A massive survey of Western Australia’s 225,000 small businesses has painted a revealing picture of Peel’s local enterprises, showing the region is trailing the state on exports to the rest of the country and overseas, and owners are reporting the toughest competition outside Perth.
But the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre’s Small Business Survey 2017 also found a bright spot for the region, with more of Peel’s 7940 small businesses reporting they were doing well (31.1 per cent) rather than struggling (only 11.3 per cent).
The data revealed there were 58.7 Peel small businesses for every 1000 people, but that 62 per cent were run by owner-operators who do not employ staff.
Peel sells 88.4 per cent of its goods and services within the region or elsewhere in WA, with only 6.6 per cent exported to the rest of Australia and 5.1 per cent overseas.
The Perth region exports 24.8 per cent of the good and services it produces out of the state.
The figures show 59.1 per cent of Peel businesses find the local competition tough, but only 7.3 per cent are thinking about putting off staff.
The survey also included an interview with the owner of a small Peel transport and warehousing business who spoke about the stress of running the operation.
“My main challenge in running the business is that it is just me. I have to coordinate all aspects of the business and I can never take a day off,” the woman said.
“The business is starting to negatively impact my stress levels, and I can see this carrying over into other aspects of my life – my personal relationships, finances and general health and wellbeing.”
Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre’s Professor Alan Duncan said the report highlighted the importance of the small business sector to Western Australia’s economy, accounting for 41 per cent of WA employment and contributing almost $40 billion to the State’s economy – second only to the mining sector.
But he said more than than half of small businesses experienced late payments from larger businesses for products and services, with one in five small businesses in Peel facing payment delays of a month or more.
“Late payment is a huge problem for small business owners in Western Australia, and adds significantly to the financial stresses they face on a daily basis in maintaining and growing their businesses,” Professor Duncan said.
To download the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre’s small business report go to bcec.edu.au.
Nathan Hondros
Senior Journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, and Fairfax Media.
Senior Journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, and Fairfax Media.
