Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'd like to thank the minister for her detailed speech outlining how hard our government is working to deliver much-needed support to Australian small businesses and those looking to learn new skills, re-skill and enter the workforce. Feedback from last month's federal budget has been extremely positive from Bonner's business community, particularly around our strategy to grow the manufacturing sector in key areas, which will create local jobs and be part of Australia's economic recovery. Supporting our local businesses, from our local cafes to homewares and produce, has never been more important. Every time we consciously choose to buy and support local, we are supporting local jobs. In Bonner, I am actively supporting our government's Go Local First campaign to ensure that supporting our local small businesses is front of mind for people starting to plan for their Christmas shopping.

As we know, small business is the engine room of Australia's economy, creating thousands of jobs and supporting major sectors including defence, manufacturing, tourism and more. Whilst Australia's manufacturing sector has been put at the forefront of our economic recovery plan, we know that this strategy will have a tremendous flow-on effect for the small business community, with local supply chains benefitting greatly from a growing manufacturing industry. The Morrison government are committed to supporting businesses and industries. We have passed 10 small-business tax concessions, which will make a tremendous difference to Australia's family small businesses. We have also provided more than $26.2 million to enable small businesses to access the benefits of digital technology and to look after themselves and their business as they manage through the stress of the COVID-19 crisis. This includes $19.2 million to encourage and support small businesses to digitise and $7 million to help provide businesses and mental health support for small-business owners who are under increasing financial and emotional pressure.

2020 has been a tough year, but Australians know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. During the pandemic, I was contacted by Tony from Matters in Gray at Mount Gravatt. This is a third-generation, family-owned training college for hairdressers. Tony explained how JobKeeper had kept their business going and supported staff when they had to close down. I visited Tony and the team at Matters in Gray once restrictions eased and I'm very pleased to share that the story only gets better for this local, family-owned training business. With our government support measures for apprentices and trainees, Matters in Gray will not only recover from the global pandemic but thrive from all the young Australians starting their hair apprenticeships. Local salons now have the incentives available to take on more staff and apprentices, and training centres like Matters in Gray will benefit greatly. The flow-on effect from our support measures are in plain sight and proof that they work. In my electorate of Bonner, 577 apprentices and trainees have been supported under the Supporting Apprentices and Trainees wage subsidy. I can't wait to catch up with Tony again for another update.

Recently I was very pleased to be joined by Senator James McGrath to tour Loadpro, one of Australia's and Bonner's hardworking businesses. Loadpro develops off-road haulage trucks, and their latest design, the X60 truck, has secured contracts with Australia's mining and construction industries for its efficient design. Ron got in touch with me last month to share some exciting news of an update, that their business was about to ship their first two export trucks. Senator McGrath and I had the opportunity to see these trucks up close, and I can say: 'Wow! What an impressive product.'

From the start of this pandemic, our government's focus has been on getting through to the other side, and it was great to see businesses like Loadpro in Bonner not only surviving but thriving. My electorate has more than 500 manufacturing based businesses, and a $1.5 billion Bonner manufacturing strategy will help businesses like Loadpro to grow their business to create more local jobs and increase their opportunity to supply domestic and international markets. Since the release of the budget, I've been out in the community visiting local businesses and listening to their feedback, and I'm pleased to share that this budget has restored confidence in the small-business community and confidence in job security. Following our visit to Loadpro, Senator James McGrath and I visited The Manly Hotel to meet with some small-business owners to discuss the business measures and how they had fared during the local pandemic. I'm sure that the senator can attest to the fact that we heard some fantastic grassroots feedback.

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