SMEs Dissatisfied with Government

Small and medium-sized businesses have expressed their doubts over the government’s support for them.

According to the MYOB Business Monitor, close to 60 percent of SMEs said they are dissatisfied with the government. The July stat of 57 percent was five percent higher than the March report.

The MYOB Business Report also showed that the transportation sector showed the biggest increase in dissatisfaction. Last March, its dissatisfaction level was at 46 percent. In the latest data, it is now at 75 percent, a significant increase of 29 percent.

Finance and insurance sector showed the second biggest increase. From 48 percent dissatisfaction rate in March, it now climbed 20 percent to 68 percent.

According to Mark Rayson, SMEs from the finance sector are re-evaluating their businesses, which led them to the perception that the government may not be doing enough to support them. Rayson is the president of the Commercial Asset Finance Brokers Association of Australia.

Rayson said the association members are waiting for a change in government.

According to Tim Reed, SMEs remain dissatisfied even with some significant policy changes. Reed is chief executive of MYOB.

He added that SMEs have not yet fully accepted or understood these policy changes, which may have contributed to the dissatisfaction. Reed also said that while the tax loss carry-back scheme has been generally positive, carbon tax remain unpopular with business operators.

But there’s still a bit of good news. While SMEs are dissatisfied with the government, overall satisfaction grew from 11 percent to 17 percent.

Satisfaction of the retail and hospitality industry also grew seven percent.