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1 July is fast approaching.......
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Applications for the 2007-08 grant year open on 1 July 2008. Although Austrade can’t accept applications before 1 July, now is the time to start preparing your application so you can be ready to submit it as soon as possible after 1 July. Austrade gives priority to processing applications lodged before 30 September so it pays to lodge early. Remember too that as of 1 July you will be incurring export promotion expenses for next year's grant application. Get a headstart for next year's application now by keeping good records of these expenses. For more information please contact the Austrade Office.
EMDG-Update
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Climate Ready Program
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The Climate Ready program ($75m over 4 years) is a competitive grants program providing grants from $50,000 up to $5m on a matching funding basis to support research and development, proof-of-concept and commercialisation activities to develop solutions to climate change challenges.
The Climate Ready program will be available for application soon. Documentation and information about the program are currently being developed. In the meantime, should you wish to register your interest for this program, please contact the AusIndustry hotline on 13 28 46 or email: hotline
www.ausindustry.gov.au
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Local Government Assistance
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Invest Brisbane
Brisbane is a city transformed – vibrant, confident and taking its rightful place in global business. Generating phenomenal energy, our economic and population growth outstrips all other major Australian centres, and is fuelled by high levels of business investment and the largest public infrastructure spending program in Australia’s history.
The city’s spirit is infectious and is a magnet for talent. Our ability to attract quality professionals, combined with Brisbane’s highly-educated and motivated locals creates a labour pool with both depth and breadth. An excellent quality of life and lower living costs combined with a relaxed, subtropical atmosphere creates our undisputedly fabulous lifestyle.
Invest Brisbane, a division of Brisbane Marketing, is an experienced and world class inward investment agency that plays a strategic role in Brisbane business. We focus on securing investment that will maximise long term economic growth for Brisbane, whose vibrant economy is taking its place on the global stage.
We work with potential investors in their search for suitable business opportunities and provide guidance during transition and implementation. Invest Brisbane also encourages growth by addressing gaps in the business landscape through the development and management of strategic initiatives as well as driving collaborative partnerships to support investment attraction.
Brisbane offers investors opportunities across traditional and emerging industries. One third of Queensland’s economy stems from knowledge intensive sectors – life sciences, information and communication technologies (ICT), creative industries and food and beverage manufacturing are booming. Brisbane’s manufacturing sector is highly innovative, moving into high-technology specialisations such as plastics, ingredients development and the production of super yachts.
www.investbrisbane.com.au
Sister Cities
The Sister Cities Program aims to develop and improve diplomatic
relationships, and promote the development of commercial, cultural,
educational, sporting and other mutually beneficial exchanges.
Brisbane City Council places great importance on the role of Sister
Cities Program can play in the development of business and trade for
Brisbane.
Sister Cities share common characteristics or synergies with Brisbane,
such as the existence of any state/provincial ties, economic
characteristics, regional location and accessibility, historical links
and strong community ties. The Brisbane City Council to date has
established and maintains six active Sister City relationships: Kobe,
Japan (established in July 1985); Auckland, New Zealand (est August
1988); Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China (est June 1992); Semarang,
Indonesia (est January 1993); Kaohsiung, Taiwan (est September 1997);
Daejon, Korea (est. June 2002).
For further information: Tel (07) 3403 4328 Fax (07) 3403 9930.
The Economic Development Program and BrisIndustry Project
The Economic Development Program (EDP) of the Brisbane City Council
aims to facilitate development of the economic, employment and industry
base in Brisbane.
One of the current initiatives is the BrisIndustry project.
Under the project, like minded companies from around Brisbane are
getting together and forming industry clusters to explore ways to work
together to source new markets and increase export sales. An
industry cluster is a group of firms collaborating together to market
their businesses and access new markets. The cluster would
usually be made up of business leaders from the same industry (often
competitors) and business leaders from complementary industries (eg
suppliers, contractors etc).
Tel: (07) 3403 4116
www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
Urban Renewal Brisbane
Urban Renewal Brisbane facilitates the revitalisation of Brisbane’s
inner north-eastern suburbs and Bulimba precinct. Assistance
provided by Urban Renewal Brisbane is intended to provide quality
development and reduce holding charges, building costs and delivery
time.
