Payroll tax threshold should be increased to allow small businesses to hire more staff – Barlows’ Brenton Whittenbury

THOUSANDS more South Australians could find themselves in work if the payroll tax threshold was increased, says the head of one of the state’s longest-running small businesses.

Sarah Whittenbury manages the family’s Charles St Barlows store and said she’d love to see more staff on the roster.

• Liberals’ payroll tax pledge

THOUSANDS more South Australians could find themselves in work if the payroll tax threshold was increased, says the head of one of the state’s longest-running small businesses.

Brenton Whittenbury, managing director of the seventh generation family-owned Barlows shoe retailer, says payroll tax is simply a “bad tax”. ​

“Why tax small businesses on the basis of the number of people they employ? Why not target those big businesses who are replacing staff with self-check-outs?” he asks.

Mr Whittenbury said his 150-year-old company which employs 38 staff – including eight family members – across four stores paid $46,000 in payroll tax last financial year.

“That would pay for us to put on an additional casual staff member for 30 hours a week,” he said. “Imagine if every South Australian business our size could do that, we’re talking thousands of extra jobs in this state.

“Business could invest in refurbishing their premises, updating technology, advertising, new plant and equipment, research and development ... all of which have flow-on effects and benefit other local business.” Mr Whittenbury argues.

Reacting to a weekend pledge by Opposition Leader Steven Marshall to lift the point at which businesses are first hit with payroll tax from a total wages bill of $600,000 to $1.5 million, Mr Whittenbury said the move was long overdue.

“I can’t actually remember to last time it was reduced, the amount we have been paying has increased significantly over the past few years,” he said.

Mr Whittenbury says it is a tough time to be in business in SA. “There just doesn’t seem to that sense of optimism we’ve had in the past.”

Mr Whittenbury’s daughter Sarah manages the family’s Charles St store and said she’d love to see more staff on the roster.

Premier Jay Weatherill yesterday said the Liberal scheme would not create one job.

“Any company that sits on that threshold won’t employ an extra person otherwise it takes them over the limit with a massive penalty and a payroll tax bill,” he said.