Small business plan to boost jobs and innovation

An Office of Small Business will be established to deliver the Palaszczuk Government’s Advancing Small Business Queensland Strategy to help small business create jobs, drive business growth, harness innovation and build digital capacity.

The Office of Small Business is part of a new $22.7 million investment in the sector over three years announced in today’s State Budget.

Small Business Minister Leeanne Enoch said the creation of the office underlined the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment to support small business to start, grow and employ in line with the $405 million Advance Queensland initiative.

“The Office of Small Business will develop and deliver programs to foster our future entrepreneurs especially women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by expanding the Queensland Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow program,” Ms Enoch said.

“It will put in place actions to advocate for small business at State and Federal Government discussions, bringing us in line with other states.

“A new Small Business Knowledge Hub will also be created to research key issues impacting Queensland small business and draw on this to inform and influence policy decision making across Queensland Government.

“The Advancing Small Business Queensland Strategy will be our plan to make Queensland the place for small business to start, grow and employ.

“It will do this by leveraging the Advance Queensland agenda to create jobs, drive productivity and harness innovation.

“It will also provide targeted support for small business to get a better start including $10,000 digital capacity grants; $5,000 grants through the Queensland Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow Program.

“These initiatives will help small business increase their digital capabilities; ensure a more coordinated approach to service delivery across the government; strengthen support for regional small business; and provide a stronger advocacy voice for small business.”

Ms Enoch said the Strategy had a strong regional focus with initiatives that will build better partnerships with government and regional stakeholders.

“Small businesses are in every community and are the backbone of our regions,” Minister Enoch said.

“In Queensland, 97 per cent of all businesses are small and they employ almost half of the state’s private sector workforce.

“The Strategy gives us a plan that will enable Queensland Government to work effectively with small business to help them make their ideas a reality, to grow their businesses and employ.”

The Strategy will support improvements to the Business and Industry Portal — www.business.qld.gov.au — and align and enhance existing programs such as Mentoring for Growth.

It also provides funding for the 2017 Queensland Small Business Week and supports the continuation of the Queensland Small Business Advisory Council and Red Tape Reduction Advisory Council that provide direct input to government on issues facing small business.

Media contact: Daniel Lato 0438 830 201