Urgent Need to Cut Red Tape

‘Overregulation, unnecessary compliance cost and red tape are causing massive headaches for small business and crippling the economy in the process’ says Paul Fletcher, Member for Bradfield.

Since Labor was elected in 2007, it has introduced over 16,173 new regulations and increased the compliance burden on Australia’s 2.7 million small businesses. 

‘It is becoming ever more evident that small business within the electorate of Bradfield is finding it tougher to stay afloat. Every week I hear more stories of small business owners being bogged down in paper work, when they should be spending time running their business’ Mr Fletcher said.

 ‘Small business represents 95% of Australian businesses and employs over 4 million people Across Australia and within my electorate of Bradfield. The best way to kick start the economy is to allow small business to thrive and prosper’

Don Wormald of Turramurra Hardware has struggled under the weight of unnecessary red tape for years, saying;

‘There are huge amounts of red tape, both at a state and federal level. Compliance costs surrounding issues such as OH&S, Workers Compensation and the Dangerous goods Act make it impossible to function effectively as a small business’.

‘Data collection for GST is the greatest concern. I have to work on my days off as an un-paid tax collector for the federal government’.

Mr Fletcher said ‘The Coalition is the party for small business and that is why Tony Abbott launched the Coalition Deregulation Taskforce’. 

‘I will be assisting the Taskforce by meeting with local businesses, traders associations and stakeholders and then report back to the Taskforce any findings and recommendations’.

‘I invite any businessperson or concerned citizen wishing to discuss this issue with me to contact my office on (02) 94653950’, Mr Fletcher concluded.