❓ Mr Dean questions the Minister for Small Business about potential duplication between the Howard Government's small business assistance program and the existing business enterprise centre network. The Minister expresses concern over duplicated services and advocates for joint Commonwealth and State funding of existing centres.
AnsweredQoN 472Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, DUPLICATION 472. Mr DEAN to the Minister for Small Business: I refer to the Howard Government’s election announcement that it will extend the funding to the small business assistance officer program in regional Western Australia. To what extent will this program duplicate the work of the business enterprise centre network? Mr BROWN
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Bunbury for his interest in the small business enterprise centre network. The 37 small business enterprise centres in this State have operated successfully for a number of years. They have expressed their concern over the level of funding needed to carry out their work with both the former Government and this Government. Earlier this year, the federal Government decided, through its area consultative committees, to establish small business assistance officers in a number of country locations. The offices within the BEC network already provide good services. We suggested to the federal Government that, rather than duplicate existing services, the federal Government should partner with the State Government to ensure that each of the business enterprise centres throughout the State receives both commonwealth and state funding. Alarmingly, when we visited Geraldton earlier this year, the Midwest Business Enterprise Centre showed us the local newspaper, which contained colour advertisements indicating the type of services provided by the federally funded business enterprise office. Those services were exactly the same as those provided by the state-funded business enterprise centres. Small business clients of the business enterprise centres were asking the centre operators if they had closed down, and why another group had been set up to do exactly the same thing. I raised this matter with the federal Minister for Small Business at the small business ministers’ meeting. I said that it would be wise for the Commonwealth and the State to partner in these matters. Being magnanimous, I told the federal minister that there would be no problem if he wanted us to put a commonwealth logo on each of the business enterprise centres and to buy some ribbon so that he could officially open each centre again to let everyone know they were receiving commonwealth money. We said we would cooperate with that. I told the minister that the important issue is not politics but ensuring that there is not duplication in advice, and that there are strong offices that are federally and state funded. We would welcome that. Despite that magnanimity, that offer of assistance, that offer to work cooperatively, we have seen nothing from the Commonwealth Government. In fact, not only did the Commonwealth Government put that money in initially, but also it has now indicated that it intends to put in a further $24 million over the next three to four years to continue this duplication of services. I think that is appalling. It is not appalling that the money should go in. What is appalling is that we now have two sets of duplicated services, when in fact one service, federally and state funded, would provide much better services and opportunities for small businesses in their regions. It is about time the commonwealth minister, and the federal coalition, took away the blinkers from its political ideology and said, “Look, the State business enterprise centre network - as indeed the former federal parliamentary secretary recognised - is a good network; it delivers quality services, and it delivers services that are needed by the small business sector”, and rather than playing politics and handing out money in a number of country locations to duplicate services, it should join with the State Government to provide quality services. We will continue to make this point. We know a number of members opposite agree with us. Mr Trenorden: I happen to be one of them, and I have been writing about those issues for a year or so. Mr BROWN: I am very pleased that the member agrees with us. I hope he makes very strong representations, as we will continue to do, to the federal Minister for Small Business that this is not the way to go and that the appropriate way to go is, as I indicated at the small business ministers’ meeting, for the centres to be jointly federally and state funded and therefore provide one central source of advice for small business in this State.
SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, DUPLICATION
I refer to the Howard Government’s election announcement that it will extend the funding to the small business assistance officer program in regional Western Australia. To what extent will this program duplicate the work of the business enterprise centre network? Mr BROWN replied: I thank the member for Bunbury for his interest in the small business enterprise centre network. The 37 small business enterprise centres in this State have operated successfully for a number of years. They have expressed their concern over the level of funding needed to carry out their work with both the former Government and this Government. Earlier this year, the federal Government decided, through its area consultative committees, to establish small business assistance officers in a number of country locations. The offices within the BEC network already provide good services. We suggested to the federal Government that, rather than duplicate existing services, the federal Government should partner with the State Government to ensure that each of the business enterprise centres throughout the State receives both commonwealth and state funding. Alarmingly, when we visited Geraldton earlier this year, the Midwest Business Enterprise Centre showed us the local newspaper, which contained colour advertisements indicating the type of services provided by the federally funded business enterprise office. Those services were exactly the same as those provided by the state-funded business enterprise centres. Small business clients of the business enterprise centres were asking the centre operators if they had closed down, and why another group had been set up to do exactly the same thing. I raised this matter with the federal Minister for Small Business at the small business ministers’ meeting. I said that it would be wise for the Commonwealth and the State to partner in these matters. Being magnanimous, I told the federal minister that there would be no problem if he wanted us to put a commonwealth logo on each of the business enterprise centres and to buy some ribbon so that he could officially open each centre again to let everyone know they were receiving commonwealth money. We said we would cooperate with that. I told the minister that the important issue is not politics but ensuring that there is not duplication in advice, and that there are strong offices that are federally and state funded. We would welcome that. Despite that magnanimity, that offer of assistance, that offer to work cooperatively, we have seen nothing from the Commonwealth Government. In fact, not only did the Commonwealth Government put that money in initially, but also it has now indicated that it intends to put in a further $24 million over the next three to four years to continue this duplication of services. I think that is appalling. It is not appalling that the money should go in. What is appalling is that we now have two sets of duplicated services, when in fact one service, federally and state funded, would provide much better services and opportunities for small businesses in their regions. It is about time the commonwealth minister, and the federal coalition, took away the blinkers from its political ideology and said, “Look, the State business enterprise centre network - as indeed the former federal parliamentary secretary recognised - is a good network; it delivers quality services, and it delivers services that are needed by the small business sector”, and rather than playing politics and handing out money in a number of country locations to duplicate services, it should join with the State Government to provide quality services. We will continue to make this point. We know a number of members opposite agree with us. Mr Trenorden: I happen to be one of them, and I have been writing about those issues for a year or so. Mr BROWN: I am very pleased that the member agrees with us. I hope he makes very strong representations, as we will continue to do, to the federal Minister for Small Business that this is not the way to go and that the appropriate way to go is, as I indicated at the small business ministers’ meeting, for the centres to be jointly federally and state funded and therefore provide one central source of advice for small business in this State.
Mr BROWN replied: I thank the member for Bunbury for his interest in the small business enterprise centre network. The 37 small business enterprise centres in this State have operated successfully for a number of years. They have expressed their concern over the level of funding needed to carry out their work with both the former Government and this Government. Earlier this year, the federal Government decided, through its area consultative committees, to establish small business assistance officers in a number of country locations. The offices within the BEC network already provide good services. We suggested to the federal Government that, rather than duplicate existing services, the federal Government should partner with the State Government to ensure that each of the business enterprise centres throughout the State receives both commonwealth and state funding. Alarmingly, when we visited Geraldton earlier this year, the Midwest Business Enterprise Centre showed us the local newspaper, which contained colour advertisements indicating the type of services provided by the federally funded business enterprise office. Those services were exactly the same as those provided by the state-funded business enterprise centres. Small business clients of the business enterprise centres were asking the centre operators if they had closed down, and why another group had been set up to do exactly the same thing. I raised this matter with the federal Minister for Small Business at the small business ministers’ meeting. I said that it would be wise for the Commonwealth and the State to partner in these matters. Being magnanimous, I told the federal minister that there would be no problem if he wanted us to put a commonwealth logo on each of the business enterprise centres and to buy some ribbon so that he could officially open each centre again to let everyone know they were receiving commonwealth money. We said we would cooperate with that. I told the minister that the important issue is not politics but ensuring that there is not duplication in advice, and that there are strong offices that are federally and state funded. We would welcome that. Despite that magnanimity, that offer of assistance, that offer to work cooperatively, we have seen nothing from the Commonwealth Government. In fact, not only did the Commonwealth Government put that money in initially, but also it has now indicated that it intends to put in a further $24 million over the next three to four years to continue this duplication of services. I think that is appalling. It is not appalling that the money should go in. What is appalling is that we now have two sets of duplicated services, when in fact one service, federally and state funded, would provide much better services and opportunities for small businesses in their regions. It is about time the commonwealth minister, and the federal coalition, took away the blinkers from its political ideology and said, “Look, the State business enterprise centre network - as indeed the former federal parliamentary secretary recognised - is a good network; it delivers quality services, and it delivers services that are needed by the small business sector”, and rather than playing politics and handing out money in a number of country locations to duplicate services, it should join with the State Government to provide quality services. We will continue to make this point. We know a number of members opposite agree with us. Mr Trenorden: I happen to be one of them, and I have been writing about those issues for a year or so. Mr BROWN: I am very pleased that the member agrees with us. I hope he makes very strong representations, as we will continue to do, to the federal Minister for Small Business that this is not the way to go and that the appropriate way to go is, as I indicated at the small business ministers’ meeting, for the centres to be jointly federally and state funded and therefore provide one central source of advice for small business in this State.
