All about the Program

Plenary Sessions - Wednesday

All plenary sessions will be webcast live by Redback Conferencing to our Virtual Delegates. Virtual Delegate Registration is available via our Registration Page.

8.55am to 9.15am
Keynote: Cindy Batchelor, Executive General Manager, Small & Emerging Business, NAB

9.15am to 9.45am
Keynote: Senator The Hon Nick Sherry, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Assisting on Deregulation and Public Sector Superannuation, Minister Assisting on Tourism

11.00am to 11.45am
Plenary Panel Discussion: Australian State & Territory Small Business Ministers - The state of the Nation for Small Business, State By State
Representing our Ministers:
Dr Geoff Lee, MLA, Member for Parramatta, for NSW

Rebecca White MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business, Tasmania
Liza Mary Harvey MLA, Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Small Business, WA

11.45am to 12.30pm
Keynote: The Future Competitive Landscape for Small Business – The Double Edge Sword

Futurist Paul Higgins will look at what future competitive pressures will mean for small business in Australia. Globalisation, disruption by technology, and changes in the nature of work will radically change the future that small business faces. These changes will provide enormous opportunities, but will also provide significant threats in the coming decade. The same changes that will allow small business to work with, and compete with larger businesses will open small business to competition from every direction. You need to be prepared.

1.15pm to 1.40pm
Keynote: Michael Schaper, Deputy Chair, ACCC

1.40pm to 2.00pm
Keynote: Michael D'Ascenzo, Commissioner of Taxation

3.05pm to 3.30pm
Keynote: Mike Kaiser, Principal Government Relations & External Affairs, NBN Co

will address what the National Broadband Network (NBN) is, the industry reform it creates and what it will enable for Australian small businesses. Mike will explore the impact of the NBN, focusing his comments on how it is expected to create a fundamental change to existing business models. He will emphasise factors small businesses should be aware of in assessing the relevance of their existing operations and considering requirements in readiness for the NBN.

4.15pm to 4.45pm
Keynote: Angela Vithoulkas, Director, VIVO Cafe Group

R.E.S.P.E.C.T - Find out what it means to Small Business
Despite providing gainful employment to over 70% of the working population, how does small business increase its level of respect within the wider community? Small Business Ambassador, Angela Vithoulkas, takes us through an uplifting journey on how to earn respect for your business in the community, with your clients and with big business. Angela will explain, in the most politically correct way possible, whether size matters to your ultimate performance. She will show you how to shout loud and proud about small business achievements and how to flirt with the big boys.

4.45pm to 5.20pm
Summit Communique: Interactive Forum to feedback requirements and issues from the Small Business Sector to Government and Business
Hosted by Peter Strong, Executive Director, Council of Small Business of Australia; Ken Philips, Executive Director, Independent Contractors Australia.

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