The federal government is going to great lengths to explain to households its compensation package for the upcoming carbon tax but a new survey suggests it should be giving small business a guiding hand.
Almost half of small businesses are unclear about what the price on carbon will mean to them, even though the impost will be introduced within weeks.
A survey by business software provider MYOB found that those in agriculture, forestry and fishing, and construction and trade are the most uninformed about the $23-a-tonne carbon price that starts on July 1, while those in finance and insurance are the most informed.
“It is deeply concerning that our research has found such a low level of awareness about the carbon tax impact on business amongst SMEs (small and medium enterprises), the engine room of our economy,” MYOB CEO Tim Reed said, releasing the survey findings on Tuesday.
The survey of 1043 SMEs found that 42 per cent of respondents did not have a good grasp of how the carbon tax could affect their business.
Conversely, 37 per cent understood the tax “quite well” and 17 per cent “very well” but four per cent didn’t know anything.
When asked if they believed the impact on their business would be positive or negative, 50 per cent of SMEs said it would be negative, 33 per cent saw no impact and only 11 per cent expected a positive impact.
Five per cent didn’t know what the impact would be.
Mr Reed said this major piece of legislation would have a lasting effect on all business and owners needed to recognise that the carbon tax would have flow-on effects to the goods and services they need.
“What many don’t realise is that the carbon tax could very well be a positive experience for those who take action now to research, plan ahead, health-check their business fundamentals and capitalise on the opportunities,” he said.
To help business with the adjustment, MYOB has put together the “Carbon Tax Toolkit” that SMEs can download, and contains facts about the carbon tax and tips to help businesses lower their carbon footprint to save money.
The kit also contains a poster that points out that most offices are unoccupied for 118 hours a week, so switching off computers, printers, faxes and phone chargers can help to reduce carbon pollution.
