Economic Development Showcase: stories from the economic development community

About the event

With the end of 2024 approaching, we are partnering with Economic Development Australia (EDA) to bring together the WA economic development community to share some of the amazing projects delivered this year!

• Feed Me Morley Food Festival – City of Bayswater
• Accessible Swan Business Initiative – City of Swan
• International Pastoral Sustainability Alliance – RDA Mid West & Gascoyne
• WA Small Business Outlook – Small Business Development Corporation

This event provides the chance to meet (both in person and virtually), learn from one another and ask questions about the projects presented.

Light snacks will be provided. This event is a joint initiative between EDA and WALGA and is perfect for anyone involved in economic development, in particular Local Governments.

Projects and Presenters

RDA Mid West & Gascoyne

Project: International Pastoral Sustainability Alliance

Western Australia’s Southern Rangelands region comprises 52.3million hectares (7% of Australia) of uncultivated land in a challenging landscape, shaped by its harsh climate and very remote location. The region has 286 registered pastoral stations.

Until recently, pastoralists lacked industry leadership and guidance to revitalise the rangelands and contribute to regional economic development. Recognising this need, pastoralists banded together to establish the Southern Rangelands Pastoral Alliance (‘SRPA’) with the vision to lead knowledge and initiatives that would restructure the balance of landscape values, economic outcomes and the natural environment in the region. Since establishment, SRPA has formed partnerships with State and Local Governments, grower groups, drought resilience and innovation hubs, agricultural innovation hubs, RDAs, technology companies and local communities.

With 2026 being declared the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (‘IYRP’), the SRPA established a IYRP WA Committee to facilitate international resource sharing and knowledge exchange. Concurrently with its establishment, RDA Midwest & Gascoyne (RDAMWG) was initiating a friendship agreement with Kenya due to there being recognised similarities between the respective pastoral regions in relation to water management, food security, climate, indigenous communities, regional governance and mining. RDAMWG’s involvement with the SRPA’s IYRP WA Committee provided a critical focus for discussions to collaborate internationally. The IYRP WA Committee is utilising SRPA innovations and putting them into an international context, such as capability building, knowledge sharing and information exchange with Kenya.

Presenter: Mark Holdsworth - Executive Officer and Director of Regional Development

Working across a region that has a population of 65,000 spread throughout 20 local government communities, Mark is aware of the many challenges and opportunities facing remote and regional communities. He enjoys the honesty and accountability that comes from engaging with people who live and work in the communities they represent and have real ‘skin in the game’.

An escapee from Melbourne and employment within its large corporates, Mark now puts his focus and energy into shaping opportunities that enhance liveability in resourceful regional and remote communities. He and his Board have a clear vision that the Mid West and Gascoyne region will defy isolation and take full advantage of the opportunities evolving from its unique assets and communities.

Mark has a strong record of involvement with EDA: as a member of the Victorian and Western Australian SPN’s and past Board Director and National Chair.

City of Bayswater

Project: Feed Me Morley Food Festival

The Feed Me Morley Food Festival, run in March 2024, was a new economic development and place initiative for the City, that consisted of a marketing campaign and activations for the Morley town centre.

Morley is culturally diverse, with over 70% of residents having at least one parent born overseas. This diversity of cultures has generated a range of restaurants, cafés, bars, takeaways and other eating options that provide an authentic culinary tour around the globe, all within an area of about one square kilometre.

The project sought to raise the profile of the town centre as a destination to visit for authentic food and beverage options, increase footfall and secondary retail spend, build on recent place-based infrastructure projects and in the long-term, foster a thriving town centre to seed future economic investment.

Presenters: Simon Terry - Economic Development Advisor

Simon Terry has such a diverse background that it may indicate to many that he has never known what he wants to do with his life. They may well be correct! Whatever the role, the common thread of his working life has been as a professional problem solver. With nearly 10 years in regional and economic development with State and Local Governments, he has acquired extensive experience that is complemented by his attempts to see things differently to help find solutions.

Misha Elliott - Place Manager

Misha Elliott is an experienced community development, events and place manager with a proven track record across various Local Governments in Perth. Passionate about fostering vibrant communities, Misha excels in delivering engaging and innovative projects that bring businesses and residents together. With a commitment to collaboration, she thrives on creating initiatives that enhance the vitality of local places, ensuring they are not only functional but also lively and inviting.

City of Swan

Project: Accessible Swan Business Initiative

The City of Swan’s Economic Development team have been working on making our businesses accessible for everyone.  The Accessible Swan Business initiative is a project designed to create economic benefit to participating businesses, whilst creating a more inclusive region for all.

This opportunity aims to assist businesses to increase their capacity to welcome people with disability through amending the built environment and develop an increasingly inclusive environment. This may open doors to new markets, increase staff engagement, and improve customer satisfaction and retention.

Presenter: Kylie Cugini - Manager of Business & Tourism Services

Kylie is an accomplished leader with extensive experience in both higher education and local government. For 21 years, Kylie served as the Director of Operations at Curtin University, where she was instrumental in exporting degrees for the business school, fostering international partnerships, and generating alternate revenue streams.

In 2007, Kylie transitioned to local government, initially focusing on organisational planning and development. Kylie then headed up the commercial area, encompassing the commercialisation of services and infrastructure, leading to her further appointment of the economic development and visitor servicing teams. Over the past decade, Kylie has spearheaded initiatives supporting over 14,000 businesses, driving economic growth, investment, and tourism for one of the largest local government areas in the region.

Kylie's leadership has included organising business delegations to Canberra, hosting inbound delegations, managing major conferences and events, and leading innovative tourism initiatives. Kylie has also collaborated with neighbouring local governments on projects related to tourism, freight, and logistics, consistently delivering impactful results for the community and local economy.

With a passion for fostering growth and supporting local businesses, Kylie continues to be a driving force in both economic development and community engagement.

Small Business Development Corporation

Project: WA Small Business Outlook

What is on the horizon for Western Australia’s small business sector? The Small Business Development Corporation commissioned The Demographics Group to analyse a range of data, including population and labour force statistics, to develop insights into high growth industries of the next decade, and changes in society that will create opportunities and challenges for small businesses throughout our state.

Presenter: Karine Broux – Executive Director Strategic Policy, Investigations and Dispute Services

Karine Broux joined the Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC) in late 2023 to lead the agency’s Policy and Advocacy, Business Investigations and Dispute Services, and Commissioner’s Office Functions.

Karine commenced her career working as a commercial lawyer in the private sector, honing her legal expertise while working in Sydney and Perth, representing commercial clients at both the District and Supreme Courts. She combines this with more than 20 years’ experience within the State Public Sector, managing regulatory reform projects at the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS), overseeing service provision and providing strategic advice to the Commissioner for Consumer Protection.

Karine holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours in Philosophy) and Bachelor of Laws from UWA.

When not working or bringing up children, Karine enjoys travelling, movies, and having spent her childhood in Singapore, eating spicy food.