Lunch with NSW Premier Minns facilitates dialogue with regional businesses

The event, hosted by Business NSW, helped to facilitate the dialogue between government and industry, so they could develop the right strategies to help the district grow.

With close to 60 different businesses attending, the luncheon allowed those servicing the valley to better understand how the NSW budget would be affecting them and their customers.

Premier Minns said he acknowledged there were a lot of challenges in the state with both household and business budgets having never been under more pressure.

"You've got the dual impact of inflation and interest rates which are smashing household budgets, and it means the purchasing power, the ability to spend money in regional communities, is down from where it should be," he said.

"We need to be in a position where we are confronting and tackling inflation and the interest rates when it comes to spending."

He said the second biggest challenge affecting the NSW economy was their budget, and they needed to be in a position where they were spending within their means.

"I have to acknowledge to all of you that we're $180 billion in debt, which is the largest figure ever recorded, it's also the largest figure as a percentage of the economy," he said.

"There's reasons for that, the biggest of which was COVID, and the need [of] the previous government to stimulate the economy to keep businesses going, keep jobs going during a difficult period.

"The truth of the matter is we can't spend as if we're in a COVID year when we're not, and as difficult as it is for a labour government to come in, it shows spending restraint is exactly what we've had to do."

Business owners from across the Bega Valley had the opportunity to participate in a Q and A, and ask Mr Minns questions that directly affected their business.

Local business owner and vice-president of Bega Chamber of Commerce, Mal Barnes clutched a list of thoughts he wanted to share with the Premier, and the microphone in his left hand.

"I've been in business in Bega for 35 years and I've seen quite a lot of change in that time. I don't have a question but I have a comment and a request if you like," Mr Barnes said.

"You've talked about the increase in insurance, and my energy costs in both shops have increased by 30 per cent in the past 12 months.

When you have energy costs of $8870 a quarter, 30 per cent is unsustainable, so we really need to look at that."

Mr Barnes also said if Dine and Discover vouchers were to be brought back, the definitions of what constituted a restaurant and a fast food business needed to be examined, especially in regional contexts.

Member for Bega, Dr Michael Holland described the area as the "antarctic of New South Wales" due to the distance away from Sydney, and said by assisting the general community, it would help businesses flourish.