President's Report

It was wonderful to welcome over 70 business leaders to our recent social networking event at Madocke Beer Brewery & Taproom and hear from owners Jimmy and Annelies on how their business journey started small in a two-car garage and has since grew into the popular craft beer house on Southport Nerang Road. Thank you to our event sponsors Madocke Beer Brewery and State Member for Southport Rob Molhoek for providing an update on state issues that are important to our local business community.

Additionally I was pleased to attend the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct’s International Women’s Day event at Southport Sharks this month. The event highlighted the many internally acclaimed women researchers, scientists, clinicians and entrepreneurs that are moving innovation, education and healthcare forward from our own backyard. Congratulations to the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct team for delivering this successful event.

New statistics show performance of small businesses within Queensland continues to hold steady as business confidence deteriorates. That’s the key takeaway from the results of the December Quarter Pulse Survey from CCIQ, indicating a continuation of the unusual situation observed in the previous quarters - that is - weak business confidence as a result of steady business performance being undercut by overwhelming cost pressures.

Feedback from local business owners tells us that the lack of confidence is largely driven by macroeconomic factors that are impacting businesses activities. With rising wage, labour, and inflation costs, it is unlikely these business conditions will ease in the coming quarters. But as we know from the past few years, Gold Coast businesses are resilient.

Total sales revenue remained the key positive for the survey results, with 37% of Queensland businesses indicating their sales and revenue improved during the December quarter. We hope to see this trend continue in the March quarter.

In development news, the Chamber welcomes the recent announcement from the Palaszczuk Government that it has delivering more social housing for residents on the Gold Coast, with the opening of a new seven-unit social housing complex and imminent construction on a further 37 new homes for vulnerable Queenslanders.

Minister for Housing Leeanne Enoch and Member for Gaven and Minister for Environment Meaghan Scanlon have now officially opened the $2.51 million new social housing complex in Southport, constructed in partnership with Community Housing (Qld) Limited (CHQL).

In a major coup for Southport, construction is also set to begin shortly on a new commercial development by Northwest in Southport’s Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct (the former GC2018 Athletes Village). The Northwest team have announced they have secured development approval from the Queensland Government for their flagship facility ‘RDX Lumina’. The building will be a world-class life sciences, research and innovation-focused building, targeting a 6-Star Green Star rating – a first in precinct for the GCHKP.

Many Southport business owners will also be pleased to hear that in response to an increase in offences, Southport Police Station has increased their presence within the Southport Central Business District, conducting more patrols and increasing visibility to prevent public order and street offences within the vicinity.

This statement comes after the state-wide implementation of Operation Victor Unison, a new initiative from the QPS that will involve police officers conducting high-visibility officer patrols in intelligence driven hot spot locations, including public spaces and residential areas.

Finally, we know that Southport businesses want to see red tape reduction as government priority. It’s why we’re working with CCIQ to promote their biannual Red Tape survey to identify changes and trends in how regulatory compliance impacts businesses.

These findings are directly shared with key government agencies to influence change. We’re committed to working with all levels of government to not only highlight this impact but identify and work towards opportunities for reform.

The 2023 Red Tape Survey is now open. Thank you for supporting the 2023 Red Tape Survey – helping us to help you. Take the CCIQ Red Tape Survey here.

ARIANA MARGETTS
President
Southport Chamber of Commerce