To contact the ABU, please telephone the Aboriginal Business Advisor on (08) 6552 3289. Or email us at aboriginalbiz@smallbusiness.wa.gov.au.
You can also call 131 BIZ (131 249) to speak to any of our specialist advisers, or make an appointment to discuss your business needs.
- Service
- Aboriginal tourism
- Advisory
- Small Business Centres
- ABU objectives
- ABU service delivery model
- Indigenous employment program
- Dream Shield - protecting your competetive advantage
Service
The ABU seeks to Connect, Assist, Share and Grow Aboriginal small business by providing the following services:
- Free personalised business advice.
- Face-to-face and phone assistance.
- Business planning and development.
- Provision of online tools, resources and support materials.
- Workshops and seminars.
- Referrals to government agencies, industry and not-for-profit organisations for assistance.
- Advice and guidance in the development of commercial opportunities arising from land-use agreements/settlements.
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Aboriginal tourism
Tourism can provide an economic platform for some Aboriginal communities and individuals through employment and enterprise development.
We work in partnership with Tourism Western Australia (Tourism WA) and the Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council (WAITOC) to achieve this by providing a capacity building program.
Tourism Australia's trade website for Aboriginal tourism at www.aboriginaltourism.australia.com is aimed at improving awareness and promoting the quality and diversity of the Indigenous Tourism Champions to wholesalers, inbound tour operators and travel agents.
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Advisory
The ABU works with SBDC's team of experienced advisors to guide you in:
- buying and selling a business
- dash flow management
- commercial leasing
- employing people
- financial management
- franchising
- marketing.
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Small Business Centres
The ABU works with the Small Business Centres which are located in city and country areas. These centres provide free assistance and support to new and existing businesses by offering:
- practical help
- referrals to specialist advisors to guide you through the maze of government departments and regulations
- business workshops
- business information.
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ABU objectives
The Aboriginal Business Unit’s four major objectives are:
Connect
- Aboriginal small business owners with other small business operators, government, industry, non government organisations and Small Business Centres (SBCs).
Assist
- Aboriginal people in establishing and developing businesses.
- Aboriginal small business owners in all aspects of business by raising awareness of the full range of government services by providing advice, support and information.
- Assist with the development of programs, tools and resources specific to Aboriginal small businesses.
- The SBC network to effectively engage with Aboriginal small businesses in their local community.
Share
- Best practice, celebrate stories of successful Aboriginal businesses who can be role models and mentors for other Aboriginal people interested in business.
- Provide policy advice to government on any existing impediment to Aboriginal business participation.
- Share information to providers and others on how to best work with Aboriginal businesses.
Grow
- The knowledge and skills of Aboriginal small business owners through information, opportunities, resources and access to specialist advisers.
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ABU service delivery model
The ABU uses the following service delivery model to achieve its key priorities:
- Act as a first point of contact for Aboriginal people seeking business information and support;
- Using a case management approach, the ABU assesses the needs of individual clients and identifies an appropriate support provider which could include an SBDC business advisor, Small Business Centre facilitator or external service provider and establishes a working relationship between the parties. The ABU then monitors the service provision to ensure the client’s needs are being addressed.
- Enter into strategic alliances with key government, industry and non-government organisations to leverage resources, identify service gaps and customise programs to include business development components.
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Indigenous employment program
The Australian Government's Indigenous Employment Program (IEP) aims to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians, supporting the Government's commitment to halve the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a decade.
The Indigenous Employment Program can provide employers with tailored assistance to help them to provide sustainable employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians.
For more information contact the Indigenous Employment Line on 1802 102 or visit the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
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Dream Shield - protecting your competetive advantage
What is unique about your product, service, design or invention is important.
Intellectual Property (IP) Australia has produced a resource to help aborginal business people to understand, manage and protect the IP rights they may have created when establishing and running their business. The Dream Shield project includes videos and publications offering information about various types of IP as well as case studies and interviews with Aboriginal business people, designers and inventors.
Download the Dream Shield Guide or view the videos.
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