Funded by the Federal Government, NEIS has helped more than 100,000 people in Australia set up viable businesses.

“A lot of our Business Enterprise Centres around Australia deliver NEIS and when its future was under review it was extremely pleasing to see Senator Arbib recognize the value of the program and ensure it remained a high priority for the Gillard Government,” said Mr Hughes.

Senator Arbib will now be responsible for the governement’s Small Business Advisory Service, in which Business Enterprise Centres play the crucial role of delivering grass roots information and advice to the sector

“Having someone at the helm who has empathy with small business operators and who appreciates the contribution they make to the national economy and the difficult circumstances they often face is essential if the sector is to thrive,” said Mr Hughes.

“I believe we can work well with Senator Arbib to achieve this and we welcome him to the role and look forward to working closely with him and his colleagues.”

On behalf of Business Enterprise Centres Australia, Mr Hughes has also thanked outgoing Small Business Minister Senator Nick Sherry with whom we have had a “very productive working relationship”.

“Senator Sherry and his staff were great supporters of BECs and he was always prepared to make himself available to meet small business operators and share their stories and experiences. Moreover, he actively kept his political colleagues aware of the value of the small business network, to the benefit of this most important sector and the Australian economy as a whole. We wish him well for the future,” Mr Hughes concluded.

ENDS

CONTACT: Jack Hughes, national chairman, BEC Australia on 0408 837 032 or jack@becnt.com.au

“Western Australia is currently the envy of many other states over its resources boom, but a string of decisions by Premier Barnett show WA is strengthening its economic foundations for the future by creating a new dawn of hope for its small businesses,” says Mr Hughes.

“The decision to appoint Simon O’Brien as a dedicated Small Business minister and now this extra funding to support the state’s 25 Small Business Centres puts WA in its own league when it comes to finetuning the economic engine room which is the small business sectors.

“Other states will do well to note this move which, along with the Federal Government’s BEC Initiative Program, has strongly reversed the national trend of cuts to this crucial sector in the name of short term savings.”

Western Australia has 19 Small Business Centres in the regions and six in metropolitan areas providing essential services to start up and established small businesses. In this state, Business Enterprise Centres supported by the State Government are called Small Business Centres. They are known as Business Enterprise Centres in other parts of the country.

“We believe the Minister for Small Business, Simon O’Brien, deserves accolades for this budgetary decision because it is a clear investment in economic vibrancy for the whole community,” says Jack Hughes.

“The flow-on effects of supporting small business are innumerable through job and wealth creation.

“What’s more, Small Business Centres are major, community capacity builders that yield dividends far greater than their operational investments, underlining the WA government’s wisdom and foresight in this move,” he says.

ENDS

CONTACT: Jack Hughes, national chairman, BEC Australia on 0408 837 032 or jack@becnt.com.au

Small Business Minister, Senator Nick Sherry, has released an options paper designed to generate comment on ways to help small businesses resolve disputes. We know this is a topic very dear to the hearts of the small business operators we talk to all the time.

The paper is the result of 2010 research by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (DIISR) which found around 20 per cent of surveyed small businesses had experienced a dispute with another business in the previous five years.

Senator Sherry has put four options up for discussion:

1. A phone and web-based national information and referral service directing small businesses to available dispute resolution assistance and guiding them through their options.

2. A national dispute resolution service similar to option one, but with an additional mediation offering.

3. A national small business tribunal specifically set up to deal with small business disputes. The tribunal would be both a national network and a one-stop shop for small businesses in dispute.

4. A small business advocate to provide independent representation of small business interests and concerns within the Australian Government.

Your views and those of your clients on these options will be very important in determining how the Minister proceeds. So leave your feedback and we will consolidate and submit it to the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research on behalf of the whole BEC movement.

I encourage you to give us your opinion. We have the opportunity to influence Government thinking on this important issue and to achieve an outcome favorable to the small business owners we support. Let’s make sure our opinions are heard in Canberra!!

Jack Hughes

“The Gillard government has done the right thing offering $3.3 million to support the support groups doing the frontline work of helping small businesses recover and regroup after recent floods and cyclones,” says Mr Hughes.

“For example, the Ipswich Business Enterprise Centre has been stretched to breaking point as its staff and volunteers have reached out or responded to more than 600 local businesses needing help to access trauma counselling, apply for government support, and navigate the confusing minefields of insurance company claims.

“Business Enterprise Centres have long been a first port of call for small businesses needing support or seeking training for ongoing development.

“This latest offer of support to networks like BECs will mean all eyes will be on the Gillard government to ensure this vital and generous offer is delivered to where it is needed quickly, in stark contrast to the delaying tactics being displayed by insurance companies which the government itself has been quick to criticise,” he says.

Mr Hughes says getting small businesses back on their feet after a major disaster is a tough but essential job and notes it is a worthy priority for government because while many operators have lost everything their communities depend upon them starting from scratch again.

