❓ The Minister for Finance outlines government initiatives to support Aboriginal businesses, including direct engagement for contracts over $250,000 and the positive impacts of this policy. $86 million in contracts have been awarded since 2012.
AnsweredQoN 421Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ABORIGINAL BUSINESSES
421. Dr G.G. JACOBS to the Minister for
Finance:
Can the minister please advise the
house on what the government is doing to support Aboriginal businesses?
421. Dr G.G. JACOBS to the Minister for
Finance:
Can the minister please advise the
house on what the government is doing to support Aboriginal businesses?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Eyre for the
question. Aboriginal businesses are very important to Western Australia in
terms of jobs and economic sustainability of remote communities. There are 400
registered Aboriginal businesses in Western Australia and that number is
growing. To qualify to be an Aboriginal business, a business has to have 50 per
cent or more ownership by Aboriginal people. That is the context of what we are
talking about. The State Supply Commission has always allowed agencies to
directly engage Aboriginal businesses up to the value of $250 000. That has
been changed so it can directly engage without a competitive bid for anything
over $250 000 and without seeking advice or approval from the Department of
Finance. That is streamlining the ability for Aboriginal businesses to gain
government work without the red tape of having to put in a competitive bid.
That is a great support to the industry.
There
are five very good benefits derived from this policy. First, of course, it
reduces the administrative burden by the agency in terms of going through a procurement
process, so it can directly engage with the Aboriginal business community. It
also helps to upskill Aboriginal businesses so they get more experience in
delivering services. There is also the businesses' ability to submit
and improve their submission of tender documents. It upskills public
authorities by getting them to learn and be more confident in engaging
Aboriginal communities. It also improves economic participation of Aboriginal
people in regional communities, because that is where most of the contracts are
let, and it makes for more sustainable Aboriginal businesses. Finally, it
aligns with the Aboriginal economic participation strategy that our government
has, which has five main fundamental policies: responding to Aboriginal aspirations,
unlocking potential, growing economic participation, creating sustainable
wealth and working in partnership.
I am pleased to highlight one figure—that
is, approximately $86 million worth of contracts have been awarded to
Aboriginal businesses since the inception of the Aboriginal initiative in 2012.
Also, $2.5 million of work has gone to 18 Aboriginal businesses in Building
Management and Works–awarded maintenance contracts with my own
department. I am very proud that the Liberal–National government has
this initiative, which is creating good economic sustainable businesses in our
regions for Aboriginal communities.
question. Aboriginal businesses are very important to Western Australia in
terms of jobs and economic sustainability of remote communities. There are 400
registered Aboriginal businesses in Western Australia and that number is
growing. To qualify to be an Aboriginal business, a business has to have 50 per
cent or more ownership by Aboriginal people. That is the context of what we are
talking about. The State Supply Commission has always allowed agencies to
directly engage Aboriginal businesses up to the value of $250 000. That has
been changed so it can directly engage without a competitive bid for anything
over $250 000 and without seeking advice or approval from the Department of
Finance. That is streamlining the ability for Aboriginal businesses to gain
government work without the red tape of having to put in a competitive bid.
That is a great support to the industry.
There
are five very good benefits derived from this policy. First, of course, it
reduces the administrative burden by the agency in terms of going through a procurement
process, so it can directly engage with the Aboriginal business community. It
also helps to upskill Aboriginal businesses so they get more experience in
delivering services. There is also the businesses' ability to submit
and improve their submission of tender documents. It upskills public
authorities by getting them to learn and be more confident in engaging
Aboriginal communities. It also improves economic participation of Aboriginal
people in regional communities, because that is where most of the contracts are
let, and it makes for more sustainable Aboriginal businesses. Finally, it
aligns with the Aboriginal economic participation strategy that our government
has, which has five main fundamental policies: responding to Aboriginal aspirations,
unlocking potential, growing economic participation, creating sustainable
wealth and working in partnership.
I am pleased to highlight one figure—that
is, approximately $86 million worth of contracts have been awarded to
Aboriginal businesses since the inception of the Aboriginal initiative in 2012.
Also, $2.5 million of work has gone to 18 Aboriginal businesses in Building
Management and Works–awarded maintenance contracts with my own
department. I am very proud that the Liberal–National government has
this initiative, which is creating good economic sustainable businesses in our
regions for Aboriginal communities.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.