Kawana MP Jarrod Bleijie today swapped Parliament for an ice cream parlour to celebrate the economic and employment contribution of Kawana’s 4514 small businesses.

Mr Bleijie’s shift at Kawana’s Gelatissimo marked the wind down of the 2014 Queensland Small Business Week, aimed at celebrating small business and reminding Queenslanders of the importance of buying locally.

Armed with a gelati spatula Mr Bleijie joined business owners Warren and Prue Loone in working the lunch rush at the Kawana Shoppingworld store.

“I’m thrilled to today celebrate the contribution of the 4514 small businesses that keep Kawana ticking,” Mr Bleijie said.

“Today has been about getting a taste, not just of ice cream, but the experience of Kawana small business owners like Warren and Prue from day to day,” he said.

The Kawana MP got the Neapolitan experience – trying his hand at serving customers, preparing ice cream cones and chatting with staff, as well as a tour of the local business.

“Small business week celebrates the outstanding contribution of Queensland’s small businesses, both to our economy and locally through job creation,” he said.

“Small businesses provide jobs for more than one million Queenslanders. More than half of all private sector employees work in small businesses,” Mr Bleijie said.

He said the Queensland Government was unashamedly pro-small business, reflected in recent cuts to red tape and regulation.

“Of the 4605 registered businesses in Kawana, 4514 of them are small businesses. So it is vitally important that the Government and local shoppers support them.

“The Government is committed to delivering a brighter future for small businesses and their staff on the Sunshine Coast and I am delighted to see recent employment figures continue to show the Coast leading the state in terms of job creation.

“For too long small business in Queensland was hampered by red tape and regulation. We are delivering on our election commitments to free up small business to do what they do best.”