Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question and note that he, like many of us, has run a successful small business and knows the challenges that they face on a day-to-day basis. Of course, the pandemic has thrown up so many more challenges for our small and family businesses. Our government has always been determined to support small and family businesses, to back 3½ million small and family businesses right across this country, because it's many of those who have borne the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. It's them that have really borne the brunt of the economic challenges that we have all faced over the last 12 months. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. They support many of our local community groups and they support our sporting organisations, and very often they're the places that our young people get their first jobs.

These can be businesses like one of the businesses in the member for Longman's electorate, RGS at Narangba. They're a manufacturing business. They were established by the Gripske family more than 30 years ago, and they manufacture and distribute a range of outdoor power equipment, including after-market spares for things such as lawnmowers, chainsaws, brush cutters, trimmers and small engines. They are a 100 per cent Australian-owned family business and they have gone from 120 employees to 138 in the last six months. I met with Paul Gripske and his team, along with the member for Longman, at two of their factories late last year. They have some really big plans to grow their business into the future, and that includes onshoring more manufacturing and building Aussie-made lawnmowers. They have, literally, powered through the pandemic. And they're one of many businesses right around this country that are planning for the future with confidence.

In fact, the NAB survey of SMEs found that business confidence in the last quarter of 2020 reached its highest level since the survey began in 2006. Confidence about profitability, trading and employment were all back in positive territory, which is absolutely extraordinary given the year that we have just had. Over 90 per cent of small business loan deferrals from the peak of the pandemic are now being repaid again. Importantly, businesses are graduating off JobKeeper. They have adapted and they have adjusted to the challenges of the last 12 months. They are looking at how they are going to grow their businesses, and every small business across Australia knows that the coalition government has their back.

Ms Burney interjecting—

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