Charlotte Varcoe
SMALL businesses had their opportunities to discuss concerns with the Federal Opposition as Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor met with the Chamber of Commerce and Member for Barker Tony Pasin earlier this week.
Issues such as energy prices, housing and skill shortages were among the main topics of discussion alongside NBN connectivity and mobile phone coverage.
Chamber of Commerce president Candice Fennell said it was wonderful and great to have Mr Taylor and Mr Pasin meet with not only chamber members but also other business representatives.
“We are finding there is a cross section of businesses that are not chamber businesses who are interested,” Ms Fennell said.
“The focus on small businesses is straight up there and it is always welcome to have federal members come down to talk to small businesses.
“We have a wish and desire to have representation on all levels of government here in our region and this is no different.”
Ms Fennell said the NBN rollout and mobile phone coverage were among the main concerns for small businesses with a number of areas still “not properly connected”.
“There is still a level of comfort in the business community and there are a lot of new businesses opening up as well as shifting of business locations,” she said.
“But the most promising thing we are seeing at the moment is the occupancy rates at the moment, there are a lot of shops in the main street and at Mount Gambier Central and the Mount Gambier Marketplace.”
She said there was a good mix of new businesses opening and franchises which was positive with a positive expectation of future tourism.
Mr Taylor told The Border Watch it was “wonderful” to hear from small businesses and the issues they were facing.
“Worker shortages, housing shortages, cost pressures and inflation was top of the list and policies to get more Australians into work, more houses on the market and make sure we have the skills we need in the workforce immediately seemed important,” Mr Taylor said.
“That is our focus and you would not typically think housing shortages in a regional area were top of the list but it clearly is and that is a good thing because it means businesses want to expand and need people to do that.”
Mr Taylor said he would now have the issues raised as a “real focus” for both the Government and the Opposition.
“We need to take policies to the next election and continue to work on policies we have already announced to give regions like this the most opportunities they can get and small businesses have to be at the heart of that,” he said.
“Regions like this succeed if small businesses succeed.”
