List of Recommendations

Recommendation 1

3.87

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government establish a digital grants program for small business. The program should provide small businesses with grants to assist them take advantage of digital economy opportunities such as online retail. Grants should be small-scale and the businesses should be required to provide matched funding and demonstrate how the grant would increase their capacity to take advantage of digital economy opportunities.

Recommendation 2

4.68

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government establish a digital retraining fund. The fund should provide a small, means tested, subsidy to Australian workers to undertake training to improve their competency in digital skills that will assist them to find or maintain employment in the future.

Recommendation 3

4.69

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government fund the development of the nation’s forecasting capability for future digital skills needs. The funding should be provided on the condition that research findings are shared with Australia’s education sector and also communicated as widely as possible with the Australian business sector.

Recommendation 4

5.96

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government should consider future reform of competition law in light of the potential impact of digital retail platforms, taking into account the way major tech firms collect, use and monetize data in possibly anti-competitive ways.

Recommendation 5

5.97

The Committee recommends that the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, in partnership with relevant industry associations and educational institutions, develop education materials aimed at encouraging small business to participate in the digital economy. These materials should aim to:

Provide small business with relevant and accessible information on key emerging technologies and opportunities to collaborate with universities;

Assist small business to understand the potential risks and benefits of using digital platforms and how to access and use the data created when using digital platforms;

Assist small businesses to protect their data through improvements to cybersecurity technologies and processes; and

Promote the examples of diverse Australian companies who have grown their business through successful digital engagement.

Recommendation 6

5.98

The Committee recommends that the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science ensure that legislative and regulatory changes to industry policy keep the following principles in mind:

Digital platforms should not engage in monopolistic or anti‑competitive practices;

Regulatory settings should not create loopholes or exemptions that provide internet-based companies a competitive advantage over Australian local businesses;

Australian consumers and businesses should be able to easily access data collected on them by digital platforms.

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