Tuesday, 15 August 2023

 Richard RIORDAN (Polwarth) (13:01): My members statement is to address to this government the huge crisis that is unfolding as so many of the small businesses, philanthropic groups and others – manufacturers, farmers – right throughout the Polwarth electorate have been walloped these past couple of weeks with their WorkCover premiums that have come out. This is a massive cost-of-living issue for so many organisations and businesses in the Polwarth electorate. As an electorate that has some of the highest rates of self-employment and of small business owners, this is really hitting the hip pockets and the nerves of so many people throughout the Polwarth region.

Over the weekend I spoke to many electricians, sparkies, plumbers, builders, carpenters, farmers and small manufacturers, all of whom have not only had their WorkCover premiums double but in many cases had the equivalent of a wage of a whole extra person in their employ. These WorkCover premium increases are massive. They are way more than what the government said that they were going to do, and in fact in some cases they are 50, 60 and 70 per cent increases. This is a huge hit to the disposable income and to the ability of local businesses to continue to invest and employee in regional and rural Victoria. Most concerningly, when I spoke to some of the welfare agencies – who are absolutely being clobbered as well at a time when their funding for urgent community services is not increasing – this is hitting frontline services.