During June the Stephen Cartwright, CEO of NSW Business Chamber, visited the Maitland Business Chamber to discuss the national campaign championing the voice of local small business.
Called “Small Business ‚Äì Too Big To Ignore”, the campaign is a collaborative approach from Chambers around Australia.
Its purpose is to unite businesses in order to shape the Federal political agenda, by having business speak with one voice.
Stephen stated during his presentation that the intention of the NSW Business Chamber is to be apolitical in their approach.
“We fight without fear or favour and our role is not to take sides politically ‚Äì but that doesn't mean we're not forceful in our approach,” Stephen said.
“We stand up for our members and their concerns and what we've seen in the past is a blatant disregard for the needs of small business.”
“There are two million small businesses in Australia, employing more than seven million people making this sector a fundamentally important element of how our economy operates.”
The national campaign asks small business owners to sign up to the website and add their voice to the online community.
In the vein of speaking with one voice, the Chambers have identified “The Big 4 You Can't Ignore”, which are the main issues that have been identified by small business across Australia. They are as follows:
- Red Tape
- Tax System
- Employing People
- Infrastructure
Maitland Business Chamber is a part of this national campaign and is keen to hear from local business owners about their experiences and concerns.
