Australian Government doesn't understand startups, gov responds

I know it's at a different scale, but I'd be interested to know what Australian HNers think of the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme: <a href="http://www.deewr.gov.au/Employment/JSA/EmploymentServices/Pages/NEIS.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://www.deewr.gov.au/Employment/JSA/EmploymentServices/Pa...</a><p>(In short: program runs via Centrelink to give 13 weeks small business training then 52 weeks of income support allowance while you start a business. Available to anyone who would otherwise be eligible for an unemployment allowance.)<p>I'm told the business training is very simplistic, but from what I understand they will accept people looking to start any business.<p>Getting just enough to scrape by for 12 months while focusing on your business seems like a good opportunity to me.

Good work,<p>I came to the same conclusion after 4 years of trying to get traction with my startup in Australia. The Australian government has futile support for tech innovation, which is a major failing considering our talent and adoption of technology is world-leading in some cases.<p>We need to be innovating as heavily as we can if we plan to have an economy post-mining boom. Currently our talent disappears overseas where they are respected and appreciated, whereas they could be doing miraculous things in Oz instead. You look at the buzz of energy and productivity in Silicon Valley and realise that just a couple of skilled people can create jobs for hundreds and boost the economy.<p>My own experience - I wrote to the then Tourism Minister, Fran Bailey, explaining that Australia needed to innovate its tourism marketing or perish, and that I had an innovative solution ready to go. The response was "Sorry, we can't help you." And today, after one failed marketing campaign after another, Tourism Australia has come around to the idea I put forward - get tourists to spread the word themselves (see <a href="http://www.nothinglikeaustralia.com.au" rel="nofollow">http://www.nothinglikeaustralia.com.au</a>)<p>Therein lies the value of innovation - several failed multi-million dollar marketing campaigns VS a lean startup reaching the same conclusion and offering the same solution.<p>I injected all of my time and money into the venture, but didn't have the necessary support to make it a genuine business operation.<p>I have lost patience with this government, but I haven't given up with startup ventures, I just won't depend on our govt to achieve success.

Agreed that Govt. here is clueless, but I'd appreciate you not lobbying for them to take more of my money to give to your startup.

&#62;However the government, culture and venture capital industry in Australia are still far behind. Few grant programs exist<p>Are you really suggesting the reason they don't "get it" is that the government tit isn't big enough to help you bootstrap your for-profit enterprise? If I was an Australian, I'd be offended.

The current Australian government doesn't understand economics either. A mentality of take from businesses and give to the poor. They might realize one day that if they provided more for small businesses, there would be more jobs and hence less poor.