Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor visits Southbank
Southbank received a visit from the Australian Federal Opposition Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor last month, who participated in a Small Business Roundtable hosted by the Liberal Party’s new candidate for Macnamara Benson Saulo.
Mr Saulo and Mr Taylor hosted a roundtable discussion at PJ O’Brien’s at Southgate on September 26 with business and traders' associations to gain a deeper understanding of the key issues impacting small business across Macnamara.
Business and traders' associations represented at the roundtable included groups from St Kilda, Elsternwick, South Melbourne and Southbank’s Yarra River Business Association, along with small business owners.
"While diverse in location there was a common theme of crime, antisocial behaviours and cost-of-living pressures impacting sales and foot traffic across each member-based association," Mr Saulo told Southbank News.
In recent months, Mr Saulo who has been meeting with businesses across the electorate, said that "the roundtable was a great opportunity to understand the economic impacts on the ground for businesses. It is no surprise that cost-of-living pressures isn't just impacting household and families, it directly impacts small businesses trying to stay afloat."
Mr Taylor acknowledged that small business insolvencies in Victoria were among the highest in the country.
The Shadow Treasurer's message at the roundtable was about getting back to basics and addressing the impediments to small business including bring down tax and getting rid of red tape.
Mr Taylor said small business, cost-of-living and housing will be among the key issues at the next election. •