Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

City of Playford – proud to be a sponsor of Cairns TCI Cluster Conference

by Rodin Genoff *

The National Economics State of the Regions Report coined the phrase ‘The Playford Model’ to describe the innovative industrial renewal approaches developed by Playford. The City has set new national and indeed international benchmarks in its approaches to cluster development and industrial renewal. A recent editorial in the Adelaide Advertiser stated, ‘Playford has attracted the approving attention of the OECD, the club of industrialised nations’.

Regional leadership

Playford’s Food Cluster Project funded by DOTARS stretches from Northern Adelaide, Adelaide Hills, and the Barossa through to the Riverland. Major achievements include the following.

• Creation of a born global export company PDA Pty Ltd. This network of companies employs 400 employees and exports to Hong Kong and Singapore.
• Direct assistance to activate several new business networks.
• Six Councils working together on a regional infrastructure and economic development strategy.
• A strategic framework for inter regional clustering initiatives. Outcomes were published in Food for Thought, available at Commonwealth bookshops.

Quadruple bottom line

Devolution of greater roles and responsibilities create exciting new opportunities for Local Government, and the formulation of flexible and responsive governance architectures. Playford is enshrining its approach through implementation of the quadruple bottom line – social, economic, environment and governance. The Australian Financial Review recently wrote, ‘At a time when politicians and consultants are beating well worn paths to Silicon Valley … in search of the perfect industrial blueprint, Playford has looked to itself for the answers’.

* Rodin Genoff is Industry Strategist at the City of Playford

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