Lib sees state role in guiding business
SUPPORTING existing businesses with the potential to scale-up is the missing link in driving growth, according to the Liberal Party’s innovation spokesman.
During a visit to Geelong on Friday, David Southwick said governments needed to be better at connecting businesses with growth potential to the market.
It could be in connecting the private sector to provision of services to government, to export markets or to opportunities through innovation.
“There’s a lot done in the early stage and start-up phase . . . the missing link is in scaling up,” Mr Southwick said.
The state Liberal Party’s spokesman on energy and resources, innovation, and renewables said government services needed to be more flexible to meet business needs.
“It shouldn’t be a 9-5 operation,” he said.
Mr Southwick is also keen to see universities tailor a work-oriented approach for international students, with a view to engaging them with business while they were here.
“There is a real opportunity for Deakin to be a shopfront for industry,” he said.
He said international students had untapped cultural, language and networking capacity on top of their professional skills, which could assist business, but instead they often left after obtaining a degree.
“That is currently a missed opportunity,” he said.
Mr Southwick talked to Deakin University leaders, visited the Federal Mills precinct and provided a briefing to business leaders at the Committee for Geelong during his visit.