The NSW Government is ending funding for the Business Connect program – a vital support service that has helped more than 60,000 businesses across the state since 2017.

Locally, many business owners have told me how much this program has helped them – from marketing advice and business planning to practical support with digital skills, social media, and goal setting. It has given sole traders and small businesses the tools and confidence to grow, adapt, and recover from tough economic times.

On the Northern Beaches, we have about 33,000 registered businesses – many of them small, family-run enterprises. Business Connect has been the only free, accessible service offering this kind of tailored advice.

Ending this program will leave a major gap in support for our local business community.

We are calling on the NSW Government to reinstate Business Connect or put in place a similar model of practical business support.

If you believe small businesses deserve continued access to this kind of help, please sign this petition to show your support.

Sign below to help send a strong message to the Government: small businesses need support, not more setbacks.