Wednesday, 4 October 2023

Small business support

Michael GALEA (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (17:54): (476) My adjournment this evening is for the Minister for Small Business, Minister Suleyman. The action I seek is an update on how much support is being provided by the Small Business Bus program. Starting and growing a small business can be quite daunting, especially if you are just getting started or if it is your first business of the type or your first business in a field that you have previously not undertaken. The complexities of financial structures, tax law, labour, safety and other factors must be managed and considered.

The Small Business Bus is a practical way for the government to help small business owners get expert information and advice, all without leaving their local area. The bus is one aspect of the ongoing efforts of this Victorian government, the Allan Victorian government, to give small businesses access to the right tools that they need and the information that they need so that they can grow and prosper. The Small Business Bus comes fully equipped with expert advisers to provide general business assistance as well as financial and wellbeing support from trained experts. For the past few years the business bus has travelled across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria, helping a myriad of local businesses.

I know that there are many, many fantastic established small businesses in my electorate of South-Eastern Metropolitan Region run by hardworking locals looking to ensure their businesses are thriving and in many cases looking to grow them and add to their local economies. That is why I am so pleased to hear that the Small Business Bus will be visiting Berwick next week, on Monday 9 October. It will be in the median strip car park opposite the post office at 17 High Street from 10 am to 4 pm, giving local businesses access to advisers and expert information. Anyone can visit the bus to pick up helpful information, and I encourage people who want a free 45-minute consultation to help them start or build their small business to book in advance and reserve themselves a spot. You can book a consultation by visiting the Small Business Bus page on the Business Victoria website. I hope many local business owners will drop into the bus on Monday and benefit from the expert advice that will be on hand. To reiterate, the action that I am seeking is an update on how much support is being provided by this Small Business Bus program.