Connecting Australian Business

22 May 08

The Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr, tonight delivered on a key election commitment by launching the Rudd Labor Government's $251 million Enterprise Connect network in Melbourne. The Senator had this to say in announcing the launch:

The ten Enterprise Connect centres around the nation will help businesses succeed and help create high wage, high skilled jobs now and for the future.

Enterprise Connect will provide Australia's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with access to the best advice, technology and research. The centres will offer top quality business and management advisory services.

One of the biggest challenges facing SMEs is having the time and know-how to implement innovative changes in their business. Enterprise Connect addresses these challenges by connecting businesses to new ideas and technologies to boost
productivity and increase international competitiveness.

I am confident that the new network will make a very real and practical contribution to competitiveness of Australian SMEs.

The first step in implementing Enterprise Connect is establishing a network of five Manufacturing Centres around the nation.

The Manufacturing Centres will be hubs of expertise and will open progressively in Mawson Lakes South Australia, Dandenong Victoria, Burnie Tasmania, Sydney and Perth, with QMI Solutions in Queensland linked into the network.

There will also be five dedicated Innovation Centres – one for mining technology in Mackay, one for remote enterprise in Alice Springs, one for innovative regions in Geelong, one for creative industries, and one for clean energy.

Through the Manufacturing Centres experienced Business Advisers will work directly with companies providing:

• a free Business Review that will help identify how the company can improve its business strategies and operations;
• benchmarking of business and manufacturing processes against best practice;
• help in finding the latest research, technology and organisational knowledge to improve products and efficiency;
• links to prototyping and testing facilities to turn good ideas into products; and
• help to cut through red tape and get the best access to government programs.

The implementation of the Manufacturing Centre network will be guided by an advisory board.

I am pleased to announce that Jim Walker, CEO of Queensland's QMI Solutions, will chair the Manufacturing Centre Interim Advisory Board. The board will be the key advisory body on the implementation of this critical election commitment.

The board will be made up of a range of experts, from industry, unions and research organisations (list attached).

Our future prosperity rests on Australian businesses becoming more innovative to be able to compete in global markets.

Enterprise Connect will address this need; its services will benefit individual firms, supply chains and the Australian economy as a whole.

The application process for Enterprise Connect is simple and quick. A new website with all the relevant information is live at www.enterpriseconnect.gov.au or interested businesses can call 131 791.

Media contact: Patrick Pantano, Minister's Office, 0417 181 936

Manufacturing Centre Interim Advisory Board

Chair

Jim Walker, CEO, Queensland's QMI solutions

Members

Professor Margaret Gardiner, Vice Chancellor, RMIT University
Bruce Griffiths, Managing Director, Futuris Automotive
Bob Herbert, Chair, InnovationXchange and Deputy Chair, Industry Capability Network
Paul Howes, National Secretary, AWU
Phil Kemp, CEO, Coastal Business Centre
David Malloch, CEO, Malloch Digital Design
Dave Oliver, National Secretary, AMWU
Tony Pensabene, Associate Director, Australian Industry Group
Len Piro, Executive Director, SA Department of Trade and Industry
William Purton, Managing Director, Dolphin Products
Greg Redden, Executive Manager, SME Engagement, CSIRO
Liz Reece, CEO, Autofab Australia
Professor Arun Sharma, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Division of Research and Commercialisation, QUT
Diane Tompson, Managing Director, Powercom Group