How the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and workplace reforms have affected the operations of small and medium sized businesses in Albury and Wodonga will be investigated next week by a Charles Sturt University (CSU) research group.

School of Business lecturers Bill Robbins, Gerry Voll, Sue Petzke and Dan Murphy, all based on the Albury-Wodonga Campus, will ask around 2 500 Border businesses how they perceive their operations have been affected by business changes such as the GST.

According to Ms Petzke, accountants in regional Australia have reported that higher costs and “savaged” cash flows, aggravated by the Federal Government’s New Tax System, have resulted in some clients closing their businesses, while other are struggling to manage cash flows and keep records.

“The Federal Government claimed that the New Tax System would benefit small businesses through better management, improved cash flow and simplified tax procedures,” she said.

“The survey seeks to capture a ‘snapshot’ of what is really happening in small businesses in regional Australia.”

The survey will also look specifically at the prevalence and use of Australian Workplace Agreements between Border businesses and their employees. Little research into this area of industrial relations has been undertaken to date.

The telephone survey of Border businesses will start next Monday 17 September, with the survey continuing for at least one week.

Initial survey results and analysis are due to be available in October 2001.