Small Business

Ms O'HANLON (Dunstan) (14:41): My question is to the Minister for Small and Family Business. Can the minister update the house on how the government is supporting South Australian small business?

The Hon. A. MICHAELS (Enfield—Minister for Small and Family Business, Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs, Minister for Arts) (14:41): Thank you to the member for Dunstan for her question. I think we all appreciate her advocacy and passion for small business that came out through her wonderful first speech only on Tuesday. It is a timely question. We are in the midst of Small Business Week, which has a theme of 'helping you get on with business'.

Just this morning, I attended and opened the Small Business Expo, which I am proud to say was a sold-out event. We had 500 small business owners register and be part of the expo down at the Entertainment Centre all day today. Alan Kohler was the expo's keynote speaker. He provided some invaluable insights into the state's economy and the outlook for small businesses in South Australia. If anyone is interested, his hot tip on interest rates was that they weren't going to be cut but they also weren't going to increase for the next two years.

The expo today features over 20 experts presenting on different topics relevant to small businesses through a number of presentations, workshops and panel discussions. Topics covered include cash flow management, sustainable business practices, how to attract and retain staff and many others. Moreover, the day encompasses sessions on mental health management, which is acknowledging the often overlooked yet critical aspect of wellbeing for small business owners.

Attendees at the expo are also going to benefit from tailored advice, referrals and supports provided through the Small Business Commissioner's Gov to You exhibition. This initiative aims to streamline access to government agencies and support organisations, really consolidating resources in one accessible place for small businesses.

Of course, Small Business Week is more than just the expo today. There have been over 30 events and workshops, with over 40 expert speakers right across metropolitan Adelaide and, importantly, Mr Speaker, in regional areas, such as the Adelaide Hills, Yorke Peninsula and, as you will be interested, Kangaroo Island as well.

Complementing these events is a suite of online resources that will allow business owners to access the information that is useful to them when they need it. These resources are published through the Office for Small and Family Business website, which is business.sa.gov.au.

To round out the week, the Premier and I are going to attend the Empowering Women in Business Breakfast tomorrow. The breakfast starts a full-day professional development program for female business leaders to learn how to respond to challenges that are specific to female-run businesses. This valuable event is a really key part of the Malinauskas government's highly successful Women in Business Program.

All of these initiatives, whether they are in-person events or online, serve as catalysts for connection, for education and really for inspiration for our small business owners. They provide small business owners with the avenues to enhance their capabilities, to build their networks, to learn from experts and to explore opportunities available to their businesses. We have had over 1,300 registrations throughout the week, and many of those events have been sold out. We have had an overwhelmingly positive response, and I am really pleased for the team that has put such a fantastic program together.

Of course, our small business commitment is not just for this week. We have established the Office for Small and Family Business. We have a $14 million Small Business Strategy. We are implementing 20 initiatives to futureproof South Australian businesses throughout that strategy, and there are many highlights and programs available for people to access.