BUSINESS BULLISH FOR 2018

TASMANIAN small businesses remain the most confident in the nation, with the election failing to dampen their spirits.

The latest Sensis Business Confidence Index found six in 10 businesses in the state had bullish expectations of increased profitability and sales for the next three months.

The survey found increased confidence in sales, employment, wages, prices and profitability. Tasmanian Small Business Council boss Robert Mallett said conditions were “as good as we’ve ever seen it”.

TASMANIAN small businesses are the most confident in the nation with bullish expectations of increased profitability and sales for the next three months.

The latest Sensis Business Confidence Index found Tasmania and the ACT had net scores of 54, meaning 63 per cent felt positive and nine per cent felt negative with the remainder neutral.

The result was a small but expected post election fall from the score of 60 in the December quarter.

The survey, which included responses from 80 Tasmanian businesses, found increased confidence in all indicators: sales, employment, wages, prices and profitability.

Nearly 30 per cent of Tasmanian small businesses expected there to be more sales and 35 per cent expected more profitability.

Hobart was the most confident capital city in the nation with a score of 62 while regional Tasmania (50) was also above the national average.

“Key indicator balances for last quarter were the best in the nation and good results are expected in this quarter,” Sensis chief executive John Allan said.

“The Tasmanian Government became even more popular, appealing to [small and medium-sized businesses] more than any other state and territory government, with 31 per cent saying it was supportive against 12 per cent saying it worked against small business.”

“The main appeals of the Tasmanian Government are that it offers incentives, subsidies and grants and is doing a lot of infrastructure.”

Tasmanian Small Business Council chief executive Robert Mallett said business conditions were “as good as we’ve ever seen”.

“That the Sensis Business Index has found that Tasmanian small businesses are as confident as anywhere in the country is not surprising,” he said.

“We have had constant government, with strong leadership and some good ideas put in place.”

He said the tourism market was underpinning hotel construction and infrastructure builds which were providing a flow-on to small business.

Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Michael Bailey said the chamber’s Tasmanian Survey of Business Expectations had found strong confidence in the state economy but a softer feel for the national economy.

Treasurer Peter Gutwein said the Index had found the policies of the State Government were the most strongly supported across the whole country with a score of 19.