Regional Futures

Regional communities are good at doing a few things really well but what happens when too much rides on one industry, one market or one major employer?

In this episode of Regional Futures, we explore regional diversification and how businesses and communities can spread their risk and add value to what they already do.

We explore:

• Why relying heavily on one industry, customer or market can be risky.

• How Paulett Wines has diversified beyond wine through food, tourism and new experiences.

• What the loss of a major employer can mean for a small regional town.

• Opportunities in tourism, renewable energy, mining and professional services.

• Why water and other infrastructure remain critical to unlocking new investment.

• How RDA Yorke and Mid North can help businesses turn an idea into an opportunity.

Guests

Ali Paulett – Managing Director, Paulett Wines & Chair, RDA Yorke and Mid North 

Ross McNeil –CEO, Northern Areas Council and Board Member, RDA Yorke and Mid North.

Daniel Willson – CEO, RDA Yorke and Mid North

Regional Futures is produced by Regional Development Australia Yorke and Mid North and hosted by Annabelle Homer.

For many regional families, finding childcare isn’t just difficult, sometimes there simply isn’t any. In this episode of Regional Futures, we look at what happens when families can’t access childcare; from parents unable to return to work, to businesses struggling to find staff and communities missing out on new families.

We explore:

• Why some regional communities are considered childcare ‘deserts’.

• The flow-on effects for families, businesses and regional economies.

• Why attracting childcare providers to smaller towns can be so difficult.

• The funding and workforce challenges facing regional services.

• How community advocacy and partnerships can turn an idea into reality.

• What RDA Yorke and Mid North is doing to help communities find practical childcare solutions.

Guests

Michaela Magor– Chair, Crystal Brook Childcare Working Group

Amanda Redden – Project Coordinator, Regional Development Australia Yorke and Mid North

Caren Hammerstein – Director, Kadina Child Care Centre and new facility announcement

There’s land ready to develop, businesses wanting to invest and families looking to move to regional South Australia, but there’s one thing standing in the way. 

In this episode of Regional Futures, we look at how ageing and constrained water infrastructure is holding back housing and economic growth across the South Australia's Yorke and Mid North.

We unpack why getting water to a new development can be such a long and expensive process, who pays for the infrastructure and why developers say greater certainty is desperately needed.

We explore:

• Why water capacity is already limiting development in some regional communities.

• How developers are being asked to fund major infrastructure upgrades.

• Why regional projects can take years to get off the ground.

• How changing capacity advice can put developments at risk.

• Why better planning and risk sharing could help unlock regional growth.

• The role RDA Yorke and Mid North is playing in bringing developers, councils, government and utilities together.

Guests

Mayor Roslyn Talbot – Copper Coast Council and Board Member, RDA Yorke and Mid North 

Frank Lepore – Head of Strategic Projects, Leipzig Australia

Frank Vounasis – Founder & CEO, Leipzig Australia

Daniel Willson – CEO, Regional Development Australia Yorke and Mid North

Regional Futures is produced by Regional Development Australia Yorke and Mid North and hosted by Annabelle Homer.

In this first episode of Regional Futures, we explore the housing dilemma facing the Yorke and Mid North region of South Australia and ask a deceptively simple question, if the demand is there, why aren’t we building more homes?

We explore:

• Why regional housing demand is increasing.

• The infrastructure and development costs holding projects back.

• Why the economics of building in regional communities can be very different to metropolitan Adelaide.

• How housing shortages affect businesses, families and essential services.

• The role of government incentives in unlocking stalled developments.
• How councils, developers, government, industry and Regional Development Australia can work together to find practical solutions.

Have a regional housing project, development idea or an opportunity that needs help getting off the ground? 

Get in touch with Regional Development Australia Yorke and Mid North.

Guests

• Rachel Lawrie – Principal, Stadium Real Estate

• Andrew Christiansen – Manager, Renewal SA - Office for Regional Housing
• Superintendent Mark Syrus – South Australia Police - Yorke Mid North Region