Shadow Minister Media Releases
Small Businesses Paying Double For OH&S Requirements In New South Wales (24/06/2010)
The Shadow Minister for Small Business, Don Page MP asked the Minister for Finance in Parliament today for an explanation as to why small businesses in NSW have to pay twice as much as their Queensland counterparts for National OH&S courses for their employees.
Mr Page asked the question in relation to the new National White Card system that has replaced the former NSW Green Card qualification.
A business in Queensland can pay $50 for a 4 hour online course. However, in NSW the course costs at least $100 and has to be done face-to-face over 6 hours.
In his answer, the Minister for Finance acknowledged there were differences in costs and method of delivery and said the ‘Government is working on it’.
“The NSW Labor Government is too incompetent to get something this simple right. Instead of trying to make things easier for business, the NSW Labor Government continue to make things much harder and a lot more expensive,” Mr Page said.
“NSW continually rank at the bottom of the list for economic indicators. Small businesses in NSW are bleeding and they need someone to come to their rescue,” he said.
“The NSW Labor Government have been using small businesses in this State as a cash cow for too long. It’s time for the bleeding to stop.
“The new White Card was introduced to provide a nationally uniform system of OH&S training and compliance, so why are the cost and course delivery methods so different in NSW as opposed to Queensland?”
“It was brought to my attention that a small business who employs people from both Queensland and NSW was being charged double the amount in New South Wales for the course.
“In addition, the New South Wales employees are required to attend a face-to-face course, whereas in Queensland the course can be done online,” he said.
“These kinds of costs and impositions on small businesses is what is making New South Wales uncompetitive with other States in Australia.
“Small business is the backbone of our State’s economy, but sadly the Keneally Labor Government has made it harder and more expensive for small businesses to survive.
“It’s little wonder we are losing businesses interstate, when they are paying twice as much for OH&S costs in NSW.
“Unlike Labor, a NSW Liberals and Nationals Government will restart NSW and make this State competitive again,” Mr Page said.
