Ideas on how to attract more people to SA?

[Queen Anne]

New Zealander's for SA

Good to know that Rann alongside former NZ PM Mike Moore is out out there promoting Adelaide & SA...

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/410965/2074618

Former PM luring Kiwis to Adelaide

South Australia's Premier is trying to lure Kiwi workers across the ditch - aided and backed by a former New Zealand Prime Minister.

Mike Rann, who is originally from New Zealand himself, is heading a delegation to a major employment expo in Auckland.

He says the state is undergoing a period of intense growth, and needs to attract skilled people to fill job vacancies.

Rann even has the support of former Prime Minister Mike Moore, who is on the state of South Australia's economic board (amongst a number in the state).

Moore says the mineral boom in South Australia is just a few years away, and hundreds of thousands of new workers will be needed.

He says the biggest hole in history will be dug in the state, and a million tonnes of dirt and rock will be shifted every day for five years.

Moore is at pains to point out he does not want people leaving New Zealand, but if they do, then Adelaide is the place to go.

He believes it is unrealistic to expect people to spend their entire working lives in New Zealand.

and another related article here. Sure does make SA's prospects sound promising! http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/artic ... d=10531973

I guess its good for SA...but I have to admit, I would be kind of mad if say, Paul Keating, went to work for Auckland to help them take our workers. It seems a bit odd to me. Why would Mr Moore want to be on our state's economic board? I don't get that - but then again I am hopelessly parochial

[Wayno]

A similar NZ poaching article as previously posted, but this time with stats...

In summary, 33000 people left NZ last year - and lots more are showing interest in SA.

http://www.3news.co.nz/News/BusinessNew ... fault.aspx

Record numbers are already leaving, now a new campaign has just been launched to attract even more Kiwis across the ditch - this time to South Australia.

A huge growth in its mining and defence industries means there are plenty of jobs but no one to fill them so where better to recruit than at New Zealand's biggest careers expo.

For some it is dirty work, but mining in Australia earns big bucks. It is the lure of money along with plenty of other jobs that has had thousands of Kiwis crossing the ditch. Traditionally they have headed west but now there is a new contender.

"It seems that Kiwi talent is so great the Ozzies just can't get enough. They've turned here to New Zealand's biggest careers expo. With more than half of all visitors looking for a change in job the Australians hope that if Western Australia doesn't do than South Australia might."

Mining and defence are now big business in South Australia, which has meant there are jobs to be had in all sectors. So who to better bring home the message than a Kiwi, Mike Rann, who has ended up in charge.

"Traditionally New Zealanders have gone to Queensland or Sydney but it's important to go to the next boom town not the last one, Mr Rann said.”

In fact brain drain to Australia has hit a 19 year high. In the past 12 months there has been a net outflow of more than 33,000 Kiwis.

Now it looks like more are set to follow.

With its glossy advertising, South Australia might succeed in its recruitment campaign. By the end of today’s career expo, more than 2,000 Kiwis had visited its stand.

[fancier]

I would be attracted by a lucrative employment offer, an assisted passage, relocation assistance, the ability to rent or comfortably afford a higher than basic standard of housing. Habitable area should exceed 75 square metres. Such housing [apartment or free-standing] for me to be attracted quickly should be located:

East of Dequetteville Terrace; and
East of North East Road; and
Near or North of Glen Osmond Road; and/or
East of Portrush Road; and/or
In any of the local government areas of Burnside, Norwood Payneham Stepney, Campbelltown, Unley, Adelaide Hills, Mount Barker, Mitcham, Onkaparinga [where near the eastern border].

Should I decide to study, I would be attracted by a generous standard of housing that was affordable to me, easy entry to college or university with the red tape cut, and not having to pay for the books or other big expenses............fees can be put on hecs. I am in my thirties and single, but of a somewhat non-conforming lifestyle, but then, this is the state of the [late] Honorable Don Dunstan, we'd have never had a figure like him in the eastern states of Australia.

