House of Assembly Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1) 54 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Small Business Small Business Mr CREGAN House of Assembly Kavel Small Business Mr CREGAN (Kavel) (15:03): My question is to the Minister for Industry and Skills. Will the minister update the house on the plans to reduce the cost of doing business for small businesses in South Australia? Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The minister will be heard in silence. The Hon. D.G. PISONI House of Assembly Unley Minister for Industry and Skills The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley—Minister for Industry and Skills) (15:03): Thank you, member for Kavel. I know how interested he is in businesses being successful here in South Australia. The state government's priority is to grow business, reduce costs and increase employment in South Australia. Our plan for real change will support 147,000 small businesses in our state, representing a significant 98 per cent of all businesses in South Australia. We will exempt all businesses with an annual payroll of up to $1.5 million from payroll tax. The exemption will apply from 1 January 2019. This will benefit more than 3,500 South Australian small businesses from paying payroll tax. Not only is it the money they will save but it is also the monthly paperwork they need to do that gets in the way of them generating income for their business. We will provide a 50 per cent reduction in the emergency services levy, returning $90 million a year into the pockets of businesses and households from 1 July 2018 to spend in the economy. That's real money spent in the economy generating more customers for business. The Marshall government will soon introduce rate-capping legislation—a mechanism to ensure that businesses and households are not crippled by escalating council rates and keep more of their own money to spend in the economy in the way in which they choose. These initiatives not only support the vital small business sector in this state but, importantly, put money back into the pockets of South Australian business owners and their customers, which in turn creates further investment and employment opportunities as we see confidence grow here in South Australia. Providing more South Australians with a chance to work and earn a stable income is significant in driving down cost-of-living pressures here in South Australia. The Liberal state government is serious about easing cost-of-living pressures and reducing the cost of doing business here in South Australia so that there is more opportunity for more South Australians.