INCREASED FEES SENDING SMALL BUSINESS TO THE WALL

Rising State Government fees and bureaucratic red-tape is threatening to force small tourism operators out of business, The Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, told Parliament on Tuesday.

Dr Sykes used a recent letter from the owners of the Edi Upper Black Range Trout Farm in north east Victoria to highlight the impact of the imposts on businesses.

“Zelda Yeates and Mark Whytcross are being forced to pay $4000 in fees for a small tourism venture which only grosses $6000 annually – it’s bureaucracy gone made,” Dr Sykes said.

Detailing the fees, Dr Sykes said the trout farm was required to pay an annual fee of $723 for its aquaculture licence, $706 for its Environment Protection (EPA) licence, $600 to PrimeSafe and a whopping $2036 for EPA water tests.

“The aquaculture licence fee alone has jumped from $201 in 2003 to $723 this year – that’s a massive increase of over 300 per cent in 12 months.”

Dr Sykes said it was the Government’s role to foster and assist small businesses, not put them out of business.

“The Black Range Trout Farm is just one example, there are literally thousands of other businesses in country Victoria which are struggling to cope with the blow-out in costs and resources needed to attend to complex and unwarranted Government red-tape.

“I ask the Government, when is it going to listen to small business operators who are the backbone of Victoria’s economy and minimise red tape and licensing fees so that they can get on with the job of generating wealth for all Victorians?

“I have no doubt that the increased cost and time burden on businesses is stifling growth and threatening to send some small operators to the wall.”

Dr Sykes repeated previous requests by The Nationals for the Government to review the impact massive fee increases were having on small business operators and do more to encourage business confidence for the future.

Media contact: Bill Sykes (03) 5762 2100 or 0427 624 989