The housing question is important, as I have to be immediately better off as well as better off in the long run. As a single person, it is much more burdensome to rent or buy as there is not another individual to combine the expense with, but at my age, I do not wish to live under the roof with other people, except a future long-term partner.

[fancier]

In a simpler but effective idea, we ought to make it easier for local students, as well as interstate ones who might be attracted by extra support, to enter and maintain tertiary study. The costs of preparation study, costs of books etc might only be a small nuisance to the well-off student or the one with support from a family, but otherwise such costs become very big barriers to the economically disadvantaged.

It is a fact that participation in tertiary education in our country is falling rapidly among those in the first and second income deciles, with falls continuing in the others. While this happens, we sell off tertiary places to the highest offshore bidders so their rich and pampered progeny can come and take the opportunity from us, and then in turn use it as a roundabout way of buying Australian permanent residency, because if they have an Australian-granted degree, they're almost a shoe-inn for residency.

Meanwhile, we consign more of our younger generation to the scrap heap, because while their are local full-fee places for the rich and also fee-paying places for the rich abroad, subsidised places for locals shrink, and locals who are poor face burdensome costs to fund the costs of books and other education expenses that cannot be put on hecs.

What is wrong with our country? Is there some kind of Social Darwinism in action?

[muzzamo]

Until our housing bubble fully deflates I think we are going to really struggle to attract migrants. In terms of wage multiples our housing is now twice as expensive as the US and with the UK going down its dearer than them too. There was a study recently that showed Australia has 5 of the top 10 most expensive housing markets in the world with all of our capitals making the list.

People will do the sums - is it really worth paying more to live in Adelaide than you would in Paris, Tokyo, London, LA etc?

Ultimately economics will solve this problem for us when the bubble bursts and we see a bit of a reversion to the mean, but until then we are going to really struggle and the process could take anywhere between 2 and 10 years.

[fancier]

The last guy with the post about housing costs being too high hit the nail right on the head.

I see that housing costs have a great potential to, if they haven't done so already, undermine work incentives in this country.

Like, why would somebody bust their arse on a job they hate if they are likely to never be able to afford their own place, and then in their elder years have to face the indignity of poverty and hardship which they only kept at bay through their youth through wages whose increases were outpaced by rent increases.

Is this why the last government came up with more punitive measures against welfare recipients, because work incentives have been eroded totally by the fact that most workers will never afford their own place, well most in the case of single people and many for those who are partnered.

Go figure.

[Wayno]

Better Exploit our Small Town Image

http://city-messenger.whereilive.com.au ... -bottling/

We are worth bottling

ADELAIDE should be spruiking its small town reputation, and its wine, and forget trying to become more like Sydney and Melbourne, SA’s Agent-General in London says.

Advertising guru Bill Muirhead (pictured), whose job includes attracting UK migrants to South Australia, says the state needs to focus on marketing what it offers, particularly the world-class wine regions.

“I still don’t think we’re quite on the radar overseas,” Mr Muirhead, who took up the job in March 2007, said.

“Sydney and Melbourne have much more iconic places.

“Sydney has a harbour and a bridge and the opera house. They’re really incredible symbols of Australia.

“And Melbourne has the huge sporting events, Queensland has the Barrier Reef.

“(But) I wouldn’t build anything, that would be a mistake.

“Wine is a big (marketing tool). Everyone loves wine and everyone knows wine comes from nice places.

“I’d like to make us a premium brand. I’d like people to pay more (than they would interstate) to come here for a holiday. This is the 20 minute city. It’s a gem.”

Mr Muirhead, who was back home for a short visit last week, said the negative view of Adelaide held by the eastern states was rubbing off overseas and steps needed to be taken to address the issue.

“We get really good responses to the (advertising campaigns) we’re doing in London. But then other Australians come over and say, what are you going to Adelaide for, it’s boring.

“We’re thinking about doing something internally (to change the attitudes of the eastern states to Adelaide). But I’m not sure how to go about it. You need to do it in a way that’s not defensive.”

Mr Muirhead said the loss of Victoria Park racecourse and the iconic North Tce pie cart were examples of where the state had lost its way.

