Treasurer Hears Townsville Business Concerns

Townsville’s business community had the opportunity to speak directly with the Queensland Treasurer, Hon David Janetzki, at a recent Chamber roundtable, alongside Members for Hinchinbrook, Thuringowa and Mundingburra.

The discussion focused on the real pressures facing local businesses, including workforce shortages, the housing crisis, insurance costs, stamp duty, and the growing impact of payroll tax.

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What Was Discussed

Chamber members shared firsthand insights into the challenges affecting day-to-day operations and long-term growth.

Key issues raised included:

• Attracting and retaining staff in a tight labour market
• The ongoing housing crisis impacting workforce availability
• Rising insurance and operational costs
• The increasing burden of payroll tax on local employers

The Treasurer expressed strong interest in understanding the scale of these challenges across the region, particularly the impact of payroll tax.

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Why This Matters

Ensuring regional voices are heard at all levels of government is a core part of the Chamber’s advocacy work.

Open and constructive conversations like this roundtable are essential to shaping policies that reflect the realities faced by North Queensland businesses.

Townsville Chamber CEO, Emma Peters, said the discussion was a valuable opportunity for local businesses to raise key concerns directly:

“Today’s roundtable was a valuable chance for Townsville businesses to speak directly with the Treasurer about real pressures like workforce shortages, the housing crisis and payroll tax. Ensuring regional businesses are heard is core to our mission.”

Chamber Member Michelle Arnold from Townsville Helicopters added:

“It was great to speak directly with the Treasurer about the challenges we’re facing, especially the impact of payroll tax on growth and staffing. We appreciate the Chamber creating a forum where local businesses can share their experiences and help shape better policy for Townsville.”

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Have Your Say: Payroll Tax Survey

To support ongoing advocacy efforts, the Chamber has launched a business survey to capture real-world data on how payroll tax is impacting local businesses.

This feedback will help strengthen the case for change and ensure Townsville businesses are clearly represented in statewide discussions.

👉 Complete the survey here