ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

MMG Century Mine (MMG) shut down operations in 2016.  Add to this residual GFC impacts and there is a need to diversify the Gulf’s economy.

Approximately 62% of the population is Indigenous (2006 ABS) indicating a strong Indigenous community.  Exclusive native title determinations, together with high levels of Indigenous owned land means Indigenous communities have access to capital, land and resources.  However Indigenous unemployment remains high, while participation in business and the economy is low.

The Southern Gulf Region’s economic base is dominated by beef cattle, mining, fishing and tourism with a range of services located in the townships.

With the shut down of the MMG Century Zinc mine, one of the largest employers in the region, there is a need to diversify the economic base with new thinking and strategies that generate new employment and business opportunities.

The CLCAC is responding to this challenge through the initiatives and strategies being developed and implemented by its Economic Development Unit.

The Economic Development Unit has a number of key priorities:

• Identifying and facilitating delivery of key business and economic development projects and initiatives;
• Providing business, commercial and strategic planning support to Prescribed Body Corporates (PBC’s); and
• Advocating on behalf of Traditional Owners and communities of the Southern Gulf for projects and initiatives that develop the region’s economy sustainably.

An assessment of the four key sectors of Resources, Land Management, Tourism and Service Delivery has been completed to identify and prioritise potential economic development opportunities to pursue as well as to better understand the barriers to investment (link to heading below).  The CLCAC is working with partners, stakeholders and the community to deliver key priorities and recommendations of this report (link to Chamber of Commerce) for the benefit of Gulf communities.

The CLCAC’s Economic Development Unit provides strategic and commercial planning support for PBC’s to ensure the PBC’s are viable and sustainable in the long term.  Advice and support is also available to assist in establishing commercial enterprises in certain circumstances.