Page 25 - Tropic Magazine Issue 24
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TROPIC • POPUL ATION
Grass roots growth
Could the COVID-19 pandemic present an unexpected
opportunity to grow our city’s population?
Nikki Huddy Luckbir Singh
Planz Town Planning MacDonnells Law
Regionalism and localism are hot topics right The end of globalisation, helicopter money
now. Increasingly, we’re aware that locals are best economics, trade protectionism, a return to
placed to know their own interests. Successful simpler living, suburban revival, permanency of
communities are those that drive their own working from home.. when it comes to the impact
agendas. This is also known as the Principle of of COVID-19 from an economic and lifestyle
Subsidiarity: power and decisions should be perspective, the list goes on…
made as close to citizens and communities as is Out of all this uncertainty and accelerated change
compatible with national fairness. This allows local caused by COVID-19, where do we as individuals,
services to be tailored to local circumstances. businesses and a region find a renewed future?
The COVID-19 event has reinforced the importance As residents of Far North Queensland, we also
of local economic development that supports have the opportunity to get involved and add
locals. It is our small-scale efforts that create the conversation about our collective future.
building blocks for economic prosperity and one of Can Far North Queensland amplify our strategic
the positive outcomes of this experience is that we assets and position to attract more skills, people,
increasingly recognise the value of local businesses, lifestyle and businesses to our region? Yes, the
local producers, local artists and local media. explosive pace of change is a threat, but much more
Our economic resilience is defined an opportunity. There must be people
locally, based on local strengths, throughout the country and overseas
opportunities, networks, who are re-evaluating their future,
distances between towns including where they wish to live
and ports, and efficiencies and do business. You can sense a
(scale, labour, knowledge). movement is coming where large
It is a great time to do some numbers of families and businesses
“un-conventional” thinking will no longer automatically be
about our regional communities and the attracted to urbanised centres and capital
opportunities ahead. Here are a couple of my ideas: cities. They will be looking to change. This
1. Market the place we do business as much, if not movement will be driven from a grass roots level
more than, the business itself. It is often said that up and into corporates and Governments. Can our
in this digitally connected world individuals and region become one of the champions and drivers of
businesses could operate from almost anywhere in this shift? Can we fulfil demographer Bernard Salt’s
the world. So why is it that we have chosen to live often cited “lifestyle attraction region” prophecy?
and work here? What makes a business set up here, Can we seize the opportunity from the crisis?
rather than somewhere else? The region has incredibly talented, creative and
2. Harness the power of location envy. Tell anyone driven individuals. I’m constantly impressed by
who will listen why it is that we live and work the depth and calibre of thinkers we have here. It’s
here. We get to celebrate the smug feeling of time for everyone who has ideas to voice them and
good fortune to be living in a beautiful, diverse, contribute to the debate. But let this conversation
abundant tropical location. The tropics is our place. begin on the basis of a collaborative approach.
It is our sense of pride in our place, our spirit of We need to move away from saying “that is a good
optimism and our strength in community that is idea but it won’t work…” to a new narrative which
the foundation for our economic prosperity in local says “that is a good idea and we need to also try…”
tourism, local agriculture, local fisheries,
local business.
JOIN THE DEBATE: tropicnow.com.au
25 • tropicnow.com.au
