Business

NSW to turbocharge economic growth with new department

The Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade (DEIT), a new NSW Government department, is open for business reinforcing the state’s commitment to economic development, job creation, innovation, new technologies, and liveability.

Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade Stuart Ayres said the new department brings together enterprise and trade, tourism and hospitality, arts and culture, sport, and Western Sydney under one cluster.

“Bringing together these agencies and groups into a new ecosystem will help drive our state’s post-COVID economic transformation and create sustainable jobs of the future right here in NSW,” Mr Ayres said.

“We are positioning NSW as the best place in the world to do business trade, tourism, sport and culture work together to drive the dream combination of economic strength and vibrant lifestyle.

“We want to help new markets and help drive collaborative partnerships between government and non-government organisations to fuel economic growth, and make Western Sydney an economic powerhouse.

“This is also about ensuring we have the world’s best arts and cultural institutions, sporting facilities and events to create thriving communities and attract tourists alike.”

DEIT Secretary Amy Brown said the new cluster will not just focus on economic outcomes but has a mandate to ensure liveability is a key focus for prosperity.

“The quality of our neighbourhoods, workplaces and cities on our economic development and our ability to attract talented workers, students and innovative companies to NSW,” Ms Brown said.

“The new department will allow for more cohesive inter-agency planning and decision making, allowing us to build on our reputation as the number one place for people across the world to invest, live, visit, study, grow and play.”

Record participation in NSW Small Business Month

More than 600 events have been held to support and celebrate the State’s small businesses during NSW Small Business Month in March, with a record 221 grants awarded to host events and 180 collaboration partners.

Small Business Month wrapped up last week with 30 events being held across the state at venues including Narrabri, Maitland and Sydney, as well as a number of online activities.

Small Business Minister Eleni Petinos thanked collaboration partners, event hosts and small businesses for their participation, as well as the Small Business Commission who administered activities for the month.

“NSW Small Business Month has been a tremendous success and provided much needed support to small businesses who have battled COVID for two years,” Ms Petinos said.

“The month was administered by the NSW Small Business Commission and they did a fantastic job in coordinating activities and events across the state.

“I would like to thank collaboration partners and event hosts as well as the thousands of small business operators who attended events and shared their experiences, challenges and successes.

“The theme of Small Business Month 2022 was ‘Rebuild, Recharge, Renew’, and the willingness of small businesses across NSW to seek out new ideas and ways to improve their business is a tribute to their resilience and optimism.”

Small businesses were offered opportunities as varied as learning how to grow their online customer base, marketing and branding tips, building a mentally healthy workplace and help with tendering for NSW Government contracts. It was also an opportunity for small businesses in many regional areas to get together, network and collaborate.

“Importantly, events conducted across NSW during Small Business Month were designed by business for business. I believe this was essential to ensuring a successful month-long festival of support for small business,” Ms Petinos said.

For more information please go to: smallbusinessmonth. nsw.gov.au

Small Business missing from Budget reply

“Master Builders Australia acknowledges the Opposition Leader’s reiteration of Labor’s support for the domestic manufacturing sector and social housing, but we are disappointed that he made no announcement about how a Labor Government would support small business,” Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia said.

“Small businesses are the backbone of the economy and will be the backbone of economic recovery,” she said.

“There are approximately 400,000 sole proprietors and SMEs in our industry, more than any other sector of the economy. These builders and tradies relish the opportunity to be their own boss, they are aspirational about building their business success and providing opportunities for others, every day they are building a stronger economy,” Denita Wawn said.

“These businesses are suffering a cost and there was no acknowledgement of this by the Leader of the Opposition in his Budget Reply or an announcement about how he would help them to continue driving the economic recovery,” she said.