In Parliament

Members Statement - Sole Traders

SOLE TRADERS ARE HURTING

Thursday, 17 September 2020

Mr NEWBURY (Brighton):

The lack of support for sole traders in Victoria is wrong and unjust. The measly sole-trader support package announced by the State Government has missed the mark.

Only 33,000 of Victoria’s 412,000 sole traders are eligible. A staggering 92 per cent of the state’s sole traders are ineligible. The support is only available to traders who operate from a commercial premises or location as a tenant. What a limp attempt to help hundreds of thousands of desperate Victorians.

This Government should be ashamed of itself.

Sadly, the lack of support for sole traders disproportionately affects women. Hundreds of my constituents, many of them mothers, are pleading for help.

As Diana wrote: ‘Why is it that the Victorian government has chipped in no money whatsoever to keep—predominantly self-employed women/mothers—in employment during this time? … It is of no surprise to me that … data has shown that women are being disproportionately impacted by these onerous restrictions. The hypocrisy is just breathtaking, as is the complete contempt for female entrepreneurs by this government’.

The Premier cannot keep turning his back on private enterprise and people across Victoria who are begging for help.