15 June 2010
15-Jun-2010Welcome to RRD's Inside the Region for the 15th June 2010. Below you'll find links to this fortnight's articles. Click on the link to jump to the article.
Jump to article:
- From the Desk of the Chief Executive
- Message from Mary Carroll, CTEDL CEO
- Merger Well in Hand
- Business Sentiment Survey
- RRD Contribution to Rail Overpass
- Community Reference Groups
- Cut the Fat From Your Factory
From the Desk of the Chief Executive
As the merger of Rockhampton Regional Development and Capricorn Tourism comes closer by the day, it’s timely to reflect upon one of the great successes of the RRD structure.
The three advisory committees (Planning & Infrastructure, Economic Development and Communities) have each done a great job involving up to 40 people working with RRD members.
The completion of the Rockhampton Region Major Industrial/Heavy Vehicle Linkage presentation by the Planning & Infrastructure Advisory Committee is a great example of the way in which these organisations have contributed.
These committees have provided a forum in which RRD has been able to workshop ideas.
Mayor Cr Brad Carter and Main Roads Regional Manager Terry Hill both contributed to the Industrial/Heavy Vehicle Linkage presentation, but so did engineers Graham Scott, Peter Hielscher and Brett Borland, environmental consultant Patrice Brown, town planners Bill Gannon and Cecil Barnard and valuer Wayne Litherland.
The end result was a presentation which was considered by Community Cabinet at Emu Park on 30 May and which has strong similarities to a presentation prepared by Rockhampton Regional Council.
Both were supported by a deputation of industrial landholders from Gracemere who were able to speak personally about the dangers of the present rail crossings between Gracemere and Kabra.
The culmination of these deputations was the announcement in Tuesday’s Queensland Government budget of $50 million over two years to build an overpass west of Gracemere to the industrial lands which were cut off when Queensland Rail electrified the Blackwater Line in the mid-1980s.
The contributions by the Economic Development and Communities Advisory Committees have been equally as useful.
It was the Communities Advisory Committee under Steve McCosker’s chairmanship which first suggested the Rockhampton region should take part in the 2009 Liv-Com Awards in Pilsen.
Rick Palmer
Acting Chief Executive
Rockhampton Regional Development Capricorn Tourism and Economic Development Ltd (CTEDL) is a step closer to becoming a reality this Friday 18 June when the current RRDL and CTDO offices co-locate our CTEDL Head Office to Level 1 (Channel 7 Building), Victoria Parade Rockhampton. I am honoured to be your inaugural Chief Executive Officer of this new exciting entity, leading a dedicated team from both former Organisations, and welcoming new team members as CTEDL integrates and consolidates over the next few months. We respectfully ask that Members and business colleagues, if possible, could avoid contacting the existing offices this Friday 18 June, as Telstra telephone and internet lines will be undergoing connections and diversions. Whilst we are endeavouring to avoid as little ‘down time’ as possible, you can assist us in ensuring a smooth transition. Current phone and fax numbers to RRDL and CTDO will be diverted to the new line, and we will notify members of our new numbers in due course – so for now it’s business as usual! Current email and website addresses will also continue for the next fortnight whilst our technicians merge servers and set up new email addresses and diversions. Capricorn Tourism and Economic Development Ltd have already been working hard on your behalf in regards to a number of major issues. We partook in a number of Ministerial Deputations regarding a number of critical Economic Development and Tourism issues, which have already resulted in a number of successes. We are working closely with our Local, State and Federal government representatives to ensure our Rockhampton and Capricorn Coast region receives the investment opportunities it deserves! The following initiatives were listed as our ‘wish list’ in our ‘Welcome to Community Cabinet” advertisement: CQUniversity and TAFE Partnership to upskill CQ and form Queensland’s first dual sector University Rockhampton Riverfront redevelopment including Aquatic, Convention and Sporting Precincts Great Keppel Island and coastal foreshore revitalisation Industrial land and associated infrastructure CQNRL Bid Success - securing the region’s first NRL team Support of Major Regional Events Kind regards, Mary Carroll Chief Executive Officer Capricorn Tourism and Economic Development Limited The merger of Rockhampton Regional Development with Capricorn Tourism is well in hand to take place at midnight on 30 June 2010 and with the new organisation Capricorn Tourism & Economic Development starting to operate the following day. RRD’s physical shift from the fourth to the first floor of the Channel 7 Building, 130 Victoria Parade will be complete by Friday 18 June 2010. They will be joined by Capricorn Tourism’s backroom office staff at the new organisation’s head office. It is time for us to prepare our quarterly business sentiment survey of the Rockhampton Region, how businesses are feeling in the current economic conditions, and their predictions for the year ahead. If your business has not already done so, please take 5 minutes and complete this very quick survey. Your responses will allow us to better inform local, State and Federal Governments of what is required in the region to assist in their regional response. The survey is completely anonymous and will be open until Thursday 17 June. To complete the survey, click here. The construction of a $50 million overpass between Gracemere and Kabra was one of the major benefits which the Rockhampton region received from Tuesday’s State Government budget. This announcement by Treasurer Andrew Fraser resulted from important advocacy by the Member for Rockhampton Robert Schwarten who was supported by Rockhampton Regional Council, Rockhampton Regional Development and a group of Gracemere landholders led by Louise Ward from CQ Dozers. The three supporting deputations showed the depth of community support for the overpass, while the landholders were also able to give first hand examples of the dangers posed by the existing Langley, Malchi and Kabra rail crossings. The linking together of these interests showed how powerful a force State members of parliament can be when supported by local government, business community and the wider community. It was a lesson in lobbying. The deputations spoke with Community Cabinet members in Emu Park on 30 May and 16 days later on 14 June the Treasurer announced the initial down payment of $10 million for the project in the 2010 budget. Rockhampton Regional Council is establishing Reference Groups to assist in the improvement of community access to Council services, facilities and public space. Members of the Reference Groups will provide feedback directly to the Rockhampton Region Access and Equity Advisory Committee, allowing this Committee to make informed decisions. The Reference Groups and Committee will focus on access and equity issues relating to people with a disability, frail aged persons, people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and those experiencing marginalisation, social isolation and/or socio-economic disadvantage. To find out more about these Reference Groups, click here. Having a well organised, well ordered, clean, standardised and efficient workplace has proven to be the foundation for organisations to become world class. Have you heard of 5S Housekeeping? 5S is a simple, inexpensive system available for your factory floor to reduce waste, improve productivity and contribute considerably to your bottom line year after year. QMI Solutions will be holding a special hands-on workshop in Yeppoon on the 17 June. What better way to learn how it is done and see immediate results? To find out more about this workshop on 5S Housekeeping, click here.
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Message from Mary Carroll, CTEDL CEO
Merger Well in Hand
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Business Sentiment Survey
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RRD Contribution to Rail Overpass
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Community Reference Groups
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Cut the Fat From Your Factory
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Rockhampton Regional Development
Level 4, 130 Victoria Parade
Rockhampton Q 4700
P: +61 7 4927 0292
F: +61 7 4927 0294
E: enquiries@rrdl.com.au
Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI)
PO Box 947
Rockhampton Q 4700
P: +61 7 4938 4572
F: +61 7 4938 4986
Members are encouraged to submit news stories for inclusion in Inside the Region.
If you are a member of Rockhampton Regional Development and you have some news to share, contact media@rrdl.com.au