As my seven years at the helm of Business SA ends this Friday, I take this opportunity to recognise and thank those who have been such an important part of that journey.

First, I sincerely thank our members for your enduring support of me and of Business SA. We are indeed a “broad church”. We have members represented in every sector of the economy and every industry. Our members range from micro businesses and young entrepreneurs to large corporates and not-for-profits.

It’s no surprise that a large proportion of our members are small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) because that reflects the vast majority of this state’s non-government sector. It’s one of our great privileges to represent such an important sector of our economy and one which employs so many South Australians.

We also recognise that small businesses are the heartland of our local communities. Nowhere is that clearer than in regional SA. We achieved the creation of a strong network of regional chambers which we have worked alongside for years to help country businesses and employers face substantial challenges ranging from infrastructure to skills.

I also acknowledge my colleagues who lead industry-specific associations and chambers. I’ve appreciated the comradery and mutual respect we developed over the years. When we rapidly mobilised into a powerful and highly-effective coalition to defeat a damaging bank tax, it sent a strong message that this state’s business and employer community demands and deserves the respect of proper consultation by governments on major policies.

It’s also been my privilege to advocate for a better future for our young people. I’ve been delighted to see the State Government embrace this through Skilling South Australia and I look forward to the increasing impact on numbers of new apprentices and trainees.

Alongside our multi-million-dollar annual media footprint, we’ve developed a strong rapport with, and respect for, the highly professional members of this state’s media.

My warmest thanks to our board (past and present) of passionate volunteers who care deeply about the future of this state.

Our brand is our people and it’s never been stronger because of the quality, integrity, commitment and work ethic of our team.

As I move into my next chapter of working across various industries in governance and strategic roles, I take considerable pride in what we have achieved together, and I look forward to seeing the many wins ahead.

However, I leave this thought. Picture a typical Aussie pub with a bunch of colleagues or mates buying rounds.

If you duck your round, you don’t carry your fair share, and it’s about as “un-Australian” as you can get.

I’ve lost count of the number of non-members and former members who have said ‘Nigel, of course we could be a member, but Business SA is going to fight for us anyway. We’ll still get the tax relief, workers compensation savings, less red tape, a fairer go on government procurement (and so on) whether we’re a member or not.”

And they’re absolutely right.

We are member-supported but our mission is to grow the economy by helping every single business and employer in the state become more successful.

Isn’t it time you ‘bought your round’ so that Business SA can be more effective in supporting the sustainable success of our business and employer community?

Become part of a rising tide that floats all boats. Cheers.
 
This article was originally published in the South Australian Business Journal on 14 May 2019.