The Sensis Small Business Index shows that the Hodgman Government is listening to the concerns of small business and working with the sector to grow the economy and create jobs.
Small businesses across the country were asked to rate their state or territory government, with the Hodgman Government given the highest rating of any jurisdiction in Australia, a rating that was more than double that of the second best government, and four times higher than it was under the previous Labor-Green government.
The Hodgman Government will always back Tasmania’s 37,000 small businesses because they are the engine room of our economy and our largest employer, with around 100,000 Tasmanians working for a small business.
The Hodgman Government has acted to streamline building and planning regulations, abolished water and sewerage headworks charges, introduced a local benefits test to make sure government tenders go to Tasmanian companies as often as possible and has worked with the tourism and hospitality sector to encourage more visitors to Tasmania.
We are working cooperatively with UTas and the Federal Government to fund new campus developments in Launceston and Burnie and we are working with council to fund the Devonport Living City project. Recently, we announced a $100 million stimulus package for Northern Tasmania that will drive investment and create more jobs.
We have also balanced the budget so that we can invest more into frontline services and vital job-supporting infrastructure.
This is a pro-business Government and this is the latest survey to confirm that, following on from the TCCI’s recent survey, which showed business confidence was increasing.
But there is always more that we can do. That’s why we will continue to work with the business sector to grow the economy and create jobs.