Campaign to boost small business extended

A CAMPAIGN to encourage Australians to back local small businesses by purchasing goods or services from them either in person or online will be extended into next year.

Last week, Minister for Employment, Workforce, Skills, Small and Family Business Stuart Robert said funding support for Go Local First, launched in July 2020, would run throughout 2021 and into next year to highlight the crucial role small business played in the nation’s economy.

“Australia’s 3.5 million small businesses are the heartbeat of their local communities and have been disproportionately affected by the COVID lockdowns. When these businesses thrive, their communities thrive and the national economy prospers,” Go Local First spokesperson Mark McKenzie said.

“This campaign is about urging Australians to Go Local First and buy from small businesses in their communities, to strengthen local economies and create local jobs.

“We are absolutely thrilled by Minister Robert’s announcement today which recognises the importance of small business in creating the jobs that power our economic recovery.”

He said the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting global economic downturn hit small businesses far harder than large businesses.

“The reality is small local businesses were less equipped to cope with lockdowns, and many of our small business are service-based, meaning they can’t shift to remote working. These small local businesses need Australians to get out there, spending and shopping locally,” Mr McKenzie said.

The campaign will build on the success achieved throughout 2020 in encouraging Australians to choose local small businesses when purchasing products and services to help support local jobs in every community around the country.

Research commissioned by COSBOA and conducted by the C|T Group shows Australians are spending more at small local businesses since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but volatile lockdowns and border closures have made for a sporadic recovery and therefore capacity to employ locals.

The research finds Australians see expediting our economic recovery and creating local jobs as the most important issues for the country, after managing the spread of the coronavirus.

COSBOA interim chief executive officer Alexi Boyd said small businesses accounted for just over a third of Australia’s GDP, and a full economic recovery would not be possible without small local businesses creating jobs for their communities.

“We want to see Australians out there going local first by supporting their local grocers, butchers, and accountants – while following any COVID guidelines – which in turn will allow them to employ locally and continue to be the fabric of their community,” Ms Boyd said.

“While 2020 showed us that Australians are ready and willing to support their small local businesses, we still need local communities to stand by them and support them in job creation as we emerge from Australia’s first recession in three decades.”

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia and the Australian Lottery and Newsagents’ Association have re-signed as ambassadors of the Go Local First campaign.