- Aboriginal
Bushfood Business Base launched to support Western Australian bushfood businesses
- $500,000
joint investment from Cook Government and Commonwealth to build Aboriginal-led
sustainable bushfoods industry
Regional Development Minister
Don Punch has officially launched the first specialist support program to grow new
and existing Aboriginal-led bushfood businesses in Western Australia.
The first of its kind, the Aboriginal Bushfood Business Base is now
operating from the Food Innovation Precinct Western Australia (FIPWA) at
Nambeelup in the Peel region.
The Cook Government has co-invested with the
Federal Government to establish the Aboriginal Bushfood Business Support
Program, through the Future Drought Fund for Farm Business Resilience.
The Aboriginal Bushfood Business Base
provides a 'one-stop shop' with space to conduct workshops, client meetings and
events to showcase Aboriginal bushfood businesses to the wider food and
beverage industry.
It is located adjacent to the Sustainable
Innovative Food Technologies Centre which allows access to expert advice and
specialist equipment to develop and trial new bushfood product lines.
Available services will include a
combination of State-wide bushfood business workshops, individual client support,
industry forums and connection events.
Training and capacity building workshops
will be co-designed with business and industry expertise, supported by delivery
partners Outback Academy Australia and the WA Indigenous Tourism Operators
Council.
The Department of Primary Industries
and Regional Development is delivering
targeted programs in partnership with Aboriginal organisations bringing
international expertise as part of the program.
Comments attributed to Regional
Development Minister Don Punch:
"I was delighted to tour the new Aboriginal
Bushfood Business Base today and see first-hand the potential of this unique
initiative across regional Western Australia.
"This program addresses the demand for
business support specific to Aboriginal businesses, which builds on their
capacity to increase ownership in the bushfood industry."
Comments
attributed to Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis:
"The Cook Government is pleased to support
this important initiative to drive the growth of bushfood businesses across the
State.
"This is a wonderful example of cross-government
collaboration with Aboriginal-led organisations to ensure the sustainability of
this growing industry."
