Challenges and wins for Small Businesses

2024 will not be a year that small businesses remember as one of their easiest. It won't be a year they say things cruised along, because it's been a hard year for many, in a difficult economic climate. Yet businesses in the Hawkesbury, Blue Mountains and Emu Plains have continued to employ local people. They've continued to support other local businesses, and they've continued to donate to local sporting and community organisations. They've been heroes. While some businesses tell me that the best they've been able to do is hang on and survive, others say they've thrived. Either way, in recent weeks many have celebrated at the Local Business Awards for the Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains, as well as at the ALIBI Awards, and the Women with Altitude awards are still to come. Congratulations to all the nominees, finalists and winners.

In a challenging year, we hope that $350 energy relief and the energy-efficiency grants for small businesses have helped in a small way, but, as someone who was in business for 25 years, I know it's really hard to get your head around the range of support that is available. I want to make it easy, so I have put together a guide for all the support that's available from the federal government, specifically for small businesses, whether that's cybersecurity help, digital marketing training—all free—or grants to expand or help in a crisis.

It's available from my office, it's a no-frills guide, and I want as many small businesses to access that as possible.

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