Whirlwind visit from Shadow Treasurer

Angus Taylor meets with local government officials & the business community

Federal Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor enjoyed a whirlwind visit to the region last week, meeting with business and community leaders in what could be described as a listening tour.

Staffing small business and housing availability dominated the conversation with many of the leaders who had the ear of the Shadow Treasurer, with energy prices and policy concerns, including calls to extend instant asset write off relief and a revisiting of the newly adopted 60-day dispensing policy.

The raft of informal meetings gave Mr Taylor, who was hosted and accompanied by Member for Barker Tony Pasin, a snapshot of the Limestone Coast and the concerns of its community.

Limestone Coast Local Government Association president said meeting with the Shadow Treasurer gave local government leaders from across the region a chance to discuss the important role small business plays in our economy and the need to build stronger, more resilient communities, particularly in the
present economic climate.

“The challenges in adequately staffing business was discussed and we explored the opportunity to have better connections between school students and what careers are available in industry, particularly locally with the timber industry for example, so that we retain our youth,” Mayor Martin said.

Housing availability was also discussed at length with a variety of challenges facing each area of the Limestone Coast.

“We acknowledged that the challenges in Mount Gambier are different to those in Bordertown and Naracoorte for example,” Mayor Martin said. “It was noted that current government policy is a deterrent to people having rental properties and this exacerbates the shortage of housing availability.”

A visit to Noel Barr Toyota instigated the discussion around the instant asset write off and accelerated depreciation arrangements and calls for the program to be extended past 30 June for small businesses who have placed orders for plant and equipment but will not take delivery prior to this date.

“…we explored the opportunity to have better connections between school students and what careers
are available in industry, particularly locally with the timber industry for example, so that we retain
our youth…” Lynette Martin (Limestone Coast Local Government Association president

Mr Pasin said substantial delays in production of vehicles, tractors and other equipment as a result of the pandemic are continuing, exacerbated by Australian quarantine arrangements with many assets held up in customs.

“Many small businesses made these investment decisions many months ago, in some cases over
12 months, on the assumption that they could take advantage of the Federal Government’s expanded instant asset write off arrangements,” Mr Pasin said.

“These small businesses assumed that they would take delivery of purchases prior to June 30 and circumstances beyond their control means they now will not.

“The Labor Government’s decision not to continue the expanded instant asset write off and accelerated depreciation arrangements is one thing, but the Whirlwind visit from Shadow Treasurer small businesses who entered into purchase agreements based on an understanding that they would be taking advantage of these arrangements need to be cut some slack.”

Mr Barr supported those calls.

“I don’t think anyone anticipated the continued delays that are being experienced and for our small business customers who placed orders months ago, making investment decisions based on these tax arrangements and expecting to take delivery this financial year, it’s unfortunate because it’s completely out of anyone’s control,” he said.

Concerns regarding the Federal Labor Government’s 60-day dispensing policy were also on the agenda with Mr Pasin and the Shadow Treasurer visiting UFS Chemist.

The policy, due to come into effect from September 1 this year, will result in financial losses to each
community pharmacy due to the loss in dispensing revenues for scripts the loss in other retail sales caused by the reduced number of visits to pharmacies.

Mr Taylor said the Federal Government had failed to understand the wider implications of their policy.

“The Coalition has been listening to the genuine concerns of community pharmacists regarding the Albanese Government’s new 60 day dispensing policy,” Mr Taylor said. “We don’t want to see medication supply shortages, reduced access to healthcare in our regions or community pharmacies closing their doors as a result of Labor’s actions.”

Mr Pasin said he was concerned that important services offered to some of the most vulnerable
members of the community by pharmacies would be lost or diminished as a result of the ill thought out policy.

“Pharmacists play an integral role in the provision of primary healthcare in Australia, particularly in regional Australia.”

1. Member for Barker Tony Pasin; Noel Barr & Federal Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor
2. Mark De Garis & Peter De Garis
3. Karen & Mark Forster
4. Noel Barr, Ian Attiwill, Sue & Peter Charlton & Roger Babolka