Small Business Commissioner listens to shire’s concerns

ON Tuesday, July 15, Small Business Commissioner Lynda McAlary-Smith joined business leaders and advisors from the Murrindindi Shire to hear about local business conditions and associated issues in the shire.

The meeting was held a day before the official signing of the Small Business Friendly Charter when Murrindindi Shire Council officially became a Small Business Friendly Council.

The round table discussion, held at Elli & Ivy in Alexandra, provided a relaxed atmosphere for the discussion on the various challenges small businesses are facing in the Murrindindi Shire.

The topics discussed included compliance and taxes including land tax, the Emegency Services and Volunteers Fund Levy (ESVF), the importance of deer being reclassified as a pest species instead of a game species, the wild dog problem, the cost of living, business licencing, WorkSafe processes and costs, connectivity challenges including slow internet during peak periods when tap-and-go is most used, the loss of post offices in Murrindindi Shire, farmers losing money due to drought de-stocking, tourism challenges, empty shops, the challenges of employing key workers and clinical staff, and mental health challenges.

A further issue was the reduction in bank services, including the upcoming closure of the Alexandra agency of Bendigo Bank. There will be challenges in obtaining cash, and the importance of businesses being able to carry a float.

If people need to travel outside the shire to obtain banking services, funds may also be lost to the shire if they decide to do their shopping at the same time.

Mayor Damien Gallagher also spoke of the recent challenges in the shire which are having an impact on small business, including recent flood events, the Flowerdale fire in February 2023, the end of the native timber harvesting industry, the impact of various weather events on farming, as well as Land Tax and the ESVF.

A similar session was held on the following day prior to the singing of the..

Image: Murrindindi Shire Council CEO Livia Bonazzi, Small Business Commissioner Lynda McAlary-Smith, and Mayor Damien Gallagher as Murrindindi Shire Council formally signs on to the Small Business Friendly Charter.