The economic damage the Government refuses to see...

Working within a secondary CBD hub, I have the great advantage of being within a brief walk of everything I could possibly need without the overcrowding that comes with operating within the heart of the business world. Connected enough without the claustrophobia; just the way I like it. Today the sun is shining and, without any early meetings or pressing deadlines I decided to go for a walk, which, if I am honest, is not a rare occurrence!

The morning air was crisp and the there was a bite to the wind, but the sun was out and the overall effect was both pleasant and refreshing. While on days like these I usually prefer to wander with no prescribed route in mind, today I decided to follow my usual path to the local newsagent. In such a built up area business space comes with a hefty price tag and the newsagent I frequent almost everyday is barely the size of a closet. Now while there are far nicer, larger places I could go to get my daily paper (The Australian, of course...) I always come back to this small, humble shop. Why? It comes down to the fundamental factor which is a key indicator of an organisations success: service. Since I first started working in the area some time ago and started shopping at this poky little newsagent, every morning I have been greeted by the smiling face of Mr Lee, the owner/operator.

"How are you today sir?" He would say in his less-than-perfect English the moment you squeezed into his small business (quite literally). Mr Lee always reminded me of Bert Newton as he had a real pie-face, that warm friendly look that made you feel welcomed. Everyday he was there, smile on his face and happy to stop and chat about whatever was in the news.

I have always been impressed by Mr Lee's work ethic. His store would be open and going by the time I arrived at the office and would still be opened when I was heading home, even if I had stayed back late. As far as I can tell he has never taken a sick day or shut his store to take a holiday. He was, for me, the quintessential small business owner, pouring everything he had into his little slice of the Australian dream. Hard work, dedication and a can-do attitude, these are the most important things you need to succeed... that was until Labor came to power...

I had noticed over the past few months that Mr Lee's business was far quieter than usual. On your typical day he would serve five or six people as I lent against the counter chatting about the local events or listening to him beam about how his children were doing at school. Moreover, Mr Lee's jovial smile had slowly began to disappear... and then, today, he was not there at all...



An all to common sight, yet the Government continues its war on small busines

 As I walked up to the little shop I noticed his signs and displays were not out on the side walk. Getting closer, I saw that there were two pieces of paper stuck to the security door. The first was a clipping of this story concerning the impact of the Carbon Tax on small businesses. The other was a handwritten note reading: Out of Business - Another victim of the government's war on small business.

While the government may release statements with reassuring quotes about understanding the cost of living pressures and the struggle thousands of Australian households are enduring everyday, they don't seem to realise that those statistics are actually people. People with hopes and dreams which are slowly being shattered and destroyed by Gillard and her incompetent government. The economy is not in as good shape as she would have you believe yet the Prime Minister is willing to embark on dangerous economic and taxation policy reform informed by the fiscally illiterate Greens.

Now this may be one story about one man and one shop, but I am certain that Mr Lee's story is not uncommon. Wake-up Gillard, the country you were elected to lead is hurting, don't inflict the unnecessary burden of another tax on family budgets already stretched to the limits. While you and your other leftist elites may be happy - and able - to pay a Carbon Tax, this does not mean that the hard working people of Australian are.

And to Mr Lee, if you should stumble upon this blog post I wish you all the best for the future; the mornings just aren't the same without your cheery smile.