Get Involved - Parliament

North Shore Local Business Awards

Published on: October 2022

Record: HANSARD-1323879322-127712

North Shore Local Business Awards

Ms FELICITY WILSON (North Shore) (22:05:01):

Small local businesses have been battling it out over these past few years, faced with a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic and the devastating floods across New South Wales, but our businesses have come through the other side and so many of them are rebounding back better than ever. We all know that our small businesses, being the backbone of our communities, are providing employment, essential goods and services, and creating connections for our local communities. There are over 800,000 small businesses in New South Wales, and they make up 98 per cent of all businesses and employ 1.8 million people, which is 45 per cent of those who live and work in New South Wales. On the Government side of the Chamber we believe in a strong and vibrant small business sector. In my own community of North Shore we have a community of villages. We have our major CBD in North Sydney. We have the villages of Mosman, Cremorne, Neutral Bay, Kirribilli, and Waverton and they all have their own character. Those villages are vibrant hubs of commerce because of the contribution and investment that small businesses make to the local community.

We are so fortunate in our local community. Recently we were able to recognise this contribution through the 2022 Local Business Awards for North Shore and several great local businesses were recognised. The awards pay tribute to and reward the best businesses in our local community. They aim to develop and strengthen the bonds between business and the community, thereby improving local business standards and outcomes. I congratulate the following North Shore businesses which won in this year's Local Business Awards. Firstly, Midas Mosman won the Automotive Services category. Anybody knows that on the fraught issue of deciding where to take your car for a service or repairs, when you want to make sure that you have got a reputable business and that you can trust and rely on the people who are doing the job, you go to Midas Mosman. They are constantly recommended across our community.

I congratulate Sanctuary Skin Care in Neutral Bay, just a few doors down from my electorate office, which won the Beauty Services category. I should probably spend a little bit of my time there. I can only imagine how challenged the personal care services were during COVID. I congratulate Best Bagel Co. in Cremorne, which won the Cafe category; the Kids Cottage in Middle Harbour, which won the Early Childhood Centre category; and Dress for a Night in North Sydney, which won the Fashion category. This is a really amazing business that started. We have had a couple of these businesses start in our local area in recent years. They are reducing the use of fast fashion for major events, ensuring that we can have more sustainable and affordable dresses for different events and nights. We know that they really struggled as well during COVID because there were so few events. It is really exciting to see that they won the fashion category.

I congratulate Floriade in Mosman, which won the Florist category. We are spoilt for choice with florists in our area but Floriade is a beautiful florist in Mosman. I congratulate Salon Yazbek in Neutral Bay, which won the Hairdresser category. I want to acknowledge that they are heavily involved in a range of different community initiatives as well, including looking at hair donations for people who need those. I congratulate SquareOne Physio in Mosman, which won the Health Improvement Services category, and Burnt Dining in Neutral Bay, which won the New Business category. I keep saying to them that I have to try out some of their delicious dishes. I keep seeing photos on social media, so I have to get in and check them out. I congratulate Plie, Groove'n'Shuffle in North Sydney, which won the Performing Arts category; and Jamesons Strata Management in Mosman, which won the Professional Services category, and which not only manages my strata building but also reaches out to me regularly to engage with different strata committees that are facing issues in our area and helps get the best outcomes for them.

I congratulate Ormeggio at The Spit in Mosman, which won the Restaurant category. I am not sure which members have been to The Spit. I cannot eat shellfish but I try to eat some of the other things on the menu. It is a wonderful restaurant. I congratulate Elora Joliffe, Body First Pilates in Neutral Bay, which won the Youth Award category. This is quite a new business. They opened during COVID and were really innovative in the model they offered to locals to make sure they could engage. I congratulate all the local winners. I also thank the sponsors for their support: Nova Employment, the Rotary Club of North Sydney, White Key Marketing, Business Networking Reimagined, and North Shore Living. I particularly thank the local chambers of commerce at Mosman, Neutral Bay and North Sydney for their work in enabling local businesses to network and support one another.

I particularly acknowledge the fantastic work of the Mosman Chamber of Commerce, and President Tamara Keniry, who host a range of different events but who were also instrumental in the Mosman First campaign to ensure that Mosman residents would shop local, which has been a great success. Every business has the opportunity to be part of these awards. They provide various options and marketing tools to assist businesses become winners or finalists. We believe in a vibrant and strong small business sector. I know our Government will support and communities across New South Wales will continue to support our local and small businesses, not only helping them to survive but helping them to thrive.