Susan Templeman (Macquarie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I discovered a new Macquarie small business at the Springwood Growers Market this weekend, the Blue Mountains Liquor Company, whose sugar-free liqueur is made with oranges from the Hawkesbury. They were alongside many entrepreneurs who were giving a great idea a go, exactly what I did around 30 years ago.

The Albanese government wants to provide practical help for small businesses. Every sole trader will get a tax cut from July, every director of a small business will get a tax cut from July and every worker in every small business will get a tax cut from July. We're also helping businesses save on energy, with the second round of grants for small-business energy upgrades opening this week in New South Wales, and there's a 20 per cent bonus tax deduction available on spending for more efficient energy use. Blue Mountains local Martin Rogers is delivering our free Digital Solutions program to small businesses, with support on digital commerce, security and marketing, and there's also our Cyber Wardens educational program, designed to build a cybersmart small-business workforce, so owners know that the whole team is more cyberalert. These are practical things that will make a difference.

Small businesses are not just the engine room of my local economy. They're also my friends and my neighbours, they're the sponsors of our schools and sporting clubs, and they're one of the reasons we love living where we do, which is why I'll always shop local first.