Bruce Billson (Dunkley, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Small Business, Deregulation, Competition Policy and Sustainable Cities) Share this | Hansard source

Is there a chance we might get a reply before the end of next week? After that things move into a different mode. Could you see if you could get the replies back whenever you are able? It is not much use to us if the circus comes to town with electioneering and we have not got back any answers. A timely response would be highly valued.

On the R&D tax credits, we are interested to know how much of the allocated funding will be spent on the administrative side of the new R&D tax credit program for 2010-11 onwards, specifically in relation to the changing staffing arrangements within the portfolio and an education campaign through AusIndustry to provide information to business about the new arrangements. Particularly given the sense that some of the novelty factors in the new requirements might be challenging for small business, I am interested in how that communication is going to be handled.

In the automotive area, can the minister confirm that the structural adjustment side of the government’s Automotive Industry Structural Adjustment Program still has about $43.75 million assigned to it in 2011? We understand that about $7.8 million was paid on this side of the program in 2008-09 and we believe that there is approximately $18.9 million to be paid in 2009-10. It seems rather a large jump to $43.75 million, on the face of it, considering the period of time still to go. Can the minister outline why there is such a comparatively large increase in this financial year compared to the other years? Also, can the minister advise how many companies have received funding under the Automotive Industry Structural Adjustment Program. How many of those companies have merged and, if they have, with whom?

I am interested to know how much revenue the government received from the luxury car tax in 2008-09 and 2009-10. That was not clear in the papers available to us. I know you have an interest in Commercialisation Australia, Minister. How many applications have been made for assistance through Commercialisation Australia since it was established? What is the total amount in funding that has been committed to successful applicants so far under the program?

I have a similar question on the Green Car Innovation Fund. The budget papers seem to suggest the government has withdrawn about $200 million over three years from the Green Car Innovation Fund. I would like the minister to confirm that amount and outline the reasons for the cuts. I touched on the Green Building Fund earlier, and I would like an indication of when the round 4 grants might be available. I would like the minister to provide information on how much will be paid out in grants under round 2 of the ARC Linkages program and confirm that applications for funding under this round closed on 18 November last year. The successful projects were supposed to begin on 1 July but there has been no announcement of any kind and applicants are quite anxious to know whether they have been successful or not.

Finally, I am curious about the funding commitment for the industry adjustment package for the automotive industry. That program is presented as transforming Australia’s automotive industry and it will involve some change in the way it operates. Is the government planning a similar adjustment package for businesses and staff that suffer dislocation as a result of the resource super profits tax? Is there a reference to that in the numbers that are being thrown around about the benefits of this tax? As the minister would know, it is not just the big companies like Rio and Xstrata that will be affected; it is also the small gravel pit operators, sand operators and those extracting fertiliser. Many small and family operated businesses will be deeply affected. I am just wondering whether, given the commitment to a structural adjustment package for the automotive industry, the government has an eye to a similar structural adjustment package for the resources sector. I will leave it at that. I thank the minister for his courtesy and his willingness to engage constructively in this process.

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