“We were the only city in the world that had a racetrack and we’ve lost it. The pie cart is gone which is terrible.

“I think the collapse of the State Bank really knocked the stuffing out of how the state saw itself. We need to be much more optimistic.”

He said the global economic crisis could have a positive spin-off for the state, with debt-laden and out of work Londoners potentially looking for a fresh start.

“I think it’s an option for us. A lot of young people will want to restart their lives, get a fresh start. (Adelaide) has got to be the best place on earth to do that.”

[Howie]

That's what the Secrets campaign was about - it was stale, boring and did nothing for younger audiences. I'm afraid Bill Muirhead is wrong, we've been down that path already. To say we need to forget building things, is to say Adelaide will never grow to prosper and we shouldn't aspire as a city to become something bigger and better. He might be a guru, but he's way off from his target it seems.

[AG]

That's what the Secrets campaign was about - it was stale, boring and did nothing for younger audiences. I'm afraid Bill Muirhead is wrong, we've been down that path already. To say we need to forget building things, is to say Adelaide will never grow to prosper and we shouldn't aspire as a city to become something bigger and better. He might be a guru, but he's way off from his target it seems.

No doubt there's still a real identity issue that lurks around. A city of over 1 million people isn't going to attract people by pretending that it isn't a city. Cities are dynamic places that attract people because of opportunities that exist in terms of employment, education, recreation, alongside many other reasons. People seem to forget that Adelaide is a city, and that attitude can still clearly be seen when people write extras such as "little 'ol Adelaide".

[cruel_world00]

Honestly, I don't get the negative mentality of Adelaidians. I think this is the first step we need to overcome. People seem to say things like "There's nothing to do in Adelaide", "Bands skip Adelaide", "Syd/Melb are better"... but honestly, they never really can back it up.

You can do pretty much anything you can do in the eastern states in Adelaide, quicker and cheaper. If a band happens to by pass us, there are cheap return flights to Melb etc it's not the end of the world.

I'm overseas at the moment but can't wait to get back to Adelaide. The only reason I have taken a year off is for a change of scenery and to get out of my comfort zone. If I was living in Syd or Melb the situation would be the same.

I try as much as possible to talk up Adelaide and make sure that people who knock it have a valid reason or at least try and point them in a direction that is far more positive. While I'm overseas I introduce myself as being from Adelaide first and foremost and then explain that it is in Oz.

At the end of the day, we can't expect people internationally or interstate to think highly of us if we don't agree. That is the major issue, in my opinion.

[Queen Anne]

Better Exploit our Small Town Image

http://city-messenger.whereilive.com.au ... -bottling/

We are worth bottling

ADELAIDE should be spruiking its small town reputation, and its wine, and forget trying to become more like Sydney and Melbourne, SA’s Agent-General in London says.

Advertising guru Bill Muirhead (pictured), whose job includes attracting UK migrants to South Australia, says the state needs to focus on marketing what it offers, particularly the world-class wine regions.

“I still don’t think we’re quite on the radar overseas,” Mr Muirhead, who took up the job in March 2007, said.

“Sydney and Melbourne have much more iconic places.

“Sydney has a harbour and a bridge and the opera house. They’re really incredible symbols of Australia.

“And Melbourne has the huge sporting events, Queensland has the Barrier Reef.

“(But) I wouldn’t build anything, that would be a mistake.

“Wine is a big (marketing tool). Everyone loves wine and everyone knows wine comes from nice places.

“I’d like to make us a premium brand. I’d like people to pay more (than they would interstate) to come here for a holiday. This is the 20 minute city. It’s a gem.”

Mr Muirhead, who was back home for a short visit last week, said the negative view of Adelaide held by the eastern states was rubbing off overseas and steps needed to be taken to address the issue.

“We get really good responses to the (advertising campaigns) we’re doing in London. But then other Australians come over and say, what are you going to Adelaide for, it’s boring.

“We’re thinking about doing something internally (to change the attitudes of the eastern states to Adelaide). But I’m not sure how to go about it. You need to do it in a way that’s not defensive.”

