Craig Emerson (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Service Economy, Small Business and Independent Contractors) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Small Business and Tourism. I refer the minister to the record-keeping rules imposed on small business by Work Choices, which came into force yesterday. Is the minister aware that the strict liability rules on small business provide for penalties of up to $2,750 for each breach? Does the minister support this extra liability on small business?

Fran Bailey (McEwen, Liberal Party, Minister for Small Business and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Rankin for his question. The first thing I would say is that all workers have to be protected. I have noticed that both the Leader of the Opposition and the shadow minister have been making a number of claims about small business and Work Choices. Let me put on the record some more quotes about small business and the benefits they find from this. Let me tell you about a small businessman from the Illawarra, Mr Jim Eddy, who says that businesses chasing tourism dollars now have more opportunities and greater freedoms. The IR laws create jobs. Diana Williams from the Fernwood women’s health club said, ‘Ninety-nine per cent of my staff are female and they are very happy with our AWA arrangements, as they provide flexibility and accommodate the—

Craig Emerson (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Service Economy, Small Business and Independent Contractors) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The point of order is on relevance. If the minister does not know the answer to the question, she should say so.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister is answering the question. I call the minister.

Fran Bailey (McEwen, Liberal Party, Minister for Small Business and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can assure you that I do know what small business have to say. They know that we provide fairness and flexibility—

Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia and Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Snowdon interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Lingiari is warned!

Fran Bailey (McEwen, Liberal Party, Minister for Small Business and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They know that you lot stand for bringing back unfair dismissal and ripping up AWAs. It does not matter what you say, either here or in the other place, we will get the words of small businesspeople on the record, because there is no doubt that small businesspeople around Australia unanimously support the reforms that the Howard government has brought in for small business.