ENDS

CONTACT: Jack Hughes, national chair, BEC Australia on 0408 837 032 or jack@becnt.com.au.

In its state budget handed down last week, the Rann Government cut almost $100 million from the Department of Trade and Economic Development, closing Business Enterprise Centres, and scrapping Small Business Month, the Small Business Helpline, and the SA Young Entrepreneur Scheme.

“This sends very confusing messages to the marketplace because only last month the Minister for Industry, Trade and Small Business, Tom Koutsantonis, was quoted bemoaning the fact that South Australia can get stuck in its ways and risk not creating a new generation of iconic businesses, ‘the new Coopers … Balfours … Haighs’,” notes BECA chair, David Baumgarten.

“And yet these iconic businesses all began as small, entrepreneurial, family concerns, the very businesses the budget cuts will target by choking off their supply of timely business advice and training support.

“From the national perspective of our 135-strong network of business enterprise centres, we are urging the Premier, Mike Rann, to step in and rescue his state from taking a retrograde step and damaging the critical support infrastructure that keeps 96 percent of his state’s businesses running.

“We understand the temptation and lure of big ticket, headline-friendly ventures such as large industry parks, but what the economy actually needs is serious attention to the daily decision-making and ‘grind’ required to keep tens of thousands of families and voters in viable work.

“We are certain that the government has enough gumption to make right decisions and to correct oversights and therefore call upon the Rann Government to restore funding to business enterprise centres so as not to throw the baby out with the bathwater,” he says.

ENDS

CONTACT: David Baumgarten, national chairman, BEC Australia on 0419 206 110 or chair@becaustralia.org.au

The BEC survey found demand for advice and training rose an average of 9 percent in calendar year 2009, and that more small and micro businesses are engaged in planning to deal with GFC-related threats and opportunities than 12 months ago, up 7 percentage points from 29 to 36.

“These findings are encouraging from a national point of view because Australia is dependent upon its small business sector to drive the economy,” says BECA chair, Peter Murray.

“This pulse check reflects what is happening at the coal face because it is based on the observations of BEC managers, who live and work in many and varied regions around Australia.

“It’s encouraging to see a ‘can do’ and ‘will do’ attitude still thrives in this sector, despite the battery of challenges endured in the past 12 months,” he says.

The BEC survey found the top three areas of advice being sought by small and micro business owners were marketing, financial management (with a particular focus on cash flow), and general business planning.

Of the issues confronting small business operators in our regions, the survey found that 11 dominated the reporting, namely:

1.         Mining – positive affect in mining regions, negative effect due to labour drain from other regions

2.         Drought and water issues, and poor agricultural yields

3.         GFC has resulted in discretionary spending fluctuations (especially services sector)

4.         Operational costs; fuel, freight, and loss of some suppliers with knock-on effects

5.         Deregulation of trading hours in some regions

6.         Government red tape and green tape, including confusion around Fair Work laws

7.         Scarcity and cost of commercial property

8.         High unemployment, NEIS swamped until July 2010, and skill shortages

9.         Restricted access to finance

10.       Costly communications

11.       One positive influence was development surrounding major projects and infrastructure, which provided a positive stimulus in some regions

“The important insights for me are that our small business sector is continuing to apply itself to the challenges of doing business in this ever-changing environment and that many are placing their trust in the grass-roots network of business advisors available through Business Enterprise Centres,” says Peter.

ENDS

CONTACT: Peter Murray, national chairman, BEC Australia on 0400 899 368 or chair@becaustralia.org.au

Ron Watts, BEC Australia

Negotiating discounts and deals for small businesses are top priority for Ron Watts, who has commenced his role this week as General Manager, Sponsorship and Compliance, with Business Enterprise Centres Australia (BECA).

“BECA has a raft of sponsorship deals on the table and one of my first jobs will be working through the list and negotiating some valuable agreements on behalf of small businesses and the BEC network,” says Ron.

“While the parties at the table represent core products and services needed by small business people, I will be taking a strictly commercial approach to negotiations to ensure that the outcomes are meaningful to sole traders, small businesses and start ups alike.”

Ron’s role will also focus on systems and compliance as BECA prepares for its first full time CEO from June 1, 2010.

“Having been a member of the BECA board in various roles in the past, I look forward to helping it complete its governance review so that our systems can respond to opportunities and issues promptly, efficiently and transparently,” stresses Ron.

Ron Watts’ involvement in the BEC network began in 1996 when he became a board member of Northern Adelaide BEC in Elizabeth, South Australia. Until last month, he had served as either a board member, chairman or manager since NABEC’s inception.

NABEC won Best National Metropolitan BEC in 2007 and Ron won Best National BEC Manager in 2005. Under Ron’s guidance, NABEC has become a hub of best practice with staff sharing experiences and systems with other BECs.

Prior to BEC involvement, Ron established and ran his own business in the home and commercial building renovation sector.

