BOOSTING the town’s night time economy and whether the “traditional Aussie dream” was becoming out of reach for Kiama residents were among topics discussed at a breakfast on Tuesday.
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The Kiama and District Business Chamber hosted its annual Mayoral Breakfast at the Sebel Harbourside, Kiama.
Chamber board members, Kiama council staff, Kiama Tourism representatives and business people were among those in attendance.
Janine Cullen, the new president of the Illawarra Business Chamber following the election of a new Illawarra Regional Advisory Council, also attended.
This year’s guest speaker was Michael Di Leo, executive director/research director at IRIS Research.
Mr Di Leo’s presentation covered topics such as Kiama’s increasing property prices and online shopping versus retail.
He referenced a recent IRIS survey which investigated whether the “traditional Aussie dream” was getting out of reach for Illawarra residents.
He defined this term as essentially being able to “own a home with a backyard”.
Mr Di Leo believed this concept probably had a greater effect within the Kiama municipality than elsewhere in the region.
According to the IRIS Illawarra Real Estate Report released in September, the Kiama LGA median house price for the year to June 2015 was $650,000 (up 9.2 per cent).
“The median house price in Kiama… Is higher than other local government areas in the Illawarra,” he said.
“It’s the same thing with units – the median price there is over $450,000.
“So if you’re not in the property market, not on the property ladder already, it’s hard, particularly in Kiama to try and get on it.”
Mr Di Leo also mentioned that the Australian dollar dropping could actually lead to a spike in tourism in places such as Kiama.
“Depending on what the currency’s doing, if the dollar’s down low, it has an impact on both international and domestic tourists,” he said.
“For international tourists, people say in Europe or America for example, are looking at Australia and going, ‘I get a really good bang for my buck if I come to Australia’.
“Then you’ve got domestic tourists saying, ‘should I travel to Europe or America?’
“‘I’ve just lost all this purchasing power, I’m better off staying in Australia where a dollar is worth a dollar’.
“I guess there’s incentive to stay and have their holidays locally in places like Kiama.”
Mr Di Leo also cited the cruise ship Radiance of the Seas as a potential boost for the municipality.
Cruise company Royal Caribbean has announced that Radiance of the Seas would include Port Kembla in its seven-night East Coast and Tasmanian cruise from October 2016, bringing in 2400 guests each time it docks at Port Kembla.
At the start of 2014, the P&O cruise ship Pacific Jewel stopped off the coast of Kiama as part of a promotion for the Sunrise television program.
“It’s a new opportunity… The tourists are going to want to have on-shore experiences, they’re going to want to see what is there in the Illawarra for them to do,” he said.
Kiama Mayor Brian Petschler outlined council’s financial position at the breakfast, particularly in the wake of the state government’s ‘Fit for the Future’ program.
He also noted the importance of the aged-care centre of excellence as an economic and employment driver, and the Akuna Street development being vital.
Encouraging day trip visitors to Kiama to extend their stays to overnight was also discussed during the event Q&A.
Another topic debated was creating a vibrant night time economy in Kiama.
Kiama chamber president Marie Beikmanis said this was one of the greater challenges facing the chamber.
“It’s a two-way thing, people here wanting to do something and places to go, but then if the shopkeepers open and there’s no one going there, it’s a vicious circle,” she said.
Mrs Beikmanis also said the comparison of online shopping versus physical retailers wasn’t “an even playing field”.
“This is because there’s no GST on things that are coming in from overseas,” she said.
“But most of the time when you get it (from online), it doesn’t fit, and then you’ve got a big expense of actually sending it back.
“Shopping should be an experience.
“It’s up to every shopkeeper to do that.
“(Online) is convenient, but you’re not getting that experience… Of shopping and enjoying it.”
Upcoming Kiama chamber initiatives include their “buy local” Christmas campaign, as well as hosting pre-midnight musical entertainment in Hindmarsh Park after the New Year’s Eve fireworks are completed.
Council has resolved to provide financial support for the concert.
For more photographs from the breakfast, check out next Wednesday’s Kiama Independent.
