Membership

Events

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Directory &
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Membership

Events

Workshops

Directory &
Jobs Board

From the President 

I have enjoyed my year as President and have been on a fast learning curve. It has been an honour and privilege to serve in this role. It has been an outstanding year for the Chamber with many high profile visitors to our city, and a calendar full of outstanding & successful events. 2014 has also heralded a year of change in the way many things are done, and the beginnings of a new digital era for KBCCI.

In 2014 we have been visited by many Federal and State Politicians, including Acting Prime Minister Hon Warren Truss, Minister for Industry Hon Ian McFarlane, WA Labour Leader Hon Mark McGowan, Shadow Treasurer Ben Wyatt, and Minister for Regional Development Hon Terry Redman. We continue to have strong relationships with our local members, Federal Member for O’Connor Rick Wilson & State Member for Kalgoorlie Wendy Duncan. This year we held a Federal budget working lunch with a presentation from Rick, a first for KBCCI.

We again held a state budget breakfast with Wendy giving us insights on the state budget & its impact on the Goldfields. In an environment where both budgets were generally negatively received, it was great to be able to get a more detailed insight & level of detail for both budgets.

Our strong ongoing relationship with other key agencies plays an important part in the life of the Chamber. The Chamber of Minerals & Energy is a great friend of KBCCI & has been influential in getting some of our high profile visitors to Kalgoorlie-Boulder, most recently Federal Minister for Small Business, Hon Bruce Billson, who was very impressed with our city. Goldfields Esperance Development Commission is also another important agency that we work closely with, however, key personnel vacancies has left a vacuum for much of 2014 and we look forward to working with the new CEO & Board members into 2015 and on. The Regional Chambers of Commerce is also of key importance to us, with some of our own people in key positions with Ron Mosby as President & Kitty Prodonovich as CEO. It was of great benefit to me to attend the Regional Chambers’ 2 day meeting in Perth, engaging with other Chambers from around the state & sharing our key wins & challenges, and hearing from key parliamentarians thoughts & plans for the regions. We are not alone in our endeavours.

Our 2014 events have been very successful this year. Having the BAH co-hosted has proved a successful model. BAH continue to be booked out 12 months ahead and attendance numbers have increased. We kicked off 2014 with the inaugural “Welcome to the Goldfields” in St Barbara’s Square and most recently the annual Spring Festival (now named Lorna Mitchell Spring Festival), another outstanding event! It would be remiss of me not to mention What’s Down The Track, and St Barbara’s Festival, excellent & well attended events The stand out event for me has to be this year’s Goldfields Business Awards, with such a wide variety and high calibre of businesses entering. Once again, congratulations to Lakes Electrical for Business of  the Year, Georgina McDougal for Business Person of the Year & Jim Fleming for Citizen of the Year.

A noticeable absence from the 2014 calendar was GME. After lengthy discussions with KBCCI and reviews of exhibitors and attendees, Reed Resources felt GME was no longer a viable option in its current format. In line with our 2013-2015 strategic priority “Identify and implement a brand event” we have been working away in the background to bring something new and relevant to the Goldfields. Whilst this is not going to happen overnight, it is the intention of KBCCI to bring to life something in its place so stay tuned for developments. Speaking of Strategic priorities, carried through from 2013, the priorities were

1. Identify and implement a brand event.

2. Identify and influence a broader infrastructure industry base (grow regional capacity).

3. Improve branding through effective targeted marketing.

4. Membership development/structure to underpin commercial viability.

5. Attraction & retention of people to the region.

 

These 5 priorities have formed the basis of everything we are doing at KBCCI. These have been the driving force behind:

• Consultation & discussion groups on the how & why of a new event.

• Highlighting the PortLink proposal at every opportunity.

• Involvement with the development of the Regional Blueprint.

• Development of new membership database tool & online portal.

• Rebranding of the Directory & increasing it’s online profile.

• Development of KBCCI vision document. (watch this space in 2015)

• Education Committee pursuit of HOSS changes.

 

It has been widely reported in local media about the number of people & families leaving Kalgoorlie throughout 2014. However, our Education Sub-committee evidence shows that school numbers are maintaining a steady level. I have written on a number of occasions through out the year on the optimistic outlook & feel of the Goldfields business community and a slow but steady economic turnaround. Diggers & Dealers and the Business Awards, along with steady student numbers, certainly add weight to that thought.

Whilst the outlook for most sectors in Kalgoorlie-Boulder seems optimistic, one of the slowest to recover is retail. In May the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder changes to retail trading hours took effect giving retailers the ability to stay open until 7pm weeknights. 2014 has been the worst I have seen in my 18 years in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, 14 of them as a retailer, with over 60 empty retail premises and retail outlets closing regularly. We have lost some long term Goldfields businesses in 2014. We have regular contact with the CKB through our Retail Sub-committee, about the work they are doing to attract retailers to the endowment block, and the CBD revitalisation plans. On a brighter retail note, Burt Street upgrades look terrific!

In my role as President, I have  attended many meetings and functions which have been interesting and varied. Apart  from meeting all the politicians who have visited, I have attended:-

• KCGM Life of Mine Presentation

• Committee Hearing on Constitutional Change & Recognition

• Curtin Board Luncheon

• Burt Street Steering Committee

• Kambalda Business After Hours

• Coolgardie Business After Hours

• Regional Chambers of Commerce

• Meeting with Human Rights Commissioner,

and discussed a wide range of topics ranging from tertiary education needs to our vast multi cultural mix.

I would like to acknowledge and thank my fellow Executive members, including those who have retired through the year, who have provided insight and wisdom, and helped the business community of the Goldfields through their commitment to KBCCI through 2014. Many of them have chaired our important sub- committee meetings through the year, giving up precious time out of their working day, and on evenings & weekends to assist with our many events.

A very big thank you to our CEO Hugh Gallagher, who has been a font of all  knowledge for me during 2014, given the variety of people we have met and topics we have covered. Hugh leads a fantastic team and thanks to Kylie, Pam, Jess, Natasha, Victoria, Kristy & Michelle for all their hard work in making 2014 another successful year for KBCCI.

I have enjoyed 2014 so will be standing for re-election, if you will have me. There are several Executive vacancies this year, so I wish everyone who has nominated “Good Luck”, and here is to another great Goldfields Business Year in 2015.

Lee Jacobsen

KBCCI President