Urban Renewal has established a service agreement with Brisbane City
Council to expedite the assessment and approval process for urban
renewal projects. During the approval and construction process
Urban Renewal will also assist to resolve issues between the applicants
and government agencies.
Tel: (07) 3403 0166
E-mail: urban.renewal@brisbane.qld.gov.au
Brisbane Marketing
Brisbane Marketing aims to promote Brisbane and its regions as a
vibrant, happening city locally, nationally and internationally to
achieve maximum social and economic benefit.
Brisbane Marketing builds the awareness and enhances the profile of the
city to contributing to increased tourist visitation, increased
potential meetings, conventions and exhibition visitation; and
promoting Brisbane’s image as a successful and dynamic city.
Brisbane Marketing’s work in the convention attraction area includes
proposal and bid assistance, regional advice and information, site
inspections and familiarisations. The business is dominated by
high yield meetings won in the national and international association
sector, covering general sciences, IT, medical, health, engineering and
construction, research, biotechnology, transport, ecology, food-related
industries and primary industries. By winning these conventions
for Brisbane, it opens up the dialogue between prospective businesses
and provides an opportunity to see Brisbane first-hand.
Tel: (07) 3006 6200
Email: info@brisbanemarketing.com.au
www.brisbanemarketing.com.au
www.velocitybrisbane.com
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State Government Assistance
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Department of State Development, Trade and Innovation
The Department of State Development and Innovation works to support
sustainable economic development in Queensland that will secure growth
and employment.
The Department is the Queensland Government’s lead agency in relation
to economic development and is the focal point in the State Government
for raising and negotiating matters impacting on the State’s
development and other levels of government.
The Department contributes to economic growth by: Fostering a positive
business environment for businesses and industry; promoting sustainable
regional development, actively pursuing strong partnerships with key
industry sectors; aggressively seeking to identify major new
opportunities to assist the State’s future development and involving
the private sector in capturing these opportunities; and strengthening
the State’s export performance.
Access to the Department’s full range of high quality services is made
easy through a Queensland-wide network of 19 State Development and
Innovation Centres and 10 overseas trade and investment offices and by
telephone or via the Internet.
Staff at the centres provide assistance by: Assisting business
operators to improve their management skills, processes and technology;
identifying industry development opportunities; providing access to
E-commerce opportunities by providing an internet link; collecting and
disseminating relation economic intelligence; supporting the attraction
of investment capital to Queensland; supporting infrastructure and land
use planning; supporting businesses to access export markets.
Contact: DSDI Hotline 132650
www.sdi.qld.gov.au
State Development and Innovation Centres
A comprehensive network of 19 State Development and Innovation Centres
provides access to the Development’s full range of services, including
assistance on all aspects of starting and successfully running a
business.
Every year the State Development and Innovation Centres run over 1,200 workshops that are attended by more than 30,000 people.
The Centres:
• assist business operators improve their management skills, processes and technology;
• identify business and industry development opportunities;
• attract investment capital to Queensland;
• support infrastructure and land use planning;
• assist businesses to access export markets.
Trade and International Operations
The Trade and International Operations Division provides targeted
advice and in-market support to assist Queensland businesses capture
international trade opportunities and strengthen the supply capability
of Queensland’s exporters.
Services are provided through the division and its overseas network of
10 Queensland Government Trade and Investment Offices, its three
Brisbane based Special Representatives (South-East Asia, Middle East
and China/Vietnam) and a Queensland Government representative in Qatar.
The division is staffed by skilled personnel with:
• extensive global market knowledge and intelligence;
• multilingual skills;
• international business contacts;
• international marketing and exporting experience.
The Trade and International Operations Division can assist export ready firms as well as new and potential exporters t
• gain export skills and knowledge;
• make effective decisions on market entry based on their individual circumstances;
• develop international networks and identify overseas business partners.
State Development Call Centre and Online Services
Call Centre and Online Services provides services that assist people start up and operate their business.
