Good Afternoon,

As we all try and grapple with the rapidly changing circumstances due to the impact of COVID 19, it is heartening to see the way our members and all regional business communities have banded together, and the community leadership our members are showing. These are very difficult and uncertain times, and we are all feeling nervous and overwhelmed. However, it is exactly at times like this that we all need to stick together and stay connected and engaged.

Our members all over Regional WA have been working extremely hard to ensure relevant and practical information is reaching all businesses in their community, that businesses have a person to talk to and also in developing strategies and practical ways to support their local businesses. Most importantly we have realised that most business owners are feeling anxious and unsure, so our members have been busy calling their members and touching base – often it is just a quick conversation that reassures people and lets them know they are not alone. We don’t know what is going to happen, and things are changing so quickly – but now is the time where our members are needed more than ever – and it is great to see the support they are giving their local businesses.

We are starting to see new initiatives and ideas coming from our members to support local businesses. Many businesses are now delivering information and services on-line. The Bunbury-Geographe CCI have developed  a dedicated FB page, Bunbury Dine-Out  for all of their eateries to promote their takeaway and delivery menus. It is actions such as this and the efforts made in ensuring local businesses are supported through this time, that make us proud of our members and their commitment to supporting regional businesses.

For RCCIWA, our focus will be to:

• Share and direct our members to accurate and relevant information (without overloading them) – to share with their members. Collating information that is specifically for them.
• Provide real data and advocacy to all levels of Government. We will be strongly advocating for measures to be introduced, and levers to be pulled that support all businesses and regional communities. We have developed a live business survey that will be sent out to you within the next 24 hours, that we would encourage all of our members to share with all businesses. All public authorities are desperate for accurate, on the ground data – and we will be providing it.
• Continue to be a conduit for accurate information with all stakeholders and all Government agencies and departments
• Sharing members activities and communications
• Supporting our members in any way we can

In today’s RCCIWA update we are sharing with you below the most relevant links and sites for you to share with your businesses and utilise yourselves. We would particularly like to direct you to the CCIWA and SBDC sites. Both of these sites have information specifically for businesses as well as very useful resources for you and all businesses to access. CCIWA have set up a dedicated COVID-19 mini site that has excellent information and resources – and is free to access and use for all businesses. You do not have to be a member to access this site. We thank CCIWA for this very important resource in these ever-changing circumstances.

Please keep an eye out for our survey link that will be send soon to you email address – we have been asked by so many Government representatives, from all three tiers for this information – so you can be assured it will be shared widely and used to inform future policy setting and further relief packages.

We are all in this together and we are here to support regional communities. Stay connected, be informed and follow public health advice.

Kitty Prodonovich

CEO

HELPFUL LINKS
Click the below images to be redirected to relevant COVID-19 information