Investing in small talk

EXECUTIVE director of the Office of Small Business David Latina hit on a pertinent point during an address at a Monash University business seminar on Monday 17 October.
Mr Latina said more than 300,000 small businesses in Victoria employed 811,000 people.
Both Cardinia and Casey councils promote the establishment of small businesses in their municipalities and My view is that there is probably not a better investment by local government. This, combined with vigorous efforts to draw tourists to the area, can be the backbone of building a healthy economy within their boundaries.
Last month I attended an Australian Sister Cities conference in the City of Latrobe and totted up the odds and ends that brought revenue to businesses in that area.
We used taxis, bought drinks, met in coffee shops, stayed at motels, bought trivia, and one evening about 30 of us finished a meeting and decided to go to a restaurant for coffee.
The coffees ended up becoming a fullon supper and a windfall for a very happy and obliging restaurateur.
During early September the Auswide Motorhome Club held its annual rally at the Leongatha Showgrounds.
This meant lots of sales to hundreds of visitors and reports are that the RSL Club did a roaring trade with meals.
That is what tourism and small business is all about and that type of activity has an end result that leaves a little extra money in the pockets of people all around the town. In turn, they would spend that money to the benefit of others and so on.
Perhaps we should be less inclined to be hypocritical of people who travel to conferences in an effort to learn things that can improve their own business, job and society.
Perhaps we should do more toward providing things in our community that would draw travellers from other places to our municipalities, such as a couple of conference centres and more motels.