Summary of REDIS grants to help regional businesses

5/12/93

Regional businesses ranging from a free-range chicken farm to a cafe restaurant and a diving charter business will benefit from a range of State Government grants announced today.

The grants will help set up or expand businesses from Quindalup to Lake Grace, and as far north as Port Hedland, and will create 154 full-time jobs and 30 part-time jobs.

Fourteen businesses in country areas will be assisted under the Regional Enterprise Development Initiative Scheme (REDIS).  The businesses will receive the grants through their local business enterprise centre.

"REDIS funds businesses that undertake to increase investment and employment at a local level," Commerce and Trade Minister Hendy Cowan said today.

"It allows for a grant of up to 15 per cent of the total funds required for developing the business proposal in regional Western Australia.  In this case the grants total $225,600.

"The proposals can be for the establishment of a new business or for existing businesses that are looking to expand or diversify.  There are 27 business enterprise centres around the State which can help develop local business proposals.

"A condition of the grants is that they should not cause unfair competition to existing regional businesses."

Mr Cowan said he was pleased to see the positive signs of increasing investment and jobs in regional parts of Western Australia.

"The number and size of the business proposals put to REDIS for grants indicates a growing confidence in rural Western Australia and this confidence will be assisted and promoted by the REDIS scheme," he said.

The Premier announced in the State Budget that the Regional Enterprise Development Initiative Scheme, which funds businesses that undertake to increase investment and employment at a local level, would receive funding of $700,000.

The grants will go to help:

·       establish an operation to manufacture sock protectors at Pingelly ($3,000);

·       buy and upgrade a supermarket at Pingelly ($9,450);

·       establish a shopping centre at Greenhead ($35,500);

·       expand a dive charter business at Port Hedland ($3,450);

·       expand a factory recycling agricultural chemical drums at Burracoppin ($3,000);

·       start a lawn turf farm at Albany ($9,500);

·       expand a free-range chicken farm at Kendenup ($16,000);

·       expand a yabby business at Newdegate ($6,300);

·       establish mechanical repairs and light engineering business at Lake King ($10,800);

·       take a Corrigin flour mill to commercial production ($10,500);

·       establish a cafe/restaurant/boutique at Narrogin ($13,500);

·       complete fauna park complex at Quindalup ($14,600);

·       renovate a Bunbury abattoir ($45,000); and -

·       expand a boned chicken factory at Bunbury ($45,000).

For further information on the REDIS scheme, contact the State Enterprise Centre on 008 093 340.

Media contact:  Peter Jackson 222 9595