A discussion on how to turn Sydney, for example, into a 24hr economy in a regulatory system ‘which has been designed to say no’ according to NSW’s new, and first-ever, 24-Hour Economy Commissioner, pondered a solution that saw streamlining planning and licensing processes, creating greater flexibility for outdoor dining and street activation, modernising entertainment and sound management, and supporting more live music and performance across the state, with the effects of that flowing through to business events.
On a local level, Michael Rodrigues, NSW’s first-ever 24-Hour Economy Commissioner, explored the successes and challenges of turning Syndey into a 24hr economy in a regulatory system “which has been designed to say no”.
The solution was to look at the whole picture rather than individual pieces, and that meant streamlining planning and licensing processes, creating greater flexibility for outdoor dining and street activation, modernising entertainment and sound management, and supporting more live music and performance across New South Wales. “Rather than event organisers starting from scratch, building relationships and coordinating, they can tap into a destination that is already designed for collaboration,” he says.
An proffered example was the successful 5000-delegate International Astronautical Congress which spread across 24 venues in the inner-city suburb of Chippendale (pictured) where delegates experienced Sydney’s food, music, art, hospitality, and creativity through a space-themed activation. The event also featured 21 multicultural cuisines, and engaged more than 30 local performers and creatives. Rodrigues says it is a template that is being actively considered by other large global conferences and one that he would like to expand beyond the CBD.
Read more about the SITE ANZ conference in the next issue of Meeting Newz Magazine.