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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 08 Hansard (Tuesday, 3 August 2004) . . Page.. 3328 ..

review of the Business Review Weekly entitled “State of the States”. Not everything in that review is complementary. The Business Review Weekly said that the ACT economy is going strong and that the ACT is shaking off its image as a town devoted to servicing our federal government colleagues. The article vindicates the government’s policy direction in relation to the economy and to economic development.

The strengths of the ACT economy that are identified in the article include: a highly skilled white collar work force; business clusters in ICT in the aerospace and defence industries; the fastest ICT employment growth in Australia—at 8.2 per cent—highly regarded educational and research institutions such as the ANU and CSIRO; growing biotechnology and medical service sectors; and a supportive local government, which is us.

Mrs Dunne: You are just carrying on the rosy glow.

MR QUINLAN: I am glad that members referred to the strengths of the ACT economy. Some people would say that the results in the BRW are a flow on from the management of the former government. I hope that those who say that also say that the emergency service and child protection structures that this government inherited are a flow on from the management of the former government. Hypocritically, opposition members want it both ways but they might be trying to make a good point. The article in the Business Review Weekly recognises what this government has done.

For the benefit of members, let me catalogue some of the things that this government has done—things that the former government did not do. Since 2002 this government has provided 254 development grants to ACT businesses and 117 grants under the knowledge fund. It established the small business employment ready program. To date 342 businesses have had access to that program, resulting in over 160 new jobs. This government established the high-tech start-up program to assist businesses to development management skills. To date 31 businesses have had access to that program.

This government established the business acceleration program to assist businesses to meet strategic development needs on a dollar for dollar basis. To date that program has supported 101 businesses. This government supported 39 businesses on a dollar for dollar basis through the export growth program to establish export growth markets. This government funded and established NICTA. The former government talked about it but provided nothing for it in its budget or in its forward estimates. This government established that body.

This government provided $1.3 million over four years to establish the Canberra partnership, which focuses on building private-public partnerships to leverage the region’s economy and its social, economic and educational strengths. This government signed formal memoranda under the Greater Washington initiative to give businesses additional avenues for export. It has held interviews with the London Development Agency and with the University of California in San Diego in relation to the southern Californian initiative. This government has not just talked about it or claimed credit for things that have happened in the economy; it is out in the community leveraging the economy and doing something for the community.

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