The Small Business Festival is back this again this year. With almost 500 events, half of those taking place in regional Victoria, the Festival educates small business owners, provides them with networking opportunities and gives them a chance take a step back and celebrate all the hard work they do.

The program runs from the 1st of August to the 7th of September. Events are largely run by local councils and industry groups, with many of them being low-cost or free. Events can be explored and bookings can be made through the festival website.

This year, for the first time ever, and as part of the Victorian Gender Equality Strategy, the festival will dedicate the 14th-20th of August to Women in Business Week, to promote, celebrate and educate female small business owners.

Local MP’s are encouraged to attend events – speaking roles will be available at a number of them. For all of the events please take a look at the website – they can be searched by location. If you’d like to get involved in an event, please get in touch with Minister Dalidakis’ CLA, Abby Pinskier.

Please feel free to tweet, post, instagram or otherwise share content on the festival with the provided material. Members are also encouraged to get photo opportunities with local small business owners for their own posts.

The Andrews Labor Government has achieved a significant amount for small businesses in this state:
• increasing the payroll tax threshold to $625,000 per annum, and reducing the rate to 3.65 per cent in regional Victoria. Regional Victorians now pay the lowest payroll tax rate in the country
• developing and delivering the Victorian Aboriginal Business Strategy – for Aboriginal businesses to grow, extend their networks and build upon entrepreneurial skills
• expanded the Victorian Small Business Commissioner
• created the Australian Supplier Payment Code with the BCA
• doubled the support for the Small Business Bus
• undertaking reviews into burdensome regulation as it affect small business in the retail and visitor economy sectors
There are now over 556,000 thousand small businesses in Victoria, making up 97 per cent of the state’s small business sector and nearly half of all private sector jobs. Despite often having fewer resources then their larger counterparts, they make an enormous contribution to the economy and their local communities.

Website – https://festival.business.vic.gov.au/collection/womens-business-week/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/smallbizfestvic/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/smallbizfestvic