Steven Ciobo (Moncrieff, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Small Business, the Service Economy and Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

I have just found out that he is not even on the speakers list. I say to the small business minister: put yourself on the speakers list; stand up for the 2.4 million small businesses in Australia that you are paid to represent; be an advocate for them; please provide clarity to them on what will happen with unfair dismissal. I predict that if he does put his name down, he will stand up in this chamber and wax lyrical about how the Australian Labor Party is talking to small businesses and has set up the Small Business Advisory Group. My concern is that it is only being done for show. Will the Small Business Advisory Group that the Australian Labor Party has established really be listened to by the Australian Labor Party or will it just be seen to be consulting? The small business minister has said, when he has spoken at a number of events, including a doorstop at the front of the House of Representatives, that he does not believe that there should be a uniform unfair dismissal code in operation in Australia. The small business minister has previously made it clear that he does not believe that there is any benefit from seeing a uniform small business unfair dismissal exemption.

That is concerning to me and I know it is concerning to Australia’s small business sector. That is the engine room of the Australian economy and the Australian Labor government ignore it at their peril. By all means, those on this side of the House understand that the Labor Party must serve their union masters, but understand this too: they must also serve the needs of the Australian people, both employers and employees. I urge the government to incorporate the coalition’s amendment to this bill, to maintain workforce flexibility, which is a fundamental part of a modern Australian workforce, and to please balance—not capitulate to—union demands that have been put upon them by a union movement that bought the last election.

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