Gathering evidence for a ministerial review
The challenge
The Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) ran a review into an existing scheme that offers financial assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who export goods and services out of Australia. Whilst recipients generally agreed the scheme was helpful, Austrade wanted to identify potential improvements.
The consultation needed to reach a diverse range of SMEs across different sectors and locations throughout Australia. Because of the endlessly varied nature of businesses using the export financial assistance scheme, the consultation needed to be tailored for as broad a reach as possible, with concise language, well-crafted questions and accessibility for stakeholders who might be running their businesses whilst trying to participate.
The approach
Austrade offered stakeholders the opportunity to share their views either online through Citizen Space or in face-to-face consultations conducted around Australia.
Citizen Space was already trusted by federal government and used by several federal departments, and had been used specifically for stakeholder reviews before. This track record meant Austrade could feel reassured the platform was suited to their particular needs.
The review was led by Anna Fisher, a small business owner in her own right, so Austrade added a personal touch to the consultation by embedding her photograph on the overview page and featuring a foreword she wrote, helping to build connection with SME owners participating in the consultation.
The results
The consultation received a good response rate, and the insights SME owners shared provided a wealth of data that informed next steps. The consultation responses highlighted that the scheme was valuable to those who used it, leading to the decision that it would continue with some small changes moving forward.
Because of the endlessly varied nature of the SMEs that used the export financial assistance scheme, the consultation needed to be tailored for as broad a reach as possible. That meant keeping the language concise and not too technical and getting the questions right. The review was being led by
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