Member for Burdekin, Dale Last MP, is calling on small businesses in the Burdekin to make their voices heard as the state government embarks on a project designed to unlock the growth potential of the vital sector.

Reducing red tape and providing an improved dispute resolution service are key elements of the Crisafulli’s government’s aim to ensure small business spends more time providing service to customers rather than servicing government.

“In the Burdekin district 97.3% of local businesses are small businesses,” Mr Last said.  “By supporting small and family business we not only support existing jobs and create new ones, but we also drive innovation.”

“The Premier has made it very clear that feedback from small and family business will form the basis of how we reduce red tape.  I think the fact that businesses will identify the improvement means we tackle the actual challenges rather than government claiming to have all the answers.”

Mr Last said that the Small Business Commissioner’s commitment to delivering on the government’s election commitments meant small and family businesses had an even stronger team supporting them.

“The Small Business Commissioner has a vital role in supporting small and family business both in helping them to grow and when they need assistance,” he said.  “Commissioner Lamb has an enviable track record when it comes to the retail sector, so her support of the government’s initiatives means we are on the right track.”

“As a government, one of our goals is to get government out of people’s way and one of the best ways to do that is to reduce unnecessary red tape.  We took a comprehensive plan for small and family business to the election, and we are delivering on that plan.”

“In communities like the Burdekin, the people behind small and family businesses are more than employers and business owners.  Ridding them of unnecessary red tape means they can spend more time with their families or supporting community and sporting groups, so it really is a win-win for the entire community.”

Mr Last said it was important to recognise that reducing red tape was only one of the government’s commitments when it came to supporting small and family business.

“This is the first step, but we recognise that we need to make it easier for small business to work with government when it comes to the delivery of goods and services.  Initiatives like our commitment to paying small businesses faster and reducing the size of contracts to allow more small business to work with government has the potential to supercharge the sector and that is great news for the Burdekin.”