Earlier this week I held a small business forum in the heart of Anthony Albanese’s own electorate of Grayndler (with thanks to the Grayndler FEC for helping to pull it together) alongside deputy Liberal leader Jane Hume.
We had over 70 business owners attend from across Sydney’s inner west and west, and the message from business was consistent throughout: that economic conditions, already tough, are only getting worse under Labor’s economic mismanagement.
Small businesses employ over 5 million Australians. They account for one-third of our overall economy. And yet not only have they been overlooked by this Labor government, they have been actively punished, especially by the recent Budget.
High input costs: from electricity to insurance, rents to wages. High inflation and interest rates. A weak economy with low consumer confidence and subdued spending. And a growing burden of compliance, regulation and red tape.
Add in Labor’s recent attack on the property market through the abolition of negative gearing, and their decision to effectively nationalise part of the economy through a punitive capital gains tax regime, and you can understand why business is so despondent.
As Liberals, we know a thriving small business sector is vital to a growing and productive economy, and we have always stood on the side of small business.
That is why we have already committed to repeal Labor’s toxic new taxes. It’s why we have committed to a permanent instant asset write-off of $50,000 for small business. It’s why we have committed to lower taxes, including through indexation of the tax brackets. And it’s why we have committed to cut regulation and simplify the National Construction Code, the Corporations Act, the Tax Act, the Competition Act and other thickets of regulation.
We desperately need to get government spending under control, because it is Labor’s out-of-control spending that is leading to higher taxes, higher inflation, lower productivity, and a stagnant private sector that is starved of resources.
This will be the most important battleground of the next election: how we can rescue Australia’s economic performance, and consequently how we can restore hope to millions of Australians.
I’ll continue to make the case, through the media and through forums like this, that it is only the Coalition that can deliver better economic management for Australia.
Dave Sharma is a Liberal Senator for New South Wales. In this opinion piece, he outlines why he believes Australia’s small business sector is bearing the cost of Labor’s economic policies.
Support independent community journalism. Support The Indian Sun.
Follow The Indian Sun on X | Instagram | Facebook
Support Independent Community Journalism
Dear Reader,The Indian Sun exists for one reason: to tell stories that might otherwise go unheard.
We report on local councils, state politics, small businesses and cultural festivals. We focus on the Indian diaspora and the wider multicultural community with care, balance and accountability. We publish in print and online, send regular newsletters and produce video content. We also run media training programs to help community organisations share their own stories.
We operate independently.
Community journalism does not have the backing of large media corporations. Advertising revenue fluctuates. Platform algorithms change. Costs continue to rise. Yet the need for credible, grounded reporting in a multicultural Australia has never been greater.
When you support The Indian Sun, you support:
• Independent reporting on issues affecting migrant communities
• Coverage of local and state decisions that shape daily life
• A platform for small businesses and community groups
• Media training that builds skills within the community
• Journalism accountable to readers
We cannot cover everything, but we work to cover what matters.
If you value thoughtful reporting that reflects Australia’s diversity, we invite you to contribute. Every donation helps us maintain the quality and consistency of our work.
Please consider making a contribution today.
Thank you for your support.
The Indian Sun Team
