Tracey Roberts (Pearce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to acknowledge the remarkable achievements of my local Pearce businesses at the 2024 City of Wanneroo Business Awards, wonderfully emceed by Christina Morrissey. Congratulations to the Wanneroo Business Association President, Andy Kahle, for hosting this fabulous event.

I'd like to congratulate the stars of the night, the award winners. Each of them has demonstrated exceptional dedication, innovation and resilience in their respective fields. Their hard work not only elevates their small businesses but also enriches our entire community.

The Best Business: Owner/Operator award was claimed by The Glasses Lady, highlighting Tracy's exceptional solo service and commitments to her clients. The Best Business: 1-5, 6-14 and 15+ Employees awards went to The Flower Boutique, QPC and Nationwide Diesel Services respectively. The Best Start-Up award went to Lighthouse Vets, acknowledging their innovative contributions to the community as a new business. The Customer Service award was given to Choice Home Help, recognising their efforts in community service and engagement. The honour of Innovation was awarded to the continuously improving Perth Diesel Performance Pty Ltd. The fabulous Paws for Wildlife won the Community Engagement award for their work native animals. The Tourism award was given to the wonderful Mindarie Marina, highlighting their role in promoting tourism. Belinda Philippi from Class Professionals was presented with the Employee of the Year award. The Business Leader of the Year award was Steve Greenwood from Wesbeam Pty Ltd, and Robbie Kauka from Wesbeam was awarded the Trainee/Apprentice of the Year. Wesbeam is a wonderful business that Minister Ed Husic and I visited in May this year. The prestigious Business of the Year award went to QPC Group, recognising their outstanding achievements across all facets of their business operations. It is also important to recognise and congratulate not just the winners but all the other 115 nominees and finalists who are committed to excellence in their field.

The Albanese Labor government understands the critical contribution that small businesses make across the country, by offering genuine support with the recent budget provision of more than $640 million in targeted funding. Our fee-free TAFE is also a fantastic initiative that benefits small businesses, designed to provide accessible vocational education and training. It also significantly benefits our small businesses by addressing skill shortages, reducing training costs and fostering long-term economic growth.

Once again, a huge congratulations to all of my 2024 business award winners in Pearce, and thank you to the Wanneroo Business Association for the event.

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