Regional Victorian businesses under pressure

REPRESENTATIVES from Wodonga, the Pyrenees, Warrnambool and around the state gathered in Ballarat last week for a Victorian Regional Chamber Alliance meeting.

Held at GovHub, the alliance released the business health survey report which includes data collected from members throughout rural and regional Victoria.

Survey results were compiled and analysed to help legislative bodies and relevant industry understand current challenges facing businesses.

Findings revealed the main challenges are operational costs and low customer spending.

More than 23 per cent of respondents said they were not earning a living wage while more than 18 per cent were only doing so sometimes.

“More than 40 per cent of small to medium businesses are not paying themselves a wage on a regular basis and that is extremely concerning,” Victorian Regional Chamber Alliance chair Jodie Gillett said.

“We’ve had this knowledge for a while, but still you see it printed out there it’s very confronting.”

Sixty-four per cent of respondents said they were unable to regularly achieve work-life balance.

“That’s why we are seeing so many businesses for sale,” Ms Gillett said.

“These are families, and they deserve to have a work-life balance as everyone does.”

When asked what could be changed to make business easier, the most common response was tax reform with liquor tax, ESVF Levy, land tax, fuel excise, payroll tax and BAS payments repeatedly mentioned.

“We need government to be looking at how do we make doing business cheaper and easier,” Ms Gillett said. “It’s that simple.

“Over the last few years, we’ve seen many costs absolutely skyrocket.

“We’re seeing a lot of businesses leave the state and a lot of good businesspeople leave, sell their businesses, walk away because it’s too hard.”

Concern was also raised with red tape and compliance for small businesses, including wait times for permits and licensing.

“We need the government to not add any more levels of compliance,” she said.

“We’re looking at the work from home compliance; businesses need the flexibility to decide how they want their employees to work.

“If you get out of their way, the business community are incredibly innovative.”

The alliance will now use the results to develop their priorities for next year’s State Government election.

The Victorian Regional Chamber Alliance is the collective voice for regional chambers of commerce and business associations.

It’s aim is to create a vibrant, healthy and connected regional Victoria.