There’s no question that small business is the engine room of a local economy, and the Macarthur region is no exception.
Today’s small business expo put on by Campbelltown Council is a case in point.
More than 30 local businesses voted with their feet by taking part, both to expose their products and services.
Other business owners dropped in to the expo to gather information and to network.
I walked around the civic centre venue a couple of times and all the feedback was positive.
Everyone I spoke to was enthusiastic about the opportunity to showcase their business to the rest of the Campbelltown and Macarthur business community.
A wonderful success by any measure, it looks like it will be back again next year.
Which is great, because the expo is the sort of support council needs to give the local business community.
There’s talk of great rivers of cash on the way for our region as part of the Greater Sydney Commission three cities strategy.
Maybe even a few bob from the State Government because we’re a designated regional city, whatever that means.
Well, we’ve been here before and hopefully we’ve learned our lesson, which is to look after your own patch because nobody else will.
Planners, be they in Canberra or Macquarie Street, will not bring local jobs to Macarthur.
If we want most of our local people to work locally we need to encourage small and medium business to be profitable and to employ more people.
A proactive strategy of supporting local small business as well as attracting new ones to the area is imperative in this challenge.
Part of the strategy has to be the renewal of Queen Street and the establishment of a business park on the western side of the railway line, as we’ve said many times before.
Today’s expo was a small step but an important one, and Campbelltown Council deserves a pat on the back.
As does the councillor who suggested the expo, Margaret Chivers, which is no surprise given she also runs her own business.
Thank you, and more, please.
Huge talent pool in South West of people with the smarts to thrive. They don’t necessarily want to network face to face. I don’t have any easy answers but that’s what I perceive as something that needs a lot of thought.