The South Australian Business Chamber releases Charter22 - Key business priorities for the State Election

Thursday, 26 August 2021

Known as Charter22, the South Australian Business Chamber will release its 26-point suite of 2022 state election policy recommendations on Thursday.

Chief Executive Martin Haese says: ​“Coming from South Australia’s peak employer body, Charter22 outlines a suite of detailed recommendations to meet both the existing needs of businesses and to generate growth opportunities in a post-COVID environment”.

With a primary focus on business taxes, skills, infrastructure, sustainability and red tape, the South Australian Business Chamber highlights the following key initiatives to support business:

• A payroll tax discount of 50 per cent for businesses located in regional South Australia
• A permanent payroll tax exemption (and equivalent cash grant support to small businesses) to incentivise businesses to take on apprentices and trainees and upskill current employees
• Taking a range of meaningful steps to improve University and business collaboration
• Positioning the State as a future destination to host a United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP) event, following the 2021 conference in Glasgow, Scotland later this year
• Taking a range of steps to ensure more local South Australian businesses have a genuine opportunity to benefit from State Government procurement
• Expanding shop trading hours to enable an appropriate balance between serving consumer needs, supporting locally owned businesses, and maintaining a competitive retail environment
• Establishing a permanent mechanism whereby the Adelaide De-salination Plant can be used to provide temporary water into the irrigation market when there are sufficient reserves in existing storages and other water entitlement holders have 100% allocation
• Committing to a full duplication of Dukes and Augusta Highways, and commencing further investigations on an East-West link for Adelaide

​“This isn’t about choosing sides in the 2022 state election. This is about providing all parties with recommendations that meet the fundamental needs of the business community, with enough notice to ensure these priorities are taken into consideration when political parties form their own election policies,” said Mr Haese.

Expecting some robust debate in political circles, and in the realms of public opinion over the coming months, the South Australian Business Chamber states that these recommendations are far more than just words on a page and are the result of months and in some cases years of research to understand the needs of the business community.

Director of Policy and Advocacy Andrew McKenna says: ​“In March 2021, we got the ball rolling by running a comprehensive survey of member businesses to gauge their thoughts on key issues, and test various policy positions ensuring a comprehensive perspective has framed our policy thinking ahead of Charter22.”

​“The world, and the conditions in which we do business have changed significantly over the last 18 months, but Charter22 is squarely focussed on what is needed to engender sustainable economic growth as we progressively open up our economy once vaccination rates meet key benchmarks,” said Mr McKenna.

With many of the recommendations challenging the status quo, the South Australian Business Chamber, as an independent, state-based business advocacy group representing over 3,600 members and the wider business community, recognises that bold and lateral thinking is required to shift the dial on economic growth in South Australia.

​“We must not be satisfied with the fact that South Australia has mostly done well during the COVID-19 pandemic. Charter22 will provide parties with an armoury for a battle of worthy ideas that will drive South Australia forward and provide an increasingly competitive business environment,” said Mr Haese.

Tomorrow marks the day where the South Australian Business Chamber puts a line in the sand between what was and what could be. On release of Charter22, parties will have practical solutions provided to them outlining the needs of the business community that will help them sustain and grow their enterprises into the future, while ensuring prosperity for the entire state.

​“Our role is to connect our members with a more prosperous future, and Charter22 is a practical roadmap to make that happen”, said Mr Haese.

View the Charter22 Document