Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

In this important respect, we want to go back to the good example of the Hawke government. Once upon a time, there were Labor governments that were fair dinkum. Once upon a time, there were Labor governments that had a plan. Once upon a time, there were Labor leaders who understood that the best form of welfare is work, and there were Labor leaders who were interested in serious reform, not just in mindless negativity and opposition for opposition's sake.

We have brought down a budget. It is the best budget ever for small business. There are $5.5 billion worth of tax cuts for small business, and the great thing about the tax cuts that we are bringing down for small business is that they will unleash far more in investment by the private sector. When you give small business an instant asset write-off for purchases up to $20,000, that costs government a certain amount of money but it unleashes so much more from the private sector.

When members opposite want to stimulate the economy, they take the public's money to spend it on the things that they think are important. When we want to boost the economy, we say to people, 'You spend your money on the things that you think matter, and we will give you a tax cut; we will leave more of your money in your pocket,' because we work with the people of Australia. We trust the people of Australia. We trust the small businesses of Australia to know what works for them, what works for their staff and what works for their customers. That is why this is the best budget ever for the small businesses of Australia.

We have a plan. Members opposite do not like our plan—fair enough; they are entitled not to like our plan. Tell us your plan.

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