I thank the member for Bunbury for his interest in the small business enterprise centre network. The 37 small business enterprise centres in this State have operated successfully for a number of years. They have expressed their concern over the level of funding needed to carry out their work with both the former Government and this Government. Earlier this year, the federal Government decided, through its area consultative committees, to establish small business assistance officers in a number of country locations. The offices within the BEC network already provide good services. We suggested to the federal Government that, rather than duplicate existing services, the federal Government should partner with the State Government to ensure that each of the business enterprise centres throughout the State receives both commonwealth and state funding. Alarmingly, when we visited Geraldton earlier this year, the Midwest Business Enterprise Centre showed us the local newspaper, which contained colour advertisements indicating the type of services provided by the federally funded business enterprise office. Those services were exactly the same as those provided by the state-funded business enterprise centres. Small business clients of the business enterprise centres were asking the centre operators if they had closed down, and why another group had been set up to do exactly the same thing. I raised this matter with the federal Minister for Small Business at the small business ministers’ meeting. I said that it would be wise for the Commonwealth and the State to partner in these matters. Being magnanimous, I told the federal minister that there would be no problem if he wanted us to put a commonwealth logo on each of the business enterprise centres and to buy some ribbon so that he could officially open each centre again to let everyone know they were receiving commonwealth money. We said we would cooperate with that. I told the minister that the important issue is not politics but ensuring that there is not duplication in advice, and that there are strong offices that are federally and state funded. We would welcome that. Despite that magnanimity, that offer of assistance, that offer to work cooperatively, we have seen nothing from the Commonwealth Government. In fact, not only did the Commonwealth Government put that money in initially, but also it has now indicated that it intends to put in a further $24 million over the next three to four years to continue this duplication of services. I think that is appalling. It is not appalling that the money should go in. What is appalling is that we now have two sets of duplicated services, when in fact one service, federally and state funded, would provide much better services and opportunities for small businesses in their regions. It is about time the commonwealth minister, and the federal coalition, took away the blinkers from its political ideology and said, “Look, the State business enterprise centre network - as indeed the former federal parliamentary secretary recognised - is a good network; it delivers quality services, and it delivers services that are needed by the small business sector”, and rather than playing politics and handing out money in a number of country locations to duplicate services, it should join with the State Government to provide quality services. We will continue to make this point. We know a number of members opposite agree with us. Mr Trenorden: I happen to be one of them, and I have been writing about those issues for a year or so. Mr BROWN: I am very pleased that the member agrees with us. I hope he makes very strong representations, as we will continue to do, to the federal Minister for Small Business that this is not the way to go and that the appropriate way to go is, as I indicated at the small business ministers’ meeting, for the centres to be jointly federally and state funded and therefore provide one central source of advice for small business in this State.
