Media Release - Queensland Chambers stand together on issues

REPRESENTATIVES from Chambers of Commerce across Queensland are standing together on key business issues after meeting at the 2019 Regional Chambers Summit, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce & Industry Queensland (CCIQ).

President of the Mackay Region Chamber of Commerce, Victoria Gracie, attended the Brisbane summit to shine a light on the challenges being faced by the Mackay business community.

“As well as learning about what other Queensland Chambers are doing to provide value to their members, we also quickly realised that many of the issues our communities face are very similar,” Ms Gracie said.

“As a group, we agreed that we would lobby the State Government together – to give a bigger voice to the businesses we represent.

“The key priorities that we will collectively be advocating for at the State election are the proposed commercial waste levy, the proposed changes to immigration laws and the exorbitantly high electricity prices.

“For businesses who do need to dispose of commercial waste, the proposed levy would just be another cost of doing business – such as our local builders, who were hit hard by the downturn.”

The concern with the proposed immigration law changes was the affect it would have on the already-prominent skills shortage.

“The Mackay region especially is already suffering from a skills shortage, and these changes have the potential to make the situation significantly worse.

“With electricity prices, this has been an ongoing issue that our Chamber has already been actively advocating for – and it’s seriously affecting businesses across Queensland. By banding together, we believe that the 150 Queensland-based Chambers can have a bigger impact, to make sure this important issue is on everyone’s radar come election time.”

CCIQ CEO Stephen Tait said that “we need to work harder than ever to make sure the community supports our job creators, especially the small and family businesses who are responsible for most of Queensland’s employment and prosperity”.

“A strong Chamber movement is the last line of defense against those who would hand our community’s power over to big business and big unions.

“With an election coming, the summit was about making sure all Chambers are working as one to make sure people right around Queensland get the message that if business fails, we all do.”

For more information:

Victoria Gracie, President                                                                   0405 618 142

Jade McAuley, Committee Member/Rebel Nation                      0448 866 388