John Cobb (Calare, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Treasurer, will you update the House on how the government's small business measures will help rural businesses, particularly in my electorate of Calare?

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I really do thank the member for Calare for that question. He has been raising a number of good news stories from his electorate with me over the last few weeks. He stands up for everyone of the 12,300 small businesses in his very large electorate. He has supplied me with an email from Vicki Wilson, who runs Town & Country Rural Supplies in Bathurst—

Mr Perrett interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton will desist.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

where there are a number of small businesses—and the burial site, which I have visited, of Joseph Benedict Chifley. So it is rather ironic that this email should come from her: 'I am writing to congratulate you and your government on the changes to the depreciation schedule in the recent budget. Being the proprietor of Town & Country Rural Supplies, I have had a sharp increase in sales and large inquiries of fencing supplies, stock handling equipment and stockyard supplies. The sales of this equipment has not only meant a large increase in my turnover; it also means a lot more employment on local farms by contractors and the like.' How good is that! Isn't that a great story? We are the best friends of Australia's small businesses. There is no doubt about that.

Last week, the $5.5 billion package for jobs and small business in Australia came to fruition. The money parts went through the Senate. The tax cut for over 700,000 Australian incorporated small businesses went through the Senate.

Mr Perrett interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton will desist.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Of course the $20,000 instant asset write-off—

Dr Chalmers interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Rankin!

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There are only a few days left to go out there and to buy individual items of equipment, anything up to $20,000, and offset that against your tax on 1 July. What we want to see is Australian small businesses going out there and buying the product that helps them to improve their productivity, that helps them to improve their business and profitability, which in turn means that you are going to see more jobs in Australia.

At the same time we are opening up new trade opportunities. As the Prime Minister said, the free trade agreement with China is going to be a massive opportunity for so many small businesses right across Australia to access an enormous market, particularly with the rise of the Asian middle class. We are going to see greater demand for our services and our exports. We are going to empower small businesses to enter those markets. What a great job the minister for trade has done. He is now over there as we speak opening up a new market in India—and that is good for all small businesses.