Despite that magnanimity, that offer of assistance, that offer to work cooperatively, we have seen nothing from the Commonwealth Government. In fact, not only did the Commonwealth Government put that money in initially, but also it has now indicated that it intends to put in a further $24 million over the next three to four years to continue this duplication of services. I think that is appalling. It is not appalling that the money should go in. What is appalling is that we now have two sets of duplicated services, when in fact one service, federally and state funded, would provide much better services and opportunities for small businesses in their regions. It is about time the commonwealth minister, and the federal coalition, took away the blinkers from its political ideology and said, “Look, the State business enterprise centre network - as indeed the former federal parliamentary secretary recognised - is a good network; it delivers quality services, and it delivers services that are needed by the small business sector”, and rather than playing politics and handing out money in a number of country locations to duplicate services, it should join with the State Government to provide quality services. We will continue to make this point. We know a number of members opposite agree with us. Mr Trenorden: I happen to be one of them, and I have been writing about those issues for a year or so. Mr BROWN: I am very pleased that the member agrees with us. I hope he makes very strong representations, as we will continue to do, to the federal Minister for Small Business that this is not the way to go and that the appropriate way to go is, as I indicated at the small business ministers’ meeting, for the centres to be jointly federally and state funded and therefore provide one central source of advice for small business in this State.
Mr Trenorden: I happen to be one of them, and I have been writing about those issues for a year or so. Mr BROWN: I am very pleased that the member agrees with us. I hope he makes very strong representations, as we will continue to do, to the federal Minister for Small Business that this is not the way to go and that the appropriate way to go is, as I indicated at the small business ministers’ meeting, for the centres to be jointly federally and state funded and therefore provide one central source of advice for small business in this State.
Mr BROWN: I am very pleased that the member agrees with us. I hope he makes very strong representations, as we will continue to do, to the federal Minister for Small Business that this is not the way to go and that the appropriate way to go is, as I indicated at the small business ministers’ meeting, for the centres to be jointly federally and state funded and therefore provide one central source of advice for small business in this State.
SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, DUPLICATION
I refer to the Howard Government’s election announcement that it will extend the funding to the small business assistance officer program in regional Western Australia. To what extent will this program duplicate the work of the business enterprise centre network? Mr BROWN replied: I thank the member for Bunbury for his interest in the small business enterprise centre network. The 37 small business enterprise centres in this State have operated successfully for a number of years. They have expressed their concern over the level of funding needed to carry out their work with both the former Government and this Government. Earlier this year, the federal Government decided, through its area consultative committees, to establish small business assistance officers in a number of country locations. The offices within the BEC network already provide good services. We suggested to the federal Government that, rather than duplicate existing services, the federal Government should partner with the State Government to ensure that each of the business enterprise centres throughout the State receives both commonwealth and state funding. Alarmingly, when we visited Geraldton earlier this year, the Midwest Business Enterprise Centre showed us the local newspaper, which contained colour advertisements indicating the type of services provided by the federally funded business enterprise office. Those services were exactly the same as those provided by the state-funded business enterprise centres. Small business clients of the business enterprise centres were asking the centre operators if they had closed down, and why another group had been set up to do exactly the same thing. I raised this matter with the federal Minister for Small Business at the small business ministers’ meeting. I said that it would be wise for the Commonwealth and the State to partner in these matters. Being magnanimous, I told the federal minister that there would be no problem if he wanted us to put a commonwealth logo on each of the business enterprise centres and to buy some ribbon so that he could officially open each centre again to let everyone know they were receiving commonwealth money. We said we would cooperate with that. I told the minister that the important issue is not politics but ensuring that there is not duplication in advice, and that there are strong offices that are federally and state funded. We would welcome that. Despite that magnanimity, that offer of assistance, that offer to work cooperatively, we have seen nothing from the Commonwealth Government. In fact, not only did the Commonwealth Government put that money in initially, but also it has now indicated that it intends to put in a further $24 million over the next three to four years to continue this duplication of services. I think that is appalling. It is not appalling that the money should go in. What is appalling is that we now have two sets of duplicated services, when in fact one service, federally and state funded, would provide much better services and opportunities for small businesses in their regions. It is about time the commonwealth minister, and the federal coalition, took away the blinkers from its political ideology and said, “Look, the State business enterprise centre network - as indeed the former federal parliamentary secretary recognised - is a good network; it delivers quality services, and it delivers services that are needed by the small business sector”, and rather than playing politics and handing out money in a number of country locations to duplicate services, it should join with the State Government to provide quality services. We will continue to make this point. We know a number of members opposite agree with us. Mr Trenorden: I happen to be one of them, and I have been writing about those issues for a year or so. Mr BROWN: I am very pleased that the member agrees with us. I hope he makes very strong representations, as we will continue to do, to the federal Minister for Small Business that this is not the way to go and that the appropriate way to go is, as I indicated at the small business ministers’ meeting, for the centres to be jointly federally and state funded and therefore provide one central source of advice for small business in this State.
