RED Grants Boost Jobs, Business Diversification in SW

• 10 South West projects to share in $1.1 million Regional Economic Development (RED) Grant funding
• Cook Government investments support regional job creation in manufacturing, agribusiness, tourism, arts, environment and mining sectors

Ten South West projects will share in $1.1 million funding to help build regional business resilience and economic diversity under Round 7 of the Cook Government's Regional Economic Development (RED) Grants program.

The RED Grants program is investing $55.85 million over nine years toward locally driven projects to stimulate economic growth in the regions.

The announcement was made by Regional Development Minister Don Punch today in Capel, alongside the successful South West recipients.

Jezebel Enterprises Pty Ltd received $150,000 for the construction of a new helicopter hangar at the Busselton-Margaret River Regional Airport.

The new facility will unlock additional space for storage of up to 12 aircraft, enabling the organisation to invest in a new helicopter to meet a growing demand in tours and shuttle services driven by the introduction of regular passenger flights from Melbourne and Sydney.

The new hangar will also provide a dedicated area for aircraft servicing and maintenance and increase the capacity for pilot training in the South West, expected to create up to 10 new pilots within the first 12-24 months of operation.

Also among the group of Round 7 recipients is Kettridges Pty Ltd, which will use the $150,000 grant to fund the expansion of their Picton manufacturing mill, to support the growth of the South West premium stockfeed market.

The project will double stockfeed production to 60,000 tonnes per year and create local employment opportunities during the construction phase and an additional four full time jobs upon completion.

A $150,000 grant was awarded to The La Colmena Hostel, which will use the funding to rebuild and expand its affordable accommodation in Margaret River, to meet the rising demand for worker accommodation in the region and create new jobs for the community.

The rebuild of the facility will significantly increase the budget accommodation's capacity to 94 beds, which is expected to service an additional 800 people per year, which will have flow-on benefits for the tourism and agricultural industries.

Gelorup-based recording studio Lamb Chop Records will use its $100,000 grant to expand its current recording studio. The funding will be used to construct a standalone multi-functional arts facility and an accommodation option for visiting recording artists to produce world-class recordings locally and is anticipated to attract up to 20 new clients per year to the South West.

The facility is designed as an end-to-end music service for established and up and coming artists, with the expansion set to create opportunities for interns and trainees, nurturing aspiring sound and audio engineers in the South West without needing to leave the region.

Bunbury fencing manufacturer Teamwork Contractors Pty Ltd has received $94,562 funding to support a new fencing manufacturing facility, to keep up with demand following a significant increase in domestic housing construction.

The project will create direct, sustainable employment by introducing manufacturing capabilities into the South West that have previously been lacking and will also provide intrastate export opportunities for products manufactured in the South West region.

A $147,100 RED grant has been awarded to Aboriginal-owned civil contracting company Wilgee Civil, which is currently engaged in the construction of the Bunbury Outer Ring Road project.

The funding will be used to purchase and install automated Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Universal Tracking Systems (UTS) self-leveling stations on its fleet of small earthmoving machinery, which will significantly reduce the time and labour required for site preparation.

The project aims to increase efficiencies and reduce project completion times by up to 30 per cent, which will see the proponent able to take on more work and generate new employment opportunities.

Successful projects in Round 7 REDs will diversify the accommodation and agribusiness offering in the South West, and support regional job creation in manufacturing, training, tourism and arts sectors.

The recipients were announced at the Capel Marron Farm tourism facility, which received a $147,280 RED grant in 2022, funding the development of a hospitality and tourism experience centred around the iconic South West marron.

As stated by Regional Development Minister Don Punch:

"The Regional Economic Development Grants offer a unique opportunity to diversify our regional economies and create new jobs and sustainable employment opportunities.

"Improving local manufacturing and accommodation is a major priority for the Cook Government, as is making our regional towns more liveable by attracting investment into locally-based services in the regions.

"Since the inception of this program, the WA Labor Government has invested more than $5 million dollars in 58 locally-driven projects in the South West, helping to build a better region for the local community.

"With a record $10 million on offer for Round 7 'Mega REDs', we are fostering regional development that is making meaningful change, creating real jobs and diversifying regional economies."

"Congratulations to all the successful REDs recipients this year; the diverse range of South West projects reflect the robust, thriving, and innovative work happening across the region."

Successful Round 7 RED Grant recipients - South West