We must address the challenge of increasing employment in the electorate and ensuring that business' that is located here, stay here. By business, I mean any business, from the small one person, working from home scenario to the multi-national, who employs hundreds of people. 

I work in the local area, and own a small business, so I have a unique perspective as an employee and and employer, on how to deal with many of the challenges of employment & business.

If people don't have to travel out of the electorate to work the benefits both socially and economically are substantial.

Socially, less time commuting to work, means a better work/life balance. More time to spend with those you love, doing things you love. Seems only a small factor but to me, the more time we have to do the things we love, the less stressed we are. Let's make life a bit easier for us all.

Economically, more people working within the electorate, means less pressure on our transport system, both public and private (wouldn't it be great if you didn't have to travel over the Westgate at 8am to see more people driving west!) It means that more money is spent in the electorate within established business'. It also means that for people living in the electorate more services at at their fingertips.

How do we do this?

Services like broadband (especially in newer areas), which have a positive impact on the productivity of small business operators, yet many home based businesses in newer areas have trouble accessing qualitybroadband. at affordable pricing.

Business in the electorate has traditionally been focussed on large scale manufacturing and logistics companies, or is focussed on low skilled jobs like retail. Yet the great benefit of the area is the number of small industries and businesses which could ivery easily become the engine room of employment growth in our area.

We need to:

• make the Altona electorate attractive to more businesses both large and small, beyond the traditional blue-collar logistics and manufacturing (sectors) and lower-skilled retail sectors now prevalent in the West.
  
• ensure that services and facilities, which promote & support businesses within the electorate are available.
  
• develop a serious long-term local jobs strategy, which includes work-from-home, skilled, white collar,
• develop programs to supports seniors and youth programs, including mentorship and 'buddy' programs.
• incentivise business to create jobs in our local area
• make it easier for residents to work from home and reduce the demand on public transport and freeways. 
• Help small work from home businesses:
  • hire their first staff member to increase productivity
  • hire out their non-core activities to other similar home-based businesses (so they can focus on their own core activities), and
  • make the leap from home to office-based locations,
  • Improve services like broadband (especially in newer areas), in order to drive productivity .

 There are many other great ideas that have been provided to us which we think could make a real difference in local employment opportunities in the immediate short-term. Come and join the debate.

 "Vote Local, Vote Liz"