Page 151 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 26 February 2014
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And he goes on:
Peter Dawson – and his wife Elizabeth – are immersed in Canberra’s social and intellectual life. But the story he tells has relevance outside the 2300 square kilometres that make up the ACT. Canberra isn’t perfect, but it’s a beautiful city in which to live. And as Peter Dawson teaches us, it has produced not just clever bureaucrats, but innovative boffins and creative businesspeople too.
The ACT government’s business development strategy launched in April 2012 has a huge range of initiatives to support and build the ACT’s private sector and employment in that sector. Other members today are highlighting the proactive way this government is supporting jobs. These include our own employment practices, creating the appropriate conditions for local businesses, eradicating red tape, reducing and removing outdated taxes, transitioning to online services, undertaking major infrastructure projects from the city plan, the city to the lake, the capital metro and smaller projects such as the new north side hospital, the Calvary car park, the Belconnen high upgrade, new land releases, major road projects such as the Majura parkway, new fire stations, shopping centre upgrades, school upgrades and works in our parks and public places. These are just a few examples of what the ACT government is doing to support or maintain our economy. This is being done in the face of massive cuts in Canberra being imposed by our single largest employer and funder—the federal government. The ACT government in comparison has limited resources and ability to lessen the effects of these federal cuts and to maintain jobs.
However, today I want to talk about some of the success stories of ACT government grants to micro and small businesses. These often go unnoticed and unappreciated except by the recipients, for whom the grants can be an essential stepping stone to take them to the next level or to explore new directions. These grants lead to small business becoming larger and employing more Canberrans whilst diversifying our economy and the range of skills Canberrans enjoy. Many of these jobs are in new service industries especially around IT and high-tech areas outside our day-to-day interaction with small businesses such as the corner shop and the garage or the cafe. Indeed, some of our city’s greatest exports are through small businesses that have grown with a little government grant assistance into medium enterprises selling services overseas.
I will talk about just some of the initiatives between Canberra business and this government which are ensuring good business ideas can benefit from a little government assistance when needed—examples of businesses that have benefitted from government assistance within the 26 initiatives that fall under the ACT government’s growth, diversification and jobs business development strategy, a strategy that aims to make the most of Canberra’s unique strengths and advantages for business.
The Canberra BusinessPoint awards launched by Minister Barr and the Canberra Business Council recognise businesses assisted by government’s business point advice through workshops and clinics and grants to grow. Jigsaw Housing, specialising in energy efficient housing design and construction, was the 2012 Canberra BusinessPoint business of the year. In addition to receiving business point
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