RFG DARKER BY THE DAY

THE Gold Coast is considered the small business capital of Australia — a place where entrepreneurs make dreams come true.

It has been that way for decades. We are a city of migrants — from other countries, states and parts of Queensland — who come here with sometimes little more than an idea and a burning ambition.

Unfortunately for those tied up in the mess that has become the

Retail Food Group that dream has fast become a nightmare.

For months, hundreds of franchise owners have woken up in cold sweats to the reality that their endless toil to provide a better life for their families could be for nought because of the train wreck at the front office.

The bloodshed continued yesterday when RFG lost another $185 million.

The ugly share price purge and subsequent ducking and weaving from company heads provided more questions than answers for operators caught up in the turmoil.

At a time when decent, hardworking people are seeking clarity and leadership so they can cut a path from the mire, the vagueness from the company is unforgiveable.

The RFG board may feel under siege given the dark cloud hovering over them, but it is the operators, their staff and shareholders who truly are feeling the pain.

Small business is the engine room of our tourism economy. The self-employed make up 20 per cent of Gold Coast workers compared with just 15 per cent in most capital cities.

RFG said Gold Coast franchise owners would be exempt from any nationwide cull, but operators the Bulletin spoke to say it is rhetoric. They point to months of uncertainly and until RFG records are fully transparent are bracing for the nightmare to darken further.