A State Government advertising campaign to inform thousands of South Australian small businesses of the abolition of their payroll tax will begin today.
The six-week campaign across Adelaide and regional SA, includes radio, television and digital advertising and features two South Australian small businesses – Beach Road Wines In McLaren Vale and the Basin Haircutters in Goodwood – their owners and staff.
Treasurer Rob Lucas said they were among the 3,200 small businesses with taxable wages of under $1.5 million who – as of January 1 this year – are no longer required to pay any payroll tax as part of the Marshall Government’s $157.2 million investment.
A further 400 businesses with payrolls between $1.5m and $1.7m will receive a reduction in the amount of payroll tax they are required to pay.
“Small businesses underpin our state’s economy and this important tax cut will give them greater confidence to expand, buy better equipment and hire more people, while sending a strong message that South Australia is open for business,’’ said Treasurer Lucas.
“This reform came into effect on January 1 this year and it’s important small businesses understand how it affects them and how they will benefit.
“The government announced last year that it might undertake a modest information campaign to educate South Australia’s small businesses about important policy decisions that affect them and their operations.
“We also made an election commitment to cut millions of dollars in consultants, contractors and State Government advertising and, unlike the former Labor government, you won’t be seeing the Premier or a Cabinet Minister appearing in these taxpayer-funded ads.”
The campaign, produced by Adelaide advertising agency The Rowdy Group following submissions from a pre-approved panel of advertising agencies, cost approximately $400,000.
During March and April, the State Government will also be contributing about $190,000 towards a Jobs SA press campaign to support SA businesses seeking to run job ads which will also highlight a number of issues including this new payroll tax initiative.
This will build upon the momentum achieved in the 12 months since the Marshall Government was elected, with strong business confidence and a recent independent national survey conducted by ANZ which showed SA as the nation’s “stand out economy’’, experiencing above trend growth and improving economic conditions.