Wednesday, 30 October 2024

 Rachel PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (18:17): (1228) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Small Business. I am blessed to have my electorate office next door to the beautiful beaches of Chelsea, surrounded by many fantastic local businesses. But often when you walk down these high streets you are struck by the number of shops with reduced hours or just not even opening at all. This is the reality for many small businesses in my region, who are dealing with a barrage of increased costs. At a time like this, small businesses need as much support as we can give them so that they can not only survive but thrive. Partners in Wellbeing is a specialist small business program that offers this kind of support. The program has helped over 5000 small businesses through free, confidential, one-on-one financial, business and wellbeing support. Originally started as a pandemic initiative, this program became an invaluable source of support for the small business community, particularly as the cost of living began to bite and the number of insolvencies in Victoria jumped 29 per cent in 2023.

It is at a time like this that the wraparound services offered by Partners in Wellbeing are so essential to ensuring that the over 600,000 small businesses in Victoria have access to support when and where it is needed, yet the Victorian government has severely reduced funding for this service and significantly reduced the number of businesses that are able to access it. As a result it is expected that without government intervention Partners in Wellbeing will have to cease operating altogether in the coming months. After this government reduced funding there was an 81 per cent increase in calls to the Small Business Debt Helpline. The closure of this program would have an even greater impact. There is a clear demand for services that is simply not over yet. So I ask: will the minister advocate for funding for Partners in Wellbeing and its restoration as a statewide program so all Victorian businesses can access this important service?