4 September 2018
Business SA welcomes the South Australian Liberal Government’s first budget and commitment to reduce costs for businesses, including payroll, land tax and emergency services levy cuts, while spending to create economic and business growth.
Long-awaited infrastructure spending on regional roads, including the Penola bypass, Joy Baluch Bridge duplication and adding sections to the South Road upgrade is also a positive step to improve operating conditions for South Australian businesses in both the city and regional areas.
Business SA Chief Executive Nigel McBride said other initiatives, including spending $12.8 million over four years to establish new overseas trade offices in the US, Japan, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates, along with a stand-alone business investment office in Shanghai, would help South Australian businesses compete on a more level playing field when promoting their products and services on the global stage.
“We welcome genuine cost relief for small employers who are the backbone of so many of our communities and responsible for employing tens of thousands of South Australians,” Mr McBride said.
“A combination of payroll tax relief, land tax reform and lower emergency services levies will help South Australian small businesses create that extra job and find room for a new apprentice or trainee.”
Mr McBride said the State Government should be praised for beginning to reform a public sector, which by any benchmark, remains the largest and most expensive in mainland Australia.
“Including superannuation costs, the state will this year spend more than $9.6 billion on public sector payroll costs – it’s largest expense - which is about 90 per cent of every dollar received from the Commonwealth, including GST,” he said.
Mr McBride praised the government for its commitment to create more than 20,000 new apprenticeship and traineeship places, after those figures recently dipped to dangerously low levels.
In our recent biennial Regional Voice Survey, the number one issue facing businesses was exorbitant electricity costs. Business SA has called on the government to continue with previous Electricity Productivity Program created by the former State Government, which has assisted businesses reduce their electricity costs.
We welcome the increased funding for events and a bid fund, which are essential to our growing visitor economy, and we support the substantial investment being made by the government.
To arrange an interview for further information, please call Verity Edwards on 0412 678 942.