“With 700 small businesses out of nearly 2000 small regional businesses responding to the survey, it is very difficult to question the accuracy and validity of the survey results,” researcher Dan Murphy said.
“Small businesses in Albury and Wodonga were asked about the impact of the GST on their business in terms of additional staff costs, additional fees for accounting and other professional services, and additional time that owners spent on administration for the GST.
“Questions about set-up costs and capital expenditure for the GST were specifically excluded because it was acknowledged they were one-off costs,” Mr Murphy said.
Fellow researcher Sue Petzke said this was an extremely large survey, with a very high response rate.
Survey results indicated that extra staff had cost small Border businesses $6.3 million and $7.9 million in additional accountancy and professional fees as a result of implementing the GST in its first year.
“In addition, small business owners, who are renowned for being pushed for time, spent an extra 133 hours on extra administration for the GST in the past year,” Ms Petzke said.
“It is clear, therefore, that this small business survey measured the responses of hundreds of businesses, and did not rely on selected, anecdotal evidence from a small number of larger regional businesses,” said Mr Murphy.
The survey aimed to measure the impact of the GST over the first 12 months of its implementation. According to the researchers, the research project was commenced in early July and, following a comprehensive approval process within the University, the majority of surveys were completed before the Federal Election was called.
“As a regional university, CSU has a role and a responsibility to objectively explore important social and economic issues in our region,” Mr Murphy said.
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