Sally Sitou (Reid, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move the motion relating to small businesses in the terms in which it appears on the Notice Paper:

That this House:

(1) recognises that Australia's millions of small businesses are the engine room of our nation's economy, at the heart of local communities across the country and employ millions of Australians;

(2) acknowledges that deadly flooding, bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic have hit our small businesses hard which is why the Government is delivering for small business, helping them to bounce back from these challenges and improve their long-term resilience by:

(a) providing $15.1 million for small business owners across Australia to access free mental health and financial counselling support through the New Access for Small Business Owners and Small Business Debt Helpline programs;

(b) updating Commonwealth Procurement Rules so small businesses get a bigger slice of the $70 billion in contracts that the Commonwealth Government spends every year, with a 20 per cent target;

(c) reviewing the Payment Times Reporting Act 2020 to consider what other policy measures are necessary to achieve better payment terms and practices for small businesses;

(d) opening the first round of $62.6 million in energy efficiency grants to eligible small and medium businesses to help address rising costs; and

(e) passing legislation to make unfair contract terms illegal so small businesses can negotiate fairer agreements with large partners; and

(3) notes that the Government's wider agenda will benefit small businesses by:

(a) delivering an increase in skilled migration;

(b) accelerating the delivery of 465,000 additional fee-free TAFE places, with 180,000 to be delivered in 2023, helping get more skilled workers into the job market quicker; and

(c) delivering cheaper childcare to make life easier and increase workforce participation.

Small businesses make a significant contribution to our economy, accounting for about a third of Australia's GDP and employing more than 4.7 million people. In my electorate of Reid, small businesses are the lifeblood of the community. There are 26,000 small businesses located there. They not only grow our local economy but they also help weave together the social fabric. They have helped multiculturalism thrive by providing migrants with an opportunity to share their food and skills with their new communities. Burwood Chinatown is a wonderful example of that. Comprised of more than 50 hawker style food stores, business owners have brought their foods from their homelands to share. For example, malatang at the aptly named No. 1 Ma La Tang restaurant, shabu at Miyoshi, zong zi from Mum's Kitchen and even chicken feet from Chicken Feet King. These are all the cultural culinary delights finding a new audience in Sydney, and that is what makes small businesses so great—they add to our economy, employ locals and add to the dynamism of the place. They also give back to the community by supporting local schools, community organisations and sporting groups. For example, the Drummoyne chamber of commerce has a program to help high school students get early work experience so they can take that first critical step on the job ladder. They are fostering talent and building careers. The Majors Bay Road chamber of commerce regularly supports charities including the annual A Bloody Great Cause fundraiser to raise money for blood cancer research at Concord Hospital. Melanie Warman is the founder of Boobs on the Run, a small business supporting mums to get fit and take up running. She's also created a community of local mums who are supporting each other and building connections. That is what is so great about small businesses: they are of the community and give back to the community in so many ways.

But we know small-business owners have had it tough over the past few years because of the impact of COVID. That is why the role of government in supporting small businesses to thrive is so important. That's what the Albanese Labor government is doing. We've provided energy efficiency grants so small businesses can reduce their emissions and reduce their operating costs, because it shouldn't just be big businesses with sustainability departments who benefit from the transition to renewable energy. We are providing one million small businesses with energy price relief three $650 rebate for eligible businesses. We're providing direct assistance by temporarily increasing the instant asset write-off threshold to $20,000. And, in an ever-changing digital environment, this government is funding a cyberwardens program to help protect small businesses against cyberthreats.

We also know one of the biggest challenges facing small businesses is finding skilled workers. Whether they are an aged-care provider, childcare centre, mechanic or cafe, small businesses are in desperate need for workers. Unlike those opposite, we believe in helping to train up a skilled workforce. We believe in a strong TAFE sector. This government is urgently working to address the critical skills shortages small businesses are facing, providing fee-free TAFE places because this government recognises that an economy thrives when small businesses thrive, and that only happens when small businesses can get the skilled talent they need.

As a local representative, I also believe there are things I can do at the local level to support businesses in my area. Last week I invited Meta down to Rhodes to run a workshop for small businesses to provide them with training on how they can better use social media to connect with their customers. It's also why I put forward this bill: so I can speak about the wonderful businesses in my area and support them. I will continue to support them, promote them and advocate for small businesses in my local community.

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