling private operators through clearer policy, destination marketing and dark-sky initiatives, rather than attempting to operate tourism experiences themselves.
We are also pleased to include an article highlighting the innovative Coffs Coast Explorer App developed by the City of Coffs Harbour, which received last year’ s National Economic Development Award for Excellence in Marketing and Promotion. In this piece, Lewis Belling examines how the initiative is transforming digital visitor servicing into a practical economic development tool. By combining mobile technology, digital kiosks, augmented reality and community-led storytelling, the platform helps visitors discover more of the region while increasing visibility for local businesses and strengthening the visitor economy.
Robert Bria examines the often-overlooked economic influence of children and young people. The article demonstrates how recognising children and young people as active economic contributors, rather than passive users of public space, can strengthen local business activity, place identity and long-term main street prosperity.
The final article explores a new approach to one of the most pressing challenges facing regional economies: housing supply. Gordon Noble, Caitlin McGee and Dr Matt Daly outline an innovative buildto-rent-to-own model developed through research at the UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures. The article examines how this approach could unlock new pathways for institutional investment in regional housing while enabling renters to gradually build an ownership stake in the communities where they live. By addressing housing constraints that often limit regional workforce attraction and economic growth, the model demonstrates how housing policy innovation can support regional economic development and long-term community stability.
We hope you enjoy this edition and look forward to seeing you at one of EDA’ s events in the near future. Registrations for the National Economic Development Conference( NEDC26) have just opened, and it would be wonderful if you could join us in Hobart( Nipaluna) on October 13-15 for this flagship economic development event featuring the theme; Place to Prosperity: Innovation, Transition and Investment Attraction.
Jacqueline Brinkman GAICD Chief Executive Officer Economic Development Australia
VOL 19 NO 1 2026 04 www. edaustralia. com. au