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This newsletter provides current news and events on the programs and activities the Business and Industry Development Branch of the Chief Minister’s Department delivers to the ACT business community.

 

SEPTEMBER IS BUSINESS IN FOCUS MONTH

Business in Focus Month—a calendar of practical events aimed at educating, informing, training and networking business people across Canberra—is on next month.

It’s a month of activity for business owners and managers across all industries and of all shapes and sizes. There are events to cater for sole traders, home based businesses, larger businesses, retailers, manufacturers, consultancies, and IT firms—start-ups as well as growing and established businesses.

As a business owner don’t you wish you could spend more time working ‘on’ your business rather than ‘in’ your business? Business in Focus Month is a fantastic opportunity for you to take that time away from the day to day grind and engage in activities to help position your business for the future—whether it is attending a seminar, a workshop, a networking function or a conference.

There are events and activities scheduled across the month, on all days of the weeks and at varying times of day. There are a range of free events and some that might cost a little to participate in.

There is sure to be an event or activity of interest to you, at a time that suits you and your business commitments.

A full calendar of events is located on the www.business.act.gov.au website and will be updated regularly before (and during) the month to include all eligible business events.

Daily updates will also be delivered via Twitter—become a follower of #ACTBizmonth09 to get your regular updates.

Business in Focus Month is being launched by the ACT Chief Minister at a Canberra BusinessPoint networking event on August 18 at Regatta Point. For further information and to RSVP visit: http://bit.ly/2ngkb.

LOCAL BUSINESS CONFIDENCE IMPROVES

Seventy five per cent of businesses surveyed in the latest ACT and Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Quarterly Business Expectation Survey reported improved or unchanged general business conditions in the June quarter.

Chief Minister and Minister for Business and Economic Development, Jon Stanhope, releasing the results, expressed confidence in the way ACT businesses are coping with the challenging economic environment.

‘Like all economies that have been negatively affected by the Global Financial Crisis, the ACT is going through a tough period, although comparatively it has fared much better than many other economies both internationally and elsewhere around Australia,’ Mr Stanhope said.

‘The latest results of the Chamber's survey are consistent with the overall emerging picture of an economy still facing challenges but now showing modest improvements in some key areas. Also contrary to what was expected in the quarter, no firm surveyed recorded a fall in their overtime levels—indicating a high workload still remains for current employees,’ Mr Stanhope said.

‘The ACT Government continues to actively implement a range of measures to help mitigate negative impacts of the economic slowdown including the Local Initiatives Package, an investment in the Territory's infrastructure,’ he said.

Mr Stanhope said Canberra BusinessPoint has also instigated a Business Health Check, a service which assists local businesses better manage in these uncertain economic times.

‘The ACT Government is also coordinating the roll out of Commonwealth funded infrastructure development under the National Building and Jobs Plan—an economic stimulus package that will deliver infrastructure for schools, social housing, road infrastructure and energy efficient homes,’ he said.

MINCO’S MEET

The annual meeting of the Small Business Ministerial Council was held in Darwin in the week of 27–31 July 2009. The ACT Government is represented on this Council by the Minister for Business and Economic Development, Jon Stanhope. Key issues discussed at the meeting included a national approach to disclosure statements in retail tenancy laws, progress on the national business names registration system project, and climate change and small business. The Northern Territory Government also hosted a seminar on indigenous business development and the Council has to establish a Taskforce to develop a set of initiatives governments could use to target and deliver services more effectively to Indigenous entrepreneurs.

The Ministerial Council on Investment and Trade is meeting in Brisbane on Friday 7 August. Matters for discussion include trade recovery strategies, greater coordination of state and Australian Government trade and investment programs to business, Australian industry involvement in the Shanghai Expo and emerging opportunities in ‘clean tech’ sectors.

BUDGET CONSULTATIONS BEGIN

The consultation process for the 2010–11 ACT Budget has begun with an official launch last month by the Treasurer, and Deputy Chief Minister, Katie Gallagher.

Consultation mechanisms include a website (http://www.treasury.act.gov.au/budget
consultation) and a budget information paper to be used by the community as a reference tool for consideration in the development of submissions to the Government.

The Treasurer has invited interested community and business groups, unions, individual Canberrans and other stakeholders to share their views and suggestions for future priorities and savings the Government may consider in framing the Budget.

Submissions close on 28 September 2009. The process has begun significantly earlier this year to provide additional time for consultation.

