APRIL 2023 - NEWSLETTER

Illawarra Shoalhaven 10 Year Defence Strategy

RDA Illawarra welcomes the release of the Illawarra Shoalhaven 10 year Defence Strategy by KPMG for Business Illawarra.  The Strategy provides an excellent overview of our current industry as well as the size of the huge opportunity to leverage $32 billion of defence industry spending.

At the recent Illawarra Defence Conference, we noted that the Illawarra-Shoalhaven is not starting from ‘ground zero’.  However, we do need to act with a sense of urgency, despite confirmation there will be no formal announcement on the location of an East Coast Navy Base until after the next Federal election.

The journey to becoming an industry supplier can be long and the process complex, but it’s important for SME’s to engage with a prime contractor to develop a new customer base and access to new markets.  We also have a huge opportunity to spur further innovation and skill development, especially in robotics, cybersecurity, AI and automation.  We have a great opportunity for STEM to be expanded in Australia, especially to include more women.

We look forward to the creation of an inclusive Illawarra Shoalhaven Alliance and implementation of an action plan where we can continue to play our part in advocating for more defence opportunities for the Illawarra region, as we have done for the past decade.

Promoting Wollongong’s clean energy credentials

We congratulate the Member for Cunningham, Alison Byrnes MP, on hosting the recent Illawarra Clean Energy Expo at Australian Parliament House.  The expo was coordinated by the University of Wollongong and brought together the organisations, businesses and people driving the momentum in clean energy in our region with government stakeholders.

Some of the factors driving the case for Wollongong as a premier location for the clean energy industry include: 

• Our region's existing and extensive industrial, transport and energy infrastructure
• The identification of Port Kembla Hydrogen Hub and the Illawarra Renewable Energy Zone by NSW Government
• The University of Wollongong, and its record of research and development projects with business and industry

RDA Illawarra supports the growth in this significant sector and looks forward to working together with stakeholders in the Illawarra to promote the development of the clean energy sector.

Photo credit: Mode Imagery

2023 Wollongong Investment Prospectus available now 

Invest Wollongong's newly updated Wollongong Investment Prospectus 2023 is out now.

Discover why Wollongong is the alternative CBD location, the key sectors driving growth in the city, including clean energy. Learn more about Wollongong's supportive business environment, enhanced work-life balance and the substantial uplift in new A-Grade office space in the the Wollongong CBD.
 

New DSSS Destination Management Plan 

The newly developed Sydney Surrounds South Destination Management Plan 2022-2030 (DMP) is available to download now.

The plan forms part of the launch of seven new Destination Management Plans for regional NSW. The plan highlights the unique strengths of Sydney Surrounds South and includes targeted actions for Government and industry collaboration to facilitate growth of a sustainable visitor economy and increased visitor spend.

The DMP creates a collaborative framework to guide the work of local, regional, and state tourism stakeholders to grow, develop, and promote the region’s visitor economy to 2030 as well as contributing to the NSW Government’s target to achieve $25 billion in visitor expenditure by 2030.

The Destination Sydney Surrounds South (DSSS) zone includes 6 local government areas: Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama, Shoalhaven, Wingecarribee and Wollondilly. DSSS and RDA Illawarra collaborate to strengthen the tourism and visitor economy in our region. 

DSSS Visitor Economy Symposium 2023

Save the date for the Destination Sydney Surrounds South Visitor Economy Symposium:

DATE:  Thursday 25th May, 2023
TIME:  9.00am to 4.30pm, with networking to follow
VENUE:  The Pavilion Kiama

• The theme for the day will be ‘Better Together’.
• Hear from guest speakers and industry leaders, including Destination NSW and Tourism Australia.
• Deep dive in to key sector topics, such as agritourism, skills and much more.
   

Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support Program Grants 

The Australian Government has opened a grant opportunity for the Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support (IVAIS) program.

The $7.8 million program aims to support Aboriginal and Torres Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, organisations and businesses to direct and decide on their own cultural and economic interests.

Organisations that support professional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists to produce, promote and market their art can apply.

Applications are open now and close 16 April 2023
 

National Renewables in Agriculture Conference

The future of farming will be showcased at the National Renewables in Agriculture Conference on 21 June 2023 in Dubbo NSW.

Hear directly from farmers using renewables on their properties, what the benefits are and what they’ve learnt. Sessions will feature experts speaking about:

• future fuels and farm vehicles
• bioenergy
• energy storage
• solar and wind and 
• the national energy transition. 

The keynote speaker is Ross Garnaut, one of the country’s most well-known and influential thinkers in renewables and climate change policy.