Attracting and retaining good quality small and medium businesses should be embedded in the economic and urban development plans for our places, not only because these businesses are the lifeblood of our communities, but because it makes good economic sense. We need ambitious initiatives geared toward the success of locally-owned businesses at all stages in the business lifecycle, from ideation onwards, ensuring there are opportunities for local operators to open, survive and flourish in the community. 

At the same time, one of the biggest issues facing cities and towns across Western Australia is that of long-term commercial vacancy, which is a complex, insidious, self-perpetuating problem that has a range of negative flow-on effects for public safety, anti-social behaviour and crime; tourism and visitation, and; the health and wellbeing of our people. Vacancy is hollowing out our communities, deterring more visitors and investment, and making our town centres less safe. It requires courageous new solutions that put small, creative, innovative and independent businesses first. 

1. Consult with experts, small business owners and stakeholders, and community groups to develop a state-wide framework to support the revitalisation and economic development of urban centres. This framework would identify designated Cultural Business Districts (CBDs), within which would apply requirements and measures to:
   
   • Reduce the number of vacant commercial premises, possibly including:
     • Public registers and maps of vacant buildings and their owners;
     • Obligating the provision of low-cost/free use of vacant premises for short-term activations.
     • Increasing council rates for properties that are long-term vacant (12 months or more) within the boundary.
       
   • Incentivise and support quality businesses that meet established criteria, including (as a starting point):
     • Prioritising WA-owned
     • Independent, or with best-practice ethical and sustainability certifications (e.g. B-Corps)
     • Desired opening hours, ideally spread across day and night
     • No ‘deficit’ shops (e.g. vape retailers)
       
   • Improve passive surveillance measures, and maintain and beautify streetscapes;
     
   • Improve pedestrian and active transport access and connectivity;
   • Increase tree canopy and greening;
   • Enact an annual maintenance and investment program for government-owned buildings.
     
     
2. Incentivise the incubation of new developments, businesses and industries that contribute to economic and employment diversification, especially value-adding businesses such as local manufacturing.
   
   
3. Expanding support and investment incentives for small businesses to start, grow and thrive.
   
   
4. Increasing opportunities for economic participation by people from diverse economic backgrounds and demographics, with consideration to succession planning.
   
   
5. Ensure the sufficient resourcing of business support services and funding for education and training programs for a wider range of business categories.
   
   
6. Enact measures to prevent monopolisation and to even the playing field between small and medium or independently-owned businesses and big, chain businesses.
   
   
7. Reform state government processes to speed up small business licensing and approvals.

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