Helping hand offered

Responding to local business owners who gathered at a Swan Chamber of Commerce forum, Pearce MHR Christian Porter and Mr Billson heard that many were going through difficult times.

Mr Porter said he believed the Government had made some significant reforms in its first year of office to benefit small business.

He mentioned the repeal of the carbon tax, the abolition of the mining tax, changes to record keeping and university funding and a free trade agreement with Korea and Japan, which would benefit local business owners in the City of Swan.

Midland retailer Eddie Peters continued his push for the $1000 threshold on the GST for imported items to be lowered.

However, Mr Billson said there were many areas in small business that needed reform.

‘These include cutting taxes, reducing red tape, improving the operating environment for small business and making it easier for small business to engage with government,’ he said.

‘We want to ensure effective competition and help small business access finance, government contracts and better support these areas of industry.’.

To this end, he said he was announcing a new $18 million fund which would be used to improve business advisory services available to small business owners.

Mr Billson said the funding aimed to improve the accessibility, volume and quality of low cost business advisory services.

Individual grants of up to $200,000 per year are available to applicants to assist them over the next three years.

Mr Porter said there were five main areas of funding assistance for business owners.

These included funding avenues and financial analysis, building your business, making the most of your talent and team, management capabilities and digital engagement implementation.

Swan Chamber Secretary Sandra Wallis said she was delighted to host both men at the forum.

Details about the small business assistance can be obtained from Mr Billson’s parliamentary website at www.brucebillson.com.au.