“It’s an exciting time for Tenterfield in the launch of a chamber”, Kristen Lovett told the assembled masses at the Commercial Boutique Hotel on Thursday night as the new Tenterfield Chamber of Tourism, Industry and Business mounted its first public meeting to recruit members.
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Stepping in for chamber president Vince Sherry, Ms Lovett said the chamber would allow business to have a representative body, an advocate, an ally and create a connection with all business within the shire.
“The chamber intends to operate workshops, negotiate discounted rates on utilities such as electricity and gas and to provide vital information for the success of your business,” she said.
Ian Henderson was on hand to relay the experiences of the Stanthorpe and Granite Belt Chamber of Commerce, which he said has grown from a small collaboration of shopkeepers three years ago to become a force to be reckoned with.
He said there are four clearly-defined cornerstones which provide structure for the organisation: infrastructure, commercial services, sense of community, and jobs and business growth. Each of the chamber’s actions must relate back to one of these cornerstones.
The chamber also has a position paper on any major issue affecting its members.
“We let the small stuff go,” Mr Henderson said.
A short survey sent to all members allowed the Stanthorpe Chamber to gather statistics on numbers and economic turnover, giving representatives strong ammunition when advocating on members’ behalf.
NSW Business Chamber’s Peter Bastion said the state body was also founded on advocacy backed by data and anecdotal evidence, and joining the local chamber allowed a business to be connected into an extensive information network.
Mr Henderson said the Stanthorpe Chamber’s membership has now grown to 167, well exceeding the Warwick Chamber’s member roll of 25 despite the latter representing a district four times the size.
Tenterfield’s membership already exceeds Warwick’s, with aims of attracting many more to support an open and fair inaugural AGM next year to elect representatives.
