The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is creating ripple effects across the global economy, impacting fuel prices, supply chains, and business confidence. For small businesses across Armadale and wider Western Australia, these pressures are real and immediate.

At the Armadale Chamber of Commerce, we’re committed to keeping our members informed, supported, and resilient. Here’s what you need to know and, more importantly, what you can do to protect and sustain your business during this time. 

Understanding the Impact on Small Businesses

The current global situation is affecting businesses in several key ways:

• Rising fuel costs impacting transport, logistics, and operational expenses
• Supply chain disruptions causing delays, increased costs, and reduced availability
• Cash flow pressure due to higher overheads and uncertainty
• Volatility in international trade affecting exporters and importers

While Australia’s fuel supply remains stable in the short term, businesses should prepare for ongoing fluctuations and disruptions.

Government Support Available

The Australian Government has introduced several measures to help businesses manage the impact:

1. $1 Billion Economic Resilience Program

This program will provide interest-free loans to support businesses in critical sectors such as:

• Manufacturing
• Freight and logistics
• Fuel and fertiliser supply chains

These loans are designed to:

• Help manage rising costs
• Maintain operations
• Strengthen supply chain resilience

Businesses impacted by market disruptions will be able to apply through participating banks.

2. Fuel Cost Relief

To ease immediate pressure:

• Fuel excise has been reduced by 32 cents per litre (until 30 June)
• Heavy Vehicle Road User Charges reduced to zero for 3 months

This is particularly beneficial for:

• Transport businesses
• Trades and mobile services
• Logistics-dependent industries

3. Tax Relief & Flexibility

The ATO is offering temporary support, including:

• Flexible payment plans
• Remission of interest and penalties
• Adjustments to PAYG instalments
• Reduced compliance action in impacted industries

If your business is under pressure, engaging early with your accountant or the ATO is critical.

4. Easier Access to Finance

To support cash flow:

• Lending rules have been relaxed for small businesses
• Banks may offer:
• • Loan restructuring
  • Payment deferrals
  • Temporary credit increases

Practical Steps to Protect Your Business

Beyond government support, there are immediate actions you can take to strengthen your business:

1. Review Your Contracts

• Check clauses around pricing, delays, and force majeure
• Ensure your agreements reflect current risks
• Seek legal advice where needed

2. Strengthen Cash Flow Management

• Monitor expenses closely (especially fuel and logistics)
• Speak early with lenders, suppliers, and service providers
• Explore payment plans or cost adjustments

3. Plan for Supply Chain Disruptions

• Engage early with suppliers and logistics partners
• Build flexibility into inventory where possible
• Consider local sourcing options

4. Communicate with Customers

• Be transparent about delays or price changes
• Set realistic expectations
• Maintain trust through clear communication

5. Monitor Costs & Adjust Pricing

• Keep an eye on freight and delivery charges
• Adjust pricing where necessary to maintain margins
• Stay informed about fuel surcharge changes

6. Document Decisions

• Keep records of key decisions, changes, and agreements
• This is essential if disputes arise later

Support Beyond Government

You don’t have to navigate this alone. There are additional support avenues available:

• Financial counsellors – free and confidential support from the SBDC
• Industry bodies – legal, workforce, and trade support
• Banks and insurers – hardship support, payment plans, and flexibility
• Local networks – including the Armadale Chamber community

A Message to Our Members

Periods of uncertainty test every business—but they also create opportunities to strengthen systems, build resilience, and rethink strategies.

At the Armadale Chamber, we encourage all members to:

• Seek advice early
• Stay informed
• Lean on your business community

Need Support?

If your business is feeling the impact, reach out:

• Speak to your accountant or financial advisor
• Contact your bank or service providers
• Engage with industry support organisations

Together, we can navigate this and come out stronger.

This is not just about surviving the current crisis—it’s about building a more resilient, adaptable business for the future.

Supporting Local Business Growth and Development in Kelmscott

The Armadale Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the launch of a pilot advocacy project in Kelmscott aimed at understanding how we can better support local businesses and strengthen the local economy.

This initiative is focused on listening to business owners — understanding their challenges, priorities, and opportunities for growth — so we can work together to create a more vibrant, sustainable, and connected business community in Kelmscott.

Click here to share your story in our Kelmscott Business Survey.

Our Advocacy Sub-Committee

The project is being led by our Advocacy Sub-Committee, made up of dedicated local business and community leaders:

• Kate Rodgers – Secretary, Armadale Chamber

• Paul Harrison – Managing Director, Beaver Tree Services

• Daniel Bremer – Owner, Swat-A-Pest

Together, they will be visiting businesses across Kelmscott to conduct a short business survey, gathering insights on what new developments, infrastructure, and support are needed to help businesses grow and thrive in the area.

Giving Back to the Local Community

As part of this initiative, Paul Harrison of Beaver Tree Services has generously offered to sponsor 10 free Chamber memberships for local businesses in Kelmscott who participate in the project. This incredible gesture is designed to help more businesses get involved, connect, and benefit from the Chamber’s support network.

We’d like to extend our sincere thanks to Paul and Beaver Tree Services for their continued commitment to supporting our local community.