2009 ACT CHIEF MINISTER'S EXPORT AWARDS LUNCHEON

Date: Tuesday 22 September 2009
Time: 12:30 pm
Venue: Hyatt Hotel Commonwealth Avenue Yarralumla
Speaker: ACT Chief Minister, Mr Jon Stanhope

A special early bird rate of $700 is available for tables of 10 purchased prior to 21 August 2009.

The ACT Chief Minister's Export Awards are the Territory's most prestigious business awards for exporters. They acknowledge the innovation, hard work and success of businesses, large and small, in accessing offshore markets.

The Awards recognise the important contribution that ACT businesses make to the local economy through job creation and increased prosperity in the community.

Winners of the ACT Chief Minister's Export Awards progress to the 47th Australian Export Awards as national finalists and compete for an opportunity to win the coveted Prime Minister's Australian Exporter of the Year.

For further information on the luncheon or to purchase tickets, visit the Canberra Business Council’s website by clicking: Here.

CANBERRA TO GET EARLY ELECTRIC CAR ROLLOUT

Canberra was abuzz with the announcement last month that the city has been chosen as Australia's first city for the roll-out of a world-leading electric vehicle system.

Global company Better Place announced that it has selected Canberra as the ideal Australian city for its new electric car infrastructure, with the aim of having the first vehicles on the road in three years.

ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope, welcoming the announcement, said many challenges had been created by the design of Canberra as a city built for motor vehicles.

‘We are well-placed to support this exciting new technology which will use renewable energy to power electric vehicles on Canberra's roads.

‘I understand Better Place and ActewAGL have held a number of discussions regarding energy supply and I look forward to these being progressed. The ACT Government remains committed to leading the nation in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the announcement shows we are well placed to attract both new investment and new green jobs to Canberra,’ Mr Stanhope said.

Mr Stanhope said the Better Place electric vehicle project added weight to the Government's commitment for a large-scale solar plant in the ACT.

These zero-emission cars will run on renewable energy only, so it's important for there to be a local source of clean, green energy for local subscribers.

CHIEF MINISTER’S OCTOBER 2009 TRADE MISSION

Strong interest has been shown by ACT companies in the formal EOI process to participate in the Chief Minister’s Trade Mission to London, Abu Dhabi and Dubai in October 2009.

This latest mission targets cities with considerable opportunities in their own right and also as strategic gateways to other regional markets—London for the European Union and Dubai/Abu Dhabi for the Middle East region.

The choice of location for trade missions is driven by the Government’s continued implementation of the ACT’s International Business Development Strategy, which was issued in July 2008.

The Government has adopted a long-term approach, favouring strategic economic positioning and continued relationship building for ACT companies, as opposed to short-term focussed ‘sellers’ missions.

NEPALESE TRADE DELEGATION IN CANBERRA

The Business and Industry Development Branch and Austrade last month hosted 11 Nepalese delegates in Canberra as part of an Australian and New Zealand trade mission.

The visit was primarily a business matching forum with 12 ACT businesses invited to attend.

Also attending were: His Excellency, Mr Yogendra Dhakal, Ambassador of Nepal to Australia, Mr Mohan Krishna Shrestha, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal and Mr Shanker Bairagi, Minister-Counsellor, Embassy of Nepal.

SHANGHAI EXPO—OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACT BUSINESSES

The ACT and Australian Governments have signed a silver sponsorship agreement for the Territory's participation in the Australian Pavilion at next year’s Shanghai World Expo.

The Expo, which takes place from 1 May to 31 October 2010, will be the largest in history with over seven million visitors anticipated and over 220 countries and organisations formally participating.

Australia is investing $83 million in a striking national pavilion that is designed to showcase the country's rich culture, strong economy, innovation and world-class facilities.

This is a unique world event that provides a stage to promote Australian capability and the quality of our cities to both China and a world-wide audience.

The Australia Pavilion addresses the Expo's ‘Better City, Better Life’ theme, by highlighting Australia's strong and forward looking economy; technological sophistication and innovation; world-class education and research facilities; and, its rich and diverse culture.

On 31 July, the ACT Government worked with the Canberra Business Council to deliver a focus group discussion made up of organisations interested in the opportunities provided by the Expo. The focus group was facilitated by Ernst and Young at the University of Canberra.

UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA SECURES LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXCELLENCE CENTRE

The University of Canberra (UC) has become a consortium partner in the new $8 million Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government.

The consortium, led by the University of Technology Sydney and the UC also includes the Australian and New Zealand School of Government, Local Government Managers Australia and the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia.

The centre's role will include encouraging innovation and best practice across local government, fostering good governance and strategic leadership, and supporting action to improve local government workforce capability.

