We made the decision a few weeks ago to not hold our second RCCIWA Members Forum for 2022 in October. We came to this after feedback from our members – we were just not going to see the numbers attending to deliver a valuable and worthwhile event for all. Whilst we would have loved to be holding a second Forum for 2022, we are now focussing our efforts on making the first Forum for 2023 absolutely epic. We will let you know once we have a date locked in – but it will be sometime in May or June.

RCCIWA Engagement and Representation
The third quarter of 2022 continued extremely busy period for member and stakeholder engagement and representation. We love being able to engage so strongly with our members and work with a very wide set of stakeholders to develop key relationships on behalf of our members. RCCIWA sits on many groups and committees on behalf of our members, which means we can ensure that the voice of regional business is always being heard in a meaningful way. Some of the highlights for the third three months of this year for engagement and representation include:

• Held third RCCIWA Executive Committee meeting of 2022 focussed on our activities as they align with our 2022-2027 strategic plan with our three pillars being Members, Voice, Future.
• Held monthly RCCIWA Members meetings – held on the second Tuesday of each month at 10am.
• Held monthly Working Together Meetings with our six coordinators.
• Held fortnightly Grow Local Meetings with our Grow Local Program Manager.
• We are currently in Year Four of delivering Grow Local and have secured major partnership funding for years 5 and 6 which is fantastic.
• Continued working closely with The President of the Manjimup CCI, Bevan Eatts and the President of the SWCCO, Rob Skipsey as our representatives on the Native Forestry Transition Group. Bevan and Rob are doing an incredible job representing the concerns of all impacted businesses and communities. This process has seen a great deal of work and commitment by all, including a meeting with Minister Kelly to discuss our key areas of concern and ways we can work in collaboration.
• Foodservice & Hospitality Working Group – continued to contribute to this State Government formed Working Group (one of about 22) which is a part of the Government recovery program. A particularly important way to ensure the issues and challenges of our members are being voiced and heard. This is a very responsive working group that we contribute to monthly.
• Participated as a member of the WA Advocacy for Consumers of Energy Forum (WA ACE Forum) which is a broad based representation of household and small business consumer views in a central forum, allowing issues to be raised and for consumers to share in the development of products and solutions for the energy sector.  
• Continued to regularly meet with Stephen, Dan and Tom from JTSI to discuss local procurement, their local procurement workshops and the WA Industry Link Regional Communication Forums. We have a very engaged and strong relationship with JTSI.
• Contributed strongly as a member of the WA Jobs Taskforce, including chairing the Regional Jobs Working Group.
• Met with several key members of the DTWD team on a variety of topics including the Jobs and Skills Centres and contributing our views as part of their targeted consultation prior to the National Jobs & Skills Summit.
• Met with corporate members and fantastic supporters Arc Infrastructure and Accor Hotels WA
• Hosted Roundtable online event for RCCIWA Member with the Hon John Carey MLA – very well attended and a very valuable conversation. Read notes here.
• Met with Business Foundations several time to discuss opportunities to work together
• Met new Telstra CEO online, Vicky Brady as a member of the Telstra regional Advisory Council of WA.
• Took part n the SBDC’s Small Business Roundtable to discuss the post COVID needs of regional small businesses
• Attended the Dowerin Downtown  event in Perth – amazing!
• Travelled to Newman to MC the Newman CCI’s 2022 Business Excellence Awards – a brilliant event
• Travelled to Port Hedland to spend time with the PHCCI and speak at their quarterly Women in Business luncheon event – another excellent event

RCCIWA Administrative Items

• We are constantly updating our membership contact list. If you have any changes to your contacts or would like to add any people, please email Emmi at admin@regionalchamberswa.com.au We know that it is AGM time for some, so please send through your newly elected committee when ready.
• Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and share our page with your members, and in particular your elected committee or board members.
• Please also let us know about any activities, initiatives or events you would like us to include in our weekly newsletter. We love showcasing a great idea, program or event that one of our members is delivering. If you have something you would like us to share – please send through the details to Emmi 
• Our member portal is being well accessed by our members, but we can always add more content – so please send through any operational documents you are happy to share with your fellow members to Emmi  

WA Jobs Act Review – Your Opportunity to Contribute
In 2017, the Western Australian Government established the Western Australian Jobs Act to maximise the potential of WA Government procurement and purchasing policies to help local industry and job creation, especially for WA small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The WA Jobs Act also improves consistency in tendering policies across different agencies, and the measurement of the external economic benefits of contracts awarded by state government. 

The WA Jobs Act also established the WA Industry Participation Strategy (WAIPS), which requires prospective suppliers to submit a participation plan as part of the tender process.

To help business and government agencies meet the requirements of the WA Jobs Act, the WA Government set up the WA Industry Link portal, the Industry Link Advisory Service and the Local Content Advisory Service. 

