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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 10 Hansard (Tuesday, 24 August 2004) . . Page.. 4053 ..

• funded the highly successful CanBAS service;

• consolidated our business development capability in a new, single shopfront at Braddon;

• upgraded web-based information and advisory services to ACT firms;

• commenced the review of Canberra Connect, with the aim of establishing this service as a major entry point for business related information in the ACT;

• introduced a new $2 million export growth program, a flexible program which provides grants to support a broad range of export market development activity; and

• introduced a new pre-tender consultation process designed to facilitate a more small-business friendly approach to government purchasing projects.

• worked on a new e-procurement system that will simplify the tendering process for small firms and reduce the cost of tendering;

• taken a fresh look at the information needs of the home-based business sector and how we best service this dynamic part of the ACT economy.

The major impetus of our small-business friendly goal is the government’s policy to establish the ACT’s first Commissioner for Small Business. On Thursday, 26 August the Assembly will debate the Small Business Commissioner Bill, an initiative and a piece of legislation that has been widely acclaimed by both the local and national small business community. The Assembly has an opportunity to put in place a strong and independent advocate for small business in the territory. But I might quickly add that the commissioner’s role is much more than symbolism and advocacy. In the legislation we have provided a charter for the commissioner to effect change on a range of issues that small business demands action upon. It is my hope that the Assembly will not fail to grasp this opportunity later this week.

No discussion about goals for small business would be complete without reference to some of the important changes we have made to occupational health and safety. I will not labour those, other than to say that a couple of them that have received some profile have been ranked very low by Australian Business Ltd as important issues. To repeat this government’s contention: the existence of a safe, fair and just workplace is not mutually exclusive to a positive business environment. In fact, more often than not they go together rather than operate separately or competitively in aim.

We intend to capitalise on our competitive advantage through the various sectors of the economy: information communications technology, defence, education, biotech, public admin, creative industries, space sciences, environmental studies, sports science and administration.

I will skip through a fair part of my speech, because I have had the nod from my whip that we would like to get on with the program today, but I will table it at the end of my delivery. Let me just say that this government is working on a number of fronts. It is not

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