Craig Emerson (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Finance Minister on Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

Well, why don’t you get on board? You have the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry saying that ‘the extension of the investment allowance to 50 per cent for small business until December 2009 is an excellent initiative’ and ‘a stimulus measure first proposed by ACCI and our members’.

We have the farmers again supporting Labor’s initiatives. The farmers are saying, ‘Farmers will also welcome the small business tax break increase on capital works investment’—the very tax break increase that the coalition criticises and says, ‘Farmers won’t take it up; no-one will take it up.’ Let’s ask the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries. In a release just out, hot off the press, they say:

The Federal Government’s Budget decision to increase and extend the investment tax break for small business provides a valuable incentive for new vehicle sales. The tax break will help stimulate the new vehicle market and support jobs in the industry

There you go—supporting our jobs; supporting our tradies.

But what is happening on the coalition side? It is an unfolding tragedy because, as the Prime Minister has pointed out, the Leader of the Opposition has said, on cue—

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