People v Infrastructure

Infrastructure appears to be the word for 2020, the need for it, planning for it, accelerating it, building it; all the politicians are keen to include the word ‘infrastructure’ in their media bites. As new infrastructure means jobs and more jobs will re-invigorate regional Australia. Is infrastructure really the only panacea for regional Australia’s future? What about people? I think you could easily argue that enterprising, innovative people create more jobs than new infrastructure does. And with a lot less strain on the financial belt. After all, to create a large number of jobs its now got to be a large infrastructure project costing not just millions, but billions; as technology has cut (and will continue to) the number of jobs that were once required to build anything. Then there is what happens when the project is finished, eg. Curtis Island liquefied natural gas plants. Why don’t we hear more stories of people like Emily? A 20-year-old Rockhampton born yoga enthusiast who just finished turbo traction lab at the Smart Hub Rockhampton along with about 30 others. You can sometimes find her at the local markets selling yoga mats. These are not your typical mono coloured mats that the ends curl up and you can still feel your bones pressing through onto the hard surface while doing yoga poses. Emily’s are made out of natural tree rubber, 100% biodegradable, chemical free and they have striking designs on them, using water-based inks of course. Okay maybe not as stirring as building a billion-dollar ring road and the jobs that will create. But if I added that Emily, with the help gained from the turbo traction lab, is now selling these mats into the USA, I think many would find that quite impressive. She has given up the security of her Monday to Friday job and looks forward to growing the business and employing her first co-workers. Again, not as impressive as the hundreds of workers needed for a billion-dollar infrastructure project, but how many Emily’s are there in regional Australia, that with a little help could be exporting products? How many on-going jobs could they create? Then there is Jim’s story, in 2020 he wants to see Up-Cycle CQ established. Based on what Sub-Station 33 is doing in Logan, recycling and more importantly re-purposing electronic waste. It is not just to decrease land-fill, but also getting youth, often those labelled dis-engaged, involved as volunteers to learn skills from mentors in repurposing e-waste is another important desired outcome. Skills that are proven to lead to employment offers. Then there is a story Clinton and Tanya were involved in, a pilot program here in Rockhampton where 7 disengaged labelled youth volunteered to do an intensive full day entrepreneurial workshop at a shopping centre, identifying and validating ways the complex could be more consumer orientated. At the end of it each team had to give a verbal pitch of their idea to a panel. A daunting experience for someone considered disengaged, even more so if you have a speech impediment, but this person did it. Each team was praised for the fresh perspective provided and the practical ideas proposed. The 7 youths gained immensely from the experience and look forward to what may come from it. These are stories I came across just last week. How many more are out there, happening every day in regional Australia? We need to keep investing in the people of regional Australia, not just their education but ways they can bring to the surface perhaps latent entrepreneurial and innovation talents. Talents that perhaps the education system itself had discouraged. Not just for the jobs they potentially can provide in regional Australia, but as an inspiration for others, including those who may be feeling disenfranchised, that you can make your mark on the world, even via a yoga mat. As we enter this century’s roaring 20’s there’s no doubt it will be a decade of more change, questioning, and new infrastructure.  Let’s also make it the decade where the people of regional Australia are emboldened to be creative and daring, which helps reinvigorate the communities they live in. And tell their stories. Happy Christmas and New year, thank you for reading my thoughts during 2019.