IN PICTURES: Invest Great Southern Conference opens up innovation and insight for the Great Southern region

160 attendees from across Australia were treated to insightful discussions from industry innovators at the Invest Great Southern Conference last week. Held over three days from May 7-9, the Albany Chamber of Commerce and Industry event delivered a panel of 30 speakers, each giving a talk on their expert topic. Subjects of note included agriculture, education, housing and planning, mining, renewables and sustainability and tourism, with a particularly thoughtful keynote speech by futurist Paul Higgins. ACCI chief executive Kristen Pyrz-Brown praised the success of the event. “It was incredible to see so many local business owners take the time to invest in themselves and attend one or both days,” she said. “This conference really worked to de-silo the discussions we’re all having within our organisations and bring everyone into the same room to share what might be possible for the Great Southern.” The conference was sponsored by 14 organisations and hosted two additional sundowner events allowing attendees to mingle and network with one another. Attendees were encouraged to use the conference as an opportunity to consider future investment opportunities for their businesses and potential growth points for the Great Southern region.