From State Government Talking Points to Cash-Flow Pressures: A Tale of Two Conversations

“Small business is the engine of our regional economy. If we fuel it properly, confidence and community will follow.”

Kiama By-Election Independent candidate Kate Dezarnaulds has written an op-ed about Monday’s Business Illawarra forum at Kiama Pavilion. She describes a striking contrast.

On one side, the Premier and Treasurer with their polished talking points about hospitals, schools, and long-term reforms.
On the other, small business owners raising the real and immediate pressures they are facing: spiralling insurance, high energy bills, housing shortages, unreliable trains, disappearing support programs.

Kate argues that this is exactly the gap we need to close, between “policy horizons” and the weekly cash-flow reality of the people who keep our communities running. She points to six practical shifts that could make a difference now: fixing insurance settings, lowering energy bills for business, building housing near jobs, reliable trains, tailored business support, and unlocking employment land.

Her message is simple. Small business is the engine of our regional economy. If we fuel it properly, confidence and community will follow.

#KiamaByElection2025 #SmallBusinessVoices #KiamaCommunity #BeyondTalkingPoints #NSWPolitics #LocalEconomy #BusinessReality #Kate Dezarnaulds

Author: Lynne Strong

I am a community advocate, storyteller and lifelong collaborator with a deep commitment to strengthening local democracy and amplifying regional voices. With roots in farming and decades of experience leading national initiatives like Action4Agriculture, I’ve dedicated my life to empowering the next generation and creating platforms where people feel seen, heard and valued. I believe in courage, kindness and the power of communities working together to shape their own future. These days, you’ll find me diving deep into the role of local media and civic engagement to explore how regional communities around the world are reclaiming their voice.

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