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Aboriginal enterprises the focus of regional trade fair
A regional trade fair organised by the NSW Minerals Council has been a great success with over 38 Aboriginal businesses, organisations and key stakeholders coming together in Dubbo this August.
Attendees heard about the opportunities for Aboriginal businesses with their respective companies and the work they are currently doing with Aboriginal businesses from Mike Sutherland of Alkane Resources and Bob Sutherland of Whitehaven Coal.
Brad Draper from Kenjarhy Aboriginal Services spoke about the number of reputable businesses within the Indigenous space that can compete on commercial terms with others if given the opportunity and how Kenjarhy would like to promote what they do further afield, to industry members so as that they have a genuine option when considering indigenous engagement.
Debbie Barwick from the NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce spoke about the number of Aboriginal Enterprise within NSW and the work they are currently doing within the Health, Construction, Education industries. Aboriginal Businesses have been operating and competing on the open market for contracts over many years, we need the opportunity to be able to compete more so within the mining industry.
Following the presentations, a session discussing barriers to Aboriginal engagement was held. A mid morning session opened the floor for Aboriginal businesses to directly question speakers about current projects and who are the right people within the industry to contact for information.
This regional trade fair was a key action under the Aboriginal Employment and Enterprise Development Industry Based Agreement (IBA) – an agreement signed by the NSW Minerals Council and the NSW Government aiming at increasing Aboriginal employment and enterprise development opportunities.
The trade fairs have been established to increase the number of Aboriginal Enterprises providing goods and services to the NSW mining industry and communities in which they operate. They will be run twice a year with the aim of sharing knowledge about the capacity of Aboriginal Enterprises to via for contracts within the mining and associated industries.
To ensure you don’t miss out on future events under the IBA or the second Trade Fair scheduled for late November 2014, please contact Cheryl Kitchener, IBA Coordinator,