Sydney The year-long extension of GO LOCAL FIRST today announced by The Minister for Employment, Workforce, Skills, Small and Family Business, the Hon. Stuart Robert MP, is incredibly welcome news, according to GO LOCAL FIRST spokesperson Mark McKenzie. “Australia’s 3.5 million small businesses are the heartbeat of their local communities and have been disproportionately affected by the COVID lockdowns. When these businesses thrive, their communities thrive and the national economy prospers,” said Mr McKenzie. The extension of the campaign, first launched in July 2020, will run throughout 2021 and into next year, highlighting the crucial role small business plays in our nation’s economy, in keeping communities thriving and creating local jobs. “This campaign is about urging Australians to GO LOCAL FIRST and buy from small businesses in their communities, to strengthen local economies and create local jobs. We are absolutely thrilled by Minister Robert’s announcement today which recognises the importance....

Fresh data from the ABS showing gross domestic product grew 3.3 per cent in the September Quarter was welcomed by the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia. “The fact GDP growth has rebounded to the strongest quarterly growth since 1968, as the economy begins its recovery from COVID-19, is fantastic news for Australians and small businesses everywhere” said COSBOA Chief Executive Peter Strong. “The best news in this data is in the hospitality and accommodation space, where small business has a huge presence. This shows things are really starting to turn around for cafes, restaurants, small bars, small tourist operators, and locally-owned accommodation providers.” “With hospitality venues open in every state and territory and no travel restrictions between most states, these are the local small businesses which have been the real winners,” said Mr Strong. There has been a 41 per cent growth in the accommodation and food services industry,....

From bushfires and floods through to the pandemic, we’ve all had a tough year but this weekend is the light at the end of the tunnel. COSBOA is joining with ACAPMA, New Sunrise Group, Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Michael McCormack MP and the Minister for Small and Family Business, the Hon Michaelia Cash MP to launch the GO LOCAL FIRST Local Legends’ Lunch which will take place over the weekend of 4-6 December. With summer just around the corner, there’s an opportunity for all Australians to look forward to taking time out for long overdue catch ups with family and friends. It’s a chance to celebrate the start of summer and to encourage Aussies to (responsibly, adhering to relevant restrictions) get together. We’re encouraging Australians to get together, and host loved ones for a Local Legends’ Lunch, with supplies sourced from their local small businesses. Take a photo of....

COSBOA comments on the ABS Labour Force Data released today (13/11) and calls on Australians to Go Local First to build on the jobs recovery.

From bushfires and floods through to the pandemic, we’ve all had a tough year. With summer just around the corner, there’s an opportunity for all Australians to look forward to taking time out for long overdue catch ups with family and friends. It’s a chance to celebrate the start of summer and to encourage Aussies to (responsibly, adhering to relevant restrictions) get together. COSBOA is joining with ACAPMA, New Sunrise Group, Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Michael McCormack MP and the Minister for Small and Family Business, the Hon Michaelia Cash MP to launch the GO LOCAL FIRST Local Legends’ Lunch which will take place over the weekend of 4-6 December. We’re encouraging Australians to get together and host loved ones for a Local Legends’ Lunch, with supplies sourced from their local small businesses. Take a photo of your lunch spread and post it on social media for the opportunity....

A new partnership will see GO LOCAL FIRST and Australian Made work together to help small businesses through the most difficult period since the Great Depression.

TAKE DIRECT ACTION TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS – COSBOA Australians are urged take direct action by going local first to get small businesses through the pandemic as various assistance programs, like JobKeeper, payroll tax arrangements, and changes to the commercial tenancy code, come to an end or are reduced. “The end of September was always going to be a milestone as various assistance programs, like JobKeeper and loan deferrals come to an end or are lessened,” said COSBOA President Mark McKenzie. “Assistance from Government and banks were welcome to give small businesses a hand during lockdowns, but nothing Government can do will replace customers walking through the door. “Now as these programs wind back, we need Australians to take direct action and GO LOCAL FIRST. “People need to walk into their local small businesses, book a local tradie, or make an order online with a local small business,” said Mr....

MORE AUSTRALIANS IN WORK BUT SMALL BUSINESSES STILL NEED PEOPLE TO GO LOCAL FIRST TO CREATE JOBS — COSBOA The Australian Bureau of Statistics is reporting today unemployment has decreased as businesses are again adding staff, however, with small businesses having lost ten times as many jobs as big business, people still need to GO LOCAL FIRST. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showed the economy added more than 110,000 jobs in August, with the unemployment rate having declined to 6.8 per cent. The impact of stage four restrictions in Victoria has been laid bare as other states have seen improvements in employment, while Victorian businesses continue to have to lay off staff. COSBOA Chair Mark McKenzie said, “For most of the country, it’s refreshing to see businesses adding more staff to their books, as restrictions are eased and life begins to return to normal. “The impact of....

With our economy struggling under multiple lockdowns, and as we grapple with the pandemic’s economic implications, the Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia recently undertook a study of Australians’ travel plans over the coming six months into the Christmas period. Our research found that just over 1 in 10 Australians have travel planned over the holiday period, and more than half said they are unlikely to travel at all in the next six months. Of our 2,000 respondents, three quarters had not made travel bookings, while a whopping 89 percent said they have no plans to travel for the holiday period or were unsure about travelling. This has certainly caused alarm bells to sound for tourism operators around the country, especially with local economies forced to rely on domestic travel just a year after last summer’s devastating bushfires. Given borders will be closed to international travellers until at least....

LOCKDOWNS HITS VICTORIAN HOSPITALITY AS NATIONAL RETAIL TRADE IMPROVES – COSBOA Fresh data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics today shows Victorian café and restaurant spending has declined by two thirds on the February 2020 figures, as lockdowns continue to hit the hospitality industry. Spending in June fell to $238.9 million, compared to $615.1 million in February this year.  Nationally, hospitality saw better results with an increase of 4.9 per cent. This comes as the national seasonally adjusted retail trade estimate rose 3.2 percent in July. COSBOA Chief Executive, Peter Strong said, “There are some promising signs but it’s important to remember that retailers are a long way off where they were 12 months ago. “Retail small businesses are a huge employer of Australians, especially young people. If retailers thrive, communities thrive – partly because they give young people a start in the workforce. “Border closures and other restrictions....