AusIndustry - Ebulletin No.73


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AusIndustry is the Australian Government's principal business program delivery division in the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research.

We deliver a range of more than 35 business programs worth about
$2 billion each year to more than 12,000 businesses and about 85,000 individuals.

These programs include:

innovation grants
tax and duty concessions
small business skills development
support for industry competitiveness

What's making news

Issue No.73 | 07/04/2010

Minister's Message

The Australian Government's Small Business Support Line took its 10,000th call on the last day of March - hitting the milestone just six months after it was launched. It is great to see how our hard-working small business people have embraced the support line. Information on registration and licensing, government grants and assistance, and how to start a business made up the bulk of the calls. The support line resolved 86 per cent of the inquiries and referred the rest to a third party.

- Senator the Hon Dr Craig Emerson
Minister for Small Business

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Small business A-list

Are you a small business operator or do you know of one? If so, the Small Business Online program has funded 47 service providers across Australia to help small businesses get more from a web presence, expand opportunities through an online shop or simply for assistance on how to get online and understand the benefits and potential opportunities by being online. Click here to find a service provider in your area.

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Tariff Concession Rationalisation

The Australian Government is seeking comments and views as to how the proposed rationalisation of Schedule 4 of the Customs Tariff Act 1995 will affect businesses and communities. In particular, the views of key stakeholders, including importers and their representatives, industry and small business associates, non-profit organisations and other relevant government agencies are sought.

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Venture capital growth

Fund managers around the country are invited to submit applications under the latest round of the Australian Government's venture capital support program, the Innovation Investment Fund (IIF). Through the IIF program, the Government will provide $20 million to establish new funds of $40 million or more. Applications for the current round close on Monday 31 May 2010.

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Customer satisfaction survey

As part of AusIndustry's commitment to ongoing improvement in service delivery, the 2010 AusIndustry customer satisfaction surveys will be conducted in May and June. The surveys will be conducted confidentially, on AusIndustry's behalf, by ORIMA Research. Customers will be randomly sampled from across AusIndustry programs for the cross-product survey, and specific surveys will be conducted for the following programs:

Green Building Fund
Small Business Advisory Services (including the Business Enterprise Centres initiative)
Climate Ready

While participation is voluntary, AusIndustry values the survey feedback from its customers and uses it in the development of delivery improvement strategies and the AusIndustry Business Plan.

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Innovative agriculture

GPS-Ag develops a range of products for the agriculture industry. One innovation uses red-light technology to detect weeds. The company credits its R&D Tax Concession registration for being able to continually review farming practices and come up with revolutionary ways to solve problems. The Concession allows companies to claim 125 per cent of its research expenses when it lodges its tax return each year.

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Although electronic messages sent by Government bodies are exempt from the new Spam Act 2003, AusIndustry pays the courtesy to our customers and stakeholder to opt out of being on AusIndustry's Distribution List, in accordance with the intent and spirit of that Act.

AusIndustry is the Australian Government's business program delivery division in the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research. AusIndustry delivers a range of more than 30 business programs - including innovation grants, tax and duty concessions, small business development, industry support and venture capital - worth about $2 billion to more than 12,000 businesses and about 85,000 individuals every year.

You are listed on the AusIndustry Distribution List and you may have in the past received from AusIndustry invitations to industry events or seminars, or information about AusIndustry's products and services.

Please click here if you wish to have your name removed from the AusIndustry Distribution List. Following this, you will no longer receive information and updates about AusIndustry products and services. If you do not click the highlighted text, you will continue to receive messages, although you will be able to unsubscribe from the list at any future time.

Thank you for your time.

Doug Gorrel - E-bulletin Editor, or
Jenni Philippa - National Marketing Manager

AusIndustry National Marketing Unit
Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research
Level 7, 10 Binara Street, Canberra City ACT 2601
GPO Box 9839, Canberra ACT 2600
Ph: +61-2-6290 8778 Fax: +61-2-6290 8778
Internet: http://www.innovation.gov.au
ABN 74 599 608 295