Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Minister for Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

The additional funding is part of the ongoing Small Business Advisory Services Program. That is a $42.5 million commitment from the government. The program makes it possible for some 37 business enterprise centres across Australia to operate.

I had the pleasure to launch the latest centre in Cairns, Senator Macdonald. You are obviously not looking at what is happening in Northern Queensland. We are actually expanding the services being offered, Senator Macdonald, contrary to the silly interjection you made earlier and the quite false claim that we are cutting back on the centres. We are expanding the reach of these centres. Senator Macdonald would be well advised to go and visit some of the small businesses that have been receiving advice from the new centre in Cairns. You are obviously so divorced from the issue and from your own community that you have got no appreciation of the work of these centres. Many of the advisers are formerly small business operators, and they are referred to small business operators.