Moreton Bay businesses get a boost with $1 million in support

Published 21 January 2025

City of Moreton Bay is launching a new small business initiative to support local employment opportunities and help the 30,000 small businesses that call the city home navigate ongoing cost of living challenges.

Announced as part of City of Moreton Bay’s record $922 million 2024-2025 budget in June 2024, Council committed $1 million to help the local business community.

The program is designed to support and upskill small businesses, and the local rural and agribusiness sectors, while driving employment and economic growth in the city for the long term. 

Made up of five individual programs targeting agritourism, ecotourism certification, restaurant and coffee shops, stimulating retail leasing, and upskilling businesses in small business tax governance, the programs will make a real difference to the business community. 

City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery said adding an extra $1 million to Council’s already generous business support initiatives was a tangible way to help the many small businesses that are doing it tough, and support ongoing employment opportunities across the City.

“Our Council is recognised as Queensland’s most small business friendly council.

“We know small business plays a pivotal role in our economy, so we’re committed to doing what we can to help.

“These new business programs, on top of our existing economic support, will play a crucial role in creating a supportive landscape for businesses to grow, collaborate, and prosper, in what is an incredibly tough environment for many,” Mayor Flannery said.

One of the programs, ‘Master Your Food business’, delivered by the Coffee Commune, aims to support the café and restaurant trade. Cafes and restaurants across Australia failed at record rates last year as consumers pulled back on discretionary spending.

“Supporting our hospitality sector has countless flow on benefits, from adding to our great liveability, to providing even more reasons for visitors to come and enjoy the hospitality of Moreton Bay,” said Mayor Flannery.

Founder of the Coffee Commune, Phillip Di Bella, said the program demonstrates City of Moreton Bay’s dedication to investing in its local hospitality sector.

Businesses can register for the Master Your Food Business Program now through our webpage.

Another program expected to revitalise trade areas is the Shopfront Renewal Program. This program will provide free and vibrant decals to vacant commercial properties.

Mayor Flannery said while also beautifying the surrounding streetscape, these decals would aim to draw attention to vacant shopfronts and highlight their potential as a great business location to prospective tenants. 

Owners of eligible properties will be able to apply to have a choice of artworks applied to their property’s front windows and removed for free once a lessee has been secured. 

Applications for this program open in February 2025.

The UniSC Tax Clinic Program will be delivered in partnership with UniSC at both The Mill at Petrie and Caboolture, and will offer home based and micro businesses operating in City of Moreton Bay free tax workshops. This service aims to assist small business owners who may be facing financial constraints or challenges in accessing professional tax services to remain compliant.

This program will begin taking applications from March 2025.

In coming months, the business boost will also include support for farms and agribusinesses to leverage Moreton Bay’s strong agricultural heritage and diversify their product offering by developing new agritourism products. The Beyond the Farm Gate Program will connect farmers and primary producers with tailored workshops, seminars, and online courses from March 2025 to help them create a new revenue stream and business opportunity.

Also, in line with Council’s recent silver eco-tourism certification as a sustainable tourism destination, the Eco-Certification and Accreditation Support Program will assist tourism businesses to become eco-certified and accredited. Tourism contributes some $2 billion to the City of Moreton Bay economy and employs more than 8,000 people and according to the World Economic Forum, 76 per cent of tourists want more sustainable travel options. This program helps get local businesses ready for 2032 and beyond. Businesses will be able to access this program from March 2025.

For more information about the City of Moreton Bay Business Boost initiative, visit our webpage.

Or contact Council on (07) 3205 0555