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Hotspot tag points to a bright future

Callum Hunter and Jacinta CantatoreHarvey-Waroona Reporter
The Shire of Harvey has been identified by the Regional Institute of Australia as one of four South West hotspots for national and State industry growth.
Camera IconThe Shire of Harvey has been identified by the Regional Institute of Australia as one of four South West hotspots for national and State industry growth.

The Shire of Harvey has been identified by the Regional Institute of Australia as one of four South West hotspots for national and State industry growth.

According to the institute’s Regional Growth Prospects Report, Harvey is at the national forefront of advanced manufacturing while Bunbury and Capel were identified as driving regions in food processing with Dardanup named for tourism.

Harvey was also named alongside Bunbury and Capel as a driving region for food processing, all of which showed job growth above the national industry trends.

Shire president Tania Jackson said the region was home to several industry names which serviced all of the South West.

She believes the high quality of produce from the region fuels Harvey’s good reputation.

“Between the food processing industries and the industries servicing the mining sector, it shows the diversity we have across the shire, and the economic strength that comes from that,” Cr Jackson said.

Institute co-chief executive Kim Houghton said the new research would enable policy makers and regional stakeholders to prioritise investment opportunities.

Institute co-chief executive officer Liz Ritchie said the report pinpointed regions across the country where jobs in these industries were important for employment and where regional leaders should invest.

“By analysing job numbers, we can see where these specialised regions are located and we can also see which ones are performing above national and industry trends,” she said.

Two major businesses account for the majority of the 443 local advanced manufacturing jobs — Cristal and Simcoa Operations.

Dardanup was named as a driving region for tourism, which Dardanup shire president Mick Bennett was thrilled about, saying the region had been showing potential as a major tourism hub within the South West for the past 50 years.

“We need to make sure we take advantage of people’s positivity,” he said.

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