I am encouraging Burnett residents to buy locally this festive season to help bolster small business sales and support local jobs.
The countdown to Christmas has well and truly begun and local businesses, particularly small businesses need our support.
Small business is the backbone of Queensland’s four pillar economy, underpinning the vital sectors of tourism, agriculture, mining and construction.
By asking the community to ‘Think Queensland, buy locally this festive season,’ we aim to provide an economic boost to communities across the state.
When you shop local, your money stays local and that’s how every Queenslander can play a part in supporting their community. Each dollar spent in a local business returns many times that amount to the local economy through employee wages, rates and the purchase of goods and materials.
The highly successful ‘Think Queensland, buy locally’ campaign, launched earlier this year in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland, has been extended to encourage shoppers to buy locally this festive season.
Buying from local businesses is all about backing fellow Queenslanders and boosting our home grown enterprises wherever possible.
This initiative shows how the Newman Government is supporting Queensland’s 410,000 small businesses unlike Labor who treated this vital sector of our economy with utter contempt. The Newman Government is committed to fostering a business friendly environment.
I’ve thrown my support behind local and regional businesses by filling up three Christmas Hampers with festive goodies to give away to three lucky families.
With small business representing around 96% of all Queensland businesses, employing more than 1 million Queenslanders, they all need us to shop locally.
Businesses can get involved by downloading and printing ‘Think Queensland, buy locally this festive season’ poster and sticker designs to display in their businesses. Flyers, bunting and a factsheet are also available.
A range of festive themed material is now available to download from the Queensland business and industry portal www.business.qld.gov.au.
You can enter Stephen’s Christmas Hamper giveaway completion at this website, www.stephenbennettmp.com.au