Mr Muirhead said the loss of Victoria Park racecourse and the iconic North Tce pie cart were examples of where the state had lost its way.

“We were the only city in the world that had a racetrack and we’ve lost it. The pie cart is gone which is terrible.

“I think the collapse of the State Bank really knocked the stuffing out of how the state saw itself. We need to be much more optimistic.”

He said the global economic crisis could have a positive spin-off for the state, with debt-laden and out of work Londoners potentially looking for a fresh start.

“I think it’s an option for us. A lot of young people will want to restart their lives, get a fresh start. (Adelaide) has got to be the best place on earth to do that.”

My first thought would be that if we want to trade on our wine we need to do something to rescue our state's wine 'brand' from the cheap image that Australian wine has been allowing itself to gain.

My second thought is that I didn't like the "Bugger it I'm off to Adelaide" campaign from the start, and this latest offering from Mr. Muirhead leaves me very confused. I thought it was pretty unclassy of him to advertise Adelaide in the UK by insulting that town/suburb over there - does anybody remember what the place was called? And now he turns around and says we should be telling people how classy we are

Our wine and festival angle has fabulous potential but I don't think it can stand on its own because if it could we would not have the image problem we do - after all, we have been doing good wine and good living stuff for ages. Adelaide needs something totally new and fresh to hang its hat on also and then, yes, our wine regions could be the cherry on top. For new stuff, I'd give my vote to delivering the TODs ASAP and making them totally arresting and fabulous, and a Vic Square that is the awesome, unique gathering place it should be - no shortchanging allowed, and I'd like a beautiful, tall, inspirational new building, please.

But that would mean spending real money in a timely fashion...

And building new and interesting stuff would certainly make us just like Sydney or Melbourne!...

And we might not need Mr Muirhead anymore...So, "I wouldn't build anything, that would be a mistake"


oh lordy, I'm not looking forward to the SA, "Please eastern states, love us" campaign..

[Queen Anne]

And building new and interesting stuff would certainly make us just like Sydney or Melbourne!...

I think I actually should have said (sarcastic voice on),

"And building new and interesting stuff would certainly make us look like Sydney or Melbourne wannabes!" - which I think is a more accurate understanding of what Mr. Muirhead meant.

Well, I think we can build a more interesting, vibrant Adelaide and still retain what makes us unique. Imo, actually working on our city beats asking the eastern staters to please not be rude about us in London, that's for sure!

OK, I guess if you get out of bed to continue ranting, it means a topic has gotten under your skin, huh?

[Omicron]

The situation Adelaide faces competing for a finite amount of tourist dollars within Australia is quite unique in the context of the English-speaking world.

Put it this way.

Adelaide is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Australia by population (assuming Sydney 4.3m, Melbourne 3.8m, Brisbane 1.9m, Perth 1.6m, Adelaide 1.1m, Gold Coast 0.6m, and so on). These six largest metropolian areas in the country compete fiercely for many large-scale events - two cities have hosted the Olympic Games and one more has made a serious bid, four have hosted the Commonwealth Games with a further two having considered serious bids, three have hosted World Expositions, two cities have hosted a round of the Formula 1 Grand Prix, almost all host major arts festivals, at least five host international film festivals, five host rounds of the V8 Supercar Championship, all six could potentially host rounds of the World Cup, and so on. In effect, all six of the largest metropolitan areas in Australia can justifiably lay claim to hosting the most significant and well-known events in the world.

That's incredible competition amongst an entire country population of only 21 million people. With that, there is no way known that we can present ourselves as being significantly different from any other major Australian city without investing far beyond our means - a tall observation tower will no longer cut it, nor will an aquarium, a casino, a ferris wheel. Cities that punch well above their relative populations (which, to make any noticeable inroads against our fellow Australian cities is what we must somehow achieve) do so based on intangible, subjective qualities - atmosphere, crowds, character, convenience, electricity.

