新州小企业危机：政府取消免费商业支持服务，破产率创15年新高

Core Viewpoint - The New South Wales (NSW) government has announced the cancellation of the "Business Connect" program, which provided free support services to small business owners, amidst rising living costs and increasing business challenges [1][3]. Group 1: Impact on Small Businesses - The termination of the "Business Connect" program means that small business owners will lose a crucial support channel for issues like bankruptcy planning [1]. - The program, launched in 2017, has assisted thousands of businesses during economic hardships, and its end leaves no equivalent alternative for support after October 1 [3]. - In the first nine months of the 2024-25 fiscal year, 4,235 businesses have already declared bankruptcy, indicating a significant strain on the small business sector [5]. Group 2: Business Environment Challenges - The business bankruptcy rate reached 0.47% in the first three quarters of the previous fiscal year, the highest level since the 2008-09 financial crisis [5]. - Small businesses are also facing a projected 36% increase in insurance costs over the next three years due to failed reforms in workers' compensation [5]. - Business leaders have criticized the government's decision as short-sighted, arguing it undermines confidence, innovation, and employment in the small business sector [5]. Group 3: Personal Accounts from Business Owners - Small business owners, such as Amjad Hussein from Merrylands, express concerns about the difficulties in maintaining profitability amid rising living costs, particularly during winter [7].