If there is one thing that will highlight the appalling state of our village mentality, it’s comparing ourselves to Guangzhou in China. I don’t know what Mandarin is for “City of Villages” but I’m pretty sure you wont see it anywhere in Guandong Province.

The can do mentality with which they have developed Guangdong province into an international hub of trade and commerce is by forward thinking and decisiveness. We talk about connections but preciously little about learning from our Sister City. Instead in this Chamber over the last two cycles we have said when discussing our signage policy that we don’t want to be like China and we’re constantly blaming China for buying up our property (and according to Cr Mant keeping it empty).

I’m wondering what they will think when they see our new restrictive signage policy, given when you walk through the Guangzhou they are illuminated with imaginative electronic signage you can see from space.

I do know one thing we will be better for the experience. We have a lot to learn about getting things done. But what have we learnt and what have we put into practice from this relationship?