Funding for small business assistance

The Bunbury-Wellington Small Business Centre has received a new round of Federal funding, securing the centre’s additional services for the next two years.

The new round of funding, under the Small Business Advisory Service grants, was announced by Small Business Minister Brendan O’Connor on November 15.

The centre was recently awarded about $200,000 but has not yet signed the contract nor received the money.

Mr O’Connor said the Opposition’s claims the Federal Government had frozen the funding and not told the centres were untrue.

“The funding will deliver high quality support services for Australia’s vital small business sector,” Mr O’Connor said.

Centre chief executive officer Alison Maughan said the centre’s services such as one-on-one advice, seminars and workshops would continue.

Ms Maughan said the centre had plans to begin seminars on using Facebook to benefit business.

The centre is funded by local, State and Federal governments as well as the business community.

It offers a vital service to the small business sector in the region, providing free, confidential and practical assistance to businesses within Bunbury, Capel, Collie, Dardanup, Donnybrook, Balingup and Harvey.

The funding is part of the AusIndustry program and allows the successful applicants to provide quality advice and assistance to thousands of small businesses across Australia.