Additionally, the WA Government helps local industry get more work from government procurement through policies such as the WA Buy Local Policy and the Priority Start Policy.  The WA Government is now reviewing the operation of the WA Jobs Act, WAIPS and associated support as part of its five-yearly review of the legislation. 

The Review will consider such questions as:

• How effective is the WA Jobs Act?  
• What have been its main achievements?  
• In what way can we improve its operations and effectiveness?  
• How does the WA Jobs Act interact with other relevant government policies?  

The WA Government is seeking your input into these and other issues to be considered in the Review.  

The independent review is being conducted by Dr Michael Schaper, previously Deputy Chair of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission. 

How to get involved
They’re looking for feedback, experiences and suggestions from individual businesses, industry groups, government agencies and other interested parties. You can contribute in number of ways by registering for either of the following events at Consultation for Review of the WA Jobs Act.

1. Public forums: Face-to-face open meetings are being held around Western Australia during October, and provide an important avenue for local businesses, individuals and industry groups to talk directly with, and raise issues with, the Lead Reviewer.
2. Survey: Local businesses and interested individuals are encouraged to complete the survey. All submissions are confidential (online Survey link here).
3. Making a submission: You are also welcome to lodge a written submission. Submissions do not need to take any particular form or length, but the author, contact details and organisational affiliation (if any) should be clearly stated.
   If you wish the contents of your submission to remain confidential, please state this clearly at the start of your submission. 

Timeframe 
Public consultations will take place throughout October, with the final report to be completed before the end of 2022. The deadline for all public surveys and written submissions is Tuesday 1 November 2022. 

Background Information  
A short discussion paper outlining the issues and focus of the review is available here Discussion Paper: Independent Review of the Western Australian Jobs Act 2017.

Additional information for review as follows:   

• The WA Jobs Act
• WA Industry Participation Strategy  
• WA Buy Local Policy 2020
• Minister’s annual WAIPS Report  
• Priority Start policy  

Final Outcomes  
We will keep interested parties updated on the final outcomes of the review, especially those who make a submission to us. If you would like to be added to this list, please contact us at jobsactreview@jtsi.wa.gov.au.

Invitation to Exhibit – Meet the Buyer – October 25^th 2022 – Crown Perth
RCCIWA members are encouraged to book a table to collectively showcase a range of brands and business from within their region; and are invited to share this opportunity among respective networks. Promotional flyer can be found here. Meet the Buyer returns this October to showcase WA Food and Beverage business in one central location.

Last year’s exhibition highlights included 72 exhibitor booths, with 171 exhibitors attending those booths, 450+ local branded products on display and a final delegate attendee count of more than 350. Click here to view a quick snapshot video.

Over the past two weeks, Buy West Eat Best members have quickly secured exhibition spaces. They are delighted to now offer the opportunity to exhibit to broader F&B producers state-wide. Places are limited.

Overview of the exhibition:

• Meet the Buyer once again will be the biggest and most diverse showcase of WA F&B business in one central location, providing a platform to exhibit, share and highlight their business and brand offering alongside fellow local producers. A min of 70 exhibitors will take part.
• Over 180 delegates are expected from across the supply chain and will include on and off premise buyers and importers, chefs, and sommeliers through to media and educators. The trade show will showcase quality products and ingredients that have been grown, farmed, fished, processed, and prepared right here in WA; and though presented by the BWEB program, it is not exclusive to the BWEB membership base. While the exhibition will continue focus upon domestic delegates this year, this will grow to include export in future years.
• Meet the Buyer will showcase the strength and resilience of the WA F&B sector, facilitating businesses to realise, establish and grow new markets, benefiting the WA economy.
• The Meet the Buyer program will detail exhibitor’s business profile, product details and RRP and contact information, and will be released 24 hours prior to preregistered delegates.
• Excellent feedback continues to be received from the inaugural event from buyers and delegates across the spectrum in scale and sector, with wide ranging outcomes reported; from the obvious deals into major and niche retailers, to businesses connecting to complimentary businesses (consolidation outcomes), reframing their capital expenditure plans, rethinking their packaging, to hospitality students securing practical work placements.

Exhibitor Application Form & pricing:

• Non-Buy West Eat Best Member Exhibitor

$249 per exhibition + BF

Includes 3m x 3m space with fascia board, clothed trestle table, power and 2 x tickets per exhibitor to attend. Tea, coffee and light refreshments included, and access to Sundowner. A total of up to 8 goods showcased per table.

• Regional Development Commissions, Regional Chambers, Food Industry Associations, or similar, collective businesses to exhibit

$499 per exhibition + BF

Includes 6m x 3m space with fascia board, clothed trestle table, power and 2 x tickets per exhibitor to attend. Tea, coffee and light refreshments included, and access to Sundowner. A total of up to 12 goods showcased per table.

• Additional Exhibitor Staff for Trade Exhibition access and/or Sundowner

$49 per person + BF

Access to Trade Exhibition with tea, coffee and light refreshments included, and access to Sundowner.

To find out more information and for all of the details read here.