The 2019 Thinkbank event ‘Our Place in the Sun’ explored key areas of opportunity for the Tasmanian agritourism sector. Prior to the event, each participant undertook interviews with Tasmanian agritourism businesses and collected information regarding agritourism policy and activities in other regions.

Analysis of the interviews identified that support and collaboration are critical to both success and overcoming challenges. During the event, participants split into groups to define the issue and develop possible solutions of one of the following areas of opportunity for improvement in the Tasmanian agritourism sector:

1. Building resilience
2. Improving industry collaboration
3. Understanding the market

In 2018 Thinkbank gathered for a two-day residential to rigorously discuss how to help small businesses improve. Drawing on interviews from over 130 businesses, Alumni worked through issues and opportunities for small businesses and debated what government could best do to assist.

Two weeks later the candid deliberations were shared directly with the Tasmanian Premier, the Honourable Will Hodgman MP, at the annual Tasmanian Leaders event, the Premier in Conversation.

Both events resulted in an insightful document called ‘What Stops Us? – Small business: overcoming obstacles and seizing opportunities’.

The 2017 Thinkbank event explored the future of work in collaboration with the University of Tasmania. Over two days, participants honed in on five key areas with significant implications for the University and its future courses. The key areas were: people, technology, sustainability, skilled and unskilled workforce, and leadership.

The spirited dialogue resulted in a substantive report.

In November and December 2013, Alumni of the Tasmanian Leaders Program participated in a Thinkbank focused on education in Tasmania. Over four sessions and backed by interviews with stakeholders, the Alumni sought to better understanding the purpose of education and its contribution to the Tasmanian community. The aim of the in-depth process was to determine how to positively influence educational outcomes to benefit all Tasmanians.