As we transition out of our week of lockdown here in WA, I’d like to take a moment to recognise and commend small businesses for the part they have played.
Over the week our thoughts have been with many members of the community, including small businesses, who have been impacted by the devastating bushfire emergency in Perth’s east, as well as the five day lockdown of Perth, Peel and the South West. I was sorry to hear of the homes and pets lost by those living in the affected area and want you to know we are all behind you and your recovery.
It has come as no surprise that even when faced with uncertainty and disruption to their businesses, small businesses moved quickly to support their local communities. Despite their own challenges, they continued to show their community spirit, offering much needed support; providing their goods and services free of charge to those affected by the fire.
Small businesses also assisted our whole community by complying with the restrictions put in place at short notice this week to keep WA safe. Whether they needed to pause their operations or bring forward implementation of SafeWA measures; they have yet again demonstrated that they are quick to mobilise to changing conditions and get behind their community.
There are still some restrictions in place for Perth and Peel, pending information that the community spread of the virus has been successfully quashed. Our blog and WA.gov.au have all the latest information for you. Please continue your efforts to support our great results in stopping community spread, particularly by implementing mandatory contact registers as required.
Despite the challenges everyone has had to navigate, our economic indicators are giving us good reason for optimism. This week, I was pleased to participate in the launch of the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC’s) report, Back in Business? WA Small Businesses and the Impact of COVID-19. This comprehensive piece of analysis details how our Small Business sector has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. I encourage you to read the report, which has some very positive findings about the small business outlook as we emerge from 2020; as well as important information about how factors like late payments affect small business. I look forward to detailing more of the findings soon.
I know that dealing with constant change is a source of stress for many. Remember, if you need advice about how to navigate the business environment as we come out of disruption, our team is here to assist.
During this time of increased demand, the most efficient way to contact us is via our website, where we have the latest information about our evolving business environment in the COVID-19 world, details of our skills building workshops, and efficient ways to contact our team for personalised advice, such as live chat.
Thank you once again for your hard work and contribution to WA. Small business is the bedrock of our economy and our state simply doesn’t work without you.
David Eaton
WA Small Business Commissioner
