As the first Nationals MP to hold the small business portfolio, Minister McCormack says it’s imperative for the focus on small business to expand beyond the capital cities and inner suburbs.
He says, “Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull wants to get out there and engage with the sector. It’s a great sector. It’s a growing sector. He said to me, ‘there’s an open country – go out and explore it. Spread our good message. Sell the word that we’ve got to tell about our small business. Make sure you engage with as many people as possible. Whether they’re in the capital cities Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane elsewhere, but also get out to the regional communities,’ and I’m doing just that.”
Travelling across Australia to meet with a diverse range of small businesses has revealed two significant areas in which the Minister feels the need to focus on.
AusMumpreneurs celebrates working mums in the business sector. Source: Supplied
The first was women entrepreneurs, of which make up a third of business operators in Australia.
“There were hundreds of success stories. Innovative women. Some of them who were very high-flying corporate women who went home, had a family and then decided, ‘I don’t want to go to spend an hour in traffic going to work’ and then an hour home again. I wanna be where my family is and raise my kids, and be there for them in their formative years, but I also want to run a business.’ They started up these amazing, remarkable businesses which are now exporting to the world.”
On his agenda was also been working with Assistant Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science in kickstarting the National Business Simplification Initiative, particularly in Western Sydney.
“That’s going to cut through so many levels of red tape through local, through state and through the federal sphere – those three tiers of government – particularly the startups, obviously the startups because that’s where the growth is.”
The Minister is also open for small businesses to contact him on how red tape can be cut down.
The last time Small Business Secrets caught up with the Minister was in his home electorate of Riverina. Source: Supplied
“We’ve already reduced $4.8 billion worth of red tape. We need to do more. I welcome any feedback from small businesses wherever they might be, to how we can cut through the duplications, some of the red and green tape.”
Running the small business portfolio is without its challenges, particularly in relation to the census issues with the Australian Bureau of Statistics earlier this year. However, the Minister believes the census accomplished what needed to be achieved.
“Ultimately, it’s been a success. 96% of Australian households responded. That data will now go to making sure there’s equitable funding for small businesses, for communities right throughout Australia.”
“The Australian Bureau of Statistics and small business go hand-in-glove. In as much as the census is a really important document because it enables small communities, large communities, remote, regional, capital city communities to be funded.”
the Minister's plans for the future are to continue meeting with small businesses across Australia. Source: Supplied
And his plan for 2017? To continue speaking to small businesses across Australia and bring back their stories to Parliament.
“We’ve got a really good message to tell, a really good story to sell as far as small business is concerned, and moreover, they’re coming back to us and…giving me ideas and stories that we want to the Parliament, and in all policy settings that we do. They’re giving me fresh ideas and opportunities that we could also explore.”
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