MEDIA RELEASE

23 November 2018

The Noongar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) has welcomed an exciting new economic forecast for the State, which has highlighted Indigenous business as one of a cluster of opportunities for Western Australia.

The New WAy report was launched last night by Deloitte WA and identifies the nine new areas of growth as critical to the creation of 75,000 jobs and billions of dollars in economic potential.

The report authors have declared WA is better positioned than any other State in Australia, and potentially any jurisdiction in the world, to take advantage of the clusters of opportunity.

NCCI Chair Gordon Cole welcomed the report and said the identification of Indigenous business alongside other factors, such as WA’s biodiversity products, supported what Noongar entrepreneurs have been working towards in the development of their businesses.

“We know and understand the importance of Indigenous business as one of the ways that our State economy can continue to grow,” Mr Cole said.

“The time is right for our corporate investors to get on board to support Indigenous business, along with all the other opportunities Deloitte has identified.”

Since launching in August, NCCI has attracted member sign-ups from more than 200 Aboriginal-owned businesses and has started forming partnerships with corporate supporters. The State Aboriginal Procurement Policy launched in July this year and has started taking effect with more Noongar-owned businesses starting to secure Government contracts.

NCCI was formed by a group of passionate and like-minded Noongar business leaders, focused on building the capacity and wealth of Noongar people.

The founding directors of NCCI include leading Aboriginal performer and consultant Dr Richard Walley and established Noongar business leaders Oral McGuire, Karen Jacobs, Danny Ford and Michael Hayden.

Ends.

Media contact: Charlie Wilson-Clark, Cannings Purple, 0430 110 331