News
Koutsantonis – “It’s not the Government's job to make businesses succeed.” |
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Small businesses in South Australia have been left high and dry by Labor.
In Budget Estimates today Small Business Minister Tom Koutsantonis justified Labor’s $1.35 million cut to the State’s nine Business Enterprise Centres (BECs) saying:
“It’s not the Government's job to make businesses succeed.”
BECs receive 70,000 phone calls each year and provide invaluable support and advice to South Australian small businesses.
The Minister also said today that he was “proud” of Labor’s tax regime despite South Australia holding the title of highest taxed state in the nation.
As the Shadow Small Business Minister I beleive Labor has lost touch with the small business community.
Small businesses are the back bone of the economy, making up 96 per cent of all private sector business yet Minister Koutsantonis says he makes “no apology” for the funding cuts to BECs.
South Australian small businesses are under fire from Labor, suffering from both an onerous tax regime and huge budget cuts.
Minister Koutsantonis has this one wrong – it is the role of government to support small business – Labor just isn’t doing it.
This Labor Government has abandoned small business in South Australia and our economy will continue to suffer as a result.