David Gillespie (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Small Business. Could the minister update the House on how the government's budget is helping small businesses to grow and to create jobs?

Bruce Billson (Dunkley, Liberal Party, Minister for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What a great question—and an unexpected one, I might say. The member for Lyne asked the question: how does our $5½ billion Jobs and Small Business package help small businesses to start to grow and prosper? All I can say to the member for Lyne is: in so many ways. And that is the reason why in so many ways small business is welcoming what we have done. In the package we have cuts to the tax paid on the income of all small businesses up to a $2 million turnover, regardless of their structure. There are incentives to invest and grow. We are removing barriers to the start-up and the gearing up of businesses.

We are about energising enterprise, and what a great story that is for the more than 10,000 small businesses in the member's electorate—and he has shared with me some examples from his own electorate. Will Frost at Menn-in Trailers has used the $20,000 write-off for office equipment for his business, but he has gone further. He has shared that since the budget announcement he has been 'insanely busy', as other small businesses come in to take advantage of this opportunity. Heather Cooper from MidCoast Irrigation & Horticultural Supplies is currently experiencing what she said is a 'rush of customers' because of the budget measures. This morning, Scott Ramsay of SR Steel, who had been thinking for some time about buying a more efficient punch and sheer machine for his metal business, said—and I will not use his exact words in deference to you, Madam Speaker—that the budget was a boot up the backside to actually turn what he had been thinking about for some time into action. We are understandably positive and up-beat and so are the small business men and women. The Prime Minister is up-beat. There is positivity from the benches here, and my blood group is even positive, we are that excited about it.

But in amongst all that we have some negativity from those opposite. The member for Griffith could not help herself in the Federation Chamber yesterday. She started bagging out anybody who did not realise that two-thirds of small businesses are not structured as small companies. Do you know who does not realise that? It is the Leader of the Opposition who struggled with that simple concept. In his cobbled-together budget reply speech he went out talking about how we have to have small business tax cuts for companies—we have to do this and we have to do that—and he forgot that two thirds of small businesses are not even incorporated. The member went on to describe anyone who did not realise that two-thirds of small businesses are not incorporated as 'buffoons'. That is not a term I would use, but I am concerned somewhat. This seems to be the sequel to the 'Shorten and sharp knives' saga. What is it about the tension between the members for Maribyrnong and Griffith? Can't we get past that in the interests of getting on with the business of this country? It is this side of politics that knew; we know that two-thirds small businesses are not incorporated. That is why we have included measures to deal with that. You can count on us, Member for Griffith, even if you cannot count on the opposition leader.