The latest Sensis Business Index showed Tasmanian small and medium businesses are the most confident in Australia.  

Confidence levels increased by two points the September quarter to +59, which is 17 points above the national average, and the highest across all states and territories, Sensis chief executive John Allan said.

“Tasmania is becoming quite the hub for small businesses and this is starting to reflect in their confidence levels,” Mr Allan said.

Of Tasmania’s 66 per cent of businesses that felt confident, most cited healthy sales and a favourable business environment as the forces behind their positivity.

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The 7 per cent of Tasmanian business owners who were not confident expressed concern about falling sales.

“Close to two in five (36 per cent) small and medium businesses in Tasmania feel the economy is growing and this is reflective in their reasons for being positive,” Mr Allan said.

“This net balance of +28 is by far the highest in the country, 15 points ahead of the next highest score seen in Queensland.”

Support for Tasmania’s government fell three points to +33, but this figure is still the highest in Australia.

This support for the state government was driven by incentives, subsidies and grants and small business management training schemes.

Tasmanian Treasurer Peter Gutwein said the state’s businesses recorded the only positive increase out of all states and territories in the Sensis index.

“Across a range of indicators; from business confidence, to the perception of the economy, to the hiring of new staff; Tasmanian small and medium businesses reported either the most favourable results, or the most optimistic expectations, in the nation,” Mr Gutwein said.

“Today’s Sensis Business Index comes on top of a number of reports which confirm what many Tasmanians know to be the case – that our economy is strong – and that businesses are confident, investing more and hiring more.”