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Kalgoorlie Miner, Kalgoorlie WA
11 Oct 2014, by JOHN ELY
General News, page 5 - 472.00 cm²
Regional - circulation 8,078 (MTWTFS-)
Copyright Agency licensed copy
(www.copyright.com.au)
ID 00324556631
PAGE 1 of 2
Minister flags trade support
■ John Ely
Increased support for small
businesses in Kalgoorlie-Boulder seeking foreign markets
has been flagged during a visit
by Federal Minister for Small
Business Bruce Billson.
In the city on Thursday
night and yesterday morning
Mr Billson spent his time hearing concerns from business
owners and also visited drilling equipment manufacturer
Harlsan Industries.
Mr Billson said he was impressed by the direction owner
Harley Hollier had taken his
business in response to challenges in the Goldfields economy.
“It was interesting just there
at Harley’s place, hearing
about what he’s doing where
he’s diversifying his market,”
he said.
“There’s world-class expertise in this community and
he’s now shipping that to different corners of the world.”
Mr Billson said he would be
seeking to have a range of export support groups visit Kalgoorlie-Boulder to help the
city’s small businesses find
new markets.
“There is scope in having the
export market development
grant people come over, the AusIndustry people come over
from the entrepreneurs infrastructure program, and also
EFIC (Export Finance and Insurance Corporation),” he
said. Federal member for
O’Connor Rick Wilson said he
was enthusiastic about experts in trade coming to Kalgoorlie-Boulder.
“We are very keen to take
Bruce up on the offer to get the
EFIC people here,” he said.
“There’s a lot of businesses
similar to Harlsan Industries
who have got that great expertise. They just need a bit of a
hand to make that step into
that export space.”
Mr Wilson said he hoped Mr
Billson would take the challenges small businesses in Kalgoorlie-Boulder experienced
back to the Government.
“A place like Kalgoorlie is very isolated from the services
that are available to other industries in capital cities where
they can go to an office in St
George’s Terrace,” he said.
Mr Billson said his visit to
Kalgoorlie-Boulder was also
an opportunity to gather “field
evidence” on the challenges
small businesses were facing,
especially since last year’s
gold price drop.
“I’m hearing costs, costs and
costs,” he said. “
The penalty rates have been
a strong theme that’s come out
during this visit.”
Mr Billson added he had
found his visit to KalgoorlieBoulder “fascinating”.
“To see what’s happening
here, to see what the dip in the
gold price has done to the local
economy and what people’s
outlook might be,” he said.
While some business owners
expressed concerns to the Minister and what one regarded as
“the worst business climate in
30 years”, Mr Billson said he
was pleased to hear there was
increasing positive sentiment.
“I’m pleased to hear there’s
some signs of some green
shoots,” he said.
Kalgoorlie Miner, Kalgoorlie WA
11 Oct 2014, by JOHN ELY
General News, page 5 - 472.00 cm²
Regional - circulation 8,078 (MTWTFS-)
Copyright Agency licensed copy
(www.copyright.com.au)
ID 00324556631
Federal Minister for Small Business Bruce Billson is taken on a factory tour in Kalgoorlie. Picture: Paul Braven
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