Adelaide City Council

Member Profile

The City of Adelaide is the economic heart of South Australia. The City is home to over 5,700 small and medium sized businesses and many multinational and head offices of major firms are located within the CBD. The central location provides these businesses with access to the broadest possible workforce, this reinforced by being the hub of the public transport system, by being in proximity to major research institutions and within a ten minute drive of Adelaide Airport. The CBD provides employment for over 118.000 people. In employment terms, the City’s economy outgrew the State economy during 1991 to 2009.

To ensure that the City of Adelaide remains a highly attractive place to invest, work and do business, the Adelaide City Council is currently implementing its Economically Prosperous City Strategy 2011-2016. The strategy guides Council’s support for businesses over the next five years with a special focus on higher education & research, ICT services and digital media. Council aims to provide support services to businesses supplying environmental services and services to the resource sectors during the second half of 2012.

Council currently support the start-up of new businesses, and growing existing businesses in those sectors through the services and activities through Enterprise Adelaide. Investment & Business Solutions Advisors support businesses to start-up in the City with advice and support regarding starting a business including, taxation, employing staff, registration and licences, referrals to specialists and other organisations. Council also provides training programs for businesses which includes workshops on business planning, marketing, developing on-line strategies and provides support to existing City businesses by exploring exporting opportunities, accessing finance and capital and by helping businesses to navigate through Council processes regarding development assessment, permits and registrations.

Some specific examples of new business and industry growth initiatives Council will implement in 2012 include:

• Identify and promote the key strengths of Council priority sectors interstate and overseas;

• A program of seminars that inform participants how to benefit from economic opportunities that arise from various technological and policy developments;

• Partner with State Government’s migration program to assist professional service firms to fill skill shortages by attracting and retaining skilled migrants;

• Leverage the City’s international relationships with several cities around the world; (Trade missions, etcetera).

For more information on how Council plans to promote the growth of its industry sectors, contact Mike Klerkx on 8203 7225, or for information on business support & assistance, please call Hari Argiro on 8203 7518.

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