Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business. Will the minister update the House on how the Morrison government is continuing to back Australian small businesses, including those impacted by flooding, and help them grow and create jobs as part of the recovery from COVID-19?

Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. I know that many areas in his electorate in South-East Queensland have been impacted by the floodwaters in recent days, just as they have been in my own electorate and many other electorates across, particularly, the east coast of Australia. Floodwaters are expected to rise today. Our thoughts go to those who are involved in having to save their businesses and their homes by sandbagging. We're particularly conscious of the fact that the recovery is likely to not take days; it will take weeks. For those businesses as well as the households that have been affected, this is going to be an extremely difficult time for them.

But we have seen how resilient our small businesses are. Our businesses have been affected by fire, by the pandemic and by floods. Many of those businesses have been affected by all three. All of our businesses out there have been able to show amazing resilience as they have constantly fought back from each of these issues that have been put to them over the past 14 to 15 months. Quite frankly, some of our businesses have continuously faced hardship for many years now. There is a significant amount of support being provided by the federal government, and we will continue to provide that support as and when it is needed.

Importantly, through my own portfolio area, AusIndustry, we already have on the ground over 70 advisers, who are out there reaching out to businesses, to support them to access where funding may be available to get them through the immediate hardships they are facing, and, then, what they can do to make sure they recover in the shortest possible time. We will continue to support all our small businesses. We understand how difficult it is every single day for a small business, and we understand how difficult the circumstances in which they now find themselves are.

One thing that I am absolutely sure of is that Australians always band together in times of crisis, and this is absolutely no different. I know that everyone in this House is mindful of the challenges that those in flood affected communities are facing, and our hearts collectively go out to all of them. I know that our communities will rally together. They will support each other. They will get through this. I'd like them to know that this government will support them every step of the way.