Marketing strategy looks to Goldfields' future

16/2/00
Regional Development Minister Hendy Cowan launched a draft marketing strategy for the Goldfields-Esperance region in Kalgoorlie-Boulder today.
The draft document, which is now open for public comment, was prepared by consultants, The Strategy Centre, for the Goldfields Esperance Development Commission (GEDC).
Mr Cowan said the document contained a number of proposed initiatives that, if successfully implemented, would make a significant difference to people living and working in the region.
The marketing strategy aims to:

• encourage more professionals to live and work in the region. Target groups include doctors, nurses, teachers, accountants, lawyers and engineers;
• attract more retirees to live in the region;
• attract more investment;
• encourage more people to visit the region and to stay longer; and -
• increase current residents' sense of pride in their region.

"The consultants recommend that the strategy be implemented, facilitated and monitored by the GEDC in collaboration with a new umbrella advisory group comprising major stakeholders throughout the region," Mr Cowan said.
"The stakeholders include local government, the Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Minerals and Energy, Aboriginal corporations, pastoral and farming interests, and the general community.
"The Goldfields-Esperance region covers a vast area of the Australian land mass and comprises huge diversity, not only geographically, but also across industries.
"When you couple this diversity with the project's wide-ranging objectives and target groups, the task of implementing the strategy across the region will be a very challenging one. I believe that the stakeholders will work together to make this region even greater than it is today."
The draft document contains 26 individual strategies. Some apply to just one industry, market or sub-region, while others cover several or all of these.
The recommended initiatives range from developing an across-region heritage trail based on its outstanding Federation architecture, through to encouraging gourmet food and wine tourism in the South-East and developing Kalgoorlie-Boulder as a university city and centre of education excellence.
Further information about the public comment period is available from the GEDC.

Media Contact: Peter Jackson 9222 9595