Cleeland calls for urgent action to support struggling regional businesses

Speaking in Parliament this week, The Nationals’ Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, has called on the Allan Labor Government to do more to support regional industry – as business closures, job losses, and mounting economic pressure continue to impact towns across the electorate.

Raising the matter with the Minister for Economic Growth, Jobs and Regional Development, Ms Cleeland called for an urgent regional business roundtable to be held in the region to give local business operators the opportunity to share their concerns.

“Right now, the numbers tell a damning story,” Ms Cleeland said.

“Victoria has recorded a staggering 48 percent increase in business insolvencies in the last financial year alone – and regional communities are bearing the brunt.”

More than 4,200 Victorian businesses closed in the past year, with Australian Bureau of Statistics data showing that towns like Heathcote, Benalla, Seymour, Kilmore and Broadford have experienced declining local business activity and increasing cost-of-living pressure.

“The system is broken,” Ms Cleeland said.

“Local manufacturers, farmers, service providers and retailers are being pushed to the brink by skyrocketing energy bills, unaffordable insurance, out-of-control WorkCover premiums, layers of red tape, and a punishing tax burden.”

“These aren’t faceless corporations – they are family businesses who hire locals, support the footy and netball club, and are the backbone of our towns.”

Ms Cleeland said the recent announcement that ForestOne would wind back its operations in Benalla, placing hundreds of local jobs at risk, was part of a much broader pattern across the region.

“We’ve seen banks close in Euroa, Stanhope, and Seymour, and businesses in Kilmore and Heathcote tell me they’re considering shutting their doors or relocating interstate.”

The Nationals MP also raised growing concerns about the reliability of regional energy supply, calling out the Labor Government’s failure to plan for a stable transition away from gas.

“Businesses are telling me they’re dealing with regular blackouts, power disruptions and soaring energy costs, all while being told to transition away from gas – without being given a viable alternative,” Ms Cleeland said.

In recent weeks, Ms Cleeland has met with small business owners across the electorate, holding discussions at manufacturers, local pubs, farm sheds, and shopfronts to hear first-hand the pressure communities are facing.

“People are crying out for help. They want certainty, they want support, and they want to be heard,” she said.

“I’m urging the Minister to visit our region, host a proper business roundtable, and cut the red tape strangling regional economies.”