Why pax tax and not vote? In local government, all ratepayers are equal but some are more equal than others. Councils have far more impact on businesses than they do on residents. Why, then, do so few of my business colleagues actively vote in local government elections?
Particularly in Adelaide City Council, where there are more than 12,000 businesses contributing to the economy. The many business-related activities undertaken by our councils that impact business include the location of your business, the aesthetics of the surrounding environment, your signage and that of others, a council’s local procurement policies, economic and regional development programs aimed at job creation and tourism, and vents aimed at attracting visitors and creating positive engagement.
According to the Small Business Commissioner, most interactions that business owners in South Australia have with government are at a local level. Through the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the disappearance of city workers, ACC recognised the importance of accelerating economic growth in the city and North Adelaide with a new citywide business model.
Small businesses represent 98 per cent of all businesses in the state and almost 40 per cent of the state’s workforce, some 350,000 people. Our financial, mental and physical wellbeing are connected to the state of our businesses.
Businesses pay council rates every year either directly — if they own their business premises — or indirectly through their rent and tenancy agreements. It therefore amazes me how so many of my peers accept this taxation without valuing their democratic right to have a say on who decides how it’s actually spent.
I am heartened by a 6 per cent increase in business registrations on the ACC roll. Whether this translates into filling out voting papers remains to be seen. If you don’t exercise your right to vote, you’re effectively accepting taxation without proper representation. To suggest business owners are unaware of their right to vote in council elections might be a factor in the suburbs. But to use lack of awareness as a reason for low business turnout in the CBD and North Adelaide doesn’t cut it.
Your council has an impact on many of the services you see and use every day. Choices made by your council have visible impacts on your community. And, in the case of business owners, on customers and on your trade. Engaging in local elections is the best way to have your say over who is making these decisions on your behalf.
As turnouts in most local elections are usually low, your vote carries even more weight. As the Local Government Association itself acknowledges, our state’s councils are answerable for $22bn of public assets and infrastructure and for combined annual budgets of some $2bn.
Ballots for this year’s 67 council elections are out and voting closes on Thursday 10 November, with counting on Saturday 12 November.
Nikki Govan is chair of the South Australian Business Chamber and the Adelaide Economic Development Agency.
