Sunshine Coast small business leaders have voiced their concerns in the cost of living crisis following a wake of business closures in the region.
Fairfax MP Ted O’Brien and Shadow Minister for small business Jacinta Nampijinpa Price met with 40 businesses leaders at the Maroochy RSL on April 21 to discuss the key issues facing the hospitality sector.
“Today allows an opportunity for the sector to come together after multiple engagements, through surveys, submissions made to my office, as well as visits to the business community,” Mr O’Brien said.
“We showed the findings, and then sought their advice to prioritise what they want to see done.
“The small business and hospitality sector is a priority for the coalition.”
In only the past few months, the Sunshine Coast has seen the closure of several iconic Sunshine Coast businesses like Terrella Brewing, Solbar and The Station.
Terrella Brewing announced their closure on social media after they could not continue “carrying the weight that's been put on us”, and that the “council [had] finally broken us”.
Council CEO John Baker detailed a history of communication following Terella Brewing’s closure, claiming the business had significantly expanded beyond its lawful permissions.
Solbar co-owners Alex Johns blamed the ‘simple economics’ of rising costs and dwindling food and beverage sales for their tough decision to close.
The iconic venue’s closure has revealed debts exceeding $200,000.
Owner of The Station, Chris Hignett, said gigs were at “50 per cent of where they need them”.
Liquidation documents revealed The Station owed creditors six-figure debt.
Mr O’Brien said the main problem impacting small business on the Sunshine Coast was related to rising costs and transport, with owners feeling like “everything was hitting them at once”.
“Everything is going up from rents to utility charges, to insurance premiums,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Secondly, they’re concerned that we don’t have sufficient transport options, and when people want to go out they can’t get home.
“Problems of changes at the federal level are also coming in too quickly without sufficient time for these guys to get things sorted such as surcharge changes, changes in the award system and pay rates.”
Ms Price also agreed transport was one of the main issues impacting the small business sector on the Sunshine Coast.
“They want the safety of being able to know that they’re going to be able to get home, if they choose to want to drink when they do go out,” Ms Price said.
“That also restricts those who are seeking to invest in these businesses, as well, in this part of the country.
“We need to make sure that the infrastructure is in place to enable that.”
Mr O’Brien also said the government needed to do “everything we can” to ensure business were not left with significant tax debts.
“Everything is becoming too expensive, and the government’s response today has been to create a bigger government,” Mr O’Brien said.
“A a bigger government only pushes away the private sector, it makes it even harder for businesses to survive.
“So the number one priority of government has got to be to deal with the root cause of these problems.”
He also said there needs to be a cultural change surrounding small businesses.
“A lot of these businesses feel as though they keep getting a no.
“We need them to get to a, yes.
“It requires a three tiers of government to work collectively to say ‘this sector matters’, and for here on the Sunshine Coast, in particular, it matters a lot”
