Lifestyle is a key element that attracted Susan Stone and her French-born husband, Valéry Dugain, and their young daughter here to Adelaide mid last year.

 “We came to the conclusion that we wanted to make a lifestyle change. We met in Australia, and were married here….we could have gone anywhere…there were lots of places we could have gone, but we chose South Australia”

“We really did come here for the lifestyle. We’ve been in big busy cities and there’s good points about them and bad points about them.  But we really did want a nice place, a good place, our daughter was at a good age to move, and we wanted someplace where it would be more of a community where we were bringing her up”

The former OECD and United Nations economist holds the newly created position of Credit Union SA Chair of Economics at the University of South Australia.

Stone’s remit is to provide expert analysis and lead new thinking about SA’s economic position, ultimately helping the state’s public, private and not-for-profit sectors to meet the significant challenges of the future and enjoy sustainable growth.

“[Coming] into 2023, there are going to be a lot of headwinds that we see – not just for South Australia, but really for Australia, for the global economy,” she says.

“There are a lot of concerns about a transition. Nobody is really sure what the new normal is going to be, especially when it comes to work.”

With Adelaide and the rest of the state experiencing a skills shortage, Stone will also be sharing the city’s liveability via opinion pieces.

Stone is one of the guests on the Committee for Adelaide’s podcast series surrounding the committee’s Adelaide Connected networking program.

The guests are designated as ‘arrows’ and ‘boomerangs’: those who have come to Adelaide from somewhere else, and those who have left to work elsewhere and have now returned home. Stone is an arrow; Valéry is both an arrow and a boomerang, having studied in Adelaide years previously.

In the episode, Stone also discusses the economic impact of major tourism events, particularly those that attract international tourists, who are shown to spend more per day than domestic tourists.

She says, beyond the data, these events generate spillovers with “people who came here, liked it and had a good time in Adelaide [deciding] to come back another weekend. And that doesn’t get picked up in the statistics.”

The Adelaide Connected podcast is hosted by Peta St Clair, the general manager for the Committee for Adelaide, together with radio, sports and corporate MC personality Jarrod Walsh.

Season 2 is live and features fortnightly guests.

The latest episode features Global Shaper and aspiring sustainable technologist Michelle Howie, a young repeat boomerang who has just returned from a six-month role working at the World Economic Forum in Geneva, who argues for less emphasis on the city’s liveability (which she says can be a turnoff for younger people) and more on its sustainability leadership.

The podcast gives an insight into the perspectives of others who have recently moved here and what they found to be challenging and great about the state.

Peta says people’s insights to date have been varied and raw, however consistent feedback from guests is that Adelaide is a great place to live and work, with lifestyle being a major factor.

Adelaide Connected is a key program of the Committee for Adelaide that is helping to break down the barriers for skilled migrants, expats, international students and South Australians who have recently moved or returned home. The program connects people with like-minded individuals, businesses and job opportunities.

“Our members recent survey results showed that a key priority for the Committee will continue to be advocating for a more inclusive and welcoming culture in South Australia and the Adelaide Connected program is integral to achieving this goal,” Peta says.

Listen to Adelaide Connected