A more pressing priority for Zelinksy is to maintain the coherence and relevancy of a disparate network that encompasses incubators, large IT innovation centres – such as the one in Wollongong – and small regional outposts.
BECs have more than 300,000 small businesses on their books, with 68% of these enterprises employing fewer than five people.
Despite this reach, and having been an ever-present in Australia since the early 1980s, Business Enterprise Centres also face a challenge in terms of public awareness, as federal Small Business Minister Brendan O’Connor conceded recently.
“There are more than two million small businesses out there and maybe these things aren’t as widely known as they could be,” he said.
“We need a greater capacity to communicate these things.”
That capacity won’t involve any more cash, with O’Connor defending the government’s decision to fund less than half of the nation’s BECs.
“BECs may receive funding from a variety of sources, including through public/private partnerships, all level of government and private enterprise across Australia,” he tells StartupSmart.
“Commonwealth funding has been provided to some BECs since 2008-09. Given the government’s tight fiscal position at that time, funding was limited to those BECs that were judged best placed to expand their services.”
“The 2012-13 budget was framed around fiscal responsibility and will deliver continued funding of $27.5 million over the next four years for the Small Business Advisory Services (SBAS) program, with ongoing funding thereafter.”
“BECs and other eligible service providers will be able to apply for funding under the SBAS program shortly.”
“Applications will be assessed through a competitive, merit-based process which will take needs in particular areas into account, and ensure value for taxpayers’ money.”
Zelinksy agrees that more needs to be done to raise awareness of the network.
“I think there needs to be more awareness of many government programs and it’s hard to get the message out there in the general media,” she says.
