QANDA: Will small businesses thrive under your elected candidate?

Small businesses play a vital role in the community, not only for securing jobs, but for ensuring locals have a voice in the area which they live, work, and play. Are our candidates committed to supporting local, small businesses?

Question: What are your policies that would support small businesses?

Current Sydney MP Clover Moore’s response:

Initiatives I have consistently worked to ensure Sydney is one the world’s most liveable cities and I support small business in our city centre and our villages.

I advocate for world-class public transport that provides easy access to retail, services, jobs and cultural and recreational activities; public domain improvements to make village centres safer and more attractive; action to attract world class events to Sydney with positive benefits for local economies; ongoing engagement between the City and small business; programs to support and help small business, including encouraging unique businesses into underused areas of the city centre and reform to payroll tax, which currently provides a disincentive to hiring staff and favours businesses that franchise.

Liberal candidate Adrian Bartels’ response:

If elected, I will immediately convene a Small Business Advisory Group consisting of local chambers of commerce, a small business advocate, economist, and residents’ groups to provide small business with a local and effective voice. Retail diversity is essential for creating and sustaining the unique character of strip retail.

The Small Business Advisory Group will work closely with the State Government and the Sydney City Council to resolve specific problems that small businesses face when dealing with state and council bureaucracies. The Group will also systematically review existing laws and regulations and recommend changes that would reduce “red-tape” and improve business conditions.

I want to re-energise small business. I want Sydney’s small businesses to grow and flourish – to employ more people, to serve more customers and to become more prosperous.

Greens candidate De Brierley Newton’s response:

Small businesses are the backbone of the main street in any community.  Unlike giant corporations, they reinvest their profits in the local community and support the council rate base. We want to change the Trade Practices Act that allows the price cutting wars large businesses engage in and small retailers have little chance of winning and strengthen the anti-competitive legislation. We are committed to ending the duopoly of Coles and Woolworths with their liquor, deli, poker machine and petrol arms and prevent them from setting up shop near local businesses and killing them off. We also want fairer, faster more competitive access to finance for small businesses with incentives to be more energy efficient so that they can be more competitive.

Labor candidate Sacha Blumen’s response:

Small and medium businesses employ more than two million people in NSW. I support a thriving and profitable inner-city economy providing services and jobs.

Governments can help the growing small business sector by reducing red tape and charges, and taking business needs into account when making decisions. Small business owners have said to me that the current lord mayor and MP does not listen – parking, trading hours – and I would talk directly with local small business owners to ensure the state government understands their needs.

The NSW Labor Government has cut payroll tax to 5.45% from the start of this year, and increased the payroll tax threshold from 1 July 2010. We believe in a vibrant market economy.

If you have a question for the Sydney candidates, email citynews@alternativemediagroup.com