Acting Premier and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Minister Curtis Pitt said the workshop was designed to help Indigenous enterprises increase their ability to access government procurement opportunities.

“This workshop is the first step for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses in Mount Isa to learn about government tenders and is a great opportunity to find out about other programs and services available to grow their businesses,” Mr Pitt said.

He said the Palaszczuk government was committed to increasing the representation of Indigenous-owned enterprises in government procurement activity in Mount Isa and around Queensland.

“I’m really hoping local businesses will take advantage of this workshop to empower them with skills to be more commercially competitive,” Mr Pitt said.

Procurement investment was worth about $18 billion annually around Queensland and Indigenous-owned enterprises had been under-represented in such investment for far too long. “It’s time for that to change.”

A series of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Business Procurement Workshops were being delivered around Queensland to give participants invaluable knowledge on how to tender for government business, to gain insights into tender evaluation as well as information on procurement opportunities.

The Mount Isa workshop will be held on Tuesday, October, 13, in the Moondarra Room – Ibis Styles, corner of Camooweal Street and Rodeo Drive, Mount Isa, from 3pm to 8pm.

Registration closes this Thursday, October 8, so for more information and to register your interest in attending the workshop visit www.datsip.qld.gov.au/programs/enterprise-development.page.

Mr Pitt last visited the region in July, when he attended a Cloncurry regional meeting that included business and Indigenous groups and made a commitment to visit Mount Isa again to spend more time with industry groups.