The Hunter Business Chamber is predicting yesterday's State Budget will be received positively by the business sector.
Bob Hawes, the Hunter Business Chamber's Chief Executive Officer says the budget has "tried to have application to all businesses across NSW... We're confident that that will provide a bit of a lift to the economy and some incentive for businesses to do more."
The main incentives the Chamber is citing include:
- Extension to the payroll tax threshold
- $37 million to the Easy to Do Business program that sets up new operations.
- Increased TAFE and school funding
- 100,000 government subsidised apprenticeships across NSW
- $87.2 billion in infrastructure investment
"I wouldn't say it's a small business budget, I think that it's definitely a pre-election budget in terms of the government, we feel, has tried to appeal to every sector of the economy..." says Mr Hawes.
"It will indirectly help businesses right across the state even though there wasn't particular focus on projects or initiatives in the Hunter region."
According to Mr Hawes, residents and businesses have the responsibility to put forward projects to improve regional NSW.
"Our challenge is to make sure that we are on the front foot to propose well-supported projects and initiatives to attract funding from a number of general allocations that have been made in the budget."
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| Picture: Peter Lorimer |
