News.

08/10/11

Hearts of our towns ripped out in vicious mallings

Richard Glover’s column in the SMH today is a wake up call for our local councils and town centres. I spend a lot time in mid west America and the devastation I see that has been wrought on main streets in regional areas is not just from tornados. Shopping malls and discount stores on the outskirts of towns in many instances have destroyed main street USA. Empty shopfronts and the lack or retail and services is prevalent. Competition is non existent. Let it not continue to happen here.

11/08/11

City of Newcastle graduates from ‘MainStreet’ to Business Improvement Areas

It’s great to hear that the council of the City of Newcastle is transitioning from a mainstreet committee structure for economic development of its town centres to the self-governing Business Improvement Area model.

Three new BIA’s funded by special rate levies will act as service providers to Council, charged with delivering against Business Plans targeting four key strategic areas.

Capacity building, business planning and development, marketing and infrastructure development and reinvigoration are set to be the new watchwords for BIA’s in Wallsend, Mayfield & Hamilton. We worked with the Mayfield Mainstreet Committee several years ago and recall a passionate group of business people keen to see the commercial centre succeed.  The BIA model, which grants greater flexibility and control than the mainstreet model while still retaining appropriate accountability, should suit each of the Newcastle commercial centres.

Council is currently seeking individuals or organisations with ‘dynamic business and marketing expertise that can optimise the distinctiveness and competitive advantage of these commercial centres’.  Initial enquiries Courtney Koning ckoning@ncc.nsw.gov.au. Applications close 2pm Friday 26 August.

28/05/11

Special rate levy & BIDS vulnerable in Australia

This month’s axing of the CBD Special Rate Levy by the City of Greater Bendigo shows just how vulnerable these BID-like schemes are in an Australian legislative setting. If the scheme had been renewed, it would have raised $1.2Million to market and promote the CBD over the next four years.

Instead, some Councillors and supportive stakeholders are left wondering who will now champion the CBD.  Council’s news release about the decision to reject the new funding round points to concerns by a ‘large number of city centre businesses’.

Although based on the galvanising idea behind US Business Improvement Districts, there are some key differences that make Australian BIDs vulnerable: one of these is that there is no consistent, pre-determined method of obtaining and demonstrating continuing support.

The United Kingdom recognised this potential vulnerability when it formally enabled BIDS through legislation.  The Business Improvement Districts (England) Regulations 2004 describe in detail how a BID should be established, managed (particularly financially), reviewed, renewed and terminated.

We can’t help but think Australia too, needs some national legislation to encourage and support these business driven self-improvement schemes.

16/05/11

Place Branding Clues in National Flags?

Not sure we entirely agree that ‘Flags are the real logo of a country’ as suggested in this article by Andreas Markessinis on Nation Branding, but the visual examples are thought provoking: offering a starting point for discussions about dealing with the brand expression and visual identity of place sub-brands, managed entities and place partners.

13/05/11

Congratulations Stephen Gregory new CEO Canberra CBD Ltd

Stepping into the big shoes of Linda Staite, the inaugural CEO of this ground-breaking place management business improvement organisation, is Stephen Gregory, former CEO of Snowy Hydro South Care.

Canberra CBD Limited is funded by a 5 year grant from the ACT Government – the grant itself is funded by a compulsory levy on CBD property owners.  In 2006 and 2007, City Marketing assisted the ACT Government, the ACT Division of the Property Council of Australia, and the Canberra City Heart Business Association establish the framework for the levy and its future operations.

For the last 4 years, Linda has been delivering against a 5 year strategy City Marketing wrote for Canberra CBD Ltd as part of its funding bid.  She’s done a wonderful job and left the organisation and the place it manages in great shape for the new CEO.

 

11/05/11

Mental Health Budget Allocation Good News for Callan Park

The community’s desire to see Callan Park as a Wellness Sanctuary – a place for strengthening and restoring mental health and community wellness – looks a little more possible today after the Federal Government’s $1.5b boost for mental health funding.
With an emphasis on early intervention, care outside hospitals, and employment services for those living with a mental illness, the budget aligns well with draft Master Plan proposals for Callan Park.

11/05/11

Callan Park Master Plan Bus Tours Saturday 14 May

As the formal exhibition period for the Callan Park Master Plan draws to a close, we’re running three bus tours of the site on Saturday 14 May. These tours create the opportunity to explain aspects of the Master Plan in detail, answer specific questions about particular buildings or particular areas of the site or particular aspects of the proposed governance structure for Callan Park. It’s been a while since our last Callan Park workshop, and it looks like this new (for this project) form of engagement has attracted some members of the community we haven’t met before in addition to those who’ve shown their continuing interest in the project through workshops, online participation, and dropping in to the exhibitions. Should be a great day.

06/04/11

Industry calls for visa changes to boost tourist travel

As China becomes the number one source of international tourist arrivals for the first time, Australia’s Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) has called for a changes to the ‘highly bureaucratic, cumbersome and expensive tourism visa application processes’ that are currently in place. Sounds eminently sensible – anything we can do to improve visitation from a variety of markets could help to offset anticipated declines from Japan and New Zealand, two of our top 5 international markets.