SHOW ME THE MONEY!

Local MP Implores State Government To Help Support Small Businesses

Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm MP is standing up for small businesses by urgently requesting that Queensland receives access to the same Small Business Support Program that is provided by New South Wales and Victorian State Governments.

“The State government has done very little to support small business that other states have already implemented,” said Ms Camm.

“There is no plan and small and family businesses have followed all of the rules jumped through the hoops and the goal posts continue to shift.”

A Fair Go For Small Businesses

While small businesses receive ongoing support in other states, it seems that Queensland has been left behind and the local self-employed sector here in the Whitsundays is calling for help before it is too late.

“We have complied, we have followed all of the health directives, but with consumer confidence low, people are not wanting to venture out due to fear of becoming unwell,” said a local café owner.

“We are not asking for a handout we are asking for a hand-up in what is a challenging time - we need an end to this situation; the goal posts need to stop changing. People are exhausted from the constant changes and unknowns”.

In New South Wales the Government are currently offering a Small Business Support Program that entitles all eligible businesses to receive 20 per cent of their weekly payroll back as a lump sum for the month of February.

Meanwhile in Queensland, local businesses receive no such assistance from the state government and a well-known local business advisor said that this could spell the end for some of our region’s strongest surviving businesses.

“It’s very much a struggle at the moment,” he said.

“The stronger operators are now at a point where they’re coming to a cliff that they thought they would have been at when Job Keeper ended – many only have six months left on the runway and the government support is the only reason they’ve been able to survive so long.”

Having assisted many local operators, the business advisor said that he has multiple sources that will confirm this.

“The ladders have been pulled up and it’s danger time!”

The demographic most effected is the tourism operators that had previously relied on international tourists and were unable to pivot.

“A small business support package would 100 per cent be life changing for these businesses – it would mean they could keep going for six months before international travel returns,” he said.

“Amanda Camm is on the money – these small businesses are going to be sacrificed if a payment doesn’t come through.”

Having listened to the plight of several small businesses herself, Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm MP is now lobbying for the state government to provide an immediate small business support package, in line with the other states.

“Small businesses, particularly in tourism and hospitality are reporting declines of up to 70% in revenue and many have had to make the hard decision to lay off staff or close their doors,” she said.

“On behalf of small business hospitality, we are calling on the state govt to release the package to ensure they survive these challenging times.”

Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm MP calls on state government to help small businesses

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