The State Government will provide $3.1 million in funding through the Small Business Development Corporation as part of a state-wide small business initiative.
The State Government will provide $3.1 million in funding through the Small Business Development Corporation as part of a state-wide small business initiative.
The government plans to relaunch 26 former Business Enterprise Centres as Small Business Centre Network offices across the state, starting with the Bunbury-Wellington centre opened today.
In October, the government confirmed a July report in WA Business News that the relaunch would take place, including the closure of nine former BECs and the relocation of some offices under the rebadging.
The former small business minister, John D'Orazio, announced a $900,000 funding boost at the time of releasing details of the restructure.
Today, small business minister Norm Marlborough said the additional funding awarded to the Small Business Centre network was indicative of the importance the Government placed on the State's small business sector.
The minister said the Small Business Centre Network now had a new identity, which better reflected the role of the organisations in the small business community.
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The State Government today launched the new-look Small Business Centre Bunbury-Wellington, one of 26 centres in a State-wide restructure to receive extra funding through the Small Business Development Corporation.
Small Business Minister Norm Marlborough said the $3.1million in funding awarded to the Small Business Centre network was indicative of the importance the Government placed on the State's small business sector.
"The Government has three major small business objectives - providing a strong economic climate for small business, better services for small business and achieving better use of the services available," Mr Marlborough said.
The Minister said the Small Business Centre Network now had a new identity which better reflected the role of the organisations in the small business community.
"The new look better represents the purpose of the small business centres in providing support for both new enterprises and existing small businesses," he said.
"The new small business centres in Western Australia will be focussing on improved services over wider territories, assisting clients to start up new businesses or to improve their existing businesses."
Small business is a key source of employment and has helped bring the State's unemployment levels down to a record four per cent in January 2006, well below the national rate of 5.3 per cent (CCI Economic Trends, Feb 2006).
Mr Marlborough presented a funding cheque for $140,000 to the Small Business Centre Bunbury-Wellington chairman, Stewart Thompson.
"The significant increase in funding to the centre in Bunbury is in recognition of the increased territory being serviced by this centre and the projected growth expected in this part of the greater South-West region," the Minister said.
"It is also appropriate that the launch occurs at one of the most progressive centres in the State where the manager, Alison Lannin, provides an outstanding service to her small business clientele and ensures that the centre maintains a very strong alliance with key small business and industry groups."
