THERE are lessons for Geelong to be learnt from the efforts to revitalise northern England, according to the British High Commissioner to Australia.<\/p>\n
Menna Rawlings was the special guest at the Committee for Geelong\u2019s (CfG) annual Leadership Breakfast, held at The Pier last Thursday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a link, I think, between leadership and the growth of second cities like Geelong, because basically it all comes down to people,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
potential and develop and grow, then we\u2019re not their potential either.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said Geelong and the big cities in England\u2019s north (such as Liverpool, Leeds and Manchester) faced similar challenges in moving the economy away from traditional manufacturing industries and into new sectors.<\/p>\n
Leaders should use language to instil a sense of pride and passion, Ms Rawlings said \u2013 for example, the initiatives in northern England have been dubbed the \u201cNorthern Powerhouse\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cReading about Geelong and how it was called in \u2018the pivot city\u2019 in the 1860s make me feel there\u2019s something positive about what Geelong\u2019s doing now, as it pivots into the 21st century.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said the British government was focusing on the private sector as an instrument for growth, and promoting greater devolution and local power for city councils and mayors.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can use our cities for what David Cameron calls \u2018incubators for enterprise\u2019, creating jobs, improving lives and going for growth.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can learn from each other in this. What you\u2019re doing in Geelong is fantastic and impressive, so let\u2019s keep talking to each other about we can cities \u2013 as we go through the economic transitions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Rawlings has been British High Commissioner to Australia since April 2015.<\/p>\n
(FCO) in 1989, she has served in a wide range of diplomatic service roles.<\/p>\n
She is the second successive high-level diplomat to speak at CfG\u2019s Leadership Breakfast, following US Ambassador to Australia John Berry last year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THERE are lessons for Geelong to be learnt from the efforts to revitalise northern England, according to the British High Commissioner to Australia. Menna Rawlings was the special guest at the Committee for Geelong\u2019s (CfG) annual Leadership Breakfast, held at The Pier last Thursday. \u201cThere\u2019s a link, I think, between leadership and the growth of […]<\/p>\n