A new ‘Skyrocket SA’ taskforce to propel investment into the state, a Formula‑E race in Adelaide, and a plan to increase collaboration across the entire education sector are among the some of the bold ideas to re-boot the economy in a new the South Australian Business Chamber report.
The peak independent business body has submitted a ‘9‑point Plan to Skyrocket SA’ to the State Government, which it says will help boost businesses and create more jobs.
The proposal highlights opportunities the State should seize immediately according to the South Australian Business Chamber Chair, Nikki Govan.
“The South Australian Business Chamber’s 9‑Point Plan to Skyrocket SA harnesses our unique strengths as a State to not only launch our economic recovery, but put us on a trajectory to sustainable growth,” she said.
“Our proposal is about pulling the right levers to ensure our State and hard-working businesses can adapt to what is expected to be long-lasting changes from COVID-19.
“With the 2020 – 21 State Budget looming, now is the time to start investing in the projects and policies that will help re-align South Australia’s economy beyond COVID-19.
“While some ideas are likely to take longer to advance than others, the South Australian Business Chamber argues they will help create the jobs of the future both in the City and across our regions.”
The key priorities in the South Australian Business Chamber’s 9‑Point Plan to Skyrocket SA include:
- Establish SA as a ‘State of Knowledge’ through education reforms that reduce duplication and foster greater collaboration between business and universities;
- Increase future take up of green hydrogen through a grant program to assist local businesses identify opportunities to eventually integrate hydrogen in their operations;
- Create a new Skyrocket SA taskforce charged with reinvigorating the State Brand and investment attraction within the Department for Premier and Cabinet;
- Promote SA’s high-tech capacity through a new marketing campaign to attract more businesses to SA leveraging enhanced internet capacity available across the State, including through Gig-City and Ten-Gigabit Adelaide;
- Kickstarting the development of a holistic eco-industrial park to enable local and interstate/international businesses to meet all aspects of their sustainability needs;
- Progress game changing infrastructure projects including the Short-South link (from Mt Barker to the North-South Corridor), and duplications of both the Augusta and Dukes Highways;
- A stronger focus on buy-local procurement to ensure local businesses have every opportunity to not only access State Government procurement opportunities but in a manner that enables maximum leverage off any associated IP creation;
- Bold wholesale tax reforms to tackle the taxes that constrain businesses the most, particularly payroll, company tax, and fringe benefits tax; and
- A new Formula E race and Festival of E‑motion for Adelaide including release of the feasibility study followed by an economic impact study into the event.
