Belief injecting taxpayer dollars into venture capital - has a high risk

The Government's putting 100 million dollars into the Elevate fund - which supports small business start-ups.

It's diverting 61 million dollars from its yearly Super Fund contribution, topped up with 39 million dollars from the Budget.

The Taxpayers Union's James Ross says commercially viable businesses wouldn't need propping up.

He says the fact the Government's having to do so - proves how high-risk these investments are, and demonstrates the risk it's exposing taxpayers to.