GW3 putting our regions on government agendas

Busy 2019 makes way for busier 2020 pushing for Mackay Isaac Whitsunday regions

Kylie Porter, GW3 Interim CEO.

PART of the role of GW3 is to make sure we have our finger on the pulse when it comes to the development, priorities and needs of our region.

Our core roles are to advocate and be a strong voice for economic development opportunities on behalf of the region; to collaborate with key stakeholders and to attract and encourage investment, funding and growth in Mackay Isaac Whitsunday.

How we achieve this is by hitting the ground running, where we proactively give our support to issues such as the ACCC's Northern Australia Inquiry into Regional Insurance Affordability, to which GW3 has made three submissions since 2017.

Other ways GW3 is pressing the flesh is by attending and sitting on a number of different industry boards, attending workshops and conferences, including the Developing Northern Australia conference later this year.

We are also a member of the Queensland Future Institute along with other organisations in the state that make sure the MIW region's voice is heard in Brisbane, on a Queensland level.

In the last financial year GW3 had more than 150 meetings with key industry, government and community stakeholders.

It is these meetings within the government realm and outside of it with key decision makers that provides value and give opportunity to make sure our region stays front and centre.

Last week GW3 attended the Infrastructure Australia workshop hosted by Infrastructure Australia and Regional Development Australia Mackay Isaac Whitsunday to engage with stakeholders to discuss the development of the Infrastructure Australia 2021 Plan; improvements toward the Infrastructure Australia Audit process; and support for stakeholders regarding their involvement in developing the National Infrastructure Priority List.

Part of this workshop was to seek guidance toward how it can best provide a road map that responds to the challenges and developments; it was also taking lessons from this workshop to deliver better infrastructure to our region in the future.

The infrastructure needs of regions are vastly different to those in capital cities and often our region's projects are overshadowed by a southern tunnel or freeway project.

Infrastructure Australia's message was very clear: that they are working hard to understand the changing landscape of regional Australia and the unique role that infrastructure has to play.

GW3's role moving forward, is to engage closely with Infrastructure Australia and ensure the MIW region is also front and centre of future considerations.

It is imperative we keep telling our stories of what we need and how we can achieve this to keep transforming and thriving.

- Kylie Porter, GW3 CEO

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