Mr BROWN replied: I thank the member for Bunbury for his interest in the small business enterprise centre network. The 37 small business enterprise centres in this State have operated successfully for a number of years. They have expressed their concern over the level of funding needed to carry out their work with both the former Government and this Government. Earlier this year, the federal Government decided, through its area consultative committees, to establish small business assistance officers in a number of country locations. The offices within the BEC network already provide good services. We suggested to the federal Government that, rather than duplicate existing services, the federal Government should partner with the State Government to ensure that each of the business enterprise centres throughout the State receives both commonwealth and state funding. Alarmingly, when we visited Geraldton earlier this year, the Midwest Business Enterprise Centre showed us the local newspaper, which contained colour advertisements indicating the type of services provided by the federally funded business enterprise office. Those services were exactly the same as those provided by the state-funded business enterprise centres. Small business clients of the business enterprise centres were asking the centre operators if they had closed down, and why another group had been set up to do exactly the same thing. I raised this matter with the federal Minister for Small Business at the small business ministers’ meeting. I said that it would be wise for the Commonwealth and the State to partner in these matters. Being magnanimous, I told the federal minister that there would be no problem if he wanted us to put a commonwealth logo on each of the business enterprise centres and to buy some ribbon so that he could officially open each centre again to let everyone know they were receiving commonwealth money. We said we would cooperate with that. I told the minister that the important issue is not politics but ensuring that there is not duplication in advice, and that there are strong offices that are federally and state funded. We would welcome that. Despite that magnanimity, that offer of assistance, that offer to work cooperatively, we have seen nothing from the Commonwealth Government. In fact, not only did the Commonwealth Government put that money in initially, but also it has now indicated that it intends to put in a further $24 million over the next three to four years to continue this duplication of services. I think that is appalling. It is not appalling that the money should go in. What is appalling is that we now have two sets of duplicated services, when in fact one service, federally and state funded, would provide much better services and opportunities for small businesses in their regions. It is about time the commonwealth minister, and the federal coalition, took away the blinkers from its political ideology and said, “Look, the State business enterprise centre network - as indeed the former federal parliamentary secretary recognised - is a good network; it delivers quality services, and it delivers services that are needed by the small business sector”, and rather than playing politics and handing out money in a number of country locations to duplicate services, it should join with the State Government to provide quality services. We will continue to make this point. We know a number of members opposite agree with us. Mr Trenorden: I happen to be one of them, and I have been writing about those issues for a year or so. Mr BROWN: I am very pleased that the member agrees with us. I hope he makes very strong representations, as we will continue to do, to the federal Minister for Small Business that this is not the way to go and that the appropriate way to go is, as I indicated at the small business ministers’ meeting, for the centres to be jointly federally and state funded and therefore provide one central source of advice for small business in this State.
