The purpose of the Economic Development Strategy is to clarify Council’s role in economic development and set strategic directions for City of Adelaide and its subsidiaries including Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA), Adelaide Central Market Authority (ACMA) and Kadaltilla / Adelaide Park Lands Authority.
Project Update
The City of Adelaide would like to thank those who took part in the recent consultation of the City of Adelaide Economic Development Strategy – A thriving economy for all. In September 2024, Council endorsed the Economic Development Strategy – A thriving economy for all.
This Strategy sets the direction for the City of Adelaide and its subsidiaries, the Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA), the Adelaide Central Market Authority (ACMA) and Kadaltilla/Adelaide Park Lands Authority (Kadaltilla).
It serves as a strategic direction for the city to partner and collaborate with the business community, non-government and government organisations.
Our goals are:
- Goal 1: More than the gateway to South Australia
- Goal 2: A thriving economy for all
- Goal 3: A centre for education and collaboration
- Goal 4: A growing economy for a growing population
- Goal 5: Australia’s festival and creative capital
- Goal 6: An easy place to do business
Keep your eye out for future correspondence about how you can work with the City of Adelaide to achieve these goals and priorities.
For further information please contact the team at: [email protected]
The purpose of this engagement was to:
- Inform stakeholders and the community of Council’s proposed approach with respect to economic development.
- Seek feedback on the Draft Strategy and identified priorities.
- Seek feedback on how Council can maximise the effectiveness of its advocacy role proposed in the Draft Strategy.
- Enable partnerships and advocacy to the State and Federal Government, business sector, investment attraction and growth.
The City of Adelaide plays a distinct role as the social, commercial, cultural and civic capital and the economic heart of South Australia. For this Strategy, we define economic development as:
Initiatives that attract talent and stimulate business and investment activity in the city; support a more diversified and productive economy; and improve community well-being.
The development of an Economic Development Strategy will clarify Council’s role in economic development and set strategic directions for City of Adelaide and its subsidiaries including Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA), Adelaide Central Market Authority ACMA) and Kadaltilla / Adelaide Park Lands Authority.
The City of Adelaide will focus on where we can meaningfully influence and impact the economy at the local, state, national and global scale.
We will use our subsidiaries and partnerships with other levels of government, research institutions, businesses and funding bodies to expand our influence.
We will work with our State and Federal counterparts to promote what the City of Adelaide and South Australia has to offer.
The last City of Adelaide economic development strategy was the Economically Prosperous City Strategy 2012-2016.
This draft Economic Development Strategy has a ten-year planning horizon and a four-year delivery focus from 2024-2028.
Research and targeted external consultation with specialists has occurred to inform the development of the draft Strategy. Further targeted consultation with key stakeholders is planned, including through AEDA’s networks.
Consultation ran from 23 April 2024 to 31 May 2024. Stakeholders from 124 different organisations, including a range of State Government agencies, business leaders, the university sector, leaders in arts and cultural festivals and economic development experts were emailed asking for their feedback on the draft Economic Development Strategy.
The AEDA Board received presentations on the draft Strategy and both the AEDA Board and Advisory Committee Members were emailed asking for feedback on the draft Strategy and to distribute the draft Strategy through their networks.
Opportunities to participate in engagement were shared through five key City of Adelaide email distribution lists and there were eight opportunities for in-person engagement and promotion of the Strategy throughout the consultation period.
Online engagement was undertaken concurrently through the City of Adelaide’s engagement platform.
Individual meetings were made available to stakeholders and one organisation requested and attended a meeting with Administration.
A total of 13 written submissions and three online submissions were received. The key themes arising during consultation, workshops and meetings include:
- Support for the draft Economic Development Strategy and proposed goals and priorities.
- Support for prioritising climate change mitigation through a transition to circular and sustainable business models.
- Importance of the Adelaide Airport and existing programs such as Renew Adelaide.
- Suggestions from AEDA regarding whether the City of Adelaide (CoA) or AEDA lead on the delivery of specific priorities.
- Comments about further support needed for protecting culture (artists and creatives).
- Housing affordability and supply as a barrier to economic development.
- Comments regarding funding available towards implementation of the Economic Development Strategy though the Annual Business Plan and Budget 2024/25, specifically external grant, sponsorship and strategic partnership programs.
- State Government interest in alignment with the Greater Adelaide Regional Plan and the role of the Adelaide Park Lands as the inner suburbs develop.