Our Grands Prix are still remember favourably by drivers and visitors alike, not so much for the racing nor the actual size of the crowds, but for the character of the circuit and its proximity to the CBD, for the post-race activity jammed right up against a hodge-podge of character-filled buildings along Rundle St, for the honesty and loyalty of the local audiences. The Clipsal 500 maintains these ideals, and hence is rarely criticised; so too the Fringe and its unique, oft-copied approach to presenting the arts to both the connoisseur of opera and the humble bystander on the street.

Whenever members take photos of Adelaide from new and unusual angles - from a narrow laneway or ornate arcade crammed full of tables and cafe patrons sipping coffee, for example, we say 'Oh! Adelaide almost looks like Melbourne in this shot! How marvellous!'. Not quite. In the same way that people from all cultures and countries see a newborn baby as cute ora sunset as beautiful and spectacular, a busy laneway littered with cafes and people appeals universally. In effect, it's not the 'Melbourne-ness' of the photo that appeals, but rather the emergence of defining characteristics that appeal to almost all people - life, colour, energy, alfresco dining, artwork etc.

The key point here is that we don't have to be different to succeed. We don't even have to be perfect, for perfection is immeasurably boring. Our aim must be to create a distinctive, characterful and lively environment, which is both a task of buildings and of people, taking what we do best and continuing to do it well. We have to look at what we do best in Adelaide and why these events and places do not carry the stigma that still powerfully influences top-of-mind recall whenever Adelaide is the topic of discussion.

[Prince George]

Bear in mind that Mr Muirhead is talking about something the marketing folk call "Positioning". In the minds of your target audience, each concept (position) about a product (or city) will get occupied by a particular thing - once your audience have made up their minds about something, you are ramming your head into a brick wall if you try to change their minds. The strategy here is to try to open a new position that your product can occupy.

Here's the problem - how do you do that when they either don't know we exist or are misinformed about us? Facts don't matter as much as we would like, there are too many facts in the world for people to be able to consider them all; perceptions are what makes or breaks it.

As an experiment, try this - name all the things you can about Birmingham. Take a few seconds .. tick, tick, tick, tick, brrrriiiing! How did you go? I'm willing to bet that most people couldn't say much about the place at all, but it's the second biggest city in the UK - we should know something about it, shouldn't we?

Here's another that's close to my heart - what comes to mind when you think of Glasgow? Take your time ..... ok, now most of the people on this site are interested in architecture and design, so no doubt many of you thought about Glasgow being the home of Alexander "Greek" Thompson and Charles Rennie McKintosh and that it has numerous examples of their best work. You probably thought about the fine red sandstone Victorian tenements, or the beautiful Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Or perhaps the recent buildings by Norman Foster and (soon) Zaha Hadid. And, of course, you knew that Glasgow is known as the UK City of Architecture and Design (ahead of London and Edinburgh), and previously won the European City of Culture.

No? You thought of Taggart and commie-blocks and razor gangs? You went on a tour of the UK but didn't go there because you heard that "Glasgow is crap"? And the people who told you that hadn't actually been there themselves (after all, they heard that it was crap)? That's the problem for poor old Glasgow, whatever the facts are is lost in what people already "know" about the city.

So it doesn't matter that Adelaide is a city of a million people, because Sydney owns the "big Australian city" position. Likewise Melbourne owns "big events" (and sadly probably also "culture and creativity") and Brisbane owns "theme parks" and "tropical weather where loud shirts are acceptable" (and that plays big in the UK). Don't bother going head-to-head with them, change the game instead. As far as our targets are concerned we're a small city or a country town, so play to its advantages. One of the few things that they've learned about us is that we've got wine regions, use that as a hook. And his idea is that we should be a "premium brand", that these prospective visitors will be prepared to pay extra to visit here.

[Updated - got Zaha Hadid's name wrong, and in fact her Glasgow transportation museum isn't started yet. She does have a completed building in Scotland, in Kircaldy, 11 miles north of Edinburgh]

[fasterthanlids]

The premium brand thing has me thinking of Basil Fawlty trying to get a higher class of guest. No riff-raff for Adelaide!