From Hilltops Council – Joanne Mackay

Councillor Joanne Mackay

On Saturday night I attended the Boorowa Business Chamber Excellence Awards hosted at the Boorowa Ex-Services Club.

A wonderful night that highlighted the contribution and integral role business houses make to our communities. I was reminded of the extra responsibilities taken on by many businesses and services in our district during the COVID shutdowns.

They kept us fed, watered and healthy whilst managing staff and their own families in a never experienced environment of a pandemic, coupled with the ongoing problems of supply and demand.

It is appropriate to acknowledge our local businesses for having the welfare of the community at the heart of what they do.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, pre-Covid, two-thirds of the 171,000 newly established business’ in Australia were led by women.

Currently, the proportion of female owned and managed businesses sits around 40%. Interestingly, as evidenced by the gender representation in the room on Saturday night, these statistics are reflected in our own community and illustrates the importance of women in small business in the Hilltops area.

According to womensagenda.com.au and demonstrated by some of the awards presented on the night, women led businesses are often making contributions that respond to challenges they have personally experienced and witnessed and are making an impact in areas like early childhood education, health care and support care.

The contribution and participation of women in business is a non-negotiable necessity if we want our community to thrive.

The humble award recipients each mentioned the importance of having an immediate network to share some of the load, and the benefit of having staff and co-workers that understood, accepted and shared the challenges.

Congratulations to the BBC for your continuing support of local business and to all the worthy nominees and award winners.

“If everyone is moving forward success takes care of itself” - Henry Ford

Joanne Mackay