Business hoping for one outcome on election day

By Heidi Cooper

The Queensland election is just two days away and the state’s business community is heading to polling day without the critical policy commitments they need.  

Businesses are telling us election commitments from both major parties do not meet their business needs or expectations.  

Ahead of this campaign we heard from thousands of businesses across the state and identified close to 100 recommendations for the next State Government to deal with mounting pressures on business. 

Since then we’ve seen limited attempts from either party to address those issues.  

We have spoken with businesses across the state who tell us they are disappointed with current commitments from both parties.   

In fact, less than 10% of businesses we surveyed say they are satisfied with election commitments for business so far.   

The reality is, in this election campaign, the concerns of business have been dismissed and our critical business sector has been forgotten.   

When we ask businesses what they want to see from the next Queensland Government, the majority of businesses tell us they want reform to insurance affordability, taxation and regulatory burden and that operating cost relief would have a positive or very positive impact on their business. We also heard social issues like crime and housing were impacting businesses, alongside ongoing workforce constraints.  

There have been some attempts and we welcomed some commitments from both major parties, for example the LNP’s support for small businesses to manage the impact of crime, and the ALP’s energy bill relief for some businesses through a change to energy tariffs. But we’ve also seen interventionist policy from the ALP that does nothing to help businesses or our economy.  

Unfortunately, what we have seen in this campaign is the opportunity for tangible commitments and genuine policy reform for business has been missed, again. 

Without the critical policy commitments we have been calling for, there is a risk businesses won’t be able to continue in this current environment. We’re already hearing first-hand of businesses having to make tough decisions just to ensure they can keep their doors open, and maintain their commitment to their workforce.  

Businesses are too important to be forgotten. With over 480,000 businesses in Queensland who contribute billions in tax to the Queensland budget, businesses contribute significantly to local Queensland economies and communities and their needs cannot be dismissed.  

As we head to the polls this weekend, the business community will be hoping for one outcome – a business-friendly government that hears the voice of business and acts to improve Queensland’s current business environment.