Dennis Jensen (Tangney, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Small Business. Will the minister inform the House how the government's budget is helping small businesses to invest, grow and create jobs particularly in my electorate of Tangney.

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

I thank the member for Tangney, who is doing a great job representing more than 14,000 small businesses and family enterprises in his electorate. And aren't all of the members on this side doing a great job for the enterprising men and women of Australia? That is one of the real take-home messages that the Australian community has from this parliamentary session—who could not be aware of the fantastic Jobs and Small Business package? And what a change it has made for those enterprising men and women—5½ billion dollars worth of support and encouragement, the largest small business package this country has ever seen.

Rather than think of this time of year, as Labor does, as the killing season, we actually think it is the small business season. I tell you what, we actually think there is a reason for every season to be a small business season, because there is so much importance on the success of small business for our economy and the millions of livelihoods that depend on it.

We have seen in that package the lowest small business company tax rate in 50 years, the fantastic instant asset write-off that the Treasurer just spoke about—five days to go of this financial year and still an opportunity to benefit. But unlike Labor, We know that two-thirds of small businesses are not incorporated. We have not forgotten about them like Labor did. We have ensured there is a five per cent discount up to $1,000 for those businesses.

In the member's own electorate, Terry Southam from Southam Automotive Engineering in Williton will be taking advantage of this opportunity. The instant asset write-off has given him the encouragement and the confidence to upgrade the software that allows virtual testing of cars to meet Australian design regulations—another great example.

It has not just been about the budget. This parliamentary session has seen us get on with the job of supporting the job-creating men and women of small business. Obviously there is the budget package. The destruction that Labor inflicted on the employee share schemes, we have fixed that. That has passed through the Senate. That is remedied and that is another opportunity for small business. We have seen introduced for the first time in this country legislation for an Australian small business and family enterprise ombudsman. We have got the food and grocery code of conduct up and going for the first time in our nation's history. We have got unfair contract terms protections for small business. It just keeps going. And we will keep going because we know the men and women of small business are working hard and we are working hard for them.

Over this winter recess, our colleagues will be out there sharing the optimism and the positivity that this government is nurturing. We have got more work to do—the horticulture code, getting in place a crowd source equity funding model. There is a reason every season to get behind small businesses.

I have two requests. Australian consumers, do your bit too. Get behind a local small business. There is no substitute for customers and that is part of it. The other thing is: for those families that have got a Samsung top-loading washing machine, a few of these have caught on fire. In all seriousness, everyone in this place should make sure, if you have got a model starting with SW or Western Australia—they have caused house fires—get them checked out. Use the recall machinery. Get them repaired. That is something worthwhile to do over winter as well.