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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-10-28 Daily Xml
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SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE AWARDS

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (14:50): Will the Minister for Small Business please provide some information regarding how South Australia fared at the recent Small Business—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: Can you hear that?

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: I can't hear myself. Do you know what staggers me, Mr President—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Have you finished on the opposition benches? The Hon. Mr Wortley has the call.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: I am trying to ask a question about small business. The Liberals have turned their back on their rural constituencies, they have turned their back on women and now they have contempt for small business. I think it—

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: —is an absolute disgrace that they allow question time to be debauched like this.

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Mr Wortley will ask his question, because he has not sought leave to make an explanation.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: Can the Minister for Small Business provide some information regarding how South Australia fared—

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins interjecting:

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: Are you right?

The PRESIDENT: Order, the Hon. Mr Dawkins!

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: Will the Minister for Small Business provide the chamber with some information regarding how South Australia fared at the recent Small Business Development Conference Awards?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (14:51): I thank the honourable member for his question. The Small Business Development Conference held in Melbourne from 12 to 15 October included an awards presentation on the evening of Tuesday 14 October held at the National Gallery of Victoria. The awards were presented by Business Innovation and Incubation Australia, Business Enterprise Centres Australia, the National NEIS Association and a number of other awards sponsors.

I am delighted to report that South Australia is again punching well above its weight and literally reaping the rewards. South Australian businesses and business associations won the following awards: first of all, the 2008 National NEIS Association Award and the Best Growth Business Award which was won by Wise Choice Healthy Foods—a business which distributes milk products produced by Fleurieu Milk Co. In 2004, Alan Steinert and his business partner saw a niche opportunity to deliver high quality milk to Adelaide suburbs. In June 2006, having found a source of this milk, the business started and in just over a year they had a turnover of more than $1.5 million. Alan says that NEIS mentoring, provided by Mission Australia SA, was critical in assisting them to manage growth, especially in issues such as dealing with debtors.

The 2008 Business Enterprise Centres Australia Award and the Award for Best Metropolitan BEC was won by the Inner West BEC. The Thebarton-based centre services the inner western suburbs of Adelaide. It also provides, on behalf of state government, the Business Helpline which is a counselling and advisory service to South Australian small business owners and operators who are in crisis. The main objective of the Business Helpline is to assist with the reduction of the emotional and financial distress of business crisis and failure and the number and cost of business failures in South Australia. The Inner West BEC is managed by Susan Devine.

It is also with pride that I note that, of the remaining six finalists for that award, three were also from South Australia and included the teams from Enterprise Adelaide (managed by Anne McCutcheon and based in the city), the North-West Business Development Centre (managed by Lyn Hay and based at Port Adelaide) and the Northern Adelaide BEC (managed by Ron Watts with offices at Elizabeth and Gawler). Petrina Jude of Tea Tree Gully BEC and Ron Watts of Northern Adelaide BEC were also finalists for Best BEC Manager.

There was also the Australian Taxation Office Award for Best New Business. This award was won by National Bridal Service. With the assistance of Enterprise Adelaide, Barbara Sisson has established a permanent, centrally located bridal exhibition in Adelaide, incorporating in excess of 120 leading product and service providers to the wedding industry. It is of note that the other two finalists for this award, Gaswatch Australia and Quisk Design, were also from South Australia and were both nominated by Southern Success BEC, based in Morphett Vale. There was also the HP Award for Best Home Based Business. This award was won by Exportia Pty Ltd, which helps Australian ICT electronic and creative companies to establish their products or services and to drive export sales in the European markets.

Christelle Damiens, who is a French national, uses her experience and knowledge of the European business market to assist South Australian companies to export. She participated in the Young Business Accelerator Program at North West Business Development Centre, and she says that this helped her business to become more focused. Also nominated for this award from South Australia were 'Balance by All Accounts' (nominated by Tea Tree Gully BEC) and 'HR Development at Work' (nominated by Southern Success BEC).

The winner of the HP award for best micro-business was E-Cycle Recovery, an ethical and socially responsible electronic waste recycling business. The business is going extremely well, thanks to assistance and support from the North West Development Centre.

At the 2008 Business Innovation and Incubation Australia awards, Todd Street Business Chambers was the proud winner of the Business Incubator of the Year award. Managed by Lyn Hay of the North West Business Development Centre, this successful business incubator offers low-risk leases, reception and on-site business support, including fast-track growth programs for 30 new and developing businesses.

This assistance is provided for small business operators who are in the early stages of growth, helping them to increase profits, secure more customers, create a professional image, expand business networks, and access free low-cost services. I again congratulate all the winners and finalists on their success in this year's awards.

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