Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister remind the House why small family businesses are at the heart of the Australian economy? Will the Prime Minister also outline to the House any risks to the economic security of small independent operators in the road freight industry and the building and construction sector?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is the passion, the determination, the enterprise, the courage and the risk-taking of small business that drives jobs and prosperity in our economy. Those small business men and women are the very heart of our economy. That is where the greatest jobs creation is to be found. That is where the big businesses of tomorrow begin. That is where the dreams of men and women are who start off with their human capital, borrow some money, buy an asset and get going. It is their enterprise and their entrepreneurship that drives our economy. Now, we understand this as a party. Sitting behind me are men and women from every walk of life. We are a true grassroots party, with members from business—small business, big business—farmers, professional people, the military, the police, health workers—right across the board. We are a broad grassroots party. We understand that the key element in any plan for a prosperous Australia and the key element in our plan for a strong and prosperous 21st century economy must be to provide the incentives and the freedom that encourage those businesses to have a go.

We are getting the big decisions right, and we are seeing that in the economic growth we are enjoying, but the trucking industry is the absolute lifeblood of our economy. The road freight transport industry employs around 200,000 people, and tens of thousands of them are owner-drivers—family businesses, mum-and-dad businesses—and they are fearful because they know that the Labor Party is out to get them. They know the transport tribunal Labor set up is putting them out of business.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The honourable members opposite scoff. The member for Chifley, just before we came into question time, said that our move to abolish this pernicious tribunal was a stunt, just a stunt. That is what he thinks of the owner-drivers of Chifley. That is what he thinks of the truck drivers of Chifley. That is what he thinks of the men and women who have gone to the bank and borrowed some money and bought a rig and are getting out on the road. That is what he thinks of them. He does not have any time for them—because they are not members of the TWU, you see. That is what it is all about.

We are going to set this right. We are committed to abolishing that tribunal. We are committed to getting those businesses back on the road. We are committed to ensuring that those mum-and-dad businesses—those small businesses, those enterprising Australians—can get on and do their work. Labor is determined to keep them out of business.

Ms MacTiernan interjecting—

Ms Macklin interjecting—

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Perth will cease interjecting. The members for Jagajaga and Gorton will cease interjecting as well.