May 2020 Newsletter

Our first online event

Thanks to the support and advice of Committee for Brisbane member Struber, and Patron member Urbis, we will be presenting our first online events on 12 & 14 May 2020.

“Mission Fit Cities: exploring global competitiveness in the post-pandemic age” will be a two-part presentation by Urbis’ Kate Meyrick and James Tuma.

In part one of the live-streamed events, Urbis will look at the changing competitive landscape and where Brisbane should be looking for economic alliances, assessing who its new rivals will be for talent and capital, and discussing what kind of city and society will emerge from the pandemic experience.

In part two, James Tuma will explore six themes that underpin a “thrive” agenda for Brisbane to drive its competitive advantage as a next-generation city, and discuss how government, industry and the community can work more collaboratively.

Welcome new members

The Committee for Brisbane is pleased to welcome these 19 members to “the family” who have joined so far in 2020:

Corporate Members:

Aurecon
Cardno
Smithfield Property Group
SNC-Lavalin
Struber
6YS

Enterprise Members:

Cross River Rail Authority
InQueensland
55 Comms

Individual Members:

Gene Moyle
Simon White
Andrew Thompson
Chris Skou
Aaron Tham
John Marshall
Todd Hacking
Wilma James
John Tynan
Geoff McFarlane

COVID-19 Recovery Strategies

The Committee for Brisbane has been active over the past few weeks in setting up structures to assist planning for the region’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have been encouraged by the enthusiasm of members to participate in that process, and by the number of peak bodies and industry groups that have pulled together in a coalition to present a coordinated voice to government.

Committee for Brisbane Recovery Strategy Group

The Committee has established a Recovery Strategy Group of more than 30 of its members who are working on strategic responses for a strong economic recovery from the pandemic lockdown.

The Recovery Strategy Group will work collaboratively on issues/opportunities of shared interest and will focus on working with governments to provide suggestions, advice and recommendations to assist the greater Brisbane economy to recover from the pandemic and lockdown.

The members of the Committee for Brisbane Recovery Strategy Group are:

Dr Aaron Tham (University of the Sunshine Coast, South Bank)
Andrew Thompson & Partners
APP
Arcadis
Architectus
Articulous
Aurecon
BBS Communications Group
BDO
Brisbane Airport Corporation
Cardno
Conrad Gargett
David Hertweck
Davidson
Food Connect Shed
Geoff McFarlane
GHD
Hassell Studio
Ipsos
Lendlease
McCullough Robertson Lawyers
Mecone
Metro Arts
Place Design Group
Portfolio Creative Services Group
PwC
Sharon Baker & Co
6YS
The Tivoli
Three Plus
Urbis

The Management Team comprises:

Debbie Smith, Markets Managing Partner, PwC
Jo Thomas, CEO + Creative Director, Metro Arts
Kirsti Simpson, Principal, Hassell Studio
Melinda Peters, Partner, McCullough Robertson Lawyers
Michael Stott, Director, Urbis
Robbie Marshall, APAC Operations Manager, Senior Principal – Civil Engineering, Cardno
Ross Elliott, Regional General Manager, APP
Sharon Baker, Director, Sharon Baker & Co
Annie Macnaughton, Director – Members and Partnerships, Committee for Brisbane
Barton Green, CEO, Committee for Brisbane

The Queensland Response and Recovery Coalition (QRRC)

The Queensland Response and Recovery Coalition comprises more than 20 peak bodies and industry groups that have agreed to work together on strategic responses.

The QRRC formed out of a cross-industry meeting coordinated by the Committee for Brisbane in late-March. The report from that meeting can be found here.

The QRRC has offered its services to the State Government to assist with longer-term strategic thinking. The QRRC believes that governments and industry must find the space and time, now, to start recovery planning.

An initial meeting with the State was held on 22 April and the list of the QRRC’s recommendations and ideas to the State can be found here.

The QRRC’s Statement of Purpose is:

COVID-19 is a strategy-derailing event that will require structural and governance responses to recalibrate the economy.

