You are here: Home > Doing Business in Canberra > eNewsletters (Issued Monthly) > November 2011 Newsletter > November 2011 Newsletter

November 2011 Newsletter articles

SUCCESSFUL TRADE MISSION TO USA

Minister for Economic Development, Mr Andrew Barr led a Trade Mission of eight Canberra based companies to Washington DC where they focused on winning business into the US public sector market which is estimated to be worth more than a trillion dollars a year. The mission was held from Monday 31 October to Thursday 3 November.

The mission was the culmination of the ACT Exporting Solutions to Government Pilot Program, which aims to capture commercial innovation in the public sector and channel it to new markets. It was a great opportunity for the participating companies to put into action the planning and strategies that have been developed throughout this joint ACT Government-Austrade initiative.

Since mid-August, the companies have been participating in a think Australian, operate American program that has had them looking at their businesses from an American public sector client point of view.

The companies have been looking at every aspect of their businesses to see if it meets the requirements for selling into the US public sector. They have been adapting their websites, preparing white papers with Australian references, developing partner strategies and looking at options for representation in the US market.

The companies that participated in the pilot program and trade mission were:

• Intelledox;
• Seveno;
• Isidore;
• Quintessence Labs;
• NICTA AutoMap;
• Random Computers;
• Aspen Medical; and
• ThinkPlace.

Washington has been a very successful market with local companies including Tower Software, Noetic Group, CEA Technologies and EOS all building strong US business with the support of previous ACT Government Trade Missions. This was the fourth ACT Trade Mission to Washington since 2003.

Each company had its own business matching program and there were also be a number of networking events scheduled to provide the companies with access to business leaders and US public sector decision makers.

Feedback from the participating companies has been extremely positive, with some tangible outcomes already evident:

Jed Johnson from Random Computers reported:

"The quality of the meetings was much higher than I had expected. The mix of ACT Government, Austrade and industry help seemed to be the key. Random Computing’s meeting with the Assistant Sergeant at Arms & CIO of the United States Senate has opened a real opportunity for the use of our mobileX for Government software in all 534 Congressional Offices."

Paul Stapleton from NICTA Automap reported:

"The mission delivered the industry insight Automap was looking for. We had the opportunity to gain a clearer understanding of the potential for our technology in the US through targeted discussions with Government stakeholders and industry associations in the transport sector. A highlight was an invitation to submit an article for publication in the American Surveyor magazine."

As well as supporting the participating companies in their business matching programs, Minister Barr met with business leaders and government officials to discuss other economic development opportunities.

FESTIVAL OF CRICKET — END OF YEAR ENTERTAINMENT OPPORTUNITY

In partnership with Cricket ACT, the ACT Government is bringing an exciting summer of cricket to the ACT for both the community and business sector. Hosted at Manuka Oval, the “Festival of Cricket - Canberra 2011” is a 10 day program, commencing on Sunday 4 December. The games will feature some of the world’s best cricketers, including the might of “India” - names like Tendulker, Singh and Dhoni will be up against up and coming Australian talent and fringe test players. In fact, it will be the first and only cricket appearance of the Indian team prior to the commencement of the Boxing Day Test.

The games present a unique opportunity for the ACT’s business sector to host a networking event or Christmas party in perfect surrounds whilst watching some of the world's best cricketers at Manuka Oval. The 2011 Sir Donald Bradman Oration will also be hosted as part of the Festival of Cricket. This is a premium black-tie event that will sell out quickly. Visit the Manuka Oval website for more information about the 2011 Sir Donald Bradman Oration .

If you are interested in any of the corporate hospitality opportunities visit manukaoval.com.au  or contact:

• Sheridan Davis-Hall
  02 6256 6706 or 0451 682 862
  info@manukaoval.com.au

ACT CLEAN TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY CAPABILITY TEAM WORKSHOP

A workshop designed to engage with companies and help design Cleantech Industry Capability Teams throughout Australia was held on Tuesday 15 November. Around 60 local clean technology companies attended the ACT workshop. DIISR, through the Clean Technologies Supplier Advocate, is establishing state/territory based Cleantech Industry Capability Teams to provide a mechanism for diverse clean technology companies to effectively collaborate in their dealings with potentially shared customer groups.

