President's Report - July 2022

I was pleased to attend the launch of Big City Lights at Mr P.P’s Deli and Rooftop Bar last month and celebrate the City’s newest festival of light, design, installation and live performance. Congratulations to the Board and team at Placemakers* Gold Coast for delivering the inaugural event in Southport and attracting thousands of visitors to the CBD between 7 – 10 July 2022.

July also brought the much anticipated return of the Southport Sharks Annual Sports Lunch that was attended by 640 people, and well-attended industry functions such as the AusBiotech Event hosted at the Institute for Glycomics that highlighted the growing life-science and biomedical business community in Southport’s Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct.

In business news, it was wonderful to host a Gold Coast roundtable with Deputy Leader of the Opposition Hon. Sussan Ley MP, Shadow Minister for Women, Shadow Minister for Industry, Skills and Training and Shadow Minister for Small and Family Business.

There was lots to be discussed in the business and training sector, including Australia’s first sustainable TAFE Queensland campus on the Gold Coast, the role that micro-credentials can play in supporting a skilled workforce, the importance of STEM education in primary and high-schools, the importance of industry experience through training placements and internships, and the important role startups play in offering unique employment opportunities in the emerging sectors.

Thank you to local leaders Rachell Hansen of Global Shapers Gold Coast, Stephanie Chaousis of IntelliHQ, Toni Peggrem of the Queensland AI Hub and Karen Dickinson of TAFE Queensland for leading the discussion.

New statistics from the latest census have revealed Southport as Queensland's most multicultural suburb. I was delighted to speak with ABC Gold Coast to highlight the significant and widespread contribution that culturally and linguistically diverse business people make to Southport across the professional services, medical, hospitality, retail and education industries.

Later this week, a group of local stakeholders will be officially launching Common Ground Gold Coast and unveiling their plans to deliver a much-needed homelessness solution on the Gold Coast. Common Ground Gold Coast (CGGC) has been established through the support of Common Ground Queensland (CGQ). CGGC is a subsidiary organisation of CGQ, created with the express aim of establishing a Common Ground supportive housing project on the Gold Coast.

The Common Ground model is a solution to homelessness underpinned by supportive housing principles, bringing housing, support services and the community together. The initial project will seek to establish 200 units of supportive housing to permanently house and support individuals sleeping rough, or those who experience chronic homelessness. It is hoped that governments at all levels, business and the community, will contribute to delivering this project on the Gold Coast where the need is significant. The Southport Chamber of Commerce is supportive of this concept and congratulates the Common Ground Gold Coast team on the upcoming launch of this initiative.

Finally, the future of work is an evolving and critical issue for Queensland businesses, both now and into the future. It’s why we’re working with CCIQ and Australian Retirement Trust to understand future trends in Queensland’s workplaces and how businesses can plan for their future growth and workforce sustainability. As a result, CCIQ has launched The Future of Work Survey.

Southport Chamber of Commerce members can share insights and contribute to a profitable, sustainable and meaningful future for business in Queensland. You can access the survey via: The Future of Work Survey (surveymonkey.com) and learn more about the initiative on the CCIQ website.
 

Ariana Margetts
President
Southport Chamber of Commerce