The Queensland Response and Recovery Coalition (QRRC) is a collective of peak bodies and industry groups, assembled to provide coordinated and relevant strategic advice to the state’s key decision makers.

By harnessing the knowledge and experience of this diverse group, the QRRC will inform government planning, policies and investment for economic recovery and long-term success.

The reputation of both Brisbane and Queensland will be determined by how we manage the response to the pandemic and how we plan for recovery – by improving the economy, maintaining collaborative government, and benefitting our society. This task is too big for governments alone.

The QRRC will look upward and forward to help plan for Queensland’s recovery, building on the State’s competitive advantages to create a better, stronger economy for our future.

The QRRC is now a member of a stakeholder group that will meet weekly with the State Government to progress recovery ideas.

The QRRC is made up of the following organisations:

Australian Industry Group
Australian Institute of Architects
Australian Retailers Association
Civil Contractors Federation Queensland
Committee for Brisbane
Council of Mayors (SEQ)
Engineers Australia
Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia
Live Performance Australia
Master Electricians Australia
National Association for the Visual Arts
National Retail Association
Office of Queensland Chief Entrepreneur
Property Council of Australia
Property Leaders Brisbane
QMusic
Queensland Hotels Association
Queensland Major Contractors Association
Queensland Tourism Industry Council
Real Estate Institute of Queensland
South East Queensland Indigenous Chamber of Commerce

To manage the day-to-day affairs of the QRRC, a Management Group has been established, comprising:

Alice-Anne McRobbie, State Manager – Queensland, Australian Institute of Architects
Angela Samut, CEO, QMusic
Barton Green, CEO, Committee for Brisbane
Damian Long, CEO, Civil Contractors Federation Queensland
Leanne Kemp, Queensland Chief Entrepreneur
Matthew Mackey, Founder, Property Leaders Brisbane
Rebecca Andrews, Head – Queensland, Australian Industry Group
Scott Smith, CEO, Council of Mayors SEQ
Todd Hacking, CEO, Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia

International network on COVID-19

On Good Friday, Committee for Brisbane CEO Barton Green participated in a videoconference of 11 cities across the globe, organised by some of our international peers: Barcelona Global and Regional Plan Association of New York.

The Committee for Brisbane and the Committee for Sydney were the Australian participants on the call. Other cities participating were Tel Aviv, Vienna, Sao Paulo, Toronto, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, New York and Barcelona.

This was the second link-up of the week – an earlier video conference involved the cities of Cape Town, Hong Kong, Paris, Glasgow and Amsterdam.

This report is a summary of the discussions and provides some interesting reading about how cities and governments are responding to the pandemic (as at mid-April 2020).

There are many parallels with the discussions the Committee for Brisbane has been having and with some of our early suggestions for recovery strategies.

Communications and Engagement Standing Sub-Committee

A Communications and Engagement Standing Sub-Committee has been formed to ensure the Committee remains strategically engaged with its members, partners and stakeholders through its various channels and event forums, including how events are held during the COVID-19 lockdown.

At the Sub-Committee’s first meeting in early April it was made clear that the Committee for Brisbane must continue to present events that challenge, stimulate and continue our goal to make greater Brisbane the world’s most liveable region.

The Sub-Committee members are:

Amanda Newberry, Managing Director, Articulous
Kylie Blucher, Vice-President CFB; Managing Director, Nine Qld and Nine Northern NSW
Paul Turner, Committee Member CFB; Chief Communication Officer, RACQ
Peter Kelly, Vice-President CFB; Executive Director, Three Plus
Stephanie Paul, Managing Director, Phillips Group
Scott Thompson – Director, 55 Comms
Barton Green, CEO, Committee for Brisbane
Annie Macnaughton, Director – Members and Partnerships, Committee for Brisbane

The Sub-Committee is being chaired by Paul Turner.

COVID-19 Consumer and behavioural Research

Committee for Brisbane member and international research firm, Ipsos, is sharing its COVID-19 related research with members, with some interesting insights into consumer behaviour around the world. You can see the latest report here.

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