Regional businesses in the resources sector who want to speak up about the unfair demands of banks, insurers and superannuation funds can do so confidentially via an inquiry currently being conducted by the Government’s Trade and Investment Growth Committee.

I know that there are businesses out there who are being pressured to step away from, or limit their involvement with, the coal mining sector if they want to get finance and insurance.

In a region like ours this is completely unreasonable.  Yet small and medium businesses are scared to speak up because they fear that banks and insurers will find out and take action against them.

I do not want the fear of repercussions holding people back from sharing their stories, that’s why I’ve taken steps to ensure that people can lodge confidential submissions to the inquiry currently being conducted, and that has been reinforced today by the committee’s secretariat.

People can testify confidentially to hearings as well, as these can be done via camera with the privacy of the testifier protected.

It is vital that the Committee hear from as many people as possible about the changes in practices from financial institutions and regulators, which is not only affecting those in the resources sector but in agriculture and services as well.

To find out more about the Inquiry into the potential regulation of investment in Australia’s export industries visit the website, or to make a submission visit the trade committee website

Submissions close on April 30.