The Chamber’s Survey of Business Expectations, now in its 44th year, has consistently guided our positions, enabling us to deliver well-informed advocacy and essential services for South Australian businesses. This survey gives you a platform to voice your concerns about your industry and the policies that impact your business.
Your feedback — specifically the fact that nearly half of businesses consistently experience labour shortages — combined with ongoing conversations with our members, led us to develop a recruitment services tool. This tool is designed to help time-pressed businesses quickly and efficiently find qualified staff.
In June 2023, our survey revealed that in just two years, from the financial years 2020/21 to 2022/23, there was a 7.5 percentage point increase in respondents paying payroll tax, which is widely regarded as the most burdensome state-based tax. We continue to push for comprehensive payroll tax reform to ease this significant constraint on businesses and employment, based on feedback like yours…
It is the single largest factor which will decrease our employment, investment into our business and staff and turnover as we plan to downsize in an attempt to return to profit. This will make us vulnerable long term to our competitors.
Mining, 20 – 49 employees
Payroll tax inhibits our business to provide a higher hourly rate to our low wage earners.
Health Care and Social Assistance, 200+ employees
We are a growing business nearing the threshold. We will limit employing new staff and giving pay rises for as long as possible to avoid the tax. This will limit our growth, productivity, and availability of services to South Australians (we’re a disability service provider).
Health Care and Social Assistance, 1 – 19 employees
Our September quarter 2024 survey will open on Monday 14 October and the survey is the easiest way to ensure the interests of your business are heard by government. We invite your responses in the upcoming issue where payroll tax will again feature ahead of the next State budget where we are very hopeful for reform.
