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QLD businesses Step Forward

June 05, 2012

Positive signs have begun to emerge for Queensland’s small businesses, according to the June Sensis® Business Index released today.

Report author Ms Christena Singh said business confidence and the key performance indicators had all risen in Queensland during the quarter.

“Overall, the employment, capital spending and export value indicators are at the highest level in Queensland in more than 12 months.

“We have seen some really positive signs coming from Queensland this quarter, including the nation’s strongest employment and the largest rise in the overall value of exports.

“However, overall, trading conditions remain challenging for many small business operators,” Ms Singh explained.

Looking ahead, Queensland small businesses are expecting further improvements for the coming quarter and have the nation’s highest expectations for employment and wages.

Queensland is only one of two state or territories to record increases in business confidence for the quarter. However, despite the improvement, business confidence in Queensland remains the second lowest in the nation.

Overall, five in 10 Queensland small businesses are confident about their business prospects for the next 12 months, while three in 10 are worried. Small businesses in Brisbane are more confident than those in regional Queensland.

Forward orders and providing a popular product or service are the key reasons for being confident.

A decrease in business and business being slow in general are the main reasons Queensland small businesses are worried about their business prospects.

Following the recent Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting, the June Sensis® Business Index also asked Queensland small businesses for their opinions about regulatory reform.

As part of the survey, small businesses were able to indicate any area of Federal Government regulation they would like to see reformed.

“Overwhelmingly, taxation is the most common area Queensland small businesses said they would like to see reformed, with workplace relations, company tax, pay rates, unfair dismissals and financial advice reforms the next nominated areas for reform.

 Key QLD indicators for June 2012 Sensis® Business Index:

 

Indicator

March 2012

June 2012

 

Business Confidence

+14%

+16%

Sales

-17%

-8%

Employment

-8%

+6%

Wages and Salaries

+1%

+10%

Prices

-2%

+2%

Profitability

-17%

-12%

Capital expenditure

-16%

-7%

Proportion exporting

+13%

+13%

Export value

-15%

+27%

+ Export value = overall net % of exporting businesses that experienced
an increase/decrease in the value of exports during the quarter.

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