The Economic Development Strategy is built around six priority pillars:
1. Next Generation Ready
This pillar focuses on building a skilled, adaptable, and future-ready workforce to support the region’s long-term economic resilience. It strengthens pathways from education to employment, aligns training with industry demand, and supports young people and jobseekers through targeted partnerships, workforce planning, and data-driven initiatives.
2. Regional Strengths & Shared Identity
This pillar positions the region’s unique lifestyle, environment, and economic strengths as a competitive advantage. It strengthens the regional brand to attract investment, talent, and visitors, and ensures economic development, workforce attraction, and visitor economy initiatives are aligned to the region’s distinctive value proposition.
3. Informed by Data & Insights
This pillar ensures economic decisions are evidence-based, measurable, and responsive to change. It prioritises data collection, analysis, and reporting to identify trends, guide investment, and support coordinated planning across Council, industry, and government partners.
4. Enabling Infrastructure
This pillar focuses on ensuring the region has the physical and digital infrastructure required to support business growth and population expansion. It includes advocacy and investment in transport, utilities, housing, and digital connectivity to unlock economic opportunity and improve regional accessibility and productivity.
5. Cultivating a Culture of Enterprise
This pillar supports innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable business practices to strengthen the local economy. It promotes collaboration, connects businesses with networks and support programs, and encourages new ideas and enterprise development across key sectors.
6. Empowering Business Ecosystems
This pillar strengthens the local business environment by supporting business capability, resilience, and growth. It focuses on improving access to support services, streamlining processes, and fostering inclusive participation so businesses of all sizes can succeed and contribute to the region’s economy.