RDA Gippsland commissioned two Economic Insights Forums to ensure the region has access to credible, high-quality economic data that supports strategic planning, drives economic uplift, and helps unlock Gippsland’s full potential.

Delivered by SGS Economics in Bairnsdale and Morwell, the forums bought together a broad cross-section of regional stakeholders including representatives from business and industry, educational institutions, councils, community and all levels of government. The sessions provided a valuable platform for sharing strategic insights, strengthening capacity and supporting evidence-based decision making across the region.

The forum reinforced the importance of a unified, region-wide approach to economic development, driven by informed decision making, shared priorities and strong partnerships between business and government.

Through panel discussions and networking, the goal was to create momentum for unified regional action to deliver long-term economic benefits for our regional communities. The objectives of the forum were to arm local businesses with data they can use for their benefit; assist the region to harness the maximum benefit from funding opportunities; and assist regional businesses to derive benefit from the region’s transition from a coal/energy-based economy to a more resilient and diversified economy.

Key themes for discussion at the forums were the current Gippsland economy, population and housing context, and all were delivered with extensive data attached.

The forum highlighted two key topics for the team to prepare a deep dive into:

• Housing and what the key housing issue is – i.e. a mismatch between what is being built and what is required for our demographic trends.
• Imports across the region - the need to interrogate this underlying data to better understand what the key imports are for the region in terms of sectors and what our industry gaps are.

Important recommendations to come from the forums included:

• Strengthen Industry-Government Partnerships - support engagement with key industries, particularly in mining, renewable energy, and manufacturing, to ensure councils and communities are ready to support and benefit from growth.
• Enhance Communication and Storytelling - look for ways to support regional storytelling that communicates opportunities, successes, and strategies to our communities, businesses, and investors.
• Prioritise Skills and Workforce Development - collaborate with education and training providers to ensure the regional workforce has the skills needed to support emerging industries and create pathways for young people.
• Embed Traditional Owner Collaboration - continue to engage and collaborate with Traditional Owner Corporations to ensure economic development is inclusive, culturally appropriate, and mutually beneficial.
• Monitor and Evaluate Progress - support and share the ongoing evaluation of our regional economic performance utilising the access we have to the SGS Economics & Planning data, as well as the internal Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regionals data insights team.