Labor candidate for Orange Bernard Fitzsimon hosted Opposition small business spokeswoman Jenny Aitchison on Tuesday afternoon to discuss challenges for small businesses.

Gavin Hillier told the forum at the Union Bank schools and the Department of Primary Industries could not source stationery and other supplies in Orange, forced to source them from approved contractors.

One on One Community Care owner Sue Duchnaj said support for enterprises with smaller turnovers than $1 million was also scarce.

“I was one of 10 [aged care] nurses to go out on my own and I’m the only one left,” she said.

“To get start-up capital is almost impossible unless you’re starting a coffee shop – I was able to access NEIS [New Enterprise Incentive Scheme] but I had to be unemployed and have that gap to get Centrelink and get NEIS.”

Ms Duchnaj also said TAFE qualifications were no longer competitive because graduates could not find a job.

Brand Orange executive officer Rhonda Sear said the tourism industry had recovered quickly after Cadia Valley Operations’ construction phase ended, but the problem was now capacity, particularly for accommodation above three stars.

“We have to make sure we don’t take it too far until the infrastructure catches up to where we’re sitting,” she said.

Ms Aitchison said the forum was part of a series she had attended across the state to help form small business policy before the 2019 general state election.

However, she said Labor had taken a local procurement policy to the 2015 election and it remained in place.

“It can’t just be jobs – local procurement makes a big difference,” she said.

Mr Aitchison said Orange’s tourism industry was healthy, but recognised more support was needed for start-ups.

“Businesses don’t know what they need until they need it and it’s about getting help early rather than triggering in a crisis,” she said.