Western Australian small business owners are generally a positive bunch with the state revealed as having the most positive outlook over future revenue, according to the latest MYOB survey.
The quarterly Australian Small Business Survey consulted over 1600 small business owners across the country over the month of June on a range of small business and government issues.
The survey showed 68 per cent of the state's small businesses currently expected an increase in future revenue over the next 12 months, up from the March quarter's 62 per cent. This compared with a national average of 58 per cent.
WA was followed by South Australia (60 per cent) while small business owners in Tasmania (47%) had the lowest expectations of revenue increases.
That compared with nearly two-thirds or 69 per cent of owners in Australia who were confident about their business prospects over the next 12 months, down from the previous quarter's 72 per cent.
In WA alone, 70 per cent were confident about prospects, down from 71 per cent. Tasmania was the most optimistic with 78 per cent recorded.
Across the country on a sector by sector basis, health and community services (84 per cent) were the most positive followed by property and business services (81 per cent) and finance and insurance (74 per cent).
The least optimistic was the agriculture sector at 51 per cent, down from 59 per cent.
Performance forecasting wise, 57 per cent of WA owners believed their businesses will be performing better than now over the next 12 months, unchanged from the previous quarter. Nationally the figure was pegged at 56 per cent.
On the government issue front, 62 per cent of WA respondents rated the state government's contribution to small business as poor, up from 45 per cent. Across Australia, the figure was up from 55 per cent to 63 per cent.
