Someone has finally noticed SME’s
Research commissioned by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, studied the impact of higher energy costs from the planned Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme on a sample of Small to Medium Enterprises (SME’s) in the food processing, plastics and chemicals, and machinery and equipment manufacturing industries.
Big surprise! The report found that the Australian emissions trading scheme could eat into the profits of small and medium businesses and may force owners to axe jobs. What they forgot t mention is that SME’s can reduce their expenses by reducing their wasted carbon
“The concern is that as energy costs go up profitability declines, business will look at what areas they can make savings in terms of their expenses, and we’re concerned that labour would be one of those,” Mr Evans from the Chamber said.
“Trade-exposed SME’s face prices set in the international markets, and hence will have no opportunity to pass the costs of CPRS to their customers. And those SME’s selling to domestically will be constrained by the prices of imported goods,” the report said.
One of the things I have said repeatedly is that the Australian Government does not take proper account of the small end of town. One could be cynical and say that jobs in the small end of town are not union jobs.
Save Money with Simple and Effective Management SystemsJean Cannon is an award winning consultant and trainer helping people and businesses around the world who want to save money by implementing simple and effective management systems. Sign up to discover how YOU can save money with sensible energy management and ISO 14001.
