Regional Exporters
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Brent Bannister is a Senior Export Adviser with the NSW Government based in Orange and servicing Central and Western NSW. As a part of his role Brent is the local point of access for State delivered export advice and also Austrade’s TradeStart network information. He is also responsible for facilitating access to the Export Marketing Development Grant (EMDG) offered by Austrade and to financial support services offered by EFIC. Brent initiates, promotes, manages and implements export programs and skills capacity development, including conducting the Export Capability Building Workshops.

 Brent has a degree in Rural Science from the University of New England. Brent has worked in the agriculture sector for most of his career but has also had significant experience in the industrial, and mining, water treatment sectors. In recent years he has owned and operated a cherry growing and exporting business, and consulted to others entering into this industry. Brent is committed to regional Australia and to assisting businesses there achieve their export goals.

Phil was born in a small rural township called Barcaldine, located in Central Western Queensland. Phil’s Aboriginal heritage originates from the Kara Kara and Bidjara groups, both groups also from the Central Queensland region. Phil spent his youth working with my family on the land where he was fortunate to develop a strong work ethic and values. As a proud Aboriginal man he has benefited greatly from the encouragement provided by very supportive, visionary parents who laid a solid platform for six children. With over ten years ofexperience in customer service based within various government positions, Phil is considered to be a communication and training specialist when dealing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Phil has extensive managerial experience with a strong focus on positive outcomes for his people and anyone else who has made the decision to better their lives.

Phil has managed First People Solutions a labour-hire company for the last 5 years and has managed a partnership with Australia's largest publicly listed labour-hire company AWX. Phil has also managed the growth and development of Native Secrets have facilitated various contracts with government and non-government organisations, including Qantas and Taronga Western Plains Zoo. More recently Phil and his family’s story featured on ABC’s ‘Moving 2 the country’ program.