Confidence at nationwide high for Queensland small business

Published Monday, 06 February, 2017 at 12:30 PM

Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy and Minister for Small Business
The Honourable Leeanne Enoch

Queensland’s small and medium-sized businesses have the nation’s highest level of confidence about their future prospects, according to a Bankwest report released today.

Minister for Small Business Leeanne Enoch said Bankwest’s Future of Business: 2017 Outlook Report showed confidence was boosted by small business seizing opportunities and taking an innovative approach to products and service.

“It is encouraging to see these results and to know that our small and medium-sized businesses are optimistic about the future,” Minister Enoch said.

“According to the report they had the highest rating across Australia in the new Bankwest Business Sentiment Index with four fifths feeling confident over the next three months and almost a quarter believing the global economy will expand.

“Just as promising is the fact that their confidence was buoyed by our business owners being proactive in key areas such as innovation and efficiency – 49.4 per cent indicated they were looking at innovation around their products and services while 49.9 percent were looking at improving business efficiency.

“This high level of confidence is testament to the Palaszczuk Government’s Advance Queensland and Advancing Small Business Queensland strategies that are working hand in hand to create the right environment for small business to start, grow and employ.

“We launched the Advancing Small Business Queensland Strategy just six months ago and I am proud to report that the strategy has already provided direct support to hundreds of small businesses.

“We launched the Accelerate Small Business, Small Business Digital and Small Business Entrepreneur grants programs and expanded the successful Mentoring for Growth program. Already, 164 small businesses have been allocated funding under the first rounds of the Accelerate Small Business and Small Business Digital grants.

“The Strategy has a focus on stronger advocacy for small business and empowering small business to start, work smarter, grow and employ.”

For more information about the Advancing Small Business Queensland strategy visit https://www.business.qld.gov.au/

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