Ken O'Dowd (Flynn, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I will withdraw, Mr Speaker. Small business is faced with a renewable energy tax. That was passed by both sides of the House, but it will have a big impact on business. It will add at least 10 per cent to costs, and that is before the carbon tax. The carbon tax has been well documented and talked about. Not only will it affect the 500 biggest polluters in Australia, those awful big companies that we used to encourage to come to Australia and set up their businesses, it will affect every man, woman and child in Australia. Make no mistake about that. It is not just going to affect the 500. IR laws are inflexible. That is why you are flat out getting a cup of coffee on a Saturday or a Sunday. From five o'clock on a Friday afternoon until eight o'clock Monday morning, you will pay dearly if you want a cup of coffee anywhere in Australia. We have a tourism industry. And guess what? Tourism does not really start until after five o'clock on any day of the week. Yet the laws are that stringent and that tough; there is no bending them.

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