Julia Banks (Chisholm, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the . Will the minister update the House on what the government is doing to promote Australian industry, business and jobs for hardworking Australians? Is the minister aware of any alternative approaches that would hurt Australian industry, business and jobs?

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member and acknowledge that she comes to this place not just as the victor of Chisholm but also as somebody who has had a distinguished career in businesses that are providing jobs for numerous Australians. As part of that work she has been passionate about creating job opportunities for Australians. In that light, I am pleased to inform the House that last Thursday the member for Reid, in his capacity as assistant minister, and I met with all of the states and territories and achieved exactly what the Prime Minister was talking about: a good working relationship and an outcome where all of the Labor states and territories, as well as the coalition states and territories, agreed on a national business simplification initiative aimed at creating jobs, so unanimity across the jurisdictions with the federal government. Examples of what we are proposing to do to create jobs include: working with New South Wales on bringing down the time for formation of a cafe from 18 months to 3 months; working with South Australia on food-handling standards and simplifying those; working with Victoria on creating faster approaches to registering and starting retail businesses; working with Tasmania on ecotourism being expedited; and, working with Queensland on faster approaches to registering and creating agricultural and manufacturing businesses. Real action that will create jobs.

That has been twinned this week with the work of the parliament in passing the Registered Organisations Commission bill and the progress that is being made on the ABCC—two things that will assist in not just establishing businesses but in allowing the construction to go ahead that is necessary to house these businesses.

I am asked if there are alternatives to this approach of actually creating job and actually allowing businesses to be created. And, yes, there are. Our friends on the other side are resolutely opposed to any action that will rein in union tyranny and thuggery in the workplace. Let me give you an example. Moose Toys, the Australian based maker of Betty Spaghetty and Little Live Pets, which, of course, the CFMEU uses as a way of referring to Bill and Burkie.

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

The Minister for the Environment will refer to members by their correct titles.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I apologise. I withdraw. Moose Toys was accused and threatened on site with the phrase by a CFMEU official, 'You do not want to be the dog who calls the cop on a union official.' Why would they tolerate that sort of intimidation of an Australian business. The reason is that they stand for the thugs. They do not stand for the businesses. We are creating jobs to make it simpler to do business. (Time expired)