Fighting for Local Businesses

Small business is the lifeblood of the Sunshine Coast. From early morning cafés to tradies wrapping up at sunset, local operators are backing themselves and supporting our community every day.

For many locals, small business is where the first job starts. It is what keeps community sport going and brings people together. Small business is not just part of the economy here, it is part of who we are.

But the system is not working.

We have seen record small business failures in recent years, with more than 41,000 closures since 2022.

Rules built for big corporations are being forced onto family businesses, sole traders and start ups. Red tape keeps growing, making it harder for locals to compete and succeed.

You should not need a legal or compliance team just to run a café, a trade or a small online business.

That is why we are pushing for a fair go.

As part of this, the Liberal–National Coalition will increase the instant asset write-off to $50,000, helping small businesses invest, grow and create local jobs.

We also want a new Small Business Act that reflects the reality of running a business on the Sunshine Coast and across Australia, including:

• One clear definition of small business in federal law
• The right to be paid, with faster payment times from big business and government
• The right to be heard, so every new law considers small business impacts
• The right to bid, with more government contracts going to small businesses

When small business thrives, the Sunshine Coast thrives.

Large corporations can afford lobbyists and complex systems. Local businesses cannot and should not have to.

This is about backing locals, strengthening competition and giving small businesses a real chance to succeed.

Now we want to hear from you.

Have your say in our survey and help shape a fairer future for small business.