Future Brisbane: Why hopes of a smart-state revolution will fail without locals’ intervention

Brisbane’s laid-back nature is hurting its ability to lure new residents and major businesses from the southern cities of Sydney and Melbourne, and it should be championing itself as Australia’s Silicon Valley.

• Push to become nation’s innovation capital

Brisbane’s laid-back nature is hurting its ability to lure new residents and major businesses from the southern cities of Sydney and Melbourne.

Prominent city leaders shared their views of a Future Brisbane at a roundtable lunch to launch The Courier-Mail’s campaign.

They argued residents must not be afraid to “change the narrative” and promote the city to interstate residents and businesses. What Brisbane looks like in a decade was the focus of debate, with each business executive championing a different pillar that could deliver prosperity and growth to the region.

TechnologyOne chief executive officer Edward Chung called for a renewed focus on building start-up businesses into national behemoths.

“Why can’t Fortitude Valley be the next Silicon Valley?,” he said. “I want us to be known for tech companies and unicorns.

“If you look at Victoria, they have 20 unicorns and we know that 20 unicorns creates a lot of jobs and bring $100bn worth of economic value.”

The quality of the city’s educational facilities offered a strong base to realise Mr Chung’s dream, University of Queensland government partnerships and policy executive director Shannon Willoughby said. Ms Willoughby argued Brisbane could be at the forefront of solving the world’s biggest challenges.

Prominent city leaders say residents must not be afraid to “change the narrative” and promote the city to interstate residents and businesses. Picture: Brisbane Economic Development Agency

“The research infrastructure that sits within our universities is the best in Australia,” she said.

“How do we build more tech and innovation businesses that come out of these universities that really cement Brisbane as a hub to not just Queensland but Australia around the new-economy transitions that we’re all going to be facing?”

Luring interstate and international people to Queensland as part of a second smart-state revolution would require promotion from existing ambassadors, Brisbane Airport Corporation Corporate Affairs general manager Rachel Crowley said.

She said the city’s unique “Australian-ness” was its selling point to global tourists. “Brisbane is a really uniquely Australian city … and South East Queensland is the place where Australians go on holiday,” she said. “I don’t mean that in a kitsch way; it’s about openness, the outdoors, trees and all of those things.”

CEOs and VIPAs at the round table. Photo Steve Pohlner

Property Council Queensland executive director Jen Williams argued Brisbane residents were spoiled with attractive dining and outdoor precincts, but said we failed to promote the outdoor lifestyle to southern states.

“We’re our own worst enemy in promoting our city,” she said.

The destination precincts of Howard Smith Wharves, James Street and South Bank will soon be joined by the $3.6bn Queen’s Wharf Precinct.

Star Entertainment Group chief executive officer Robbie Cooke, whose company is leading the construction consortium, said the city was on the cusp of another boom era.

“I believe we genuinely are the most liveable city in the country,” he said.

“We’ve got these pockets of magic that have popped up … and I think our opportunity is to keep building that food, beverage and shopping culture.

“Asian tourists, their hobbies, shopping and eating and that’s something that we have a uniqueness.”