THANKS FOR BUSINESS SUPPORT OF VOLUNTEERS

THANKS FOR BUSINESS SUPPORT OF VOLUNTEERS

May 1999

I would like to take this opportunity to praise the employers and business owners of local volunteers of the State Emergency Services, the NSW Rural Fire Service and the NSW Fire Brigade.

All too often in today's business climate, the employer and business owner has to struggle to survive and make ends meet. Therefore it is extremely difficult to allow employees time off to heed commitments to voluntary organisations.

I want to acknowledge the generosity of local employers and business owners who have made it possible for a large contingent of local volunteers to make a trip to Sydney. This trip was necessary to help out their respective organisations in the enormous task of the massive clean up following the hail storm of 14 April.

With my past experiences in business, I am fully aware of the problems and on costs that employers endure when conducting or running a business, such as Workers Compensation, Payroll Tax, Unfair Dismissal Laws and the list goes on.

Governments need to recognise that they have to make the hard decisions in these areas, otherwise business will continue to suffer and fail to develop.

I have always been an advocate for the quickest and most simplest answer to unemployment is to assist business' to be viable which in turn will create a natural flow on to encourage businesses to employ.