I thank the member for Bunbury for his interest in the small business enterprise centre network. The 37 small business enterprise centres in this State have operated successfully for a number of years. They have expressed their concern over the level of funding needed to carry out their work with both the former Government and this Government. Earlier this year, the federal Government decided, through its area consultative committees, to establish small business assistance officers in a number of country locations. The offices within the BEC network already provide good services. We suggested to the federal Government that, rather than duplicate existing services, the federal Government should partner with the State Government to ensure that each of the business enterprise centres throughout the State receives both commonwealth and state funding. Alarmingly, when we visited Geraldton earlier this year, the Midwest Business Enterprise Centre showed us the local newspaper, which contained colour advertisements indicating the type of services provided by the federally funded business enterprise office. Those services were exactly the same as those provided by the state-funded business enterprise centres. Small business clients of the business enterprise centres were asking the centre operators if they had closed down, and why another group had been set up to do exactly the same thing. I raised this matter with the federal Minister for Small Business at the small business ministers’ meeting. I said that it would be wise for the Commonwealth and the State to partner in these matters. Being magnanimous, I told the federal minister that there would be no problem if he wanted us to put a commonwealth logo on each of the business enterprise centres and to buy some ribbon so that he could officially open each centre again to let everyone know they were receiving commonwealth money. We said we would cooperate with that. I told the minister that the important issue is not politics but ensuring that there is not duplication in advice, and that there are strong offices that are federally and state funded. We would welcome that. Despite that magnanimity, that offer of assistance, that offer to work cooperatively, we have seen nothing from the Commonwealth Government. In fact, not only did the Commonwealth Government put that money in initially, but also it has now indicated that it intends to put in a further $24 million over the next three to four years to continue this duplication of services. I think that is appalling. It is not appalling that the money should go in. What is appalling is that we now have two sets of duplicated services, when in fact one service, federally and state funded, would provide much better services and opportunities for small businesses in their regions. It is about time the commonwealth minister, and the federal coalition, took away the blinkers from its political ideology and said, “Look, the State business enterprise centre network - as indeed the former federal parliamentary secretary recognised - is a good network; it delivers quality services, and it delivers services that are needed by the small business sector”, and rather than playing politics and handing out money in a number of country locations to duplicate services, it should join with the State Government to provide quality services. We will continue to make this point. We know a number of members opposite agree with us. Mr Trenorden: I happen to be one of them, and I have been writing about those issues for a year or so. Mr BROWN: I am very pleased that the member agrees with us. I hope he makes very strong representations, as we will continue to do, to the federal Minister for Small Business that this is not the way to go and that the appropriate way to go is, as I indicated at the small business ministers’ meeting, for the centres to be jointly federally and state funded and therefore provide one central source of advice for small business in this State.
Despite that magnanimity, that offer of assistance, that offer to work cooperatively, we have seen nothing from the Commonwealth Government. In fact, not only did the Commonwealth Government put that money in initially, but also it has now indicated that it intends to put in a further $24 million over the next three to four years to continue this duplication of services. I think that is appalling. It is not appalling that the money should go in. What is appalling is that we now have two sets of duplicated services, when in fact one service, federally and state funded, would provide much better services and opportunities for small businesses in their regions. It is about time the commonwealth minister, and the federal coalition, took away the blinkers from its political ideology and said, “Look, the State business enterprise centre network - as indeed the former federal parliamentary secretary recognised - is a good network; it delivers quality services, and it delivers services that are needed by the small business sector”, and rather than playing politics and handing out money in a number of country locations to duplicate services, it should join with the State Government to provide quality services. We will continue to make this point. We know a number of members opposite agree with us. Mr Trenorden: I happen to be one of them, and I have been writing about those issues for a year or so. Mr BROWN: I am very pleased that the member agrees with us. I hope he makes very strong representations, as we will continue to do, to the federal Minister for Small Business that this is not the way to go and that the appropriate way to go is, as I indicated at the small business ministers’ meeting, for the centres to be jointly federally and state funded and therefore provide one central source of advice for small business in this State.
Mr Trenorden: I happen to be one of them, and I have been writing about those issues for a year or so. Mr BROWN: I am very pleased that the member agrees with us. I hope he makes very strong representations, as we will continue to do, to the federal Minister for Small Business that this is not the way to go and that the appropriate way to go is, as I indicated at the small business ministers’ meeting, for the centres to be jointly federally and state funded and therefore provide one central source of advice for small business in this State.
Mr BROWN: I am very pleased that the member agrees with us. I hope he makes very strong representations, as we will continue to do, to the federal Minister for Small Business that this is not the way to go and that the appropriate way to go is, as I indicated at the small business ministers’ meeting, for the centres to be jointly federally and state funded and therefore provide one central source of advice for small business in this State.
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