“Over 28 years we managed to grow the business to employ 33 people and became involved with product importation, sales and distribution across Australia, Adelaide-based contracting activities, retail and wholesale product sales’” recalls Ron.

“It was a small family business that grew to an annual turnover of over 1 million dollars, and that is exactly the sort of progress and development that BECA stands for and strives for.”

ENDS

CONTACT: Ron Watts, general manager compliance and sponsorship, BEC Australia on 0400 899 368 or gm@becaustralia.org.au

“While we didn’t always agree with Steve’s decisions, it is important that the SBDC has a strong leader who can advocate for small business at the State level,” says BEC Australia chairman Peter Murray. “We thank Mr Moir for his efforts in assisting small business in WA whilst SBDC Managing Director and in his previous roles.”

“We believe Steve’s departure is an invaluable opportunity for the government to demonstrate its on-going support of WA’s Small Business sector by making the SBDC a truly independent body, such as an independent statutory authority with a seven member board.

“Three members could be appointed by the WA Government, three by Industry (and we would suggest one member each from the Chambers of Commerce and Industry WA, Council of Small Business of Australia, and BEC Australia) with the final member being a representative elected by the WA SBCs to represent them on the board.”

According to Mr Murray, the WA government and in particular the Treasurer, Mr Troy Buswell, whose portfolio includes the SBDC, should take this opportunity to demonstrate commitment to the small business sector by reforming and enhancing the SBDC so that it can better serve the needs of WA’s small business sector and support the vital work undertaken by the States SBC/BEC Network.

“There is ongoing speculation about the SBDC being dissolved, privatised, or absorbed into another department, and any of those moves would seriously compromise the Corporation’s ability to continue facilitating a vital assistance to 17,000 small businesses a year,” claims Mr Murray.

“In fact, if the WA government really wanted to shore up its crucial, 196,000-strong small business sector, it also would move to Increase funding to Small Business Centres in the next round of funding due to commence in July 2010, particularly Regional SBCs/BECs.”

Mr Murray says BEC Australia wishes Mr Moir every success in his next role.

ENDS

CONTACT: Peter Murray, national chairman, BEC Australia on 0402 722 788 or chair@beca.org.au

“We understand the state government is feeling the heat of the GFC, but what we can’t understand is why Premier Nathan Rees is allowing bureaucrats to rip away support for the very sector that is helping to insulate the state from the economic downturn,” says BEC Australia chair, Peter Murray.

“DSRD have allocated $1.5 million dollars for the development of business templates for their small business website that are already available on the web free of charge.

“If you Google business plans or marketing plans there is a plethora of free templates already available, and here is the Government replicating these templates, rather than keeping the funding where it is needed at the face-to-face advisory level where people bring in templates they have downloaded and want someone to explain how that relates to their proposed business.

“These are serious times with livelihoods and communities at stake and it signals profound disregard for metropolitan small businesses to suggest that a website can replace sound, tailored, professional advice offered by advisors through local Business Enterprise Centres.

“A website provides information, it doesn’t help business people interpret how information applies to their businesses, or give specific steps to follow – BEC advisors and facilitators do that!

“Ironically, I see the website creating more questions for facilitators to answer.

“It appears Premier Rees and the DSRD disagree completely with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who was in Campbelltown for an employment and training round table three weeks ago where he made it very clear that small business will drive recovery from this recession.

“The Premier must urgently reverse this proposal and show due respect to the men and women who run small business in metropolitan Sydney,” he says.

ENDS

CONTACT: Peter Murray, national chairman, BEC Australia on 0402 722 788 or chair@beca.org.au

“We have an intelligent group of small business advisors who understand the grass roots issues facing small businesses in Australia,” says BEC Australia chair, Peter Murray.

“Our challenge is to make sure we are helping small businesses be the best they can be to compete globally, especially in the wake of the GFC, which is why we are formalising our strategic alliance with the Australasian Institute of Enterprise Facilitators (AIEF).

“In a memorandum of understanding being signed in Melbourne today, BEC Australia officially takes responsibility for providing APEC program training for business advisors across Australia, and the AIEF confirms its role as the body providing accreditation. This training has been devised by an international panel of experts and ratified by Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation nations including Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the USA.

“AIEF accreditation is giving small businesses even greater confidence in advice received through the BEC network because accredited advisors will have their experience formally acknowledged, they will be equipped through further business counselling courses, and will have to apply themselves to ongoing professional development.

“While it is vital that leaders like Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, and Opposition Leader, Malcolm Turnbull, address the national small business summit on ‘major policy issues’ in Melbourne this week, we believe the BEC Australia alliance with AIEF promises tangible outcomes for small business owners and will pay dividends to the national economy for generations to come,” he says.

The agreement is due to commence on July 1, 2009 for an initial period of two years.

ENDS

CONTACT: Peter Murray, national chairman, BEC Australia on 0402 722 788 or chair@beca.org.au