Services include:
SmartLicence
SmartLicence is a one-stop for business licence information and lodgement. SmartLicence staff are able to provide callers with:
• summary information on the State, Local and Commonwealth Government requirements for a particular business;
• the name, address and telephone number of the agency responsible for each listing;
• licence application forms;
• details of licence fees, periods of cover and renewals;
• online lodgement and secure payment for some licences.
For more information call 1300 363 711.
The Government Business Information Service (GOBIS)
GOBiS is a one stop shop for business to find information and referral
to all State and Australian Government services officered to
business. Phone 1300 363 711.
Business Resource Centre
The Business Resource Centre provides business with a range of key
government and private sector information required to assess the
viability of a business and to develop a business plan. Contact 1300
363 711.
Online
The Department has developed Australia’s most comprehensive and progressive website for small businesses.
The smart small business site www.smartsmallbusiness.qld.gov.au
provides information on over 60 products and services that assist small
businesses to start up, expand and commence exporting, from the one
access point.
More than 96 percent of businesses in Queensland are small
businesses. And over half of all Queenslanders working in private
enterprise work in small businesses.
This site contains of wealth of information including training modules
to help small business people upgrade their skills across a range of
areas such as marketing, finance and management. It also provides
very useful information on what government assistance is available to
small business, including licensing information, research tools and
business referral services.
Details of these new online services are:
GoBiS Online, a major search facility for small business services across Australia.
SmartLicence Online, which provides business licence information, applications and registrations.
SmartSkills Online, providing a range of self-paced, interactive tools
to assist development of business management and business planning
skills.
Other Sites that cater for specific industry sectors include:
Research, development and commercialisation - www.sdi.qld.gov.au/innovation
Information and Communications Technology - www.iib.qld.gov.au
Indigenous Business Development Program - www.sdi.qld.gov.au/indigenous
Biootechnolgoy - www.sdi.qld.gov.au/biotechnology
Innovators and entrepreneurs - www.ideas2market.qld.gov.au
Investment attraction - www.sdi.qld.gov.au/invest
Property Services Group - www.sdi.qld.gov.au/psg
Advanced Manufacturing Sectoral Development - www.sdi.qld.gov.au/manufacturing
Marine Industries - www.sdi.qld.gov.au/marine
Skilled Migration - www.migration.qld.gov.au
Creative Industries Sectoral Development - www.sdi.qld.gov.au/creativeindustries
These websites and other departmental information can be accessed from www.sdi.qld.gov.au
Financial Assistance Schemes:
TeQstart and Biostart Investment Funds
The teQstart and BioStart funds provide investment into Queensland
based, knowledge-intensive, high technology and biotechnology
companies, to foster the attraction of further capital investment and
to drive longer term commercial success. teQstart Pty Ltd invests these
funds on a co-investment basis, seeking to match investment funding
from other expert private and venture capital sources. Amounts of
up to $250,000 are available from the funds to support early stage
companies seeking to further commercialise their intellectual property
(IP) from the proof-of-concept phase.
Indigenous Business Development Grant Scheme
The Indigenous Business Development Grant Scheme provides funding to
assist to Indigenous people increase their economic independence, take
up employment opportunities and improve their quality of life.
Funding is available for business capacity building and business
establishment.
Innovation Start-Up Scheme
The Innovation Start-Up Scheme provides seed funding to assist highly
innovative early-stage companies to commercialise newly emerged
technology products and services. Funding is provided via a
competitive, rounds-based grants program.
International Trade Show Assistance Program
The International Trade Show Assistance Program assists ICT and
biotechnology companies to exhibit at an international trade show or
participate in a trade mission outside of Australia by providing up to
$5,000 to help with exhibiting expenses.
Leadership and Management Program
The Leadership and Management Program assists business and industry
groups and associations to provide programs that develop leadership and
management skills of small business owners and franchisees.
Financial assistance is available up to a maximum of $15,000 for the
development of leadership and management skills of their members.
Queensland Industry Development Scheme
This scheme helps companies innovate, expand and employ more
people. Assistance is provided on a dollar-for-dollar
basis. The main focus of the scheme is to facilitate growth
through market expansion and product and/or provides development.
