The State Government says the culture of business in Queensland needs to change to take advantage of opportunities online.

The Information Technology Minister, Ian Walker, is launching the Digital Economy Strategy in Bundaberg today.

Mr Walker says the strategy will provide training to businesses to grow their online presence, as well as access to government data and more government services online.

He says Queensland’s businesses need to change if they want to remain competitive on the world stage.

“Their competitor is not the T-Shirt shop in the next suburb, their competitor is the T-shirt shop in San Francisco or in Moscow or in Johannesburg,” he said.

“It will be an international economy, no use saying it shouldn’t be that way, that is the way it’s going to be and we have to adapt and join and beat them at their own games.”

Mr Walker says industry will need to embrace the digital economy or risk missing out.

“They are part of a much, much larger and competitive economy and having a good indication that they’ve switched on to that, that they’re doing something about it, that they’re getting training in the business principles and the methods necessary to make sure that they make the most of an online presence,” he said.

“I’ve got every confidence that our small business people are well and truly up to that and will be doing that quick smart.”