Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak in support of the motion moved by the member for Forrest. Small business is the engine room of our economy, and, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there are more than 13,000 registered small businesses in my electorate of Ryan—mum and dad enterprises that reinvest in our community, source local products and employ our family and friends. In Queensland, more than 50 per cent of the private sector workforce is employed by small businesses, and they contribute 46 per cent of our gross state product. Before I entered politics, I had my own small business for 20 years. When you go into business you take on considerable financial risk. You are forced to prioritise expenditure and you regularly make significant personal sacrifices for the sake of your business and your employees. When we invest in small business, we invest in our community.

I have previously spoken in this place about the importance of supporting small business, particularly during the peak retail periods such as Christmas, and the local multiplier effect that occurs when we do so. When we spend our money at large chain stores just 13.6 per cent of the money we spend is reinvested in the local economy, as opposed to 48 per cent when we buy from our local traders. Small business plays a key role in supporting growth and economic opportunity, and that is why the coalition is wholly committed to seeing it prosper.

Of the 13,000-plus small businesses in Ryan, almost 80 per cent are involved in services industries. These businesses range from small retailers to large professional service firms with international clients. If these businesses are to succeed and keep pace with constantly evolving technologies and changing business models, we must ensure that they have access to affordable, fast and reliable broadband internet. Indeed, as technology becomes more integrated in our everyday lives, the economic imperative for fast and reliable broadband, especially for small business, is amplified. Whether it be the local greengrocer introducing a PayPass terminal to speed up sales or the local health clinic providing after-hours telehealth services to patients, the role of the internet in modern-day business cannot be understated.

It may surprise members to learn that there are areas in my electorate of Ryan located in the heart of a capital city—Brisbane—that do not have access to fast and reliable broadband internet. Rural properties, as well as new housing estates in the west of my electorate, continue to persevere with outdated technology unsuitable for the new and constantly evolving applications that the internet offers. It is for this reason that the cost-effective and timely rollout of the National Broadband Network is so crucial for my electorate and many others.

When Labor were in office they had no plan to deliver a cost-effective and timely rollout of the National Broadband Network. The former Labor government's rollout projections were unrealistic, and costs continued to blow out by billions of dollars with no regard for taxpayers' money or affordability. I congratulate the current Minister for Communications for the work he has done to save the National Broadband Network from becoming a monumental public infrastructure disaster and for placing it on a clear and stable path of delivery.

The world we live in today is much smaller than the one we grew up in. Tyrannies of distance have been overcome, and cultural barriers have been broken down. Today, we live and work in a global economy. While this brings with it significant economic risk and trade exposure of industry, overwhelmingly it represents unprecedented economic opportunity, particularly with the new trade agreements that the Minister for Trade has opened up with Korea, Japan and China. The key to ensuring that we seize this opportunity is being adaptive to change, especially as business practices evolve and new technologies emerge. A national broadband network is absolutely pivotal in ensuring that Australia's small businesses keep pace with the changing nature of business and trade both domestically and abroad. I commend this motion to the House.

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