Louise Markus (Greenway, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 22 August I was fortunate to work alongside the owners of the Living Planet Garden Centre, Paul Maait and his wife, located on Windsor Road at Riverstone. I was there as part of the Australian Business Ltd, State Chamber of Commerce and Australia Post Pollies for Small Business program. I worked as a waitress in the cafe of the centre, serving coffee and meals and waiting tables. It is very important that small businesses like Living Planet, which provide local jobs and support the local economy, are able to flourish and prosper. New South Wales has the largest number of small businesses of all the states, and their collective contribution to both the state and national economies cannot be underestimated. This combined with the lowest unemployment levels in 30 years in a strong and stable economy means that businesses both in the western suburbs of Sydney and nationwide remain profitable and competitive.

One of the biggest challenges facing Living Planet is the ongoing roadworks on Windsor Road. These works, which were due to be completed in March 2006, remain unfinished five months later. The ongoing disruption has had a major impact on all the businesses along Windsor Road. The New South Wales government and the Roads and Traffic Authority need to take responsibility. They must compensate these businesses for the lost income and provide a transparent timetable and completion date for the roadworks. Finally, I would like to thank everyone at Living Planet, particularly Paul Maait and his wife, who sacrifice much for that business, for the opportunity they provided. My time there was invaluable. (Time expired)