The South Australian Business Chamber, South Australia’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry has released a suite of 15 recommendations for the State Government to consider ahead of the 2023/2024 State Budget.
The South Australian Business Chamber CEO Andrew Kay says this is an opportune time for the State Government to craft a budget that continues to strengthen business confidence in SA, while recognising the pressure South Australia’s business community is under given inflation, a shortage of skilled labour and rapidly rising wage and energy costs.
“We want to see South Australia continue to build on its profile as a great place to do business.
“Despite economic challenges, business conditions continue to improve, and business confidence remains above the national average according to the most recent the South Australian Business Chamber William Buck Survey of Business Expectations.
“There was very little for businesses in the Federal Budget. We are now looking to the state to fund some practical and innovative measures to support South Australian businesses as they navigate complex economic circumstances.”
The recommendations submitted to the government in March are themed under the following categories:
- Global promotion of Adelaide and South Australia
- Skills, labour, and migration
- Energy efficiency and sustainability
- Sovereign capability, defence industries, and AUKUS
- Work health and safety
- Payroll tax
Specific recommendations:
- Sponsor an exhibition by world-renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly;
- Conduct a feasibility study on Adelaide’s potential hosting of the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP);
- Reinvigorate Adelaide’s Sister City programs to spark genuine transfer of knowledge, skills and trade between cities;
- Introduce a State Government-funded, paid internship program to encourage university graduates to start their careers in South Australia;
- Create a program to connect overseas migrants with prospective South Australian employers;
- Roll out an awareness campaign about the benefits of the Temporary Graduate – Post Study Work Visa;
- Subsidise a portion of skilled migrants’ visa fees to attract them to South Australia;
- Establish a fund providing micro-grants for businesses to conduct energy audits and invest in generating and storing renewable energy;
- Introduce a Circular Economy Procurement Fund to promote and drive the transition from a linear to a circular economy;
- Introduce an all-electric and/or hydrogen public transport fleet with supporting infrastructure;
- Introduce a program to build a South Australian small business eco-system to ensure our SMEs are defence ready;
- Ensure the Return to Work Scheme average premium rate will not rise above 1.9%;
- SafeWork SA must be adequately resourced to effectively administer the Work Health and Safety Act 2012& deliver the outcomes expected in the Australian Work Health Safety Strategy 2023 – 2033 and recommendations of the Independent Review of SafeWork SA 2022;
- Lift the payroll tax threshold;
- Encourage business development and investment in regional South Australia by introducing a 50% payroll tax discount.
“We appreciate this budget comes during a time of economic recovery from COVID-19 and the River Murray flood disaster, so we have endeavoured to supply recommendations providing maximum impact for South Australia without great cost to the State Government,” Mr Kay added
The full submission with detail on every recommendation can be downloaded here.
MEDIA CONTACT
Anthony Caldwell, Manager – Marketing, Media, Communications
Phone – 0421 508 075
Email – anthony.caldwell@business-sa.com
