A first home buyers grant for rural Victoria, support for small business and a Minister for Rural Victoria overseeing dedicated roads and infrastructure funds are policies Jenny O’Connor will take to government if the Benambra independent is elected next Saturday.
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Ms O’Connor launched a ‘regional deal’ policy in Tallangatta, using Teddy’s Joint as an example of how rural businesses can thrive.
“The one per cent payroll tax is a good idea, but we also need grants for small businesses – not just those that employ 10 people or more, and that’s the current grant allocation,” she said.
“There should be an allocation for rural communities across the state; $200 million for roads and $100 million for community infrastructure.
“If people want to come here they need good infrastructure, and we’ve been missing out on money for our roads and services.
“These policies aren’t just my opinion, but are based on work done by Rural Councils Victoria and I’d like to see them rolled out.”
Shane Anderson, co-owner of Teddy’s, said the business had grown from a coffee cart in 2016 to a licensed cafe, with some hurdles.
“We were working for 12 months before we had the money to go further – we get lumped together with businesses that have 50 staff and the tax brackets are the same,” he said.
Tallangatta Valley’s Glenn Wilson supported Ms O’Connor’s policy.
“Areas like this are losing populations – young families are not choosing to live here,” he said.
“There’s small business opportunities galore and Teddy’s is an example of an empty shop that’s turning into a thriving business in a short amount of time.
“Any way the Victorian government can acknowledge people in the regions is important.
“Jenny’s got the ear of the community and she can help that happen in government.”
Ms O’Connor dismissed Labor figure Zuvele Leschen’s doubts that independents can win Benambra “as nonsense”.
“Independents can win and this independent intends to win … the voters in the state election have already twice voted at a (federal) election and put in an independent,” she said.