economic sustainability

 

AFTERNOON SESSION

ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY

 

 

People in the group include Landholders, local government, aged care, university students, teachers

 

 

·       The questionnaire discussed

·       Region strengths / weaknesses

•  Ag resource sector very strong – but group adds that there is a lack of effective use of resources. Water supply less than optimal – opportunity to improve the water system – poor health of the land. Landscape is operating below its potential . Education in resource management is 1950s thinking needs to be changed into sustainability based education.
  
• We are different to Tamworth. Must not chase the successes of Tamworth for example. High transport costs here.
  
•  Chiswick is at risk/winding down. Opportunity to do (agricultural) sustainability research.
  
•  The potential in sustainability education is also a strength of the region? On the negative side over-reliance on education is a weakness. Distance education is huge and growing. Too much resting on laurels of UNE. Lack of alternative enterprise.
  
•  Reliable and plentiful water supply – attract businesses in the future
  
• Carbon trading. Farmers are being portrayed as rapists and pillagers of the atmosphere but many are long-term tree-planters/responsible stewards that are not being recognised in the proposed carbon marker systems
  
•  Short-term economic gains (‘selling’ water, coal mining) can be uneconomic in the longer term. Resisting and choosing futures carefully is not anti-development.
  
•  Government support, such as CSIRO and public education is no longer reliable. Need other initiatives/regional partnerships/RCS etc
  
•  Research is prohibitively expensive and risky
  
• Costs are rising generally
  
• Farmers are improving the sharing of IP. Landcare has helped
  
• Import replacement opportunities need to be examined systematically
  
•  Vegetables and wine are taking off in this region. Wine-growing in Inverell for over 150 years (pioneer industry)
  
•  Processing is all done overseas and then its imported back
  
•  Local wool has always been processed overseas: England, Italy, China ...
  
• Research ends up on a dusty shelf. Sustainability innovators should be resourced e.g. Chiswick
  
•  Need scientifically based policy
  
• Profitability drivers now is providing the wrong signal to sustainable development
  
•  Eco-tourism opportunities are a strength of the region. Difficult to deal with National Parks. also difficult for private landholders to host visitors - risks, inappropriate visitor behaviour
  
• 
  
• strong community is the envy of all capital cities
  
• Transport is a big weakness
  
• small acreages  
  

KEY ECONOMIC STRENGTH

kids leave but they return for the lifestyle

KEY ECONOMIC WEAKNESS

transport

government policy

35-40 year olds are leaving with their children

not enough range of education/employment opportunities

WHAT WILL A SUSTAINABLE NEW ENGLAND LOOK LIKE?

diversification of industry based on value-adding

long-term policy on knowledge based industry - research informed