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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-09-23 Daily Xml
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SMALL BUSINESS

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (15:38): My question is to the Minister for Small Business. Will the minister provide information to the chamber about any innovative approaches being undertaken in South Australia to better inform and educate our small business community?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (15:38): I thank the member for his question. The small business sector continues to make a significant contribution to this state's social and economic development as well as its wellbeing and character. With South Australian small businesses employing a large proportion of the total non-agricultural private sector workforce, it is vital that the government provides support during the current economic downturn.

The Rann government acknowledges the valued contribution of small business in South Australia and is strongly aware of the obstacles and challenges confronting them, particularly in the face of the current downturn. This government is working hard on a number of fronts to make sure that South Australia's business environment becomes even more conducive to investment and growth as we better position ourselves for the global recovery.

Despite the global financial crisis, in the first quarter of this year South Australia was the only state or territory to experience economic growth. Opportunities for growth in mining, defence and ICT industries, coupled with strong performance from our traditional primary industries, are placing us in a strong position to weather the recent global trends.

Maintaining the health of small business will be the key to minimising any job losses in this state. One of the ways we have been supporting small business is through our network of business enterprise centres and regional development boards. One of the business enterprise centres in the western suburbs has come up with some innovative ways of getting its message across to small business.

I was delighted to attend earlier this month the launch of a community television series that also harnesses the new social tools of the internet such as Twitter and Facebook to communicate with its audience. Developed by the Inner West Business Enterprise Centre, the TV program Business Bites began earlier this month and concludes during October's Small Business Month.

The Business Enterprise Centre Network works tirelessly for South Australia's small business community, and the Inner West BEC is to be applauded for this initiative. Business Bites is currently being aired on community station C31 on Wednesday nights. It comprises six episodes, each dealing with a small business theme. As most small business operators are time poor, the opportunity to access information at the workplace or at home is invaluable.

This TV series is being produced on a shoestring budget, thanks largely to the hard work of volunteers. The program's companion website can be found online at www.businessbites.org.au where people can download podcasts and watch streaming videos if they are unable to catch all six episodes on channel 31.

I commend the Business Bites program to all small business operators and again congratulate the Inner West BEC Manager, Susan Devine, and her team on this community led production.

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