Better town focus of event

The Town of Port Hedland and Regional Development Australia Pilbara hosted a business breakfast last week to encourage business owners to foster conversation about important issues in town.

Recently appointed Town of Port Hedland chief executive David Pentz, who was the MC of the event, said the breakfast emphasised the important role the community and business owners held in Port Hedland.

Joining Mr Pentz was Town of Port Hedland Mayor Camilo Blanco, who highlighted the significant social and economic responsibility that business owners in Port Hedland were required to deliver to the town.

“There has been an Australia-wide spotlight on the alcohol issues we have in our town,” he said.

“A once-vibrant late-night town has become hazardous.

“As business owners, we must support police in any actions that reduce alcohol-related harm. It is not an option to do nothing.”

Guest speaker and social entrepreneur Peter Kenyon, who has a passion for community and citizenship, offered the audience innovative ways to create effective mechanisms that allowed people to contribute socially to the development of the community.

Mr Kenyon, who has spent a lot of time in the regions having been born in Marble Bar, said it was important people came together for events such as this to network and bounce ideas off one another.

“The three biggest challenges that rural communities face is cynicism, negativity and change-resistance,” he said.

“I don’t know why we are not promoting this town as one of the greatest gems in Australia,” he added. Mr Kenyon said the most effective strategies business owners could use as a model for success were customer service, marketing, social media and community effectiveness.