LOCAL BUSINESSES TO BENEFIT FROM JOB CREATION GRANT Grants of up to $10,000 for small businesses to employ additional workers is the centre-piece of the State Budget to promote growth in jobs. The new scheme offers a Job Creation Grant of up to $10,000 over two years for each new full-time equivalent job created in small and medium sized businesses liable for payroll tax in South Australia. Local Member of Parliament Mr Tony Piccolo has welcomed the budget initiative which he believes will provide a major boost to employment opportunities in the local area. “The $10,000 grant could make the difference between a small business employer creating a new job or not. These grants are designed to help small and medium sized businesses grow their workforce”, Mr Piccolo said. Mr Piccolo said the scheme is designed to support employers in business to create new, real jobs, which is a central priority of the State Government. “The State Government believes that based on Treasury estimates, the grant scheme could create up to 14,000 full time equivalent jobs in South Australia.” For those businesses that do not pay payroll tax, a small business and start up grant of up to $4,000 over two years is available for each new job of 22 hours or more per week created by eligible businesses. Mr Piccolo said the scheme is open now, and businesses can apply at www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au/jobs The larger grants are available to eligible employers with total payrolls of $5 million or less and who increase their total number of employees between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2018. To be eligible, the new worker must be employed for at least 12 months, with the first grant of $5,000 paid on the first anniversary date of employment. This offer is available on a pro rata basis for jobs that involve less than 35 hours of work per week. The state Budget also provides $1.25 million to support the Office of the Commissioner for Small Business to provide mediation services, and $600,000 over two years, to Business SA to assist them to develop a coaching and advisory program to help small business grow their export potential. Mr Piccolo said these new measures are on top of the tax concessions introduced last year, and a $1.5 billion infrastructure spend which will provide a boost to jobs in the civil construction industry. Mr Piccolo stressed through good management, the State Government has been able to provide this important boost to employment while still delivering a budget surplus