Independents for Canberra have committed to make the ACT a more competitive jurisdiction for small businesses.

If elected, candidates would reduce payroll tax from 6.85 per cent to match or beat the NSW rate of 5.45 per cent; lower insurance costs, particularly workers’ compensation insurance, where premiums charged in the ACT are the highest in the country in almost three-quarters of industries; and offer matched-funded Innovation Scaleup grants of $50,000 to $250,000, delivered through the Canberra Innovation Network, for startups looking to scale while remaining headquartered in the ACT.

Independents for Canberra’s leader, Thomas Emerson, said the group wanted to see policy settings that encourage more businesses to set up in Canberra and stay here as they grow. Mr Emerson, candidate for Kurrajong, himself runs a small business, a movement studio.

“Canberra is an incredible place to live,” Mr Emerson said. “It should also be a fantastic place to start and grow your own business.

“Politicians like to talk about the importance of small business, but I’m not seeing any real action to match that rhetoric. Local small business owners are seriously struggling and we’re tired of being ignored.

“Current policy settings, like payroll tax rates, discourage business owners from staying in the ACT as they grow, which is not good for our economy. It’s time for meaningful reform to improve our jurisdictional competitiveness.

“We’re in a fight with every other state and territory when it comes to attracting and retaining innovators, but we’re not throwing enough punches.

“I’m hearing from people who are moving their businesses across the border just to deal with a different government.

“We need a government that backs locals who back themselves.”

Small businesses had been forgotten by the ACT Government, despite being key drivers of economic growth and job creation in the Territory, says Ginninderra candidate Leanne Foresti, who runs a concrete remediation business.

“The reality is that there is no incentive to run a small business in the ACT,” Ms Foresti said.

“With ongoing labour shortages and the increasing cost of doing business in Canberra, small business owners are choosing to either close their doors or significantly downsize their operations.

“In the construction industry, our workers’ compensation insurance premiums are the highest in Australia and almost twice the national average.

“Subbies in particular are struggling. It doesn’t help that many of us aren’t being paid on time for the work we do, and sometimes aren’t being paid at all.

“We also need a long-term plan for attracting and retaining suitably skilled workers, otherwise they’ll just go elsewhere.”

Anne-Louise Dawes, candidate for Murrumbidgee, said the ACT Government needs to do more to help Canberra live up to its potential as a test-bed city.

“We can build Canberra into a nation leader when it comes to piloting new ideas and technologies. 

“It’s frustrating to see advancements in other cities while the ACT Government doesn’t seem to be watching what is happening overseas or even here in Australia.

“We need more effective and ongoing collaboration between government, industry and research institutions to diversify our economy. 

“So many local companies are reaching out to show us their cutting-edge capabilities. They want to stay here as they expand but they’re considering leaving because the ACT Government isn’t doing enough to compete.

“We should fight to keep more talent, IP and emerging technologies here in Canberra. Scaleup grants will provide a shot in the arm to local innovators who are ready to accelerate their ideas.”