For information about other DIISR Clean Technology workshops download the Cleantech Capability Teams Flyer .

LIVE IN CANBERRA — SKILLED WORKERS ATTRACTION

Live in Canberra have promoted the ACT’s employment and lifestyle credentials at the Oz Jobs Expo in Auckland, New Zealand (12 to 13 November) and the General Practitioner Conference and Exhibition in Melbourne ( 11 to 13 November). The Live in Canberra team spoke with more than 100 GPs and other health professionals about living in Canberra.

The Live in Canberra team handed out hundreds of information kits to attendees of the Oz Jobs Expo. The expo attracts significant numbers of New Zealanders with a range of skill sets who are looking for employment opportunities in Australia.

In addition to attraction activities, Live in Canberra host monthly Welcome to Canberra events for interstate and international people who have recently moved to Canberra. The next event will be held at Questacon on Saturday 19 November and is expected to attract over 150 new residents. Planning is underway for 2012’s program of Welcome to Canberra events with some interesting opportunities being discussed. For more information about Live in Canberra visit www.liveincanberra.com.au .

CANBERRA BUSINESSPOINT AWARDS: 29 NOVEMBER

The 2011 Canberra BusinessPoint Awards is an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the achievements of the Canberra BusinessPoint community. Jessica Good will act as Master of Ceremonies for the evening and Minister for Economic Development Mr Andrew Barr MLA will present the Awards. This is a night not to be missed.

Ticket sales and further information can be found on the Canberra BusinessPoint website.

• Tuesday 29 November 2011
  6:00pm - 9:00pm
  National Portrait Gallery, King Edward Terrace, Parkes
  $40 including food and drinks

An ACT Government initiative.

AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT PASSES BUSINESS NAMES LEGISLATION

Legislation passed by the Australian Parliament on 13 October 2011 means that soon, Australian businesses will be able to pay just one fee and have only one process to register their business name nationally.

“This is a commonsense and practical reform that will cut red tape and save time and money for businesses across Australia,” said Minister for Small Business, Senator Nick Sherry, in welcoming the passage of the Bill in the Senate.

“A business operating and registering in every State and Territory currently faces a cost of more than $1,000 to register for three years. Under the new system, businesses will only face one fee of around $70 to register for the same period.”

All States and the Commonwealth need to pass legislation before the national business names register can commence. Tasmania and NSW have already passed their referral legislation. A referral bill is currently before the Queensland Parliament.

Depending on the passage of legislation through other State parliaments, the national business names register is expected to be operational by mid-2012. To view the full media release, visit Senator Nick Sherry’s website .

LOCAL SCREEN PRODUCTION COMPANY WINS GOLD AT CANNES

Bearcage, a local screen production company, announced that its documentary ‘The Digger: A History’ won the Gold Award at the Cannes Corporate and Television Awards in the History and Civilization category. The documentary charts the history of the legendary fighting soldier – the Australian Digger – from their origins in the Boer War to the present day. The ACT Screen Investment Fund is one of the investors who funded the production of this documentary.

BUSINESS IN FOCUS MONTH: IT'S A WRAP!

September saw the business community come together to support the third annual Business In Focus Month. This year, Business Month explored the theme of “Canberra, The Creative City” and how creativity helps give business the competitive edge. With forty-seven events held throughout the 30 days of September, delivered by 31 event partners, there was something for everyone — whether they were a start up business, medium enterprise or entrepreneur. Over 1700 attendees participated in workshop and seminar type events. Positive feedback for the event indicates 2011 Business In Focus Month has once again hit the mark.

Business Development would like to acknowledge the support and commitment of The Canberra Times who have supported Business Month since the first one was held in 2009. For the past two years, The Canberra Times have come on board as the Principal Sponsor, demonstrating their commitment to supporting business in Canberra. Thanks and appreciation is also due to our other sponsors and supporters, including AusIndustry (Distinguished Sponsor) and our wonderful Event Partners, who create such a diverse range of events for our month-long calendar.

Some highlights from the month were: