Endeavour Industries has been a part of our community for as long as I can remember. The business grew out of the actions; energy, love, and care of local parents determined to provide opportunity for children challenged with disability.
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For many years I had an association with the then president and members of the board of Endeavour, many of whom served because of their association with Cessnock APEX Club. I fondly remember attending the official opening of the unit complex in King Street, which has been primarily used to accommodate Endeavour employees and other people with disability.
I have been a regular visitor to Endeavour’s Laundry and enjoyed the joy on the faces of the workforce the day I took Wayne Bennett along for a visit. Sadly, in recent years Endeavour’s local businesses operations have hit stormy waters and recently, fell into administration.
After appointment, the administrator continues to trade on for a period or until he or she concludes the financial situation is not capable of being turned around. That is what’s happened at Endeavour. To ensure creditors and employees are paid, the administrator then typically sells any assets the business owns. Thankfully, Endeavour holds enough assets to ensure people are paid what they are owed. This is the one bit of good news.
The residential units in King Street have long been managed by a local real estate agent on a commercial basis. For the tenants, the only thing that should change is the name of the landlord. We will watch this closely. The most important thing now is ensuring those who have lost their jobs secure another one.
The Local Area Employment Coordinator and the National Disability Insurance Agency is working with the administrator in an attempt to place each of them into a suitable job.
As part of that process, we are speaking with other organisations which employ people with disability. Mayor Bob Pynsent, State Member Clayton Barr and I are in conversation over all of these matters. We can’t stop a business going bust, but we can make sure the people affected are taken care of. We are giving that our best shot.
