Ann Bray and Peter Strong, the Strong Independents candidates for the electorate of Kurrajong, released their Industry Policy today.
“We need a strong cross bench of experienced independents to get the ACT back on economic track,” they said.
What?
The Strong Independents argue that Canberra must diversify and grow its economy, which is currently based on government services, tourism, tertiary education, and construction. It must be better integrated with the regional economy as a hub for the southeast region of NSW.
The ACT must build on its distinctive capabilities through support for start-ups and spin outs. It must support its small businesses (and therefore their employees) by reducing costs and their administrative burden.
Why?
Too great a dependence on too few sectors impacts the ACT when policy settings and economic circumstances change, the Strong Independents insist: for example, Federal Government job cuts; cuts to international students by visa restrictions; and economic downturns causing visitor numbers to plummet.
This dependency not only affects the economic circumstances of people and businesses, but also the revenues of the ACT Government, which must pay for much needed health, education and community services, and critical infrastructure.
The ACT must make the most of its capabilities, particularly our intellectual fire power, the massive Commonwealth customer market, most of the nation’s national cultural institutions, and a large construction sector.
The intellectual fire power of the ACT from students and workers at the ANU, UC, UNSW, ACU, CSU, CIT, CSIRO, and Geoscience Australia must be better harnessed to encourage local spin-outs and start-ups.
Canberra has a world leading regional innovation ecosystem created with the guidance of the Canberra Innovation Network.
Canberra has noted expertise in geoscience and cyber-security, and a world-class cyber precinct will help grow this critical capability (for defence, infrastructure and privacy) to provide high-paying jobs.
Construction will inevitably undergo major technology disruption in the coming decade. The ACT should be ahead of the curve and look at the opportunities. Improving Canberra as a tourist destination, by enhancing the visitor experience, will grow the tourism industry and benefit the many small businesses in this sector.
Integration of the ACT with the southeast region is vital. It will involve the expansion and growth of all sorts of services, economic opportunities, and address regulatory inconsistencies. There are too many instances of businesses moving into border NSW towns [because the ACT’s] regulatory and cost basis is uncompetitive.
There are many opportunities for the ACT to collaborate with NSW on regional economic development in areas such as in the clean energy sector or the food industry.
How?
The Strong Independents believe that the ACT Government must work with the Australian Government, tertiary organisations, and private institutions and businesses, to create global hubs for these industries. For example, a major cyber precinct could be co-located near the Australian Signal Directorate, and AustCyber (the Australian Government’s Growth Centre) could be one of a number of anchor tenants.
Other technology intensive industries, such as geospatial, advanced manufacturing, creative industries and digital platforms, could also be supported with hubs for start-ups and spin-outs that include test beds.
Further exploration of regulatory opportunities (including harmonisation) must be done with NSW. The ACT should look at ways to reduce the costs to small businesses, especially in the gig economy, as this is important to social wellbeing.
Opportunities to produce hydrogen – especially utilising the ACT’s effluent as a source of water – should be urgently explored, and proposals put to the Federal Government to capitalise on recent Federal Budget announcements.
A stadium in the city for major entertainment artists and sports games will be essential to attracting more interstate visitors.
Skills development and incentives for the training of more tradespersons are key to driving a faster supply of housing. The feasibility of a high-quality manufactured housing industry in Canberra should be investigated.
But? Should taxpayers be supporting business when they should fund themselves, the Strong Independents ask?
It has been demonstrated in the ACT that government and university seed funding for startups can create businesses that create future high-paying jobs – for example, Windlab Systems and Instaclustr. Also, when many organisations get together, the outcomes ‘can be greater than the sum of the parts’.
The Federal Government has announced more funding for industry, and the ACT should get its share. The ACT should support its small and medium business sectors especially in areas where they have comparative advantages.
The Strong Independents say their Industry Policy is based on experience, expertise and knowledge – not on theory, party needs, or vested interests.
Together, Ms Bray and Mr Strong say they have decades of national and international experience in developing industry policy for various governments by extensive consultations; targeted negotiations; fit for purpose communications; and the actual needs of businesses and workers. They have expertise in change management processes needed as industry confronts new technologies and opportunities.
Mr Strong stated: “I learnt about industry development and economic reform from the best – during the years of Hawke and Keating. I used that expertise across Australia, and also when delivering World Bank and UN projects internationally. Few of the Labor or Greens MLAs have ever owned a business and employed people. Their experience is mainly as unionists, academics, political staffers, and bureaucrats. How can they understand the issues of being in a small or medium business?”
Ann Bray stated: “Whilst it is great that the Australian Government employs so many people in Canberra in high paying jobs, the ACT gets no payroll tax revenue from the Commonwealth. We have to develop our private sector to reduce our reliance on the Commonwealth and the inevitable contraction cycles it goes through. As well as having public sector experience, Peter Strong and I have owned small businesses and employed people, always paying them before ourselves. We know about the stresses of being in business, and we know how to identify opportunities and convert those into real outcomes.”
The intellectual base of the ACT is the best in the nation, with so many institutes of higher education and innovative agencies like CSIRO, the Strong Independents state. The candidates believe the ACT should support spin-outs and start-ups to build highly productive businesses that produce highly paid jobs, and reduce the administrative burden of red tape by streamlining regulation, similar to the NSW Government.
Ann Bray added: “From embracing the production of hydrogen to developing our arts sector and supporting growth sectors such as cyber-security, we can do it.”
“We know small and medium businesses in Canberra are struggling with high payroll taxes and high lease costs – flowing on from high rates and land taxes, plus unrelenting red tape,” Mr Strong said. “The private sector is the key to economic sustainability.”
