City of Greater Bendigo partners with Kinaway

The City of Greater Bendigo is a Local Government Authority located in the centre of Victoria, covering almost 3,000 square kilometres.  The City is on Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung Country.  The City has a growing population of more than 121,000 and is the state’s third largest economy base in Victoria.  We are a service and infrastructure centre for north central Victoria and surrounded by 40,000 hectares of regional, state and national parkland.

Our Council Plan 2021-2025 Mir wimbul (meaning community protocol) represents the City of Greater Bendigo’s commitment to reconciliation and is a first step in delivering on our new Community vision 2021-2031.

Greater Bendigo celebrates our diverse community.  We are welcoming, sustainable and prosperous.  Walking hand-in-hand with the Traditional Custodians of this land.  Building on our rich heritage for a bright and happy future.

Following on from a feasibility study undertaken in 2018, a 12-month project on improving Aboriginal procurement in Local Government was completed in June 2021.  The project aims were to increase the level of procurement of goods, services and works from Aboriginal businesses, across central Victoria local government agencies, City of Greater Bendigo, Mt Alexander Shire, Loddon Shire and Central Goldfields Shire Council.

As part of the procurement project, the City saw it as imperative to partner with Kinaway to ensure ongoing visibility and access to Aboriginal businesses. The City is committed to an annual membership to assist identifying and supporting Aboriginal businesses. The membership is important because it provides a Kinaway Relationship Manager and access to Aboriginal business mentors. The online portal gives access to an up to date list of businesses and a quote platform that will go directly to Aboriginal businesses. The Kinaway RFQ procedure means it will be sent out to members in that specific business category and the RFQ will be promoted and advertised to members. This is a great way to have access to Aboriginal businesses and inform them of current procurement opportunities.

The aim is to increase the level of procurement of goods, services and works from Aboriginal businesses, identify and support them and to build their capacity to seek and undertake procurement opportunities.

This is an important partnership with Kinaway to promote Aboriginal procurement opportunities to buyers and suppliers. The membership with the key relationship manager and direct access to the RFQ process through the online portal will enable all registered Aboriginal businesses to tender for goods, services and works at the City.

Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)

The City of Greater Bendigo’s ‘Barpangu’ Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) was adopted in September 2020 and launched during NAIDOC week, November 2020.  The City reports annually to Reconciliation Australia on activities and actions that are being worked on in the plan. RAP group is made up of City staff, Traditional Owners, the Aboriginal community organisation, Bendigo and District Aboriginal Corporation (BDAC). The RAP steering group also meets with Traditional Owners separately to go over actions and priorities including procurement.

Artwork by Sharlee Dunolly Lee