Innovative Economic Development Strategy promotes jobs and investment
08 December 2022
The City of Ipswich is in a position to attract significant jobs and investment as part of a new and innovative Economic Development Strategy.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said Ipswich City Council has collaborated with the business, property, government and education sectors to create the blueprint.
“This strategy outlines council’s plan for sustainable economic growth, showing how we can build the economy of the future and attract and retain diverse and high value jobs for current and future generations,” Mayor Harding said.
“Council has collaborated with our business, government and education partners to ensure this input is front and centre in our plans to grow Ipswich’s economy now and well into the future.
“Our new Economic Development Strategy is a massive step forward for council, where we are proactively planning for economic opportunities and setting the agenda on how we seek to achieve these outcomes for our businesses and residents.”
On Thursday 8 December council endorsed the new Economic Development Strategy 2023-2027, which aims to deliver:
- 11,500 new jobs by 2027
- $6.5 billion economic growth by 2027
- Ipswich positioned and promoted as a destination of choice to invest, live, learn, work and play
- Ipswich City Council and local businesses well connected and engaged.
Economic and Industry Development Committee Chairperson Councillor Nicole Jonic said the stakeholder engagement process had been vital and helped establish the strategy document.
“There are a lot of opportunities here to work with investors and partners, not just on the sidelines or as regulators,” Cr Jonic said.
“The evidence shows that the investors are coming to Ipswich, now is the time to provide them with a voice to promote our wonderful city.
“There was great enthusiasm and feedback from all about a new economic development strategy and now is the time to step forward and harness great job opportunities and attract investment to the region.”
Councillor Jonic said a detailed implementation plan will now be developed following today’s endorsement of the strategy.
“The plan will function as a program of work to deliver on the objectives of the strategy. Actions will have a defined scope and timeline, have assigned resources and be delivered collaboratively,” Cr Jonic said.
“The plan will be reviewed annually with a report card developed to updated on progress of actions and metrics of key economic development indicators. It will be designed as a live and agile document to allow projects and programs to be altered to suit changing environments.”
Councillor Jonic said council would officially launch the strategy in February 2023.