Chief Minister Jon Stanhope congratulated UC on its win—against five other bidders—praising the leadership of Professor Stephen Parker for re-energising UC and strongly focussing on building collaborations with other key Australian universities while also pursuing its own strategic research specialisations.

The centre is expected to be fully operational by early next year.

LOW-COST TOURISM ACCOMMODATION DEVELOPMENT

A roundtable of tourism industry and government representatives was held last month to review and develop plans to increase the amount of low-cost tourism accommodation in the ACT.

Hosted by the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Andrew Barr, the roundtable included representatives of the ACT’s peak tourism body, the Tourism Industry Council (TIC), tourism operators specialising in school educational and low-cost tourism, investors and transport companies.

Senior government planning and land development officers were also present as were members of the Board of Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC).

Mr Barr said the challenges facing the industry required new ideas, thinking and mechanisms to enable the Government to listen and work with the industry to invest in delivering more high-quality, low-cost accommodation. Improving the ACT’s stocks of low-cost accommodation would help ensure Canberra remains an attractive destination for school groups, sporting groups and families.

TIC Chair Joseph Griffiths said the roundtable heard about a number of plans already in the pipeline to increase the amount of low-cost accommodation in the ACT, including the EPIC Board’s plans to increase accommodation at EPIC, and the Government’s plans to establish low-cost accommodation at Stromlo Forest Park and at the Lyneham Sports Precinct.

Mr Griffiths and Mr Barr said the roundtable would re-convene periodically to review progress.

SUPERMARKET COMPETITION POLICY

Submissions to the ACT Government’s Review of Supermarket Competition Policy closed last month with a report to the Government due this month.

The review focuses on:

• the extent of competition in the ACT supermarket grocery sector in the light of the findings of the 2008 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Inquiry into the competitiveness of retail prices for standard groceries;
• likely future trends in the structure of the ACT and Australian supermarket grocery sector;
• how the ACT Government can support effective and sustainable competition in the grocery sector;
• policies that might be applied on a site by site basis to ensure site allocation supports the ACT Government’s longer term policy objectives to promote competition and diversification; and
• any other additional measures that might be considered by the ACT Government to support a diverse and competitive retail grocery sector over the medium to longer term.

INNOVATION OFFICIALS MEETING

The Chief Minister’s Department was represented at the Commonwealth State and Territory Advisory Council on Innovation meeting last month.

The meeting provided updates on governance arrangements for the national innovation system and a number of new Australian Government initiatives, including the R&D Tax Credit, the Education Investment Fund and the Commonwealth Commercialisation Institute.

ACT TELSTRA BUSINESS AWARD WINNERS

Chief Minister and Minister for Business and Economic Development, Jon Stanhope, congratulated Point Project Management (PPM) on being named the 2009 ACT Telstra Business of the Year.

PPM is a company that started only three years ago and has grown from one employee to 33 and from one client to 54. The company specialises in building project management and has recently been awarded the tender to manage the Qantas Multi-Use International Terminal at Canberra International Airport.

PPM also won the Medium Business Award as well as the Social Responsibility Award for raising $100,000 to support a young employee and his family after he was diagnosed with lymphoma.

‘The ACT Telstra Business Awards are a great opportunity to recognise outstanding and innovative businesses in the ACT,’ Mr Stanhope said.

Other local companies to be recognised were Succeed Personal Development, a personal training company which received the Micro-Business Award and PSI Asia Pacific, a procurement support company which won the Small Business Award.

‘The ACT Telstra Business Awards put Canberra's small businesses firmly in the spotlight and highlights the great depth of talent, innovation and business knowledge in this sector. I congratulate all finalists and winners for their outstanding success,’ said Mr Stanhope.

The ACT winners will represent the Territory at the National Telstra Business Awards to be held later this month.

NATIONAL INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY (NICTA) UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA SCHOLARSHIPS

Four University of Canberra (UC) students have been awarded certificates by Sylvie Theibaux, Director of NICTAs Canberra Research Laboratory for work on a collaborative project with the Australian Institute of Sport.

The students’ work, under CRL Winter Scholarships, involved a study to examine the correlation between hand movement and swimmer’s performance.

The success of the project is likely to lead to further collaboration between UC and NICTA.

The ACT Government is a founding member and program funding partner of NICTA.

 FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information on any of the above news items, please contact us by—

• Phone: 1800 244 650; or
• Email: business.mailbox@act.gov.au

A full description of the Business and Industry Development Branch’s programs can be viewed at: www.business.act.gov.au 

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