Bruce Scott (Maranoa, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

We are used to taxes when we have Labor governments.

Then we look at the small employers, with one to 19 employees. Their No. 1 concern is the level of energy costs. No. 2 is the carbon tax. The third item is the overall level of Commonwealth taxes. They are the three big issues for those employers, those small businesses that I have been talking about here, who employ between one and 19 people. The Mitchell bakery, for instance, employs 15 people. It fits right into that category.

Then there is the medium sized businesses, with between 20 and 99 employees. The No. 1 issue on the agenda is the carbon tax. The second one is the overall level of state taxes. The third one is the level of energy costs. What affects the level of energy costs? The introduction of the carbon tax and the ramifications that that will have for everyone's living costs. The costs of energy will be driven up because much of our energy is generated by coal.

Then of course you have got the large employers, those with 100 or more employees. The No. 1 issue for them is the carbon tax. It comes up every time as one, two or three. Generally it is the No. 1 issue. This is from a survey by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland—a very reputable organisation. (Time expired)

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