Matt Williams (Hindmarsh, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

We do have a couple of things in common, Member for Chifley, including the good Arnott's workers in the Arnott's factories. But, in terms of the Trade Practices Act, I think he got a bit carried away on 'misleading and deceptive conduct'. I would rather hear him talk about the utility bill increases for his 9,000 small businesses, the red tape and all those things that really matter. He tended to gloss over that, if he even mentioned it.

We are doing what small businesses want; we are reducing taxes for small businesses. Company tax is going down, the compliance burden is being reduced and, importantly, the carbon tax is gone. If there was one thing that small businesses always mentioned when we talked to them in the electorate, it was the higher utility bills, the higher electricity prices. We are helping them on that important front.

But our agenda for small business is far broader than that. As we have heard from the member for Dobell and other speakers on the coalition side, it focuses on the effectiveness of government engagement with small business, including the ombudsman, but also on encouraging start-ups. Again, this is where the member for Chifley was a bit misleading, making out that Labor were all for start-ups and entrepreneurialism when they were the ones that actually changed the employee share ownership scheme. We are the ones that are putting it back on the agenda. We are encouraging entrepreneurial behaviour because we need more entrepreneurs and more successful businessmen creating growth, creating jobs and creating wealth for our economy so that we can fund the necessary services like health, education and other social services going forward.

For the Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, as we have heard, there is $8 million over four years, which is a significant commitment to this advocate for small businesses and family enterprises—those family businesses that are so important to our society and to our economy. My wife runs an allied health practice with a number of others, and we know from speaking to other hardworking families that run their own businesses that they put their households on the line week in, week out to help their own family business and to help other employees associated with the companies. This ombudsman will contribute to laws and regulations that are friendly to small businesses and will help them—a concierge, if you like, for dispute resolution.

We have also talked about a number of other things, like small business access to contracts. So often, small businesses say it is hard to get access to government contracts. We are making it easier. That is why we are providing almost $3 million for small businesses to do business with government. They want access. They want the opportunity. They want a better playing field.

Whether it be export market development grants worth $15 million over four years, we need more exporters. We need people to look internationally, to go beyond our borders, to go into Asia, where there is the growing middle class, and also other areas around the world to do more with exporting the fine goods and services we produce in Australia.

Tourism is another good or service where there are a growing number of Chinese in particular who are coming out and looking for the great products that Australia has to offer. There is $43 million over four years for the tourism infrastructure grants program because these are some of the growth areas: tourism, food and wine. There are many great wines from my own state of South Australia as well as from others. There are not too many in Queensland, but you have great tourism there. I know the member for Ryan is a passionate advocate for tourism and, importantly, has a very significant background in tourism.

It was actually pleasing to hear the member for Canberra speak about her background in small business, because we do not often hear that from the opposition's side, whereas on our side small business runs through our blood and a better business environment is part of our DNA.

We have talked about red tape and compliance a bit and will hear more about that in the House this week. We know we have a lot of work to do, but we are making significant inroads. There are now over $2.1 billion in red tape reduction—a great achievement, some real runs on the board in this significant area to make it easier for small businesses to reduce their compliance costs, reduce the time they are filling out form and get on with doing what they do best: serving their customers those fine goods and services.

We have a range of endorsements from third parties, whether it be Gail Kelly of Westpac, the Brotherhood of St Laurence or Universities Australia. They all appreciate that this red tape reduction is so important for their members and a better functioning economy.

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