Get Involved

If you’re a Kelmscott business and would like to take part in the survey, or find out more about how the Chamber can support your business, please get in touch:
admin@businessarmadale.com.au

COMPLETE THE ADVOCACY SURVEY

Please note: This is an Armadale Chamber of Commerce initiative and is separate from the City of Armadale’s Kelmscott Public Realm Strategy project. While the City is looking at the physical spaces of Kelmscott, we are focused specifically on the voice and needs of the business owners.

On Friday, 6 June 2025, we proudly hosted the Pride of Workmanship Award Night at Honeyeater House — an inspiring evening dedicated to recognising the hardworking individuals and businesses who go above and beyond to serve our community with passion, dedication, and pride.

With over 60 attendees, the evening was a true celebration of local spirit and collaboration. Guests were treated to heartfelt speeches from Mayor Ruth Butterfield, who spoke passionately about the importance of community recognition, and Anthony Pyle, President of the Rotary Club of Armadale, who highlighted the values that underpin the Pride of Workmanship awards. Our very own Deena Syed, President of Business Armadale, delivered a powerful address about the role local businesses play in shaping the future of our region.

We extend our deepest thanks to the City of Armadale for their ongoing support and partnership in bringing this event to life. Their commitment to recognising and uplifting our local business community makes events like this possible.

A special thank you goes out to everyone who took the time to nominate local business owners and employees — those who consistently go the extra mile to deliver quality service and make Armadale a better place to live and work.

The Pride of Workmanship Awards remind us that excellence exists all around us — in our cafés, clinics, stores, and workshops. We’re proud to continue celebrating those who embody the spirit of integrity, reliability, and community leadership.

Stay tuned for more events that shine a light on our local legends — and thank you to everyone who helped make the evening such a success.

On Friday evening, the Armadale Chamber of Commerce and APM Communities proudly co-hosted the Business Empowerment Sundowner, an inspiring event dedicated to showcasing how accessibility and inclusion can drive business success.

Held at the picturesque Honeyeater House in Harrisdale, the event welcomed over 40 local businesses, with more than 50 tickets sold. From 5pm to 8pm, attendees enjoyed a relaxed and engaging atmosphere, complete with a beautifully curated grazing board (from Amy at The Simple Grazer) and refreshing mimosa champagne, generously provided by the Chamber.

The evening focused on the powerful message that being accessible and inclusive isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s also good for business. Attendees were surprised and delighted by how much they learned, with many expressing how eye-opening and valuable the insights were.

Guests were treated to the wonderful live sounds of Benny Rowe, a talented vision-impaired musician whose performance added a warm and uplifting energy to the evening.

Each guest received a resource bag filled with tools and information to help them take practical steps toward greater accessibility. The event also featured a lucky draw, with several attendees walking away with fantastic prizes including local artwork, premium wine, and a gourmet cheese board.

The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with attendees praising both the content and the warm, collaborative atmosphere. It was a fantastic evening of learning, networking, and community building—one that highlighted the strength and potential of inclusive business practices.

 

Did you know that using rewards might actually undermine motivation in the long run? Sounds counterintuitive, right? This effect, also known as the Sawyer Effect, demonstrates how external incentives can erode intrinsic drive. In fact, research suggests that the more you use carrots and sticks to push someone, the less likely they are to be intrinsically motivated. So, what does work when it comes to lasting motivation and behaviour change? 

That’s where behavioural science steps in. By understanding the deeper, psychological triggers behind motivation, we can start crafting strategies that not only help us achieve our own goals but also inspire others to make meaningful changes.

In this upcoming workshop on Motivation and Behaviour Change, we’ll dive into the principles to build intrinsic motivation—the kind that lasts—and create an environment where motivation thrives. We’ll take a look at behavioural insights that will provide you with 4 essential ingredients to build motivation: your very own recipe for motivation!

If you're ready to break free from the traditional "carrots and sticks" approach and truly understand how to motivate yourself and others, this session is for you! Join me for an interactive workshop designed to give you the tools to spark real, sustainable change.

Author: Rik Baas, Behavioural Strategist

Sign up now and get ready to discover how you can boost motivation and transform behaviour!

From our good friends at Business Foundations:

Business Foundations helps businesses to create, review and refine their business models. We equip business owners with the skills and knowledge to get started, navigate their markets and grow.

We have nearly 30 years providing strategic development and growth services across Australia. We have helped more than 2,500 businesses each year start, evolve and grow.

We have been helping small to medium businesses equip themselves with the skills and knowledge they need to start and sustainably grow their businesses for over 30 years.

Business Foundations | Humanitix

The Armadale Chamber of Commerce offers our premium and corporate members the opportunity to share their knowledge and expertise on our website and social media platforms. By contributing content, you can provide valuable educational insights, industry best practices, and community news that benefit our members and enhance your visibility within the community.

We encourage submissions that are informative and beneficial, avoiding purely promotional or opinion-based content. Our content team will review all submissions to ensure they align with our goals and standards. Please note that we reserve the right to decline any content that does not meet these criteria or is deemed inappropriate.

We look forward to your contributions and appreciate your efforts in helping us provide valuable resources to our community.

If you have something you would like to contribute, please send an email to tech@armadalechamber.com.au