Small business and family enterprise are the backbone of the Australian economy, accounting for almost 98% of all businesses. So when big business is able to engage with small local business, by letting large projects flow down, smaller businesses flourish, benefitting the wider community.

Cameron Buzzacott is the director of Zancott Knight, an Indigenous-owned, managed, and controlled business providing facilities and project management solutions across Australia, including to BHP.

Their business is involved not just in mining, but also aged care, aviation, health, and retail - just to name a few. Their key business objective is to close the economic gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by building partnerships with Indigenous organisations and suppliers.

With Olympic Dam’s ongoing SCM21 project, Cameron needed a team that would be able to handle the fuel and water trucks on site. So he reached out to Glen Wingfield, the director of WB Enterprises. 

For Glen, running a business and picking up contracts is vital to giving opportunities to locals.

‘My favourite part of the business is getting out and talking to people in the community. And for our business it’s about giving opportunities to community members… and helping those guys get a start at employment in this region.’

Glen was able to apply for the tender through the C-Res Local Buy program. In partnership with BHP, the C-Res Local Buy program acts as a broker between small business and BHP, with the aim to ensure the communities surrounding BHP’s sites are able to get their businesses involved.

As a Port Augusta local, opportunities like that are big to Glen.

‘It’s big to me because getting our community members employed and creating some wealth within these small communities is really important. It goes a long way for sustainability and looking after our young people which are up and coming.’ 

Glen’s first employee is his son Glen Jr. Glen Jr recognises that getting his foot in the door with his father’s business is a great way to ensure career advancement.

‘My favourite part of the job is meeting new people, gaining new skills for future employment, and opening possible opportunities in the future.’

Cameron agrees: ‘My favourite part about coming to work every day is seeing the opportunities for the younger generation, like Glen, to be able to come through and follow in the footsteps of his father, and hopefully take on the WB business one day.’

C-Res currently has 1,396 approved suppliers and since its inception 9 years ago has spent over $780m with small businesses in surrounding communities. That money doesn’t just support the business, but also supports families, creates jobs, and brings economic prosperity to the wider community. From little things, big things grow.