$500,000 to make it easier to do business

16 September 2019

Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Don Harwin, and Minister for Finance and Small Business, Damien Tudehope, announced the funding, which will benefit small and medium sized businesses across the state.

Mr Harwin said $250,000 will provide Government agencies with access to NSWICC’s Aboriginal Business Portal which lists Aboriginal businesses operating in NSW.  

“All Government agencies will be able to use the portal to identify the wide-ranging Aboriginal businesses that have the products, services and the capabilities needed for their projects,” Mr Harwin said.

“There will also be workshops to coach Aboriginal businesses on how best to target projects – this is so important to ensure these businesses get a better share of the many contracts up for tender.”

Mr Tudehope said the other $250,000 had been committed to the Business Connect program to enable the NSWICC to provide three new specialist procurement advisors and skills workshops.

“Specialist advisors will work with Aboriginal businesses to build the procurement skills and host workshops on how to successfully tender for government contracts,” Mr Tudehope said.

“The NSW Government spends more than $30 billion in construction, goods and services each year and we want to help small businesses secure more of this work.”

NSWICC CEO Debbie Barwick said the advisors were Aboriginal people with strong business backgrounds who had been successful in securing government contracts.

“This new advisory service will increase Aboriginal business engagement with the entire state. It will lift NSWICC’s profile with the private sector and expand our delivery of small business services,” Ms Barwick said.

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