A tipping point for service delivery? Administrative complexity and funding for SME support programs

This briefing paper considers the key issues & future action for SME support programs including: Small business startup and advisory services are a critical contributor to economic development and diversification in regional Australia; Program funding models, at New South Wales and federal levels, are creating and transferring administrative cost burdens to providers, creating gaps in service delivery, and failing to keep pace with the needs of evolving regional economies; Administrative issues are undermining the ability of regionally specialised service providers to meet local small business support needs. Urgent, practical reforms are required to enable effective providers to continue service delivery and Complex administrative burdens are increasing the concentration of services in large, non-specialised organisations, reducing access to quality services tailored to specific contexts. Service delivery is challenged by long recognised and increasingly acute problems in program design and implementation. Adjusting and reforming how these programs are administered offers a high value opportunity for improving government-funded services, to meet the needs of locals who are seeking to contribute to their regional economies.