Support is available for diverse projects ranging from product and
market development and technology take-up to industry network
development. Assistance is also available to identify and develop
new export markets including funding for market research, export
planning, employing an export manager or adapting products to suit
overseas market requirements.
Regional Business Development Scheme
The scheme assists companies and regional groups to identify
opportunities for economic development. Projects funded include:
• opportunity identification and development;
• institutional strengthening and capacity building;
• strategic land use planning for business, industry and tourism.
• Financial assistance is generally provided for up to 50 percent of the total project costs.
Smart State Fellowships
Smart State Fellowships support talented early career researchers
working with business in leading Queensland-based research teams.
In 2005, this scheme is becoming part of the new Innovation Skills Fund.
Smart State Health and Medical Research Fund
This fund provides support to Queensland hospitals, health services and
independent medical research institutes to continue undertaking
world-class medical research. Operational funding is available to
independent medical research institutes, and Clinical Research
Fellowships are available for clinicians undertaking research in
Queensland hospitals and health services.
Smart State Innovation Building Fund
This Innovation Building Fund will provide $128million over four years
to stimulate research, development, commercialisation and technology
diffusion. This major infrastructure program will establish
pioneering research and innovation institutes, facilities and centres
of excellence in Queensland. Applications are open to:
• universities and other post secondary educational institutions;
• research institutes, companies and cooperative research centres;
• Queensland Government agencies;
• other Government agencies active in Queensland.
Smart State Innovation Projects Fund
The $60million Innovation Projects Fund will support priority research,
development and innovation projects. Funding will be distributed
over four years, encouraging collaboration between Queensland
researchers and international and interstate allies, which will:
• improve links between universities and industry;
• attract international investment;
• strengthen Queensland’s skill base;
• demonstrate support for Queensland organisations in international partnerships and networks.
The Innovation Projects Fund will complement the Innovation Building Fund and the Innovation Skills Fund.
Smart State Innovation Skills Funds
The Innovation Skills Fund will provide $12million over four years to
attract and retain leading researchers and talented PhD students in
targeted, priority areas. In addition, a University Internships
Program will provide a further $1.05million over three years to support
the coordination of industry placements for undergraduate students from
Queensland universities. This funding will provide scholarships
to PhD students, fellowships to early-career researchers and iconic
fellowships to senior researchers who are world leaders in their
fields. The Fund will complement the Smart State Fellowship
program and the Queensland Fellowship program.
Reproduced with permission from Business Acumen Queensland Magazine, Issue #18
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Federal Government Assistance Grants
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Australian Technology Showcase (ATS)
Australian Technology Showcase is a national and international campaign
designed to promote leading-edge Australian technology and the skills
of the companies that produce them. It is funded through
AusIndustry and administered in Queensland by the Department of State
Development, Trade and Innovation.
www.sdi.qld.gov.au
Automotive Competitiveness and Investment Scheme (ACIS)
The Automotive Competitiveness and Investment Scheme (ACIS) encourages new investment and innovation in the automotive industry.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Certain Inputs to Manufacture (CIM)
The Certain Inputs to Manufacture (CIM) Program provides import duty
concessions on certain imported duty concessions on certain important
raw materials, intermediate goods as well as prescribed metal materials
and goods.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Commercial Ready
Commercial Ready is a competitive merit-based grant program supporting
innovation and its commercialisation. It has taken over from a
range of previous programs. It aims to stimulate greater
innovation and productivity growth in the private sector by providing
around $200million per year in competitive grants to small and
medium-sized businesses (SMEs) between 2004-05 and 2010-11. It
offers industry a single entry point to competitive grants for
early-stage commercialisation activities, research and development
(R&D) with a high commercial potential, and proof-of-concept
activities.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Commercialising Emerging Technologies (COMET)
COMET is a competitive, merit based program that supports early-growth
stage and spin off companies to successfully commercialise their
innovations. Companies that have received COMET assistance on or
before 10 September 2004 are unable to apply for assistance under the
new enhanced COMET program.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Enhanced Project By-Law Scheme (EPBS)
The Enhanced Project By-Law Scheme provides tariff duty concessions on
eligible capital goods of significant sized projects in the mining,
resource processing, food processing, food packaging, manufacturing,
agriculture and gas supply industry sectors.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Ethanol Production Grants
The Ethanol Production Grants (EPG) program aims to provide a targeted
means of maintaining the use of biofuels in transport in Australia. EPG
first commenced on 18 September 2002. The program has since been
extended to producers until June 30, 2011.
