Federal Member for Mallee, Andrew Broad, has outlined plans to continue business growth in Stawell, during his Dare to Dream tour of the region on Wednesday.
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Mr Broad hosted several business operators, tourism operators and representatives from the Northern Grampians Shire Council and Central Grampians Local Learning Employment Network at a business breakfast in Stawell.
He said the key to growth in any community is having a stable government that offers support to businesses, particularly those in regional areas.
“The strength of the economy is actually dependent upon the business community and personal endeavour,” he said.
“We create frameworks of course around security, around taxation, but if you look at countries that have prosperity, it is because they’ve got stable governments that allow businesses to get on and get up every day and do what they do, employ people, plant crops and harvest crops.
“It is vitally important that people in government such as myself have this dialogue with business operators and community leaders,” Mr Broad said.
“The key really is, if we can get out of your way and get out of your pockets, that ultimately creates better societies and creates wealth.”
Mr Broad presented a report on government expenditure against income and said the results were alarming. Of particular concern is that social security and welfare make up about a third of the overall government expenditure.
“The challenge for us is to turn that around and ensure that we move people from being tax recipients, to tax payers,” Mr Broad said.
StawellBiz chairman and owner of Waack’s Bakery, Chris Waack, said it was also important that the government made some tough decisions and worked hard to assist businesses to grow.
“The government has to put more emphasis on getting business owners to enjoy their business more and grow their business,” he said.
“If a business can grow, it creates more employment opportunities in the town.
“That’s what we need to be encouraging, not adding any extra burdens on our small businesses.”