Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, I can answer that. There are 1.9 million small businesses employing 3.8 million Australians. Senator Heffernan has made some comments regarding the stimulus, and I will get to Senator Heffernan, but yesterday I raised some of the applications for the Jobs Fund through the stimulus package. I talked about Andrew Robb’s, but they keep coming. Today I received an application from John Forrest, the member for Mallee. But it does not stop with members in the other House. Senator Ian Macdonald has contacted my office for the Carpentaria Shire Council. And there is a second one from Senator Ian Macdonald. Senator Connie Fierravanti-Wells: the champion of the Illawarra, and where is she asking for funding? Not for the Illawarra, but for the Italian Forum in Leichhardt. Senator Heffernan has also sent me one, and what does he say about the Jobs Fund? He says:

I am confident the Jobs Fund program will create and support local jobs. It will build up community confidence and morale and support and improve community services.

(Time expired)