Bigger range of services to help small business

16/12/93

Western Australia will get a bigger range of services to help small business, according to Commerce and Trade Minister Hendy Cowan.

The State's network of 26 business enterprise centres would offer an expanded portfolio of assistance programs.

"Many of the programs come from the Department of Commerce and Trade and the Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC) while others are federally controlled," Mr Cowan said.

The expanded range of services related to export support, research and development programs, industry improvement, extension services and investment advice.

The Minister announced that enterprise centre operators were meeting in Perth this week with the two State agencies to co-ordinate the upgrade in services.

"As delivery agents for business improvement schemes, the enterprise centres offer advantages to country people as well as those in the suburbs of Perth," Mr Cowan said.

"They are decentralised. They enjoy local community and business support. They have well-trained staff and they have accessible shop-front facilities in most cases.

"As well, they represent gateways into the Department of Commerce and Trade, which is Western Australia's leading economic development agency offering extension services, research and development support, joint venture contacts, export support and many other valued services.

"The specialised services of the SBDC, such as business licensing and the First Base program, also complement these services."

Mr Cowan said the network of centres could help businesses to start up or expand through a range of advisory, referral and financial assistance services.

"This upgrading will build on the centres' good record of performance and proximity to business in the country and in Perth's suburbs," he said.

"In fact, we will be opening 10 more centres in the coming months - five in the country and five in Perth."

Mr Cowan said the new country centres would be located at Wyndham/Kununurra, Carnarvon, Karratha, Lancelin and the Wongan Hills area.  The metropolitan centres would be in Stirling, Canning, Malaga, Subiaco and Belmont.

"The Government is committed to jobs growth whether it be through self-employment or hiring of extra employees by existing businesses.  This has been the strength of the business enterprise centres in their recent operations," Mr Cowan said.

"We will be lifting the profile of the centres so that they expand their capacity to operate as service agencies in conjunction with the Department of Commerce and Trade.

"The Department of Commerce and Trade's State Enterprise Centre will be the principal co-ordinating point of the network of centres."

Media contact:  Peter Jackson 222 9595