The Nationals’ Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron, has gone into bat for Latrobe Valley business owners, questioning Premier Jacinta Allan about why she insists on using them as “cash cows”.
Speaking in State Parliament last week, Mr Cameron pointed to Labor’s toxic taxes and financial mismanagement as having a disastrous impact on local businesses.
“We know Victoria has been robbed of $15 billion because Labor looked the other way when confronted with evidence of widespread corruption on the Big Build sites, and overwhelmingly it is businesses who are paying the price,” he said.
ASIC’s insolvency data shows that 4242 Victorian companies collapsed or had a financial controller appointed in the 2024–25 financial year, a staggering 48 per cent increase compared to 2023-24.
“The Allan Labor Government has made it impossible to do business in Victoria,” Mr Cameron said.
“Victoria’s payroll tax system is one of the most punishing in the country at a rate of 6.85 per cent, and we have one of the lowest tax-free thresholds nationally.
“WorkCover premiums are soaring to unsustainable prices and many small businesses, particularly the trades, face a choice between paying the cover their employees deserve or shutting the doors.
“Several business owners have shared land tax assessment notices with me that show site values or taxable values for a parcel of land have somehow, according to the Valuer-General, doubled in the space of a year.”
In one case a small business in Morwell received a notice where the value of land was alleged to be $1.25 million, double what it was the year before.
“This business has now moved its operations interstate, and the owners place the blame squarely at the feet of the Allan Labor Government and its land tax scheme,” Mr Cameron said.
“Victoria’s emergency services tax is another impost that many businesses cannot afford to wear.
“Only the Nationals and Liberals in government will scrap the emergency services tax, lift the thresholds for land tax, increase the payroll tax threshold for businesses and revitalise Victoria’s economy.”
