South Australia has been rated as having the most competitive business tax and planning regime in the nation, according to the Business Council of Australia.

The Business Council of Australia’s Regulation Rumble report ranks all states and territories and has found:
“Considering taxes for employing workers, charges for owning or acquiring property, and the retail trading environment, the BCA finds that South Australia has the most conducive environment for encouraging business growth.”

The Business Council of Australia also delivered high praise for the speed and efficiency of South Australia’s planning system, finding:
“Bringing together the elements of efficiency, consistency, certainty, and transparency, the BCA finds that overall, the South Australian planning system ranks first in the nation.”

This is the latest in a series of economic measures where South Australia has ranked number one, ahead of other states and territories, which also includes:
*#1 for growth in economic activity (Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Sep 6)
*#1 for growth in retail turnover (Australian Bureau of Statistics, Aug 28)
*#1 for growth in new home sales (Housing Industry Association, Aug 24)
*#1 for growth in overseas goods exports (Australian Bureau of Statistics, Sep 7)
The BCA report stated South Australia ranked highly because it has no stamp duty on commercial property transactions, the lowest payroll tax rate for large employers and a higher threshold for when payroll tax kicks in, benefiting small businesses.

The results coincide with the launch of a State Government interstate advertising campaign, highlighting the benefits of South Australia’s competitive tax regime for business.

Quotes

Attributable to Peter Malinauskas

This is just the latest example of South Australia ranking number one among all the states and territories.

South Australia has a great story to tell, and the rest of the nation is starting to notice.

The State Government has a strong focus on ensuring we are creating an environment which gives local businesses the opportunity to thrive, which delivers benefits for all South Australians.

Attributable to Stephen Mullighan

While some states are choosing to impose new taxes on business, South Australia is winning praise across the nation for our highly competitive tax and regulatory environment.

Right now, our economy is enjoying the strongest growth in the nation, and this puts us in good stead as we face global economic headwinds.

Attributable to Nick Champion

Since coming to government, we have had a strong focus on cutting red tape in our planning system.

Just last month, we announced a new fast-tracked approval regime for new homes on greenfield sites.

A strong and efficient planning regime will help our state address the housing crisis.