Govt sets up digital task force for small business

The federal government has set up a task force to help Australian small businesses adopt digital technologies and operate more efficiently.

Led by Australian businessman Mark Bouris, the government has also appointed Suncorp head of innovation and former Microsoft Australia MD Pip Marlow to the task force, along with NAB institutional banker Spiro Pappas.

Su McClusky, who chairs Energy Renaissance, and managing director of consultancy BGA Digital and former chief executive of Tyro Payments, Gerd Schenkel, will also join the task force.

Small businesses form the mainstay of Australia's economy and employ 5.6 million people - half the country's workforce - but many do not take advantage of digital economy opportunities, the government said.

“When a business begins to digitise and use digital tools, it opens up new opportunities to grow, diversify revenue streams, find talent, access finance, work smarter and enhance the value of the business when it is time to sell. If you’re not going digital, you should be," Bouris said in a statement.

Over the coming months, the task force will meet with small businesses and hold workshops and hackathons to explore how to address impediments for engaging with digital technologies.

The task force is expected to report its findings to the government by February 28 next year.