Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Monday, I launched the Lake Macquarie Business Excellence Awards. This is the fourth year of the awards, which are designed for businesses of all sizes, new businesses, small businesses and large businesses. The awards are not about popularity but about demonstrating excellence in business. The awards are conducted by Lake Macquarie's Business Growth Centre, and businesses can nominate for more than one category. The awards are supported by many businesses, which sponsor, donate prizes and partner the awards by providing in-kind services. In fact, I support these awards. The awards continue to receive the support of most of the Lake Macquarie business chambers, which are actively involved in the awards.

These awards enable businesses to look at how they operate and how they achieve. They have been very, very successful. The businesses that have won in the past have gone from strength to strength. The young business award winner and the business of the year award winner last year have seen their businesses growing exponentially. I encourage businesses to take the opportunity to enter the awards, to enter in more than one category, and to use the opportunity to examine their business.