Question - Small business

1. Does the website for the ACT Venture Capital Fund state that “Between July 2019 and June 2023, the number of businesses in the ACT grew by 21.2 percent, the highest percentage growth of all jurisdictions and higher than the national average of 14.1 per cent”; if so, can the Chief Minister provide the absolute increase in businesses over this period in the ACT.
2. Can the Chief Minister provide the absolute increase in businesses over this period in other Australian jurisdictions, including New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia.

(1) Yes, the ACT Venture Capital Fund website states that “Between July 2019 and June 2023, the number of businesses in the ACT grew by 21.2 percent, the highest percentage growth of all jurisdictions and higher than the national average of 14.1 per cent.” The absolute increases in the number of businesses across all Australian jurisdictions are publicly available from the Australian Bureau of Statistics within the following dataset: 

.      Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, July 2019 to June 2023, 
Data cube 1: Tables 1-20 of counts of Australian businesses, including entries and exits [Table 4: Business by Main State, June 2019 - June 2023] https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/business-indicators/counts-australian-businesses-including-entries-and-exits/jul2019-jun2023/8165DC01_revised.xlsx.

(2) Refer to the response to question one.