Southport
News

Elected in 2012, Rob is the current State Member for Southport and the Chief Opposition Whip in the Queensland Parliament. Born in Southport, Rob grew up here, went to school in Southport and has raised his family here. As a father of four grown-up sons he understands only too well the challenges families face.

Susie and her family have lived, studied, built businesses and have been an integral part of the Southport community all their lives.  Her father, the legendary Peter Gallagher, captained the Kangaroos Rugby League team and was an esteemed member of the local community being (among other things) a driving force behind the Magic Millions Racing Carnival and serving as the Chairman until his death and the Vice-Chairman for 10 years prior to that at the Gold Coast Turf Club.

There’s been a lot of talk lately about small businesses and its importance to communities and the economy, but now with the election weeks away, all political parties need to show how they plan to back your success. We’ve developed our 2020 Election Priorities focusing on the vital support you need now, but also on what needs to be invested in to generate and sustain businesses into the future.

We are pleased to confirm that our member numbers now exceed 180 businesses across Southport and the Gold Coast. We had a well attended and Covid safe Spring Business After Dark at our Corporate Sponsor the Southport Yacht Club on Thursday 24 September.

Exciting news Our Southport Gold Coast Business Hub has expanded . . .. . . . and now includes GCBizHub Flexible Offices. Our selection of 7 new, fully serviced offices can accommodate 1 person, 2 people or up to 4 people in one of the larger offices. This expansion has meant that we currently have 14 offices in our letting portfolio. Rates, sizes and availability of the offices is all detailed online at https://bookings.goldcoastbusinesshub.com.au/offices

The CCIQ Suncorp Pulse Survey of Gold Coast business conditions for the September 2020 quarter is now open. We need your feedback about what's impacting your business today, and what will influence your decision-making over the next three months.

CCIQ Update - In the last sitting before the election, the Palaszczuk Government yesterday passed legislation making it a criminal offence for employers to knowingly underpay their staff. Directors and business owners can face jail time.

Today’s Mid-Year Economic Financial Review contains tangible support for small business said the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ). The COVID-19 Fiscal and Economic Review provides an update on Queensland’s economic and fiscal estimates over 2019-20 and 2020-21 that incorporate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic to date. The report also outlines the Queensland Government’s economic strategy that builds on the Unite and Recover:

We are pleased to announce that our membership numbers now exceed 170 members and we have strong support from Gold Members and our Corporate Sponsors.

Don't forget to go to the member directory on our website and ensure your business profile is up to date and complete. Check out who your fellow members are and support them. You will see the Gold members and Corporate sponsors scrolling at the bottom of the website.

SOUTHPORT UPDATE REPORT

This week Council made an important decision regarding the City Plan and proposed amendments.

As many of you will know, the State Government is ultimately responsible for approving the adoption of our City Plan. Many of you will also be aware of the upcoming State election on 31 October.

Offer Extended - In a city first, the Southport Chamber of Commerce have launched a new initiative to help Gold Coast businesses on their road to recovery over the next 12 months.

The initiative will see annual membership fees waived for new and existing Gold Coast businesses who join the Southport Chamber before 30th September 2020

This initiative is open to all Gold Coast businesses, no matter what industry or size, with a focus on those trading within Southport and it’s surrounds.

Our “Road to Recovery” Business and Jobs Expo will help businesses recover as well as provide pathways for people who need to redirect into new training and employment opportunities.

It is exciting to see that the Gold Coast Business and Jobs Expo will connect 200 exhibitors to 2000 local business professionals.

Gold Coast – 15 October, Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium, 10am to 4pm.

For millions of Australians and businesses large and small, the Government’s JobKeeper 2.0 is bigger than the annual Federal Budget. The nation’s strong balance sheet is literally propping up livelihoods and keeping businesses open. So what now?

Small businesses across Moncrieff can now apply for a grant that will support them to make their energy use more efficient and to reduce their power bills through the Government’s Energy Efficient Communities program.

To all new members including Business Members, Gold Members and Corporate Sponsors.

