DEPUTY Leader of the Nationals and Minister for Regional Development Fiona Nash was in Noosa on Friday to meet with mayor Tony Wellington to discuss council’s new Peregian Beach digital hub project.
Councillor Wellington said it was a terrific opportunity to introduce Senator Nash to the project, on site at Peregian Beach.
“This initiative will provide ongoing benefits to our region, and we are hopeful we may be able to garner the Federal Government’s support,” Cr Wellington said.
“The new Building Better Regions Fund is one such possibility. It allows smaller councils like Noosa Council to enjoy opportunities that may otherwise be overtaken by the clamour from big city councils.”
Council’s community services director Alan ‘Fox’ Rogers and council had already heard from 14 companies, both from the local area and around southeast Queensland, that were interested in being part of the new hub.
With its high-speed internet, proximity to the airport and other regional centres and the fact it’s already home to successful digital entrepreneurs, Peregian Beach is the ideal location.
A digital hub has several anchor tenants, but is managed and organised to bring people, information and ideas together to produce strategic results.
“The Rufous Street hub will provide high-tech facilities and services, meeting rooms, and shared work and event spaces. It will help develop new ventures, nurture collaborative projects and train tomorrow’s entrepreneurs,” Mr Rogers said.
Council has set aside $1.5 million to build the hub in its 2016/’17 budget and will soon invite tenders for design and construction of stage one.
“While we are still waiting for the guidelines to be released, we are hoping that our exciting Peregian digital hub project will fit the bill for support under the Building Better Regions Fund,” Cr Wellington said.
Senator Nash was accompanied by Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien, Member for Fairfax Ted O’Brien and Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace.
