We are often told to be tolerant of cultures, religions, sexualities and identities other than our own.  

We are told about a moral obligation to treat everyone equally, regardless of colour or creed. But perhaps there is a more compelling argument than an obligation to be tolerant. Because by not merely tolerating diversity, but celebrating it, we will be richer as a community. 

And by that I mean we’ll have more money. 

Yesterday the Australian Local Government Association released its ‘State of the Regions’ report. It’s number one message would have surprised no one who pays any attention to those sort of things.

The mining boom is over. Now that the dust has settled, we need to transition to a knowledge-based economy fueled by that most over-used of buzzwords – innovation. And the fact is that some places do innovation well, while others stagnate. Why is Silicon Valley synonymous with cutting-edge technology, not Rockhampton? What is it that Austin, Waterloo, Tel Aviv and Amsterdam are doing that Burnie, Dubbo and Ipswich aren’t?

No doubt there are a number of complicated factors behind why some places are innovative and others are not. However, there is at least one factor which is particularly relevant for Bendigo. 

Last week witnessed what will hopefully mark the end of an ugly saga for the city when the High Court threw out a bid to prevent the construction of Bendigo’s first mosque. Now our Muslim community – many of whom are doctors, pharmacists, IT workers, volunteers sportsmen and women – can get on with building a place of worship. Hopefully, they will feel not only tolerated in Bendigo, but right at home. 

I spoke with La Trobe University Bendigo head of campus Rob Stephenson last week about another buzzword, two of them in fact – “knowledge economies”.

”If you look at the academic research around creative cities, the ones that thrive and prosper and the ones that are rusting away, a lot of the focus is on creativity and the acceptance of diversity,” he said. 

“We probably haven't talked about that in Bendigo, we’ve talked about the acceptance of people’s differences but we haven’t talked about why that’s important other than as a social responsibility.

“But it actually helps a city succeed.”

 – Joseph Hinchliffe