Redlands Coast Chamber of Commerce
REDLANDS businesses are bracing for a tough year ahead, with nearly all surveyed expecting costs to rise and more than half fearing an economic downturn, according to new data released by Federal Member for Bowman Henry Pike.
Mr Pike said the results of his local business survey were a “wake-up call” for the Albanese Government, urging immediate action to cut red tape, restore business investment incentives, and deliver practical support over policy summits and selective industry funding.
The survey, conducted over the past week, gathered feedback from small and medium-sized businesses across the Redlands Coast.
A staggering 96 per cent of respondents said they expected their operating costs to rise over the next 12 months, while more than half (54 per cent) believe the national economy will shrink during this financial year.
Mr Pike said the results painted a worrying picture for the local economy, with price pressures emerging as the biggest barrier to growth.
Only 11 per cent of those surveyed felt that current Federal Government policy was helping to drive jobs or investment.
“These numbers are more than just statistics, they are alarm bells,” Mr Pike said.
“Local businesses are telling us loud and clear: they’re struggling with rising costs, red tape, and uncertainty.”
In response, Mr Pike has called on the Albanese Government to move beyond roundtables and deliver practical support for the business community.
“We don’t need another productivity summit or policy talkfest, we need action,” he said.
Mr Pike outlined several policy priorities he will advocate for when Parliament resumes, including the return of full expensing for business investment, cutting unnecessary regulation, simplifying the industrial relations system, and implementing a more competitive tax framework to boost investment.
He also criticised the Government’s approach of selectively funding certain industries over others, calling for a more balanced and broad-based approach to growth.
“Productivity comes from the ground up from the businesses and workers who power our economy every day,” Mr Pike said.
“It’s time we put real tools back in their hands.”
With Redlands businesses continuing to face mounting challenges, the message from the local business community is clear: they need support, not summits.
