A series of 18 forums are being held around the State to help regional businesses benefit from opportunities to win Government contracts.
The Industry Link Regional Communication Forums are giving small and medium enterprises the chance to hear from State Departments and Agencies information about upcoming contract opportunities.
The forums will also provide regional businesses with information about the wider range of programs that support them, including updates to the Western Australian Industry Participation Strategy and funding such as the Local Capability Fund.
The forums, ranging from Esperance to Kununurra, begin in Albany today (23 July).
They follow last month’s release of the Buy Local Policy, to ensure regional businesses benefit from the State’s annual $27 billion spend on goods, services and works.
Announcing the forums, Premier, Mark McGowan said they were a chance for business people to hear from the decision-makers about what was coming up, and also to learn more about the recently launched and improved Buy Local Policy.
“The policy establishes new communication channels between regional stakeholders and the State Government and these forums are the key to that aim,” Mr McGowan said.
“The Regional Communications Forums will help ensure that the work done to date in understanding the views of regional stakeholders will carry into tangible outcomes for local businesses.”
The Premier said the forums would provide timely information to businesses to secure work, access funding and in turn support their local economies and create jobs for local workers.