Ethanol Production Grants are paid to ethanol producers at a rate of 38.143 cents per litre.
To claim the grant, ethanol must be produced entirely in Australia by
the grant recipient from biomass feedstock and must be blended into or
used as a transport fuel in Australia.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Industry Cooporative Innovation Program
This is a merit-based funding program aimed at supporting
business-to-business cooperation on innovative projects that enhance
productivity, growth and international competitivement of Australian
industries. It is funded to June 2011. Stream A offers
funding up to $150,000 and Stream B offers up to $3million.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Innovation Investment Fund (IIF)
Innovation Investment Fund is a venture capital program that invests in
nine private sector venture capital funds to assist small companies in
the early stages of development to commercialise the outcomes of
Australia’s strong research and development capability.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Low Emissions Technology Demonstration Fund (LETDF)
The $500million Low Emissions Technology Demonstration Fund is a
flagship initiative of the Australian Government’s Energy White Paper:
Securing Australia’s Energy Future. By leveraging $1billion in
additional private sector investment, the Fund will support the
commercial demonstration of technologies that have a potential in the
longer term to deliver large-scale greenhouse gas emission reductions
in the energy sector.
To be eligible for support under the Fund, technologies will have to be
commercially available by 2020 to 2030 and have the potential to reduce
Australia’s energy sectors greenhouse gas signature by at least 2
percent per annum in the longer term. The measure will operate
from 2005-06 to 2019-20, with the first competitive selection round to
be held in 2005-06.
Subsequent selection rounds are expected to he held in 2008-09 and
2011-12, subject to the outcome of round one. AusIndustry will
manage the day-to-day administration of the fund, while the Department
of the Environment and Heritage and the Department of Industry Tourism
and Resources share policy responsibility. Visit the Australian
Greenhouse Office website.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Petroleum Products Freight Subsidy Scheme (PPFSS)
The Petroleum Products Freight Subsidy Scheme (the scheme) is operated
to subsidise the freight cost of delivering eligible petroleum products
to remote Australian areas.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Pharmaceuticals Partnerships Program
The Pharmaceuticals Partnerships Program (P3) is aimed at increasing
the amount of high quality pharmaceutical R&D activity in Australia
throughout the entire value chain including biotechnology, originator
and generic medicines companies. Participating companies will
receive 30 cents for each additional dollar they spend on eligible
R&D in Australia up to a maximum grant amount of $19million.
P3 is not restricted to companies that sell products on the
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and ownership of intellectual property
will not impact on the eligibility of R&D under the program.
The program commenced on July 1, 2004 and concludes on June 30,
2009. A third round of the P3 program will be offered from July
2007.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Pooled Development Funds (PDF) Program
The PDF Program is designed to increase the supply of quality capital
for growing Australian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
PDFs are private sector investment companies established under the PDF
Act which raise capital from investors and use it to invest in
Australian companies.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Pre-Seed Fund
The competitive pre-seed fund for universities and public sector
research agencies addresses the gap between promising scientific
discoveries and commercialisation. It assists the
commercialisation of public sector R&D activities by further
developing the management and entrepreneurial skills of public sector
researchers and build links with the finance and business
community. This program forms part of the Backing Australia’s
Ability strategy announced in 2001.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
R&D Start
R&D Start is a competitive, merit based grants and loans program
that supports businesses to undertake research and development and its
commercialisation. With the start of Commercial Ready, this
program is now closed to applications.
