AN AMAZING month for businesses in the Whitsunday region – with no sign of the doom and gloom being discussed across all media.
Harder times to come are inevitable but, currently, business in the Whitsundays is booming.
The Music Festival last weekend was a massive boost to visitation to the region with literally 1000s flocking to the party.
Airlie Beach was certainly alive and jumping to the beat of multiple bands in multiple venues. What a buzz! Congratulations to Butto and his team of tireless workers and volunteers.
With accommodation full and eleven cruise ships scheduled for November, the tourism sector and associated hospitality and retail will enjoy a solid end to 2022.
Similarly, all businesses in the region are ramping up with the end-of-year rush and thrown into the mix is the Whitsunday Regional Council Division 2 Councillor by-election.
Election Day is Saturday, December 3, with four contenders nominating for the role.
Again, this election will be done using an optional preferential voting system, meaning you can number one, some, or all of the ballot boxes in order of your preference.
Again, the Chamber encourages everyone to number every box to give us the most preferred candidate, not just the one that gets the most ‘first’ votes.
The Chamber is looking into options for a small meet-the-candidates forum and wish all the candidates good luck.
Labor’s divisive Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Bill 2022 was passed by the Lower House recently with the government now looking to pass the bill by December 1.
The bill is aimed at closing the gender pay gap, expanding multi-employer bargaining and bringing in flexible rostering rights – workplace reforms established at the recent Jobs and Skills Summit.
These industrial relations reforms will accelerate wage growth and, if passed, the legislation will significantly affect every small business in Australia both financially and in terms of increased compliance and bureaucracy.
It is hard to imagine how the thousands of small businesspeople will suddenly be able to comply with the complexities of meeting industrialised wages and enterprise bargaining agreements given they are stretched to the limit already.
Business advocates have asked for an amendment to the bill excluding employers with 50 employees or less. Hopefully, common sense will prevail.
The Chamber Christmas Party will be held on Thursday, December 1, 6pm at the Gin Bar, Mirage Whisper Bay.
If possible, we will incorporate a ‘meet the candidates’ evening subject to availability and will advise, should that be the case.
