Message from the Chair & CEO

Whilst we continue to focus on the recovery phase for a number of business sectors, now more than ever we need to depend on each other. Our commitment to you, our Members and stakeholders, is to continue working hard for you and our entire regional community.

A Message

FROM OUR CHAIR & CEO

1st July 2020 marked our tenth Anniversary and we owe our success as an Organisation to the strong support and collaboration with our business and industry partners, which builds on the foundation of our state and local government financial support.

Our small team of dedicated professionals are supported by a volunteer Board of Directors and Management Committee Members and hundreds of Member businesses, stakeholders, public and private sector partners. We have worked very hard over the past decade supporting Regional Priority Projects and increasing our visitor economy (business, leisure, VFR) from domestic and international markets. As Capricorn Enterprise marks our ten year milestone, we reflect on a decade of highs and lows, collaboration and challenges for our regional tourism industry. Last year was definitely a ‘high’ with official Tourism Research Australia data revealing record growth in both domestic and international visitation to the year ending December 2019 for our region stretching from the Central Highlands to the Keppel Islands. 1,233,000 visitors spent $668 million dollars across the Capricorn region, with another 1,506,000 day visitors spending $286 Million. 2020 was tracking to be a record year with both domestic and international visitors and visitor expenditure, however, the impacts of the COVID crisis to our visitor economy has been unprecedented. It may take years for the visitor statistics to reach the 2019 benchmark at regional, state and national levels. Whilst the first half of 2020 has been incredibly challenging, we are fortunate that our regional economy in Central Queensland is diverse and stronger than many other destinations. With $4.5 Billion dollars worth of major infrastructure developments planned and underway during this decade of development, we face a shortage of up to 3,000 workers, which conversely presents a greater opportunity to attract workers and their families from the densely populated areas of the country to a regional lifestyle. With this knowledge, our Capricorn Enterprise led Central Queensland Major Projects Workforce Alliance which is a strong collaboration with Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ), our major project proponents and promoting regional business content, that we have been working towards a solution for the past eighteen months to cement CQ as a destination of choice for skills development, jobs, lifestyle choices, population growth and economic prosperity. Whilst we continue to focus on the recovery phase for a number of business sectors, now more than ever we need to depend on each other. Our commitment to you, our Members and stakeholders, is to continue working hard for you and our entire regional community.

The challenges experienced during the 2019/2020 financial year are hard to understate.

The region has experienced drought, bushfires, hail and a shutdown of large parts of the economy to combat a worldwide pandemic. The most devastating impact for our members has been the economic shutdown and restriction on travel, caused by the pandemic. It is during such difficult times that people need help and Capricorn Enterprise, led by Mary Carroll, has worked extremely hard to provide that extra support. As the registered tourism organisation for the Central Queensland region, Capricorn Enterprise was able to provide valuable data and advice to the state government, while advocating on behalf of members and providing up to date information for businesses as regulations changed. At the same time, Capricorn Enterprise pursued the economic opportunities for the region that will help all businesses across the region. Furthermore, Mary and her team provided much needed emotional support to business owners suffering from the lockdown.

The challenges caused by the pandemic have placed considerable strain on many people and have seriously tested our resilience and will continue to do so. Along with the challenges, there has been wonderful support from state and federal governments and it has been terrific to see both sides of politics working together for the benefit of communities. It is how people and business respond to adversity that sets them apart and establishes their reputation for the future. The organisation is incredibly grateful for the terrific ongoing support it receives from members and state and local government, especially as many are facing considerable adversity themselves. A special thank you must go to Minister Jones for her amazing support during this difficult time and our major supporters, being the State Government (via TEQ), Livingstone Shire Council, Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ), Ian Weigh Toyota, CQUniversity, Ergon Energy, Stanwell and Central Highlands Regional Council. As Chair of Capricorn Enterprise, I would also like to thank Mary and her team for working tirelessly to support our members and I wish to thank my fellow Directors for continuing to provide their advice, support and dedication as volunteers to this truly community based organisation. We have much better times to look forward to in this region and Capricorn Enterprise will continue to play its part in realising the opportunities that lie ahead.

Derek Lightfoot

Chairman