R&D Tax Concessions
R&D Tax Concessions is a broad-based, market driven tax concession
which allows companies to deduct up to 125 percent of qualifying
expenditure incurred on R&D activities when lodging their corporate
tax return. A 175 percent Incremental (Premium) Tax Concession
and R&D Tax Offset are also available in certain
circumstances. This program forms part of the Backing Australia’s
Ability – Building Our Future through Science and Innovation
$5.3billion package to follow on from the $3billion Backing Australia’s
Ability strategy announced in 2001.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Australian Tourism Development Program (ATDP)
Builds on the now-closed Regional Tourism Program (RTP) by targeting
innovative projects that enhance tourism projects in regional and
metropolitan destinations. It offers grants between $50,000 and
$500,000 in two categories.
Renewable Energy Development Initiative (REDI)
The REEF program is a specialist renewable energy equity fund based on
the Innovation Investment Fund (IIF) model. It provides venture
capital (equity) to assist small companies to commercialise R&D in
renewable energy technologies.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Small Business Answers Program
Small Business Answers provide a referral and general advisory service
to small businesses, particularly those in remote or regional areas,
through a network of nearly 60 Small Business Field Officers. The
service forms part of the Small Business Assistance Program and has
been extended until JJune 30, 2008.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Small Business Enterprise Culture Program (SBECP)
The Small Business Enterprise Culture Program aims to develop and
enhance the business skills of small business owner-managers and
demonstrate the contribution that such skills can make business
viability and growth. It will achieve this by providing
competitive grants for initiatives designed to enhance small businesses
access to skills development and mentoring. This forms part of
the Australian Government’s Small Business Assistance Program and has
been extended until June 30, 2008.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Small Business Incubator Program (SBIP)
The Small Business Incubator Program provides funding to organisations
to help meet the infrastructure and set-up costs of new small business
incubators. Smaller amounts are also provided for feasibility
studies and to existing incubators for enhancements. Small
business incubators assist start-up and developing new businesses by
providing shared premises and business services, as well as intensive
business advice and support. This forms part of the Australian
Government’s Small Business Assistance Program and has been extended to
June 30, 2008.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Space Concession
The Space Concession Program provides duty-free entry of goods imported
for use in a ‘space project’, provided certain conditions are
met. The main policy objective of the item 69 concession is to
increase the competitiveness of the space industry in Australia, while
ensuring compliance with international obligations.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Textile, Clothing & Footwear Corporatewear Register
The Corporatewear Register allows employers to register non-compulsory
occupational clothing, thereby avoiding liabililty for FBT and allowing
employees to claim the cost of such clothing as a tax deduction.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Textile, Clothing & Footwear (TCF) Expanded Overseas Assembly Provisions (EOAP) Scheme
The TCF EOAP provides duty concessions to firms who assemble garments
and footwear overseas from predominantly Australian fabric and/or
leather and then import them back into Australia for local comsumption.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Textile, Clothing & Footwear Post-2005 Strategic Investment Program Scheme
The Textile, Clothing & Footwear Strategic Investment Program was
extended for 10 years through to 2015. The Textile, Clothing and
Footwear Post-2005 Strategic Investment Program Scheme (TCF Post-2005
(SIP) Scheme) aims to foster the development of a sustainable and
internationally competitive TCF design industry in Australia by
providing incentives which will promote investment and
innovation. It is an entitlement program which provides
incentives in the form of reimbursement grants, paid annually and in
arrears. The program will run from 2005/06 until 2014/15.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Textile, Clothing & Footwear Product Diversification Scheme (PDS)
The Product Diversification Scheme is designed to assist clothing and
finished textiles manufacturers located in Australian internationalise
their sourcing arrangements and complement their product range.
