1 September 2020
MEDIA RELEASE
New business hub provides home for Aboriginal Businesses
Noongar business leaders have gathered with WA’s Treasurer and Indigenous Affairs Minister, Ben Wyatt, to celebrate the official opening of the Noongar Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (NCCI) Business Hub in Subiaco.
The hub is physically located in one of DevelopmentWA’s Subi East heritage buildings, Godfrey House, and is now fully tenanted to 10 Aboriginal-owned businesses.
NCCI Chair Gordon Cole said the opening marked a significant milestone for the organisation, which launched only two years ago, and now boasts 14 corporate sponsors and 360 member businesses.
“The overwhelming request we get from Noongar businesses, and other Aboriginal businesses, is that we need opportunities to learn from each other,” Mr Cole said.
“Co-locating in one space gives us the opportunity to talk to each other more frequently and share our experiences and our challenges as we try to grow our businesses and find success and economic freedom.”
NCCI was born out of the idea that local Aboriginal businesses needed an organisation of experienced cultural leaders to bridge the gap between the commercial world and Noongar community cultural values.
The six founding Directors are all leaders in their fields and run successful businesses – including Oral McGuire, Dr Richard Walley, Karen Jacobs, Michael Hayden and Danny Ford. NCCI has gathered support from State Government (DevelopmentWA and Department of Finance), local governments and a range of corporate supporters from the resources, construction, telecommunications and professional services industries.
Mr Cole and executive officer, Tim Milsom, have also led roadshows to the South West and are in negotiations to start regional chapters of NCCI.
“There has never been a better time for Aboriginal people to gather their skills and know-how and start their own business,” Mr Cole said.
“Some of our tenants in Godfrey House include Des Headland’s occupational health service Spartan First, fashion designer Claire Helen and cleaning services from Codee Cleaning,”
“We have businesses among our membership who are providing electrical contracting services, urban design and landscaping and construction”
“The key purpose of NCCI is to help Noongar people create their own opportunities for wealth,” Mr Cole said. “I’m so excited by what we have manage to achieve in the two years since our official launch, I can’t wait to see where we get to in five or ten years’ time.”
Media contact: Jacqui Warnock 0438 631 608