Listening to Business

By Business SA, Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive, Martin Haese

Published in The Advertiser SA Business Journal on Tuesday 19 October 2021

Business SA has launched its pre-election Vision for the State series with invites going out across the South Australian business community to the first in our luncheon series. These events are your chance to ask the potential future leaders of South Australia what their priorities are in response to Business SA’s pre-Election Charter22, the South Australian business community’s vision for South Australia.

To respond to Charter22, we’ve invited the Premier of South Australia and the Leader of the Opposition to present their vision. Members of the crossbench may also be invited to share their expectations of the incoming government. The Leader of the Opposition, Peter Malinauskas MP, will be kicking off the series on Friday 19 November 2021 at Adelaide Oval, and we look forward to announcing the remainder of the series soon.

As the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in South Australia, we know what our members want. We work hard to understand their views and to advocate for what is necessary. Through our recent Business SA William Buck Survey of Business Expectations, we know that many business owners want the emergency management of the State to end once South Australia achieves 80% vaccination, which would subsequently lead to disbanding the COVID-19 Transition Committee.

It is important to say that this sentiment from within the business community is not a reflection on the Transition Committee itself, who have done a truly exemplary job. Instead, it’s a need for clarity around political decision-making and a plan post 80% vaccination. This responsibility must firmly sit with the Premier of the day. We have so often heard that we need to be moving to ‘COVID normal’ and the first step in this direction can be the emergency management of the State’s response to COVID to be scaled back.

The South Australian business community is looking to the two major political parties for confidence and direction. We are now closer to returning to a more predictable world than we have seen in recent times, and the decision on election day is critical. The political party that assumes power at the next State election will be working on behalf of a business community that has been resilient and supported throughout these tough times but now wants to take advantage of new opportunities in a nation reopened to the world.

Currently on the radar for the business community is gaining an understanding of what it means for South Australia with many Australians soon returning from overseas to NSW without quarantine. This recent development will refocus South Australia on its own engagement with the world and ensuring that vaccination rates are optmised locally. The sooner we achieve 80%, the sooner we can open our borders and work towards a sustained business and economic recovery.

Business SA will keep asking the hard questions of our leaders, and we’ll keep advocating on behalf of the needs of the business community. But what we can’t do is decide who is right to lead South Australia in this crucial COVID recovery phase. This is why our Vision for the State series is so important. This is your chance to hear directly from each potential future Premier of South Australia and challenge them in their thinking and understanding about what the South Australian business community really needs. I highly encourage our Business SA members and non-members to get involved. This election is not just about what Business SA wants, instead, it’s about making sure that we have vision, leadership and the necessary conversations to ensure that we all enjoy a more prosperous South Australia. To register for the first event featuring Peter Malinauskas MP on Friday 19 November 2021, visit www.business-sa.com/events today.?