Gunnedah businesses advised extension for region’s Innovation Awards

Gunnedah Shire Council Economic Development & Tourism Manager, Chris Frend and Mayor, Cr. Adam Marshall, with Regional Development Australia Northern Inland Project Officer, Kim-Trieste Hastings.

If your business has been innovative, diversified, or expanded to captured niche markets, or better meet customer or community needs through new approaches, then your time to shine is now. The Prime Super Northern Inland Innovation Awards are run by Regional Development Australia Northern Inland (RDANI). Due to strong interest, the deadline for nominations has been extended to Thursday 30 September, 2010. 

Gunnedah Shire Council Mayor, Cr. Adam Marshall has urged North West locals to nominate for the Awards. “I think these awards represent a fantastic opportunity for local businesses and organisations to be recognised for the innovations that they have achieved in the last 12 months,” he said. “I want to see entries from Gunnedah and the wider Namoi district across business, education, tourism, agriculture, manufacturing and engineering. This is an opportunity for us, as a region, to come together and showcase our innovative excellence.”

“There are some great businesses across our region. We’re often unaware of the innovative approaches that have given them the competitive edge that regional operations (particularly) need. There’s no greater time than now to be innovative, looking at new, smarter and cheaper ways to do things. The business world is constantly changing and innovation should be encouraged, congratulated and acknowledged,” Mayor Marshall said.

The Prime Super Northern Inland Innovation Award Categories are:

• Agriculture / Horticulture and associated services
• Tourism / Leisure and services
• Professional and Retail services
• Manufacturing and Engineering 
• Research and Education 

The 2010 Innovation of the Year Award will be presented to the leading innovator across all categories. Innovation is not necessarily invention. The RDANI Innovation Awards Committee will select the finalists, who will be invited to attend the gala awards evening on Saturday, 13 November at the Inverell RSM Club.

RDANI Executive Officer, Nathan Axelsson said the holistic development of northern inland communities needs innovative businesses. “Importantly, people nominating their business stand to inspire others in the region. Make your region proud of what you are doing and how you are doing it. Show others in the region that they can succeed commercially or make a real difference, through being innovative and taking a bold new approach,” he said.

RDANI Project Officer Kim-Trieste Hastings said that from Quirindi to Moree, and across to Tenterfield, the Prime Super Northern Inland Innovation Awards should see strong nominations from across the 13 Local Government Areas of New England North West NSW. “There are many businesses in this region, large and small, which are innovative, growing and succeeding. Their innovative efforts are important (often critical) to the economic and social development of their local communities and the region, as a whole,” she said.

For a nomination form, contact RDANI: 02 6771 2790 or download the nomination form via: www.niia.com.au