Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Small Business) Share this | Hansard source

I do want to thank the member for Tangney for that important question. I know that he understands just how important and crucial small businesses are not just to the national economy but, importantly, to local communities. And not only do small businesses put pay cheques in pockets; they are now employing more than 5.2 million Australians and contributing more than half a trillion dollars each and every year to the Australian economy.

It was great to be with the member for Tangney in his electorate just over a week ago, hosting a roundtable of small businesses, where the small businesses were telling us about issues that concern them, and they were really interested to hear about the government's measures that will support them, because they understand that we on this side of the parliament are the party that backs small business. We're standing up for fairness and we're delivering to help small businesses. Today in the House—

Opposition members interjecting —

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