❓ Mrs. Clarke asks about the government's support for regional WA small and medium businesses accessing Asian markets. The Minister details the Asian Engagement Strategy, Access Asia grants, and regional initiatives, contrasting their support with the previous Liberal government's actions.
AnsweredQoN 838Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ASIAN ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY
838. Mrs R.M.J. CLARKE to the Minister for Asian Engagement:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's unprecedented commitment to diversify the WA economy by
delivering the state's first Asian engagement strategy. Can the
minister update the house on how this government is supporting small and medium
businesses in regional WA to access more of the Asian market and, by doing so,
create more jobs?
838. Mrs R.M.J. CLARKE to the Minister for Asian Engagement:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's unprecedented commitment to diversify the WA economy by
delivering the state's first Asian engagement strategy. Can the
minister update the house on how this government is supporting small and medium
businesses in regional WA to access more of the Asian market and, by doing so,
create more jobs?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
As members would be aware, last month I formally launched the McGowan
government's ''Western Australia's Asian Engagement
Strategy 2019–2030'' as an ambition for the state to take the
opportunity that the Asian century and the time zone present to us and our businesses
to diversify the economy. Of course, the
Asian engagement strategy sits inside Diversify WA, which is the economic
framework for the state that seeks to deepen and widen the economy outside the
traditional sectors that we have grown the state on and to create the
numbers of jobs that are going to be needed in the future. Many members will be
aware that Western Australia is home to some of the largest ASX-listed
companies, but there are nearly 250 000 small businesses in Western Australia
employing nearly half a million Western Australians. This is a significant
sector that the McGowan government takes very seriously across all of our
portfolios, particularly in relation to jobs. This government does not just
simply claim to be a friend of small business; it actually has practical,
demonstrable outcomes and objectives, and backs them up. Opening on the Monday
just gone were the Access Asia grants, which provide up to $10 000 to
businesses and business councils to undertake investigation and/or marketing
activities in the Asian markets. It is a clear statement that we support small
to medium businesses as they go about the important work that will diversify
the economy. They are the engine rooms of innovation around this state, and we
very much appreciate the work they do. Eligible businesses can use the Access
Asia grants to participate in a recognised trade event, undertake a visit
mission, or cover marketing expenses for marketing opportunities they see in
those markets. The most important missing piece for small businesses in Western
Australia is the capacity to undertake in-market research to identify where
they have a competitive advantage and where they can take their business in the
future.
I was pleased to be in the Kimberley
just recently to launch the Asian engagement strategy in the regional context.
It is no mistake that I went to the Kimberley, because it is probably one of
the most internationally focused regions, very much looking to the north and
not to the south or the east to undertake its own future. The Kimberley is
critical to the McGowan government's diversification to deepen the
economy, and it has very good representation across various sectors, including
the Ord River scheme, tourism and Indigenous tourism, resources, aquaculture and
so much more. The other point I make is that they have not been idle in the
Kimberley. Shires there have been very active. Kununurra is about to start
direct flights to Melbourne, and there will be flights from Singapore to
Broome. The state government has been particularly supportive of this. The
Asian engagement strategy has been well received up there. The abiding
sentiment that I got from people during my travels in both East Kimberley and
West Kimberley is that they are very relieved that there is a government that
actually understands the regions and supports small business. We on this side
of the house are truly living up to the reputation that we are genuinely the
party of the regions and that we are genuinely looking for opportunities to
grow the businesses of the regions, unlike those opposite, who previously did
nothing to support local businesses in the regions, nor did they do anything to
support business here. The Liberal Party in Western Australia was very good at
putting its foot on the hose of business growth, with three land tax increases.
It put its foot on the hose of the training conduit for our businesses'
needs with a 500 per cent increase in TAFE fees. It is the party that is
anti-business. It is simply a shell of what it purports to be, and the only way
the Nationals WA ever grow their seats is by poaching from this side of the
house!
The SPEAKER : I was hoping to get extra questions in
today, but that knocked that on the head!
As members would be aware, last month I formally launched the McGowan
government's ''Western Australia's Asian Engagement
Strategy 2019–2030'' as an ambition for the state to take the
opportunity that the Asian century and the time zone present to us and our businesses
to diversify the economy. Of course, the
Asian engagement strategy sits inside Diversify WA, which is the economic
framework for the state that seeks to deepen and widen the economy outside the
traditional sectors that we have grown the state on and to create the
numbers of jobs that are going to be needed in the future. Many members will be
aware that Western Australia is home to some of the largest ASX-listed
companies, but there are nearly 250 000 small businesses in Western Australia
employing nearly half a million Western Australians. This is a significant
sector that the McGowan government takes very seriously across all of our
portfolios, particularly in relation to jobs. This government does not just
simply claim to be a friend of small business; it actually has practical,
demonstrable outcomes and objectives, and backs them up. Opening on the Monday
just gone were the Access Asia grants, which provide up to $10 000 to
businesses and business councils to undertake investigation and/or marketing
activities in the Asian markets. It is a clear statement that we support small
to medium businesses as they go about the important work that will diversify
the economy. They are the engine rooms of innovation around this state, and we
very much appreciate the work they do. Eligible businesses can use the Access
Asia grants to participate in a recognised trade event, undertake a visit
mission, or cover marketing expenses for marketing opportunities they see in
those markets. The most important missing piece for small businesses in Western
Australia is the capacity to undertake in-market research to identify where
they have a competitive advantage and where they can take their business in the
future.
I was pleased to be in the Kimberley
just recently to launch the Asian engagement strategy in the regional context.
It is no mistake that I went to the Kimberley, because it is probably one of
the most internationally focused regions, very much looking to the north and
not to the south or the east to undertake its own future. The Kimberley is
critical to the McGowan government's diversification to deepen the
economy, and it has very good representation across various sectors, including
the Ord River scheme, tourism and Indigenous tourism, resources, aquaculture and
so much more. The other point I make is that they have not been idle in the
Kimberley. Shires there have been very active. Kununurra is about to start
direct flights to Melbourne, and there will be flights from Singapore to
Broome. The state government has been particularly supportive of this. The
Asian engagement strategy has been well received up there. The abiding
sentiment that I got from people during my travels in both East Kimberley and
West Kimberley is that they are very relieved that there is a government that
actually understands the regions and supports small business. We on this side
of the house are truly living up to the reputation that we are genuinely the
party of the regions and that we are genuinely looking for opportunities to
grow the businesses of the regions, unlike those opposite, who previously did
nothing to support local businesses in the regions, nor did they do anything to
support business here. The Liberal Party in Western Australia was very good at
putting its foot on the hose of business growth, with three land tax increases.
It put its foot on the hose of the training conduit for our businesses'
needs with a 500 per cent increase in TAFE fees. It is the party that is
anti-business. It is simply a shell of what it purports to be, and the only way
the Nationals WA ever grow their seats is by poaching from this side of the
house!
The SPEAKER : I was hoping to get extra questions in
today, but that knocked that on the head!
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