We thank you for joining the oldest Chamber on the Gold Coast and the Chamber for the official CBD of the Gold Coast.

SOUTHPORT UPDATE REPORT

I am pleased to inform you that Council unanimously voted in favour of my request for a proper, formalised approach to homelessness.

Offer Extended - In a city first, the Southport Chamber of Commerce have launched a new initiative to help Gold Coast businesses on their road to recovery over the next 12 months.

The initiative will see annual membership fees waived for new and existing businesses who join the Southport Chamber before 30th September 2020

This initiative is open to all Gold Coast businesses, no matter what industry or size, with a focus on those trading within Southport and it’s surrounds.

Through the Queensland Small Business Skills Hub small business owners, startups and their staff now have a great opportunity to access over 500 highly relevant online courses, ranging from a few minutes to an hour, for FREE until December 2020.

To all members and businesses in Southport

For a limited time, the Southport Chamber are currently offering a year free membership. We encourage all businesses to sign up, and if you have already, encourage your neighbouring businesses and all businesses in your network to sign up for free membership of the Southport Chamber for a year.

SOUTHPORT REPORT

Last week Council adopted its 2020-21 roads to recovery budget – a budget that lays out the City’s economic plan to recover from the global pandemic.

Australian research into the use of convalescent plasma in clinical trials for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 should be supported according to a leading immunologist from Griffith University’s Institute for Glycomics.

Professor Michael Good AO, a member of the National COVID-19 Health and Research Advisory Committee and chair of the working group on convalescent plasma therapy.

The objective of this program is to support small businesses subject to closure or highly impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) shutdown restrictions announced by the Queensland Government, to adapt and sustain their operations, and build resilience.

After Round 1 of the program was allocated very quickly, a second round has been announced and will be accepting applications from 1 July 2020.

RDA Gold Coast has released the findings from its COVID-19 Business Impact and Information Survey.

This study was undertaken to gain real time insights on the impact of COVID-19 on Gold Coast businesses, how businesses are reacting to government support packages, their current situation, and future projections.

Four teams of expert scientists from Griffith University’s Institute for Glycomics are targeting the virus SARS-CoV-2 to discover new vaccines and drugs to prevent or cure COVID-19.

The teams are led by the Institute’s group leaders Professor Mark von Itzstein AO, Professor Michael Good AO, Professor Michael Jennings, and Professor Johnson Mak, all world-renowned research scientists in their various fields of infectious diseases research.

• Small business revenues could collapse by up to $27 billion during the June quarter as a consequence of COVID-19 restrictions

• $13 billion of revenues were lost in of Queensland during the March quarter according to the ABS

• Time to act now and not wait for specific dates

Queensland businesses need to start operating fully and it needs to happen now said the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ).

In a city first, the Southport Chamber of Commerce have launched a new initiative to help Gold Coast businesses on their road to recovery over the next 12 months.

The initiative will see annual membership fees waived for new and existing businesses who join the Southport Chamber before July 30, 2020.

This initiative is open to all businesses, no matter what industry or size, with a focus on those trading within Southport and it’s surrounds.

he Queensland Government have just launched free online training for small businesses and employees impacted by COVID-19 as part of their plan to unite and recover for Queensland jobs.

More than 400 free training courses will be available to Queenslanders through two portals.

The Queensland Small Business Skills Hub will have courses across four topic areas:

President’s Report

The Chamber is the principal petitioner of a petition sponsored by Rob Molhoek to parliament to act on the homelessness issue in Southport.

The Southport Community Consultative Committee, chaired by the Chamber, has been meeting monthly and bringing homelessness to the urgent attention of the Police and Council.

Ian Kennedy our Chamber President recently had the opportunity to have a Q&A with Cr Brooke Patterson our newly elected Councillor for Division 6

You spoke to a lot of residents and businesses during your campaign and since. What were the major one or two issues raised by them?

The Queensland Governments Roadmap to Easing Restrictions

From the desk of the QLD Government

"Our strong health response to COVID-19 means we’re well positioned for recovery" We are planning ahead with our roadmap to easing restrictions, as well as supporting business, industry and Queensland jobs.