Private Members Statement: Small Business Month 2026

Being busy doesn't necessarily mean being profitable. That's the reality many small business owners are facing right now. Rising costs, mounting paperwork and cost-of-living pressures are squeezing businesses, even when there's plenty of work coming through the door. In Parliament, I shared the experiences of local business owners who are working harder than ever, often making personal sacrifices just to keep their businesses running and their staff employed. As a small business owner myself, I understand something of those pressures. Small Business Month should be about more than celebrating small businesses. It should be about creating the conditions for them to succeed. That's why I welcome the NSW Liberals and Nationals introducing legislation to: • Lift the payroll tax-free threshold from $1.2 million to $1.5 million. • Reduce the payroll tax rate to 4.75% for eligible businesses. • Index the threshold to inflation, preventing bracket creep. These reforms would remove around 4,000 small and medium businesses from the payroll tax system and deliver relief to a further 25,000 across NSW. Strong economies aren't built by bigger government. They're built by confident small businesses that are free to invest, employ and grow