Wednesday, 2 August 2023

Bass electorate small business support

Jordan CRUGNALE (Bass) (19:04): (262) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Small Business, and the action I seek is that the minister join me in my electorate of Bass to meet and speak with small businesses and be part of a round table with Koo Wee Rup and Lang Lang traders. As the minister knows, 98 per cent of all businesses in Victoria are small businesses. While they may be small, these businesses are at the heart of our local communities, so often supporting all things local, from community groups to sporting clubs, donating raffle prizes to schools and kinders and providing such a welcoming and friendly service as well. We have amazing and hardworking businesses and tourism and trader groups right across the area, bringing people together, working as a collective, networking, supporting each other and visioning and activating their main streets and towns.

From Pearcedale to Tooradin, Koo Wee Rup traders, Lang Lang District Business and Community Group, Grantville Business and Community Association, San Remo to Wonthaggi, the Phillip Island Business Network and across to the reinvigorated Inverloch Tourism Association, so many of our small businesses are also represented at our local markets, which are a much-loved focal point of our towns. They win awards and accolades aplenty for their exquisite local produce and products, including most recently the fiercely independent Howler brewery in Lang Lang, who out of 2800 entries from 21 countries claimed four silver medals for all four beers they entered at the Melbourne Royal Australian International Beer Awards. Paul the Pieman from Inverloch, at Australia’s Best Pie and Pastie Competition, received 10 awards: one gold, seven silver and two bronze. I totally recommend the Mediterranean vegetable pie alongside a winning Howler beer. All are keen to explore our business support opportunities and other avenues, including the Tiny Towns Fund recently announced in the budget. We back our small businesses in so many ways, from the Small Business Bus to mental wellbeing grants, the Ready for Growth program and so much more. Our government puts our small businesses at the heart of our economic agenda. I look forward to welcoming the minister to Bass to meet with small businesses to hear the opportunities and priority areas that are important to them and discuss measures in the state budget that support and benefit local traders.