Regional Futures report launches in Bendigo

A research report entitled ‘Regional Futures: Economic and social impact of the Karen resettlement in Bendigo’, produced jointly by Deloitte Access Economics and AMES Australia, launched this week in Bendigo.

The report set out to analyse the social and economic impact of Karen refugees settled in Bendigo over the past decade. The most recent census revealed there are now around 1,000 Karen living in Bendigo.

The report found that in net present value terms (NPV), the total economic impact from the regional resettlement of the Karen population on the Bendigo economy is estimated to have been $67.1 million over a ten year period. Furthermore, an extra 177 full-time-equivalent jobs were created in the local economy, as a direct result of the Karen resettlement.

The report found the resettlement of the Karen in Bendigo has been sustained over a decade because of the region’s attractiveness as a settlement location for this community – and has progressively contributed to a more ethnically diverse Bendigo.

The report suggests that the youthful demographic profile of the Karen population will allow the labour force to grow over time, adding to the productive capacity of the region in years to come.

Read Regional Futures: Economic and social impact of the Karen resettlement in Bendigo.