Locals work to share profits

Business opportunities presented by large projects such as Woodside’s Browse LNG were on the agenda for more than 100 people at last week’s Kimberley Biz workshop.

Hosted by the Kimberley Development Commission, Kimberley Biz is providing opportunities for small businesses to secure work with large projects in the region.

Kimberley Development Commission deputy director Kelvin Barr said there were significant opportunities for small businesses in the region and a large portion of the business community was keen to capitalise on them.

“Woodside has come out and said they have a local participation policy and they want to have local business involved, so we see that as a way for local business to get a piece of the action,” he said.

Mr Barr said it was a positive step on Woodside’s part to engage the business community at such an early stage in its project.

“Local businesses have realised there’s a bit of lead-in time for this project but I think there’s a lot of discussion out there about how local business is going to access the contracting information for the project,” he said.

Mr Barr said the response had been overwhelmingly positive after the workshop, with many new businesses registering on the kimberleybiz.com.au website.

It acts as a portal for large companies contracted to major projects to find out which services small businesses in the Kimberley can provide. The aim is for contracts to be won locally rather than from outside the region.

Woodside Broome area manager Greg Paten said businesses hoping to win contracts would need to satisfy a series of strict conditions relating to health, safety and other aspects of their business.

Savannah Contracting owner Kurt Finger said he was hoping to benefit from the project if it went ahead, however admitted there was work to be done for his business to qualify for accreditation for the oil and gas industry.

But he said he felt positive about being able to make changes to the business, having been to the workshop.

The Broome Chamber of Commerce has also committed to helping its members benefit.

President Tony Proctor said it was important for businesses to get in early.

“We’re intending, in conjunction with Woodside, to identify what their needs are and to create the interface with local business to provide them information on what opportunities are coming up,” he said.