Book 8 - Parliament of Victoria

STATEMENTS ON REPORTS AND PAPERS
Wednesday, 1 June 2011 COUNCIL 1657
Western Metropolitan Region. Such businesses are
critical to my electorate, as it is the most
socioeconomically disadvantaged electorate in the
entire state. I therefore know the great importance of
small business to this state, and I am also well aware of
just how much support the Bracks and Brumby Labor
governments gave to small businesses, a level of
support that saw our small businesses heralded as the
engine room of the state by those who were wise
enough to recognise good government and good
leadership. This is especially important given that
Victoria does not have a mining industry; small
business is therefore vital to our prosperity.
According to the Auditor-General’s report Effectiveness
of Small Business Victoria’s Support Programs, there
are more than 470 000 small businesses in Victoria.
They make up 96 per cent of all Victorian businesses
and generate 35 per cent of gross state product. It was
therefore wonderful to read the report, in which the
Auditor-General wrote so positively about the Time to
Thrive policy, which the previous Labor government
launched in 2006 — just one of many measures by the
former government to support and grow small business
in our state. I note that the Auditor-General is also
supportive of the World Class Service website, another
proud accomplishment under our tenure in office. Then
there is Fair Payments Policy Advocacy, which is
all-important to recipients of small business support.
The conclusion section of the audit summary, on
page viii, states that ‘the programs’ objectives were
achieved’. Small business operators reported gaining
skills and information essential to better management of
their businesses and thus a greater chance of business
success. If nothing else, this alone is something that all
members should applaud — helping Victorian small
business owners to survive in tough economic times
and to grow in the years ahead, benefiting themselves,
their families and of course our state.
I must congratulate my colleague, Joe Helper, the
member for Ripon in the other place, who was Minister
for Small Business in the last government. He had a
sincere appreciation of the wants and needs of small
businesses across our state, and his leadership helped to
achieve the successes listed in the report. The
regulatory burden on small business was massively
reduced, as the Auditor-General himself identified on
page 8 of the report, where he refers to the significant
savings made by those small businesses that used the
World Class Service website.
I must also refer to the excellent Energise Enterprise
program, which I hope will be continued by the Baillieu
government. Over 30 000 small business operators and
6000 potential business operators participated in the
workshops, seminars or other events run as part of this
excellent statewide program. Imagine that last figure —
6000 potential businesspeople! That says a great deal
about the strength of small business and the confidence
by small business in the Bracks and Brumby Labor
governments. If the program is continued this year, I
will look closely at whether it grows or shrinks — and I
hope it grows. The Baillieu government has already
made a number of changes. We are as yet unsure as to
what will remain, what will change and what the
Baillieu government will throw out the door, but given
the success of these programs it would seem wise for
the new government to continue and in fact strengthen
these programs as they offer countless benefits to our
whole state and not simply to major cities.
In conclusion I wish to thank the Auditor-General for
yet another work of professionalism by his office, and I
commend the report to all members.
Auditor-General: Tertiary Education and Other
Entities — Results of the 2010 Audits
Mrs PEULICH (South Eastern Metropolitan) — I
wish to make some remarks on the Auditor-General’s
May 2011 report titled Tertiary Education and Other
Entities — Results of the 2010 Audits. The report covers
the results of the annual audit of 113 entities from the
tertiary education, sustainability and environment,
health, planning and community development and local
government sectors with a financial year end other than
30 June 2010. It principally focuses on 105 tertiary
education sector entities, comprising the 8 public
universities and their 63 controlled entities, 14 TAFE
institutes and their 12 controlled entities, 6 training
entities and the 2 entities they control.
The report informs Parliament of some significant
issues arising out of the audits, and I will look
specifically at three recommendations. It comments on
the effectiveness of internal controls, in particular
making relevant comments about the management of
staff sick leave in various universities and TAFE
institutes. It also talks about the controls over creditors
and the management of other matters relevant to the
financial sustainability of universities, TAFE institutes
and alpine resort management boards and their financial
management and reporting activities. The report notes
that two universities, Melbourne University and Deakin
University, have received qualified audit reports. These
qualifications are continuing qualifications that relate to
the disclosure of grant revenue where these two
universities are not in compliance with accounting
standards.