By Roy Weavers

In light of recent commitments by the Federal government to roll out it's national broadband strategy, Port Douglas is to receive its first official online seminar and consultation process.

The Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors and the Service Economy, Dr Craig Emerson MP announced the funding for the AusIndustry Small Business Online (SBO) program.

The program was officially launched by Federal MPO Jim Turnour at his office on Thursday 18 February at a presss confernece.  The SBO program aims to assist small businesses (with up to 20 employees) including home based businesses, to go online, significantly enhance their web presence, increase their website usage and engage in e-business capabilities to help reduce their costs and improve their market opportunities.

Kevin White, Director of White Source Pty Ltd, is very pleased to announce that White Source and its team of Information Technology (IT) providers, has been selected to deliver the SBO program in Far North Queensland (FNQ).  Mr White attribute’s his company’s success to:

•    The high quality of his team of local IT Providers:

•    Emmy Kerrigan of Atlas Projects;
•    Wendy Ackland of Burnt Toast Marketing;
•    Nicky Jurd of cityofcairns.com;
•    Robert Rutten of Rutten Technology Services; and
•    Sam Cullen of Tourism Media Services.

•    The exceptional level of support displayed by small businesses in FNQ, especially those in Cooktown, by local Government and Government agencies, Advance Cairns, and business and industry organisations; and

•    The White Source proposal, which will work with 200 FNQ small businesses on the development and enhancement of their businesses in IT, Online and website matters, so they can be “Online Ready” when the new National Broadband Network is rolled out.

The SBO program is worth approx. $0.6m to the FNQ region, it will deliver client specific assistance through One to One Consultations with the IT providers, and these consultations will be provided from the Mission Beach region to Cooktown.

The SBO program will be well received by FNQ small businesses, and the significant support provided by the Federal Government, is very important to FNQ businesses now, and as they seek Online opportunities to grow their businesses.

Mr Turnour congratulated White Source on winning this contract and looks forward to seeing the program rolled out in the Tropical North.

“Cairns, Port Douglas, Cooktown, Innisfail, Mission Beach, and other centres in the Tropical North are built around small business.  Internet is used by more and more businesses and consumers these days, so it is increasingly important to have an online presence.”

“This program is about helping small businesses to go online or upgrade their current Internet presentation.”

Director of White Source, Kevin White, said “The program will deliver client specific assistance through One-to-One consultations with the IT providers, and these consultations will be provided in FNQ from the Mission Beach to Cooktown regions.”

Funding is being provided from the Rudd Government’s $10 million Small Business Online program which has been boosted by another $4 million to extend it to small business operators in the tourism industry.

Across the nation, 95 per cent of small businesses are connected to the Internet, yet only 57 per cent have a website.

The White Source AusIndustry SBO program will start with two seminars in Cairns (details below).  These will be followed by seminars and visits to the Port Douglas, Cooktown, Innisfail and Mission Beach regions.

Meeting 1.
 
2nd March 2010 held at Brothers Leagues Club, Anderson Street, Cairns

Morning session: 8.45am – 12pm
OR
Afternoon session:  1.45pm – 5pm

(The content will be identical, so businesses can make the choice of timing that best suits them).  

Register at www.whitesource.com.au

Interested businesses should contact: Kevin White Ph: 0428 736 957

Email kevin@whitesource.com.au