Yvette D'Ath (Petrie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the Minister for Small Business, the Hon. Brendan O'Connor, who recently visited my electorate to meet with small business, and I acknowledge the Redcliffe City Chamber of Commerce who organised a meeting of local businesses to come together and talk about what their issues were and about the importance of small business for the electorate of Petrie and to hear from the government what we are doing for small business. It was great to have so many small businesses come along to that event and talk to us about important issues of process and the problems they are facing as well as to acknowledge the great work with the initiatives that have come out of this budget and other initiatives that this government has brought in since coming into power in 2007. Not least is what we are doing for households. That is supporting business. Giving households financial assistance means money going into household pockets that people are going to be able to spend in local businesses in my electorate and electorates all across this country. Those businesses really appreciated the opportunity to have a one-on-one discussion with the Minister for Small Business and to talk about their concerns for the future and the importance of skilling and training.

Debate interrupted.

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