Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Small Business) Share this | Hansard source

Sounds right—and it is. But, sadly, he promised the reverse. He said: 'No, we're going to create jobs. There'll be more jobs.' There are not.

On top of this the Abbott government has cut $1 billion in support payments for, as I said, trade programs, trade tools and apprentices, but they went further. They thought: 'That's a fair bit of damage. We'll go out there and smash small business and business. But let's go further.' Tony Abbott and the Liberals believe that small business will just cop it on the chin and, nudge nudge, wink wink, we're on your side buddy, no worries at all, so what do they do? Tax loss carry-back. That is $1.3 billion worth of direct assistance to small business which basically said: 'We recognise that in tough global economic times there will be some businesses that could do with a bit of a repay on taxes they have already paid. If you find a particular year like last year or this year tough and you have already paid taxes in the past, we will allow you to claw some of that back.' That was a really good program and well supported by small business. How good and successful was that program under Labor? $1.3 billion successful. This government took it away. They look them in the eye and say: 'We're on your side. We're pro-something,' and then they just take the money off them.

Instant asset write-off was one of the most productive and efficient programs you could give to small business. You directly say to them: 'If you invest your money into equipment, into growing your business, the government will support you. We're not going to give it to you for free, but we'll give you an instant asset write-off rather than having to wait till further down the track at tax time. This was such a successful program that its value was $3.2 billion. Tony Abbott's Liberal government took that away. Again: nudge nudge, wink wink, small business we're on your side. That is the myth, but in fact they are antibusiness because they take that away from them.

Labor put in place half a billion dollars worth of special depreciation rules for motor vehicles, and the Liberals took it away. Everywhere I look on the record I just see the facts, and the facts tell me this: they are antibusiness, they are antisuperannuation, they are antiworker, they are anti trade apprentices, they are anti the auto industry. They do not want an auto industry in this country; it can just leave. That was the message loud and clear.

Labor, on the other hand, stands on its record. We support business, we support growth and we support jobs. (Time expired)

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