Business Chamber Pleased with State Budget

BY OLIVIA WILSON-WHEELER

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."

Picture: Peter Lorimer 

Entries now open for Hunter Business Awards

BY LAUREN KEMPE

Hunter Business Awards entries are now open for the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Singleton areas.

It is the Hunter's largest awards program, highlighting contributions of chamber members to the community in the business sector.

The awards dinner is being held at the NEX on the 10th of August, and entries are currently welcomed for 13 categories including 'Start-up Superstar', excellence in business and business leader of the year.

Hunter Business Chamber CEO BOB HAWES, says the program provides a great showcase for the Hunter's best.

"We do have a lot of businesses that fly under the radar in the region," he said, "and this is an opportunity for those guys to look at what they’re offering and compete and see how they’re measuring up against their peers. 

"We are revealing a lot of the secrets of local successful businesses in the region which a lot of people don’t know about."

He said it's one of the highlights of the year which has been going from "strength to strength" every year.