Manjimup small and medium business owners are invited to meet Minister for Small Business, The Hon. Bruce Billson MP at a roundtable hosted by Federal Member for O’Connor Rick Wilson MP on Thursday 5 February.
The Minister will answer questions from attendees and discuss the range of new services and other support available to them as part of the Commonwealth Government’s recognition of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as the economic lifeblood of our communities.
Attending along with the Minister will be representatives from government departments including Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (Efic), AusTrade, AusIndustry, TradeStart and Treasury.
The roundtable is part of a series of regional visits Minister Billson is undertaking to hear from businesses across the country. He said Manjimup was the perfect choice for the roundtable because of the great export opportunities the new Free Trade Agreements will bring.
“Building a strong, stable economy and creating jobs are key focuses of the Abbott Government, and small and medium businesses are critical to achieving them,” Minister Billson said.
“SMEs are the engine room of the economy and a key driver of jobs growth in Australia, so we have already implemented a number of our election commitments to provide these businesses with the support they need to thrive and grow.
“I’m looking forward to hearing from Manjimup businesses and explaining the range of new initiatives available to them, including the benefits of our Free Trade Agreements with Japan, China and Korea.”
The Federal Member for O’Connor Rick Wilson said all small to medium business owners are encouraged to attend this unique event.
“I specifically invited the Minister to visit Manjimup because of the business potential that lies within the region, especially since the signing of free trade agreements with Japan, Korea and China,” Mr Wilson said.
“This event has been expressly designed to be an intimate audience with Minister Billson, allowing attendees to ask questions about their business. After the roundtable, attendees will also have the opportunity to speak one on one with the government representatives.”
Some of the initiatives and SME programmes attendees will hear about include the Entrepreneurs’ Infrastructure Programme, Industry Skills Fund, Export Market Development Grants (EMDG), R&D Tax Incentive, Industry Growth Centres and free trade agreements with Japan, Korea and China.
Event details:
Thursday 5 February
12pm for a 12:30pm start
The Gallery, Manjimup Public Library
Corner Rose and Mount Street, Manjimup
Registration essential by Monday 2 February 2015
For enquiries and registration please call 08 9021 2044 or email jamila.savoy-soubotian@aph.gov.au