Advancing Small Business Queensland

The Advancing Small Business Queensland Strategy 2016-20 is positioning Queensland as the place for small businesses to start, grow and employ.

The strategy focuses on stronger advocacy for small business, simplified and coordinated service delivery and connecting small business to opportunity. It puts in place programs that help small business grow, innovate and take advantage of digital platforms.

The first few years in business are often the toughest, and the Queensland Government is delivering targeted support for business to get a better start, survive the first 4 years and increase their digital capabilities. It also provides specific support for regional business, recognising how vital they are to their local communities and the Queensland economy.

Through this strategy, the government is a champion for small business, with stronger advocacy at state and federal government levels, as well as strengthening collaboration between government and stakeholders.

Key themes

There are 3 key themes to the strategy: advocate, enable, and empower. Each theme has its own focus and range of programs with a specific aim to assist small business owners to succeed.

Some of the new and enhanced programs include:

Advocate - a champion for small business

• Queensland Small Business Champion (now Queensland Small Business Commissioner)
• Queensland Small Business Advisory Council

Enable - make it easier to do business

• Better Regulation Taskforce
• Enhancing Business Queensland
• Annual Queensland Small Business Month (formerly Queensland Small Business Week)

Empower - driving innovation, stronger businesses, growth and employment

• Promoting Community Digital Champions from small business
• Encouraging more small business to take advantage of Advance Queensland programs
• Enhancing Mentoring for Growth
• Helping small businesses survive, evolve and thrive through targeted events and workshops
• Helping businesses manage workplace health and safety
• Assisting female entrepreneurs through the Advancing Women in Business initiative
• Understanding government procurement
• Encouraging businesses to supply ICT products and services to government in alignment with the Queensland Government ICT SME participation scheme policy
• Helping businesses to go international
• Preparing business to make the most of opportunities arising before, during and after the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games
• Providing grant funding to help businesses turn their ideas into reality, accelerate growth and launch into the digital economy