After hitting a high of $15,535 million in 2019 GRP has fallen back to levels last seen in 2017. However, it should be noted that the region’s growth over the past 20 years has stagnated.  GRP in 2001 was $112,426 million with year-on-year changes being less than 1% per annum. This compares with Greater Sydney where year on year growth has been running at around 3.5%. Economic activity on the Central Coast has stalled since 2019.  This could be attributable to the COVID pa...

This month we continue with our annual Central Coast Economic Report, an initiative we implemented in April last year, so as to highlight to the community, business and government the state of the regional economy. From around 1995 to 2011 the Central Coast Research Foundation (am offshoot of the highly regarded and long-standing Hunter Valley Research Foundation) provided half yearly Central Coast Economic Updates. The State Government and local councils covered the costs.  Got killed...

Central Coast Council is approaching the general aviation industry to help determine the future demand requirements of the Central Coast Airport with a Request For Information (RFI) To general aviation businesses and individuals interested in locating and operating Council Director Corporate Affairs, Natalia Cowley said Council is excited to be presenting an opportunity for the aviation industry and interested parties to have their say in determining the demand behind the Central Coast Airpo...

Herbie’s Spices Managing Director, Ian Hemphill  says that Covid has reduced their online sales trajectory from five years down to two years with sales having doubled on pre-Covid turnover.  “Our business model has changed,” he says. “While our trade with restaurants in the past was quite substantial, we are not seeing the recovery that we expected as patrons are simply staying safe and staying at home. “We do see this coming back but there is no ques...

One of the fundamentals in running a business is to increase turnover by finding new customers.  Not putting up the price. If you try that stunt, and many do, you will soon find that your customers are deserting you. It’s not easy.  Sometimes you are in a market sector that is mature or is geographically constrained. But there is always a way to increase the pie, you just have to think outside the box. Of course government, all levels, don’t see it that way.  Ins...