It will do this by providing duty credit that can be used to offset
duty payable on qualifying finished clothing or relevant finished
textile articles.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Tradex
The Tradex Scheme provides relief to persons or organisations via an
up-front exemption from Customs duty and GST on imported goods intended
for re-export or to be used as inputs to exports. The Scheme
removes the need to ‘drawback’ these charges after export.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
Venture Captical Limited Partnerships Program (VCLP)
The VCLP program provides for the registration of limited partnerships
as venture capital limited partnerships (VCLPs) and is designed to
increase the supply of venture capital to Austrlaian companies by
providing tax incentives to non-resident investors in Austrlaian
venture capital.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46
www.ausindustry.gov.au
E-mail: Kelvin.glossop@industry.gov.au
Export Market Development Grants – EMDG
The Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) scheme is the Australian
Government’s principal financial assistance program for aspiring and
current exporters. Administered by Austrade, the purpose of the
scheme is to encourage small and medium sized Australian businesses to
develop export markets. EMDG reimburses up to 50 percent of
expenses incurred on eligible export promotion activities, less the
first $15,000. To access the scheme for the first time,
businesses need to have spent $15,000 over two years on eligible export
marketing expenses. The scheme supports a wide range of industry
sectors and products, including inbound tourism and the export of
intellectual property and know-how outside Australia.
In the 2004-05 financial year, $123.9million and 3277 grants were paid
to businesses under the EMDG scheme. For grants relating to the
2003-04 grant year (paid in 2004-05), the average grant was
$37,145. Over three-quarters of businesses receiving EMDG
reported annual income of $5million or less. Applications close
November 30 for the 2004-05 year.
Austrade Hotline: 13 28 78
www.austrade.gov.au
New Exporter Development Program (NEDP)
Austrade and TradeStart offer a package of free export services
designed to assist small and medium Australian companies develop their
businesses overseas and make their first export sale. It gives
Australian businesses the best possible start to exporting, by
providing a wide range of free services to new exporters including
advice and information about getting into exporting, export coaching,
and assistance on the ground in foreign markets.
Support for potential exporters is available through Austrade and
partner organisations throughout Australia and its overseas network.
Austrade’s New Exporter Development Program provides eligible
businesses with practical assistance to develop into a successful
exporting company. An export advisor is appointed and Austrade’s
international network will help to:
Assess the export capability:
• Review the business’s export capability and evaluate export readiness.
• Identity target markets.
• Provide advice on international business issues.
Prepare for the selected market:
• Advise on international marketing strategies and marketing plan
• Provide feedback on promotional material.
• Inform the business of economic conditions and commercial practices in the target markets.
• Evaluate the suitability of products/services for target markets.
AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 78
www.austrade.gov.au
Reproduced with permission from Business Acumen Queensland Magazine, Issue #18
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Queensland Government Research and Development funding opportunities
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Did you know that the Queensland Government invests more money on
research and development (on a per capita basis) than any other state
or territory in Australia?
To ensure this investment pays dividends in terms of Queensland's
economic growth, social well-being and protecting the environment, the
Queensland Research & Development (R&D) Priorities were adopted
in 2003 to drive research conducted by the Queensland Government as
well as the allocation of government funding to external organisations
for research and development.
The six Queensland R&D Priorities are:
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Enabling Technologies
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Environmentally Sustainable Queensland
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Foods for the Future
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Safeguarding Queensland
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Sustainable Health
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Tropical Futures.
Further detailed description of the Queensland R&D Priorities can be viewed on www.chiefscientist.qld.gov.au.
www.chiefscientist.qld.gov.au
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Smart State Innovation Funds - apply now
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The new Smart State Innovation Funds were launched today by the
Honourable Anna Bligh MP, Deputy Premier. These new funds are an
investment of more than $200 million that will help build world class
research facilities, attract top quality scientists to Queensland and
stimulate cutting edge research projects.
The Queensland Government is now calling for applications. For complete
details of the funds please visit www.sdi.qld.gov.au/innovationfunds
To assist with the application process the Department of State
Development, Trade and Innovation is arranging State-wide briefing
sessions - please contact the R&D Advisory Services on +61 7 3227 7211
or email r&dadvisory@sd.qld.gov.au.
Applications for all funds close on 19 December 2005, with the exception
of the Smart State PhD Scholarships which close on the 16 November 2005.
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TechFast - Australian Institute for Commercialisation
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TechFast is designed to help SMEs locate and adopt new commercially
viable technologies or innovative processes developed locally through
public R&D investment. It provides the ‘hands-on’ advice, funding
and support for the transfer of technology between research
organisations and SMEs to benefit all parties.
Click here for more information
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