Australia’s largest voice for Small Business, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, today launched its campaign to coincide with the upcoming Federal Election.
The “Small Business is a Big Deal” campaign highlights that:
- Five million Australians work in Small Business
- 98% of Australian businesses are small businesses
- Small businesses employ a third of young working Australians and 40% of apprentices
“We have been listening to the small business community and they have told us what they want from the next Federal Government,” Australian Chamber CEO, James Pearson, said.
The campaign calls on the next Federal Government to address three key issues:
1. Workplace Relations: Help employers and employees work better together
- Ensure our workplace laws work for small businesses and their employees, with simpler rules to make it easier to create jobs and run businesses well
2. Energy: Deliver affordable, reliable energy with lower emissions
- Encourage more investment and more competition so the price of power comes down and stays down, while ensuring the lights stay on and emissions come down
3. Skills: Stop the collapse in skills
- Invest more in vocational education and training so in three years there are 350,000 more students being funded
Mr Pearson said the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry network will see the campaign reach into every community through state and territory chambers, national and state industry associations, and local chambers and industry association members.
“Our members represent over 300,000 businesses employing millions of people across the country, in every sector of the economy,” Mr Pearson said.
“This is your newsagent, your butcher, your pharmacist, your dentist, and your local cafe.
“These are the truckies that deliver groceries to your local supermarket, the sparkies that fix your lights, the mechanics that fix your car and the builders that renovate your home.
“These are the men and women running small businesses that give young Australians their first job and train apprentices for rewarding careers.
“This is Small Business – and it is a big deal.”
