Members of the Sunshine Coast Business Council (SCBC) met in Marcoola this afternoon for the organisation’s Annual General Meeting and Christmas function, and to view a much anticipated audio-visual which aims to capture the ‘essence of the Sunshine Coast’.
The presentation draws from a decade of regional research, as well as recent engagement with community organisations and SCBC partners. SCBC Chair Sandy Zubrinich said that it was the result of the business and broader community recognising the need for the Sunshine Coast region to have an overarching story.
“This is a story that explains who we are as a regional community and reinforces our reputation as a great place to live, visit and invest,” Ms Zubrinich said.
“New Zealand is cited as a good example of a regionally and culturally diverse country that has successfully implemented a unifying brand built around its story and values – a brand that has significantly benefited New Zealanders including their export and tourism industries.”
“It is important to note that their journey took 16 years and several million dollars. While we don’t have its budget, SCBC has been inspired by New Zealand and enlisted its members and stakeholders to help fund and support the identification of the ‘gems’ from the existing research and reports – the consistent attributes and values of the region that had already been highlighted.”
“What we are presenting today is a foundation storyboard that can be drawn upon by others to explain regional attributes, values, and importantly, the energy of the Sunshine Coast region. I believe this is a valuable step in bringing clarity to our regional values which have emerged over the years. Hopefully it will encourage less slogans and more meaningful description about the essence of what makes this Coast great.”
The audio-visual story told through a collection of images and messages can be viewed on the SCBC website. The project’s initial presentation was seen at the Combined Government & Business Forum in September this year where members of all levels of government and the business community had the opportunity to provide feedback and engage with the process.
“There is nothing more valuable than unity when you are looking to define a voice for the region and we were delighted at the impressive range of partners who came on board to make this foundation project possible and to take this first step,” Ms Zubrinich said.
“Dr Carol Major — a renowned researcher and storyteller — did an exceptional job of distilling the essence of the Coast from multiple research projects conducted over the last ten years as well as hosting workshops with over 50 members of the community. Dr Major has worked extensively on the Sunshine Coast and understands the region including our indigenous and European history.”
“We’ve reached a point where we feel the video is an appropriate reflection of what the Sunshine Coast represents and we are excited to share it with our members and beyond today.”
“This project is a collaboration of 30 organisations and individuals from business, industry groups, councils and politicians contributing a total of $50,000 to fund the project and we are truly grateful for their support to deliver this work,” said Ms Zubrinich.
The SCBC also hosted its Annual General Meeting which saw a change in board members with two new members voted in.
Re-elected Sunshine Coast Business Council Chair Sandy Zubrinich acknowledged and thanked Don Maconachie who retired from the board in August this year, and Brett Mills who did not renominate, for their hard work and dedication in assisting the SCBC in driving growth for the Sunshine Coast.
“We are delighted to welcome our new board members Ana Rodger, General Manager TAFE Queensland East Coast, and Brad Williams, Regional Manager, General Manager – Sunshine Coast, RPS Australia Asia Pacific,” said Ms Zubrinich.
Ms Rodger and Mr Williams join the following fellow business leaders on the board:
- Sandy Zubrinich, Zubek — Chair;
- Tony Sowden, Tony Sowden Legal — Board member and secretary;
- Hayden Rudd, NCP Bathrooms & Plumbing Centres — Board member and financial manager;
- Adrian Allen, Stockland Communities – Board member;
- Tony Vickers, Midson Construction — Board member;
- Bridget Murphy, Fujitsu Australia – Board member; and
- Peter Pallot – Board member.
The Sunshine Coast Business Council is the leading regional business advocacy group on the Sunshine Coast representing approximately 4,000 businesses through its membership, which includes key national and regional industry groups and their members as well as national and regional businesses.
Its membership base represents a range of sectors including tourism, property, construction, retail, banking and financial services, telecommunications and professional services.